Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani: Good afternoon, Sunset Park. It is a pleasure to be here, here in Sunset Park in Brooklyn, and I want to just first say it's a pleasure to be here alongside Council Member Alexa Avilés, as well as our DEP Commissioner, Lisa Garcia, who is here with us. And I also want to acknowledge the second vice chair of CB7, Cynthia Felix Jeffers, who's here with us, as well as all of the community members and leaders that we have joining us for today's announcement.
Now, I want you all to just join me for a little bit of a journey through time. In 2015, Brooklyn rapper 2Milly introduced the term "Milly Rocking." Now, if you believe as I do that Milly might be short for Milwaukee and, in fact, that this might be a reference to the fact that Milwaukee pioneered sewer socialism many years ago, today we may too be Milly rocking as we speak about the importance of delivering sewer socialism across the five boroughs of the place that we call home.
Because today is a day when we are delivering the very kinds of public goods and public excellence that, too often for New Yorkers, have been missing in their day-to-day lives, especially in the moments where we see rainfall exceed the kinds that this city had anticipated many, many years prior when our sewage system was first put together. Now, when we're talking about catch basins in this city, we're speaking about an essential part of a 7,500-mile sewer network. There are more than 150,000 catch basins in our city. They channel stormwater into DEP's 14 wastewater facilities or directly into our waterways.
And when basin grates are flooded - when the basin grates are blocked, rather - neighborhoods are flooded. And so, what we are here to do is to talk about the importance of cleaning and ensuring that catch basins are protected against flooding, extreme weather, and keeping streets in good condition. And so, I'm proud to be here alongside our intrepid City Councilwoman, our DEP commissioner, to announce that City Hall is going to be investing $108 million to replace and modernize older and outdated catch basins across our city.
Now, this builds on $20 million that has already been invested for 40 new catch basin cleaning trucks because what we're speaking about in actuality is DEP replacing more than 6,700 catch basins over the next decade, starting in Queens and then moving to Brooklyn, Staten Island, as well as the Bronx. This is going to begin in July of this year. And what we're talking about is building upon the work the DEP has been doing, which has upgraded 1,776 basins since last year across our city and 350 grill replacements, curb pieces, bicycle-friendly grates, and slotted manhole covers added since this January alone.
Now, we are going to continue to invest about $1.5 million per year for basin modernization. We're also going to be speeding up the catch basin cleaning. I'm proud to say that DEP has now managed to exceed the eight-business-day requirement for catch basin cleaning and is reporting being able to do so within three days of a complaint being filed with the city. Now, from 1910 to 1912, the Mayor of Milwaukee, Emil Seidel, once said, "Yes, we wanted sewers in the workers' homes, but we wanted much, oh so very much more than sewers."
We are here today to talk about one part of what City government must do, but when City government can show that when it rains in the city it doesn't have to flood, it also shows New Yorkers that we can dream of a tomorrow that is better than today. So, thank you all so much for joining me, and with that being said, I'm going to pass it over to our incredible new commissioner, Lisa Garcia.
Commissioner Lisa Garcia, Department of Environmental Protection: All right. Thank you. Thank you so much, Mayor Mamdani. It's a pleasure to be here in Sunset Park. ¡Buenas tardes! Sunset Park. I'm Lisa Garcia, the commissioner of DEP, as the Mayor mentioned, and we know that New York City's most intense rainstorms have all come in the past four years. Many of us have felt them and have seen some of the flooding that follows that. That means our infrastructure has to work harder and smarter.
Today we are here to talk about the ways we are modernizing the first line of defense against street flooding, catch basins, or, more commonly known as storm drains, right, where the water goes when it rains. New York City has more than 150,000 catch basins, the curbside grates that drain rainwater off the streets into our sewer system. When they are working properly, they keep the streets passable and reduce flooding during those storms and heavy rain. When they are blocked or outdated and not catching the debris, they unfortunately create ponding on the streets and flood intersections.
