Recap: Representative Adriano Espaillat Touts Successful Second Annual Environmental Justice Boat Tour

Espaillat Led Environmental Advocates on Tour to Assess Projects Along the Harlem and Bronx Rivers

Tour Photos

NEW YORK, NY – Earlier this week, Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) held his second annual environmental justice boat tour along the Harlem and Bronx Rivers to assess concerns and progress along these corridors. During the tour, Espaillat was joined by environmental advocates and city and state officials.

This year’s tour consisted of five major goals: highlighting infrastructure and waterfront access disparities; fostering intergovernmental and community stakeholder collaboration to advance green infrastructure projects along the Harlem River, including the Harlem River Greenway Implementation Plan; conceptualizing a strategy to mitigate air pollution from Peaker plants and other sources; sharing information on funding opportunities to improve the lives of environmental justice communities; and, providing status updates on intergovernmental water, air, land, and transportation projects in the community.

"Thank you to each of the environmental advocates and public officials who joined today's tour to discuss the need for greater investment along the Harlem and Bronx Rivers," said Rep. Espaillat. "I am grateful for each of these environmental groups and their continued commitment addressing the inequalities facing residents along the greenway region.

"The Harlem River Working Group was proud to partner with Congressman Espaillat and the Urban Waters Federal Partnership in the 2nd Environmental Justice Boat Tour of the Harlem River, highlighting the needs of the Communities of the Bronx and Upper Manhattan.  It was a powerful experience for all involved, where we were able to celebrate this past year's victories, including the Daylighting of Tibbetts Brook and the initiation of the planning process for the Harlem River Greenway in the Bronx, and our goals for the future,” said Chauncy Young, coordinator for the Harlem River Working Group. 

“The communities along the Harlem and Bronx Rivers deserve to have access to clean waterways and restored waterfronts for access, enjoyment, and exploration,” said EPA Region 2 Administrator Lisa F. Garcia.  “EPA is a proud and committed partner in the Bronx & Harlem Rivers Urban Waters Federal Partnership Program.  The Partnership program is focused on results that are locally driven and connect communities to these vital waterways while supporting the goals and objectives of the Clean Water Act and environmental justice.”

“We are grateful to Representative Espaillat for continuing to highlight the environmental disparities faced by our communities, especially those along the Harlem River,” said Sonal Jessel, Director of Policy at WE ACT for Environmental Justice. “We have been working to ensure that all of the East Harlem waterfront – including the currently unfunded gap between 107th and 117th Streets – is elevated to protect from storm surge and that the entire esplanade receives a lush tree canopy and vegetative barrier along the FDR Drive as part of the EDC and Parks Department’s rebuild. These measures will protect the flood-prone community as well as help reduce sound pollution, absorb air pollution, and make the esplanade a cooler, more welcoming space for the residents of East Harlem.”

“The boat tour highlighted so many opportunities for improving environmental quality for the communities along the Harlem River shoreline, including improved public access, better water quality, and enhanced habitat” said Robert Pirani, Director of the New York - New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program at the Hudson River Foundation. “We are proud to be working with Congressman Espaillat and our collaborators in the Urban Waters Federal Partnership to help address these community concerns”.

"The definition of environmental justice can be found in the proposed eco-greenway for The Bronx side of the Harlem River. It’s not just a greenway, it filters the runoff to the river. The creation of this EJ Greenway would be justice for what residents’ have endured over the years. This boat ride has displayed inequalities Bronx neighbors withstand. The Greenway should be completed as quickly as possible," said Karen Argenti, Bronx Council for Environmental Quality. 

This marks the second year Rep. Espaillat has hosted the tour in collaboration with the Bronx and Harlem River Watersheds Urban Waters Federal Partnership, Harlem River Working Group, Bronx Council for Environmental Quality, Hudson River Foundation, and WE ACT for Environmental Justice. The tour took place at the Dyckman Marina located at Inwood Hill Park and proceed along the Harlem River waterway.

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Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his fourth term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities and serves as Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the committee during the 118th Congress. He is also a member of the House Budget Committee and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), where he serves in a leadership role as the Deputy Chair as well as Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI). Rep. Espaillat is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) and serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/.

Media inquiries: Candace Person at [email protected]