New York City Office of Management and Budget (NYCOMB)
Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR)
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, O BTR CTOBER 11-17, 2019 49
Hunts Point Resiliency Pilot Project
Combined Public Notice
Notice of Intent to Request Release of Funds (NOI RROF)
Final Notice and Public Explanation of a Proposed Activity in a 100-Year Floodplain,
Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)
To: All Interested Agencies, Groups, and Individuals:
This notice shall satisfy three separate but related procedural requirements for an activity to be undertaken by the New York City Office of Management and Budget (NYCOMB) in Bronx
County, New York City. Per 24 CFR 58.33 and 24 CFR 55.20(b)(1), the combined Notice of Intent to Request Release of Funds (NOI-RROF), a Final Notice and Public Explanation of a
Proposed Activity in a 100-Year Floodplain, and a Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) will be published simultaneously with the submission of the Request of Release of Funds
(RROF). The funds are provided by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program
“for necessary expenses related to disaster relief, long-term recovery, restoration of infrastructure and housing, and economic revitalization in the most impacted and distressed areas resulting
from Hurricane Sandy” per the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, of January 29, 2013 (Public Law 113-2). These federal funds are needed on an emergency basis due to continuing impacts
resulting from the declared disaster. Proposed activities must comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other applicable statutes, regulations, and authorities.
REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS
On or about October 30, 2019, New York City (the City) will submit a request to HUD for the release of CDBG-DR funds in the amount of $45 million to undertake the Hunts Point Resiliency
Pilot Project (Proposed Project). The Proposed Project incorporates a combination of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, energy storage systems (ESS), a tri-generation facility and microgrid,
and mobile backup generation. The configuration of these technologies means that specific vulnerable, critical facilities would have dispatchable energy resiliency for critical loads and a
minimum of three days of backup power in the event of a coastal flood, power outage, or other emergency.
NOTICE AND PUBLIC EXPLANATION OF A PROPOSED ACTIVITY IN A 100-YEAR FLOODPLAIN
This notice is required by Executive Order (EO) 11988 and is implemented by HUD Regulations found at 24 CFR 55.20. The City proposes to undertake an energy resiliency project that
includes solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, energy storage systems (ESS), a tri-generation facility and microgrid, and mobile backup generation at the following locations:
• Site D, 321-477 Food Center Drive, Bronx, NY 10474 on Block 2781, Lot 500
• The Produce Market, 101 Food Center Drive, Bronx, NY 10474 on Block 2770, Lot 1
• The Meat Market, 361 Food Center Drive, Bronx, NY 10474 on Block 2781, Lot 500
• MS 424, 730 Bryant Avenue, Bronx, NY 10474 on Block 2763, Lot 279
• PS 48, 1290 Spofford Avenue, Bronx, NY 10474 on Block 2766, Lot 1
• Citarella/Sultana, 600 Food Center Drive, Bronx, NY 10474 on Block 2781, Lot 500
• Anheuser-Busch, 550 Food Center Drive, Bronx, NY 10474 on Block 2781, Lot 520
• Krasdale Foods—400 Food Center Drive, Bronx, NY 10474 on Block 2781, Lot 500.
Approximately 52 acres of the proposed project area intersect the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) (100-year floodplain, AE Zone), as seen on Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) preliminary Floodplain Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) panels 3604970084G, 3604970092G, 3604970103G, and 3604970111G, issued on January 30, 2015.
The City has considered the following alternatives and mitigation measures to be taken to minimize adverse effects on the floodplain and to restore and preserve the natural and beneficial
values it offers:
No-Action Alternative: A no action alternative was considered. This would mean that reliable, dispatchable, and sustainable power would not be provided to critical local and citywide
facilities on the Hunts Point peninsula during emergency events.
Emergency Power, Solar, and Storage Alternative: An alternative which includes a simple cycle combustion turbine located at Site D that connects to the Produce Market, a microgrid
powered by the turbine during emergency conditions, and multiple energy technologies targeting the most critical facilities on the Hunts Point peninsula was considered. This alternative
would require similar development within the floodplain as the Proposed Project, but would only be utilized during emergency conditions. In contrast, the Proposed Project can also be
operated during normal conditions with renewable energy generation and storage technologies and a natural gas engine that would provide electrical and hot/chilled water supply to offset
existing localized air quality emissions.
