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Friday, September 29, 2023
Bronx Chamber of Commerce - Bronx Business News You Can Use
MAYOR ADAMS HOLDS VIRTUAL BRIEFING TO DISCUSS HEAVY RAINFALL AND ONGOING FLOODING
Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you, Fabien, and the entire team, and New Yorkers for understanding how this rain conditions that we are experiencing is something that we cannot take lightly and we have not taken lightly. This morning, I was out visiting East New York, Flatbush, Canarsie and Sheepshead Bay to get a firsthand look at the impact of the rainfall and what it is doing to moving around the city.
I spoke with Governor Hochul who's here with us today. I want to thank you, governor, for once again responding immediately seeking out whatever help we need as a city, and I really appreciate communicating with you this morning.
I am issuing a State of Emergency for New York City based on the weather conditions and I want to say to all New Yorkers this is time for heightened alertness and extreme caution. If you're at home, stay home. If you are at work or school, shelter in place for now. Some of our subways are flooded and it's extremely difficult to move around the city.
Many of our area airports are experiencing delays, and if you are out and encounter a flooded area be it on a roadway or a subway station, do not enter. Take necessary precautions. This is a dangerous weather condition and it is not over. And I don't want those gaps and heavy rain to give the appearance that it is over, it is not. We could possibly see eight inches of rain before the day is over.
Our city has already taken action to protect all New Yorkers including rescuing those in need of help. There was an issue on the Belt Parkway by the Ocean Parkway exit. Those are the types of roadway conditions we're asking New Yorkers to avoid.
Every single one of our agencies has an emergency plan and we are executing those plans. We're ready, and you should be as well, to be prepared for this moment. Commissioner Iscol from New York City Emergency Management will provide more detailed updates to us on the situation throughout the city.
This is the time for caution, but is also a time for community. Check on neighbors, do what whatever is possible to unclog the drain areas to allow the water to flow freely. You would be surprised how if we remove leaves and other trash from those areas it will really assist in getting the water off our streets.
Check on your friends and relatives, and especially those who are most vulnerable such as the elderly and individuals with health conditions. If the conditions are safe, take time, as I indicated, to clean out the debris from your drains, particularly in between the heavy rainfall.
And for the most accurate and timely updates, sign up for NotifyNYC. This is a moment to remind everyone of how important NotifyNYC is. Those alerts go a long way to keep you ahead of what is happening. You could dial 311 or visit nyc.gov/notify to subscribe. That's nyc.gov/notify to subscribe, and you could also call 311.
Being informed is the first step toward ensuring the well being of you and your family and your fellow New Yorkers. And again, I want to thank the entire team for their quick response and understanding that this is an extreme emergency, extreme emergency condition that we must be prepared for.
I want to turn it over to Governor Hochul. Governor, again, thanks so much. It was good talking to you this morning, and your quick response to what is happening in our city, I really appreciate it.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul: Well, thank you, mayor; and once again, I commend your leadership. And the coordination between our team and our team at the state level, it is seamless. And the bottom line is we're here to help New Yorkers get through what is a life threatening rainfall event.
And I agree with you that people should be able to stay home if possible but I know right now there's a lot of anxious parents wondering if they're going to be able to get their children home from schools.
And I'm working very closely with Janno Lieber who will give updates from the MTA, but our priority once the immediate...in the immediate aftermath of this first wave of the storm — and again, it could come back again, it could reemerge later again this afternoon — we want to make sure we get the subways, the trains, our communication system, our transportation system up working, because there's children who use the subways to get home from school. People need to be able to now if they can get home from work. And so that is priority number one, to make sure that our subways and our rail systems are safe.
There has been significant disruptions, without a doubt, particularly heading north. I just spoke to the County Executive George Latimer of Westchester County. The epicenter has shifted from the city regions very much so from Brooklyn and Queens and Manhattan where I spoke to the borough presidents to offer our assistance, in the Bronx, but is now heading north into the Hudson Valley. So, we're also coordinating with those localities as well as Nassau County.
I will say this. If people decide to venture out in a vehicle, they do so at their own peril, because even six inches of rain, one foot of rain, it may look pretty innocuous, it's safe, but that is a condition where your vehicle can be swept away. And we lose more lives of people during flooding events — of which we've had many, especially this summer in the city and the Hudson Valley in particular.
The reason we lose our lives in a flood event more often than not is they're swept away in their vehicle. So, this is a choice people make. We encourage them not to decide to do that. Please stay home, be safe. We are deploying more buses. We have more bus operators to be able to create options if we don't get the subways back on schedule.
The airports, right now Terminal A at LaGuardia is closed because of flooding at a fuel field right now. We've brought in more resources from JFK to assist with that as well. The flights are going in and out of the airports but they are delayed, and so people should check on the websites for that as well.
