Red Hook, NY - Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler joined a rally organized by Voices of the Waterfront, a local coalition of concerned citizens who feel left out of the planning process for the massive, 122+ acre Brooklyn Marine Terminal redevelopment project. The rally will focused on the importance of a fair and equitable plan that delivers sustainable jobs tied to a true working waterfront as well as responsible coastal management keeping in mind the effects of climate change.

"I have been an advocate and a supporter of the port of New York and New Jersey for more than forty years," said Congressman Nadler. "Red Hook is the only remaining container port facility on the eastern side of the Hudson River. It is thriving and well managed, employing hundreds of people with good paying jobs and connecting our region to the world economy. It is of critical importance to New York City and the entire region that this port remains open and not converted or needlessly carved up for housing or other uses. Community and port experts agree that the priority for the city must be investments for a modern, efficient, and green port container facility. For too long the Port Authority, State and City have not properly invested in this facility and allowed it to fall into disrepair. With EDC taking ownership, it is now up to the city to fund these improvements. The City must make these improvements without linking these improvements to market rate housing. Keep them separate. Any change in zoning and potential new housing that is contemplated in the Red Hook neighborhood outside the port must not be rushed but evaluated through theregular land use review processes established by the city planning commission. This ensures full community participation and transparency. My message to the City and the task force members is clear: I urge you to approve port improvements now and defer housing decisions for later through the ULURP process."

Congressman Nadler represented the Red Hook Piers for thirty years is steadfast in his belief that Brooklyn’s last working waterfront be planned for the future and not downsized.

Congressman Nadler was also joined by Antonio Reynoso, Brooklyn Borough President; Alexa Aviles, Councilmember for District 38, Jumaane Wiliams, NYC’s Public Advocate; Marcela Mitaynes, Assembly District 51 and Shahana Hanif, Councilmember for District 39. 

Congressman Nadler's full remarks as prepared: 

"I have been an advocate and a supporter of the port of New York and New Jersey for more than forty years. Red Hook is the only remaining container port facility on the eastern side of the Hudson River. It is thriving and well managed, employing hundreds of people with good paying jobs and connecting our region to the world economy. It is of critical importance to New York City and the entire region that this port remain open and not be converted or needlessly carved up for housing or other uses. Community and port experts agree that the priority for the City must be investments for a modern, efficient, and green container port facility.

For too long, the Port Authority, the State and City have not properly invested in this facility and have allowed it to fall into disrepair. With EDC taking ownership, it is now up to the city to fund these improvements. The City must make these improvements without linking them to market rate housing. Keep them separate.

Any change in zoning and potential new housing that is contemplated in the Red Hook neighborhood outside the port must not be rushed, but evaluated through the regular land use review processes established by the city planning commission. This ensures full community participation and transparency. My message to the City and the task force members is clear: I urge you to approve port improvements now and defer housing decisions for later through the ULURP process.

Additionally, as everyone knows, all of our current container ports (except Red Hook) lie on Newark Bay: Newark, Elizabeth and Howland Hook.  Newark Bay, unfortunately, is on the other side of the Kill Van Kull, a narrow and treacherous body of water that separates Staten Island on the south and Bayonne on the north.

In the event that a large ship were to sink, or be sunk, in the Kill Van Kull, most of our port would be closed for weeks, or even months, and with it, much of the region’s import supply chain.

The security threat posed by having all our ports located in Newark Bay was illustrated last year, in Baltimore, when a container ship lost power and hit and destroyed the Key Bridge, blocking the entrance to the Port of Baltimore.  This tragic mishap highlights concerns that our port is vulnerable to closure – either by intentional or unintentional acts – because it is only accessible via the Kill Van Kull.

EDC has stated its determination to shrink the Red Hook cargo facility, which serves as New York City’s only deepwater port.  In addition to shedding hundreds of jobs, increasing truck traffic, and raising transportation costs to New Yorkers, this policy would result in all of the port capacity upon which New York City relies being located on the other side of the Kill Van Kull, an arrangement which, as noted, has great susceptibility to major disruption and to easy attack.  We cannot allow that to happen.

We need commerce and ships coming into the New York side of the Harbor where two-thirds of the population of this region live. The current operator, Red Hook Container Terminals LLC, plays an important role in our local economy, directly providing more than 500 jobs.  These are not low-paying retail or service-oriented jobs, but good high-paying union jobs, with healthcare and pension benefits - jobs that support families who live in the city. 

Now that the City owns the Red Hook piers, it should be doing everything possible to expand and invest in the port in Brooklyn for our safety and security, and for the commerce, jobs, and cheap and efficient delivery of goods and services the Brooklyn port can provide.  Housing on the piers is not compatible with this.

Let me repeat, and stress, that I strongly urge the City and EDC not to tie this port to housing, to fully commit to the necessary investments in the Red Hook piers, and to work with the port operator to ensure the long-term viability of the port and the survival of all these jobs.  It is imperative, from both an economic and security perspective, that this facility be kept open and operating, modernized and expanded to encompass the entire Brooklyn Marine Terminal.

And if the City wants to propose more housing in Red Hook, it must be independently evaluated and not tied to preserving the port.  Any change in zoning and potential new housing that is contemplated in the Red Hook neighborhood outside the port must not be rushed, but evaluated by City Planning under a ULURP process, with the community participation that comes with that process.

Again, my message to the City and the task force members is clear: I urge you to approve port improvements now and defer housing decisions for later through the ULURP Process."

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