Individual Generators Alternative: An alternative that included installation of emergency generators at Food Distribution Center (FDC) facilities and a simple cycle combustion turbine at
the Produce Market to serve critical loads in the case of a loss of power was considered. Under this scenario, the mobile generators and the simple cycle combustion turbine would likely be
located within the 100-year floodplain. While the individual generators are reliable and dispatchable energy options, they are not sustainable as these technologies would produce additional
local air quality emissions on the Hunts Point peninsula. Furthermore, due to their emergency-only operation, no resiliency or sustainability benefits associated with this alternative would
result during normal conditions.
Proposed Action:With the Proposed Project, the installation of a tri-generation facility, community solar power, and four mobile generators would provide resilient back-up power for at least
three days during an emergency condition. The aforementioned alternatives would not provide reliable, dispatchable and sustainable power to vulnerable, critical facilities during emergency
events and continuous energy savings during normal operations. In addition, the alternatives would not offset air quality emissions, as is done under the Proposed Project by using sustainable
power generation technologies.
Two of the vulnerable, critical facilities, PS 48 and MS 424, which would be provided with reliable, dispatchable, and sustainable back up power are located outside of the 100- and 500-year
floodplain. While locating the tri-generation facility within the Meat Market and Produce Market parking lots outside of the 100-year floodplain was considered, current operations and future
expansions would not allow for the facility to be located there. The mobile generators would not be stored within the 100-year floodplain and only deployed to facilities which required resiliency
improvements in advance of emergency conditions.
The City has re-evaluated the alternatives to the proposed activities in the floodplain and determined that there is no practicable alternative to the proposed project. In accordance with the 8-
step decision-making process for action in the floodplain, the City has determined that implementation of the proposed project would not result in adverse impacts to flood levels, flood, or the
flow of floodwaters on the project sites or surrounding areas. To the contrary, the project will contribute to resilience of the surrounding area. Therefore, the City determines that the proposed
project complies with EO 11988 and 44 CFR 60.3(a)(4-6). Environmental review files that document compliance with steps 3 through 6 of EO 11988 are available for public inspection and
review at the times and location described below.
FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT (FONSI)
NYCOMB has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under NEPA is not required. Additional
project information is available in the Environmental Review Record on file with Mr. Calvin Johnson, Assistant Director, CDBG- Disaster Recovery, New York City Office of Management and
Budget, 255 Greenwich Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10007, (212) 788-6024 and may be examined or copied on weekdays between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM. The documents may also be
found at http://www1.nyc.gov/site/cdbgdr/documents/environmental-records.page
PUBLIC COMMENTS
All interested persons, groups and agencies are invited to submit written comments to NYCOMB at the address listed above or via email at CDBGDR-Enviro@omb.nyc.gov. All comments received
by close of business on October 29, 2019 will be considered by NYCOMB prior to requesting the release of funds. Comments should specify which part of this Notice is being addressed.
RELEASE OF FUNDS
NYCOMB certifies to HUD that Melanie Hartzog, in her capacity as Certifying Officer of the CDBG-DR Program, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought
to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUDʼs approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities
under NEPA and related laws and authorities, and allows the City to use CDBG-DR Program funds.
OBJECTIONS TO THE RELEASE OF FUNDS
HUD will consider objections to its release of funds and NYCOMBʼs certification for a period of fifteen (15) days following receipt of the request only if they are on one of the following bases:
(a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of NYCOMB; (b) NYCOMB has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR
Part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the project have committed funds or incurred costs not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or
(d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections
must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58.76) and shall be addressed to: Tennille Parker, Disaster Recovery and Special Issues Division,
Office of Block Grant Assistant, HUD, 451 7th Street SW, Rm. 7272, Washington, DC 20410. Potential objectors should contact HUD to verify the actual last day of the objection period.
City of New York: Bill de Blasio, Mayor
Melanie Hartzog, Director of Management and Budget
Date: October 11, 2019
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