Public Outreach, Education, and Engagement

As stormwater management systems become more decentralized, stakeholder participation is critical. At the outset, DEP will have to educate developers, the general public, and other stakeholders about their role in the management of stormwater. In partnership with DEC, this outreach effort will involve elected officials, community boards, stormwater advocacy and green job non-profit organizations, Citizens Advisory Committees (CACs), civic organizations and other City agencies. The City will be sure to include environmental justice organizations and communities where the sustainability benefits of green infrastructure – cool shady streets, improved air quality, and energy savings – are especially needed. DEP will extend its educational outreach effort to encourage the community to design, build and maintain green infrastructure.

Green Infrastructure Citizens Group

Throughout the implementation of the NYC Green Infrastructure Plan, the City will continue to engage the public and solicit ideas to improve and expand green infrastructure opportunities. To participate, you can join the Green Infrastructure Citizens Group by emailing sustainability@dep.nyc.gov. Citizens Group members receive periodic updates from DEP and will meet a minimum of once a year.

The annual meeting of the NYC Green Infrastructure Citizens Group was held on November 1^st 2011. You can download a PDF of the presentation that was given below:

• Green Infrastructure Citizens Group Presentation

Green Infrastructure Steering Committee

The Green Infrastructure Steering Committee is comprised of a cross-section oforganizations, institutions, and professionals who are experts in stormwater management related issues in New York City. The Steering Committee will meet quarterly and serve as a liaison between the Citizens Group and DEP in order to represent respective ideas and concerns. The Steering Committee’s agendas and minutes will be placed on the DEP website. Citizens Group members are encouraged to contact Steering Committee members with thoughts and suggestions related to green infrastructure. Public observers from the Citizens Group will be allowed to attend but not participate in Steering Committee meetings. If you would like to observe the Steering Committee meetings, you must RSVP to sustainability@dep.nyc.gov two weeks in advance to assure sufficient space can be provided.

Steering Committee Meeting Agenda and Minutes

• September 27th Agenda and Minutes (PDF)
• June 15th Agenda and Minutes (PDF)
• December 5th Agenda and Minutes (PDF)
• September 8th Agenda and Minutes (PDF)
• June 27th Agenda and Minutes (PDF)
• March 10th Agenda and Minutes (PDF)

Green Infrastructure Steering Committee Members

Public Meetings and Presentations

• Public Meeting Presentation (06/28/2010) (PDF)
• Public Meeting Ideas (06/28/2010) (PDF)
• Presentation from the CUNY Center for Sustainable Cities Panel (12/1/2010) (PDF)
• Pace University – Downtown Campus (02/02/2011) (PDF)

NYC Green Infrastructure Press Releases

• DEP Announces $3 Million in Community-Based Green Infrastructure Program Grants
  (February 2, 2011)
• (Office of the Mayor) Mayor Bloomberg and Environmental Protection Commissioner Holloway Announce New Green Infrastructure Plan to Reduce Sewer Overflows, Improve Quality of City Waterways and Save $2.4 Billion
  (September 28, 2010)

Press

• NYC reveals new plan to help tackle sewage overflows with greener infrastructure
  (September 28, 2010 - Larry Levine, Natural Resource Defense Council)
• $1.5 Billion Plan Would Cut Sewage Flow Into CityWaters
  (September 28, 2010 - Mireya Navarro, The New York Times)
• The S.W.I.M. Coalition Responds to DEP's Report Release
  (September 28, 2010 - S.W.I.M. Coalition)
• A Response to DEP's New Green Infrastructure Plan
  (September 29, 2010 – Friends of Brook Park)
• New York City's Green Infrastructure Plan and Sustainability Management
  (October 4, 2010 - Steven Cohen, The Huffington Post)
• New York City to Curb Sewage Surges with GreenInfrastructure
  (October 6, 2010 - Alice Henly, Smarter Cities-NRDC)
• Green and Blue Coming to a Rooftop Near You
  (October 15, 2010 - Sophie Quinton, Earth911.com
• NYC's Green Infrastructure Plan
  (October 29, 2010 - Alison Killing, WorldChanging.com)
• Trees grow in Brooklyn
  (November 11, 2010 - The Economist)

Correspondence

• S.W.I.M. Coalition letter to DEC & DEP (11/12/2010)
• DEP response to SWIM Coalition (11/12/2010)