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East River Park Action is a New York City nonprofit organization[1] formed in 2019[2] critical of the current destruction and renovation plan by the city at East River Park, in the East Village and the Lower East Side.
The group's concerns are over the $1.45 billion cost of the East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) plan, the lack of involvement of community residents, and the destruction of plant life including more than 1,000 mature trees.[3] Alternative plans for flood mitigation including building storm barriers along the FDR Drive have been proposed by community members who argue that the park closure will primarily impact low-income NYCHA residents and that the renovation project will leave the area especially vulnerable to storm surge during the renovation.[5][3]
In February 2020, a dozen groups and 75 individuals including members of East River Park Action sued the city to stop the ESCR based on the grounds that the plan constitutes park alienation and requires approval from the New York state legislature.[4][5] New York State Supreme Court Justice Melissa Crane ruled against them, and in August 2020, the city was given approval to begin park demolition, which began in December 2021,[6] prompting protests and court orders against the work.[7][8] State Assemblywoman for the Lower East Side Yuh-Line Niou, condemned the destruction and Mayor Bill de Blasio for his support of the plan.[9]
One anonymous critic of the group has likened them to the January 6, 2021 Capitol rioters.[10] A resident who is not a member told Downtown Express, "[W]e need a resiliency plan that makes sense. They've changed what their plan is over and over and over again. There was a cheaper, much more sustainable plan."[11]
References
[edit]- ^ https://thevillagesun.com/east-river-park-activists-not-giving-up-the-fight-or-their-sumac-mocktails
- ^ "Mission and Goals: Who We Are". East River Park Action.
- ^ a b Pereira, Sydney (Jan 24, 2019). "Revamped East Side flood protection plan debated at packed City Council hearing". Curbed.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ SHAHRIGIAN, SHANT (Feb 10, 2020). "Activists sue NYC to keep East River Park open vs. renovated for years". New York Daily News.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Anderson, Lincoln (Feb 5, 2020). "A dozen groups, 75 individuals sue to stop East River Park resiliency plan". The Village Sun.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Kimmelman, Michael (2021-12-02). "What Does It Mean to Save a Neighborhood?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-12-12.
- ^ Chang, Sophia (December 11, 2021). "City Demolition Of East River Park Underway In Violation Of Court Order, Protesters Say". Gothamist. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
- ^ Feldman, Ari Ephraim (December 10, 2021). "City resumes East River Park work despite judge's order". Spectrum News NY1 | New York City. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
- ^ "NYC continues to cut down trees at East River Park despite court order". NY Post. 11 December 2021.
- ^ https://thevillagesun.com/public-housing-leaders-and-allies-to-rally-in-support-of-east-river-park-resiliency-plan
- ^ https://digital-editions.schnepsmedia.com/DEX12162021/page_3.html
Category:East River Park Category:2019 establishments in New York City Category:501(c)(3) organizations Category:Organizations established in 2019 Category:Park advocacy groups in the United States Category:Environmentalism in the United States Category:Seniors' organizations Category:Organizations based in New York City Category:Nature conservation organizations based in the United States Category:Environmental organizations based in New York City Category:Climate change organizations based in the United States Category:Parks in Manhattan Category:Community organizations Category:Urban forestry organizations Category:Environmental justice in New York City Category:Nature conservation organizations based in the United States Category:Government watchdog groups in the United States Category:Progressive organizations in the United States Category:East Village, Manhattan Category:Lower East Side