DEC AWARDS $75,000 GRANT FOR SUSTAINABLE SHORELINES DEMONSTRATION PROJECT AT NYACK BEACH STATE PARK

PRESS RELEASE

In partnership with the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC), the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Hudson River Estuary Program awarded Princeton Hydro LLC a grant of $74,865 to design a sustainable shorelines demonstration project at Nyack Beach State Park in the village of Upper Nyack, Rockland County, DEC Commissioner Joe Martens announced earlier this month.

This initiative supports storm resiliency through green infrastructure, the focus of Governor Cuomo’s “Reimagining New York for a New Reality,” a $17 billion strategy that will transform New York’s infrastructure, transportation networks, energy supply, coastal protection, weather warning system and emergency management to better protect New Yorkers from future extreme weather.

“The Hudson River Estuary Program is helping people enjoy, protect and revitalize the Hudson River and its Valley,” said Commissioner Martens. “Governor Cuomo has made preparing for climate change and creating resilient communities a priority. Through this, Commissioner Harvey and her team will stabilize the shoreline and enhance the public use of Nyack Park. This sustainable shorelines demonstration project will also establish a model that can be used in similar settings with both tidal and riverbank characteristics.”

The purpose of the grant is to design improvements to the park’s shoreline, which is along the western shore of the Hudson River north of the Tappan Zee Bridge, to reduce erosion, improve habitat for aquatic species and enhance the recreational use of the park.  The designed improvements also will increase the property’s resiliency to sea-level rise, storm surges and wave action resulting from coastal storms.

“NEIWPCC is pleased to be able to support Hudson River shoreline projects that involve preparing for sea-level rise while sustaining a healthy ecosystem,” said Ron Poltak, NEIWPCC executive director.

“Recent extreme weather events have highlighted the fact that, beyond providing places for fun and recreation, parkland serves as crucial buffers for our communities, absorbing and mitigating the impact of stronger and more frequent storms,” said Office of Parks and Historic Preservation Commissioner Rose Harvey. “I’m thankful to DEC and NEIWPCC for advancing plans that will help make Nyack Beach a better place for recreation and a stronger buffer for the community.”

Visited by 150,000 people annually, Nyack Beach features a riverfront trail that runs north along the Hudson River to Haverstraw.  High storm surges from Superstorm Sandy caused nearly $1 million in damage to approximately 2.5 miles of trail and seawall, closing the trail for several months. The Hudson River Estuary Program is a project of the state Environmental Protection Fund. The funding will help achieve goals of the 2010-2014 Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda, a plan for conserving, protecting and revitalizing the Hudson River estuary.

For more information, visit DEC’s website at www.dec.ny.gov/lands/4920.html.