That's why we are investing, as the mayor said, $108 million to improve the street drainage system that protects our neighborhoods across all five boroughs. Beginning in July, we'll be fully starting to replace over 6,700 catch basins. As the mayor mentioned, these replacements modernize underground structures to increase capacity and take in more water. And as the storms continue to increase, we are seeing more rainfall and more water. And that's not all we're doing. We're not just upgrading the catch basins, [and] the storm drains, we're upgrading the vehicles that service them.
This $108 million investment in catch basins or storm drains builds upon the city's $20 million purchase of the catch basin trucks, which help us clean out those drains. And nine are already online, with four more expected over the rest of the year. You'll actually get to see a truck in action later today when we try this out over here in Sunset Park. These investments are in addition to the $1.5 million that DEP spends every year to upgrade existing catch basins. We've already installed more than 400 slotted manhole covers to provide an alternative drainage path if catch basins are blocked with litter or leaves. And we've made nearly 300 catch basins bike-friendly. I'm a biker, so I appreciate that. So, when your bike goes over one of them, you don't dip into it. You actually can glide through on our wonderful bike paths.
At DEP, we're always looking [for] ways to efficiently improve our service. That's why we're embracing a proactive data-driven approach to catch basin inspection and maintenance. This will allow us to perform better. As a result, our storm drains and catch basins and street flooding complaints are now resolved within three days. As the mayor said, please call 311. If you see a clogged catch basin, call 311. We are here to serve. We're committed to building a more resilient, reliable, and climate-ready city.
Neighborhood by neighborhood, block by block, and basin by basin. We can't control the weather. We can't control many things. But we can control how we prepare. So, New York, let's prepare for flooding and hurricane season together. If you see a drain that is blocked, please call 311. But DEP is out there already clearing and preparing for hurricane and flooding season. So, I want to say a big thank you to Acting COO Anastasios Georgelis and to Mike Farnan, acting deputy commissioner of the Bureau of Water & Sewer Operations, and all of their staff for doing all this work and continuing to help us prepare for each storm. So again, gracias, Sunset Park. We are here to serve. Y ahora, with that, I'm so pleased to introduce Council Member Alexa Avilés. Thank you.
Council Member Alexa Avilés: Hola, Sunset Park. So, I am so excited to be here to host the mayor and to host our new commissioner at the Department of Environmental Protection, Lisa Garcia. Thank you both for your incredible leadership. Catch basins, you know, not sexy, but something we talk about all the time. We have community members who do 311 walks because as an environmental justice community that deals with the burdens of polluting infrastructure here in our community and persistent flooding, we know how important catch basins are.
So, I'm just truly delighted that the city continues and will invest in not only renewing the catch basins but also making sure that we have the equipment that we need to make sure that our infrastructure works. So again, thank you to all the staff at DEP who work so hard. Thank you to the mayor and thank you to everyone who made sure that today happens.
Let's continue to be engaged in our community because when we make sure that we are working together, right, clearing those catch basins and telling your neighbors, "Don't throw trash in the catch basins; that's for water." These are all really important investments and steps in the right direction. Gracias a todos.
Question: I just wanted to ask, how are you deciding which catch basins will be targeted first? Is this based off 311 call volumes? Is it based off areas that have been prone to flooding in the past? What is that process going to look like for actually zeroing in on the specific locations of the catch basins?
Mayor Mamdani: So, we are beginning in Queens in July. This will be guided by DEP, and I'm really glad to have our DEP commissioner who is here with us today. It is going to be over the course of a decade intensifying the work that's been done. Before I just get a little bit further into your question, I just want to lay [it] out. If you can see this right here, this is the entirety of a catch basin. Oftentimes, this is considered to be all the catch basin is, but it extends all the way down.
There have been upgrades that have been made to catch basin grates, as the commissioner was speaking about, making them bike-friendly. We're also talking about the entirety of the catch basin as a whole, which is critical because our sewage system was built for the rainfall that was anticipated more than a century ago. And as we know, rainfall now is of a very different scale in this city.
And as the councilwoman said, New Yorkers are well aware of that. We need to have City government also be well aware of it. But ultimately, it's going to be DEP that guides the question of where do we deliver this, and how is it in line with the needs of New Yorkers? I don't know if you want to add anything.