Now, also we're trying to be as helpful as we can, and City Mayor, you've been fantastic, and we've deployed National Guard, we've deployed more pumps from our surplus to help you assist. And everyone remembers what happened, I was literally governor one week when Hurricane Ida hit and we walked those streets of Queens and many parts of the city, and people literally drowned in their basement homes.
And so people also need to not get in vehicles, but leave your home if you're starting to see water accumulate. Don't wait until it's up to your knees or higher. By then, it could be a barrier to getting able to have access safely out the door, as we saw before. And so people really need to be taking this extremely seriously.
The state is there to help, and we'll get through this together as we always do. So, thank you, mayor for your coordination, your outreach. I look forward to continue to work as we get through this event united as one.
DEC ANNOUNCES UPCOMING HUNTING SEASONS FOR DEER AND BEAR
Youth Big Game Hunt Coming Columbus/Indigenous Peoples’ Day Weekend
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced that bowhunting seasons for deer and bear will begin in the Northern Zone on Wednesday, Sept. 27 and in the Southern Zone on Sunday, Oct. 1.
“New York State is home to great opportunities for bowhunters to venture afield in a variety of habitats,” said Commissioner Seggos. “With mild weather and longer days, the early bow season is an ideal time to be in the woods and introduce new hunters to deer and bear hunting."
Bowhunters may use a crossbow during the last 10 days of the Northern Zone bow season (Oct. 11-20); and the last 14 days of the Southern Zone bow season (Nov. 4-17). This season is open to bowhunters who possess a muzzleloader privilege and a crossbow qualifications certificate as required by law (see the Crossbow Hunting webpage on DEC's website for details).
Additionally, early muzzleloader season for deer and bear in the Northern Zone begins Oct. 14, and continues through Oct. 20. The regular firearms season for deer and bear in the Northern Zone commences on Oct. 21.
Youth Big Game Hunt
New York's annual Youth Big Game Hunt occurs on Columbus/Indigenous Peoples’ Day weekend, Oct. 7-9 for 12-15-year-old hunters. This Youth Big Game Hunt takes place throughout the State, except in Suffolk and Westchester counties and bowhunting-only areas. Following legislation passed in 2021, 12- and 13-year-old hunters may hunt deer with a firearm during the youth hunt and other firearms seasons in upstate counties that have passed a local law allowing their participation. Currently, the list of counties that have passed such a local law includes all counties north of Westchester, with the exception of Erie and Rockland counties. During the Youth Big Game Hunt, licensed 12- to 15-year-olds may use a firearm to hunt big game while accompanied by an experienced, licensed adult hunter. All eligible junior hunters may take one deer of either sex and 14- and 15-year-olds may also take one bear. During the youth hunt, antlerless deer taken with a firearm may be tagged with a regular season tag, Deer Management Permit (DMP), or a Deer Management Assistance Program tag. Antlered deer may only be tagged with the regular season tag. Though junior hunters may have multiple deer tags, they may only take one deer with a firearm during the Youth Big Game Hunt.
Additional rules that apply to junior hunters and their adult mentors can be found on pages 36 and 37 of the Hunting and Trapping Guide or through the Junior Hunter Mentoring Program.
Deer Management Permit Application Deadline Oct. 1
DEC reminds hunters that the application deadline for Deer Management Permits (DMPs) is Oct. 1. Hunters should be prepared with the Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) they intend to hunt prior to applying. The DMP Availability and Probability of Selection webpage has more information regarding DMP availability and chances of being selected in each WMU.
Take it, Tag it, Report it!
DEC also reminds hunters of the importance of reporting their harvest. Harvest reporting is critical to wildlife management, and hunters are required to report their harvest of deer, bear, and turkey within seven days of taking the animal. The easiest way to report is via DEC’s HuntFishNY mobile app. Through this mobile app, hunters, anglers, and trappers can access an electronic version of their licenses and privileges, and report the harvest of deer, bear, and turkey immediately while afield on their mobile device. It takes only seconds. Hunters may still use the phone report system, but the online and mobile systems are fast, convenient, and easy for hunters to accurately enter information.
Protect New York Deer and Moose from Chronic Wasting Disease
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) continues to spread in other states, and hunters have great responsibility to prevent CWD introduction to New York. CWD is always fatal to deer. If introduced, CWD could spread rapidly and be practically impossible to eliminate once established. Hunters can help protect New York’s deer herd from CWD by following these tips:
- If you hunt any type of deer, elk, moose, or caribou outside of New York, you must debone your animal before bringing it back. DEC will confiscate and destroy illegally imported carcasses and parts;
- Avoid deer urine-based lures or attractant scents, as these could contain infectious material. If you use lures, use synthetics;
- Dispose of carcass waste in a landfill, not just out on the landscape;
- Report any deer that appears sick or acting abnormally; and
- Hunt only wild deer and support fair chase hunting principles.