Environmental Review - ESCR

East Side Coastal Resiliency


Project Background

Project Background
Project Team
Project Elements
Frequently Asked Questions
Resources
Website Accessibility

Project Background

Project Team

Project Elements

Frequently Asked Questions

Resources

Website Accessibility


2018 Value Engineering Review Documents

In April 2018, the City of New York conducted a value engineering review of ESCR to analyze various potential construction approaches and possible alternatives for the project. This type of review is a standard practice for large capital projects and typically occurs at the 40% design phase. Due to the draft findings of the value engineering review, the City subsequently undertook a feasibility analysis for one of the alternate project approaches, specifically the alternative that involved elevating East River Park and installing flood protections at the water's edge rather than along the west side of East River Park bordering the FDR Drive. Please note that both the value engineering review and the feasibility analysis included draft, unvetted options for further consideration, and as such certain content has been redacted, including for security and privacy concerns.

ESCR Value Engineering Study Preliminary Report 2018 (Updated 2021-07-23)

ESCR Elevated Park Alternative Feasibility Analysis 2018 (Updated 2021-07-23)

The final, comprehensive and fully vetted analysis of project alternatives is published in full in the Final EIS documents, which can be found in the Environmental Review section below.

Environmental Review

The environmental review process determines a project's potential environmental impacts, taking into consideration federal, state, and local environmental standards. The process arms decision-makers with the information needed to ensure that projects are environmentally safe and sound. As part of this process, the City evaluated and reviewed several alternatives against the purpose and need and principal objectives for the project, which are to provide a reliable flood protection system for the protected area, improve access to and enhancing open space resources along the waterfront, and meet HUD funding deadlines for federal spending, along with the goal to minimize potential environmental effects and disruptions to the community.

Positive Declaration (October 28, 2015)

Draft Scope of Work (October 30, 2015)

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (November 6, 2015)

Early Floodplain/Wetlands Notice (February 22, 2019)

Notice of Availability (April 5, 2019)

Notice of Completion (April 5, 2019)

Final Scope of Work (April 5, 2019)

Notice of Availability (September 13, 2019)

Notice of Completion (September 13, 2019)

Technical Memorandum 001 (November 12, 2019)

Joint Record of Decision (ROD) and Findings Statement - December 6, 2019

Combined Notice of Joint Record of Decision (ROD) and Findings Statement and Notice of Intent to Request Release of Funds (NOI RROF) - December 6, 2019

Response to comments on the ROD and NOI RROF, and record of comments received

Technical Memorandum 002 (December 22, 2021)

Technical Memorandum 003 (April 6, 2022)

Technical Memorandum 004 (April 25, 2024)

Other Referenced Documents

Coastal Hydraulics Report (2015)

Coastal Hydraulics Report (updated 2019)

Final Environmental Impact Statement (September 13, 2019)

The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) includes a detailed project description and an assessment of environmental impacts, including direct, indirect, and cumulative effects, associated with a No Action Alternative, Preferred Alternative, and three other With Action Alternatives, and a response to comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

Archived DEIS Chapters and Appendices

ESCR FEIS Cover

Chapter 00 - Foreword

Chapter 0.0 - Executive Summary

Chapter 00 - Table of Contents

Chapter 1.0 - Purpose and Need

Chapter 2.0 - Project Alternatives

Chapter 3.0 - Process Coordination and Public Participation

Chapter 4.0 - Analysis Framework

Chapter 5.1 - Land Use, Zoning, and Public Policy

Chapter 5.10 - Neighborhood Character

Chapter 5.11 - Environmental Justice

Chapter 5.2 - Socioeconomic Conditions

Chapter 5.3 - Open Space

Chapter 5.4 - Historic and Cultural Resources

Chapter 5.5 - Urban Design and Visual Resources

Chapter 5.6 - Natural Resources

Chapter 5.7 - Hazardous Materials

Chapter 5.8 - Water and Sewer Infrastructure

Chapter 5.9 - Transportation

Chapter 6.0 - Construction Overview

Chapter 6.1 - Construction Socioeconomics Conditions

Chapter 6.10 - Construction Air Quality

Chapter 6.11 - Construction Greenhouse Gas

Chapter 6.12 - Construction Noise and Vibration

Chapter 6.13 - Construction Public Health

Chapter 6.2 - Construction Open Space

Chapter 6.3 - Construction Historic and Cultural Resources

Chapter 6.4 - Construction Urban Design

Chapter 6.5 - Construction Natural Resources

Chapter 6.6 - Construction Hazardous Materials

Chapter 6.7 - Construction Water and Sewer Infrastructure

Chapter 6.8 - Construction Energy

Chapter 6.9 - Construction Transportation

Chapter 7.0 - Indirect and Cumulative Effects

Chapter 8.0 - Unavoidable Adverse Effects

Chapter 9.0 - Irreversible and Irretreivable Commitment of Resources

Chapter 10.0 - Response to Comments on the DEIS

Chapter 11.0 - List of Preparers

Chapter 12.0 - Glossary of Terms

Chapter 13.0 - List of Acronyms

Chapter 14.0 - ESCR Project FEIS Referenced Documents

Appendices

Appendix A1 - List of No Action Projects

Appendix A2 - Final Scope of Work

Appendix B - CEQR Screening Analyses

Appendix C1 - Preliminary Engineering Design Plans Cover Sheet

Appendix C1a - Preferred Alternative Title, Legend, and Key Map

Appendix C1b - Preferred Alternative Bridge Plans, Elevation, and Sections

Appendix C1c - Preferred Alternative Civil Plans

Appendix C1d - Preferred Alternative Floodwalls and Structural Plans

Appendix C1e - Preferred Alternative Esplanade Structural Plan and Cross Sections

Appendix C1f - Preferred Alternative Flood Protection and Cross Sections

Appendix C1g - Preferred Alternative Closure Structures

Appendix C1h - Preferred Alternative Shared Use Path Plan

Appendix C1i - Preferred Alternative Stuyvesant Cove Plan

Appendix C1j - Preferred Alternative Parallel Conveyance Civil Plan and Profile

Appendix C1k - Preferred Alternative Interceptor Gate Plans

Appendix C1l - Preferred Alternative Flyover Bridge Plan

Appendix C1m - Preferred Alternative Tree Removal and Protection Plan

Appendix C1n - Preferred Alternative Tree Mitigation Schedule

Appendix C1o - Preferred Alternative Landscaping Plan and Section

Appendix C2 - Alternative 2 Conceptual Plans

Appendix C3 - Alternative 3 Conceptual Plans

Appendix D - WRP

Appendix E - Historic and Cultural Resources Consultation

Appendix F1 - Natural Resources Survey

Appendix F2 - Jurisdictional Determination

Appendix G - NOAA NMFS

Appendix H1 - NYNHP Consultation

Appendix H2 - USFWS Consultation

Appendix I - Tree Inventory

Appendix J - Transportation Study

Appendix K1 - Construction Air Quality

Appendix K2 - Construction Noise

Appendix L - Eight Step Planning Process for Floodplains and Wetlands

Appendix M - Comments Received on the DEIS

Appendix N - LWCF Consultation