Commissioner Garcia: I'll just add quickly. We do test the catch basins annually or biannually, so we know which ones we need to fix or repair right away. And then also, we also have flood sensors throughout New York City. And so, we're also aware of chronic flooding areas, and so those will help us prioritize areas. But the goal is to get to all of them and make sure everything is working well.
Mayor Mamdani: And part of the reason we're here in Sunset Park is because we've also seen a persistent issue when it comes to flooding. And I appreciate the council member for having been an advocate of this neighborhood and this community so that City Hall is well aware of what's going on.
Question: Your commissioner mentioned bike safety. I have a bike safety-related question on that. You know, you've restarted several street safety projects that your predecessor either stopped or sabotaged in some way, yet the Bedford Avenue bike lane project hasn't been conspicuously absent from that list. You know, you committed to finishing this when I asked you about it on the campaign. Several of these projects, including this one, and the conditions there are as dangerous as ever. So, I wanted to hear from you why you haven't announced this project yet, and do you still commit to restoring the protected bike lane on Bedford Avenue?
Mayor Mamdani: Can you say the last part of the question one more time? Sorry.
Question: Do you still commit to restoring the protected bike lane on Bedford Avenue like you did on the campaign?
Mayor Mamdani: So, I'm going to follow up with DOT and then get back to you on the specifics of the delay and the implementation. And what I will say when it comes to the announcement that we're making today, [is] every single one of the investments that are being made when it comes to the replacement of these catch basins is going to be with a bike-friendly grade.
Question: Government officials use TikTok [and] have TikTok accounts. I wanted to know if any technology or information security officers in your CTO or the NYPD cybersecurity have given you anything about how to make sure, you know, data is safe, [and if] they're not tracking movements, physical locations [or] things like that.
Mayor Mamdani: So, when it comes to TikTok usage, there [are] going to be specific procedures, and also it will be authorized users who will be able to use this on city devices. Now, just to remind everyone, the concerns around privacy had to do, as was stated, with the prior ownership of TikTok. That ownership has now changed. We see the federal government is using TikTok. Our goal is to communicate with as many New Yorkers as possible. This is one way that many New Yorkers are engaging with the world around them.
Question: So, my question is, Governor Kathy Hochul briefly proposed allowing robotaxis earlier this year, and even though it is not in the budget anymore, it is a debate that doesn't seem to be going away. Some people think autonomous vehicles are inevitable.
Do you think that robotaxis should be allowed in New York City? And when Waymo reapplies for its testing license in New York City, which it appears to likely do once the state program is reauthorized, will your administration approve it?
Mayor Mamdani: Look, if a company like Waymo finds itself in New York City, what they will also find is a City government that is committed to delivering for the workers who keep the city running, and those workers also include our taxi drivers who, for far too long, have been sold a dream of being able to work their way to the middle class, only to have the rug pulled out from under them.
Question: So, you're continuing your predecessor's practice of charging the Water Board a rental payment of more than $300 million, which means you have $300 million that you can't - that DEP can't invest into projects like this. So, my question is, why are you continuing that practice that he resurrected, and how much do you think it will impact the water rate this year?
Mayor Mamdani: There haven't been any final determinations that have been made about this year. This is a practice that is based upon DEP's use of city infrastructure as part of its delivery of a lot of the essential things that New Yorkers rely upon it for. I don't know, commissioner, if you want to add anything. No? Okay.
Question: Court records show former NYPD Sergeant Edouardo St. Fort has been arrested on bribery and conspiracy charges. His security company has received millions in contracts, and they were mostly awarded on an emergency basis. The Comptroller's Office found these types of emergency contracts are a waste of taxpayer dollars. Is your office still using emergency contracts?
Mayor Mamdani: I can get back to you on that. I will tell you, however, any allegation and finding of improper behavior and action by a public servant is immensely concerning, and we will be following up on that.
Question: Do you plan on - that shelter provider, BHRAGS, still has $200 million in city contracts. In light of these indictments, will your administration cancel those contracts? What's kind of the next step?
Mayor Mamdani: We'll definitely be looking into these, because any allegation, especially if it's being substantiated, of improper action and behavior is one that has to be followed up on. Thank you.
