Torres, Espaillat call for funding Harlem River Environmental Restoration Project

In a letter last week, Congressmembers Ritchie Torres and Adriano Espaillat demanded New York City match funding for an environmental restoration project in Harlem.

- By ARIAMA C. LONG Amsterdam News Staff

The Harlem River Environmental Restoration Project of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) was put forth under the Hudson Raritan Estuary (HRE), which dates back to 2001. The river is a 9-mile tidal strait characterized as “urbanized” — lacking green space, having poor water quality, and with mostly economically disadvantaged neighborhoods nearby. The project hopes to “improve significant ecological function” and incorporate new infrastructure to manage the risk of coastal storms and flooding.