In recent efforts to reduce condensation and pollution in certain areas of the city, a number of legislators wrote a letter to the NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) urging them to create the capacity for cold storage there.
In the letter, Congressman Dan Goldman, New York State Senator Andrew Gounardes, NY State Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, and NYC Council Member Alexa Aviles, argue that the creation of a major cold storage facility in Red Hook could prevent the movement of perishable merchandise out of Brooklyn and then back for consumption, taking considerable amounts of pollution and diesel truck traffic off of the local streets. This move would create better living conditions not only n the Brooklyn neighborhood, but in NYC in general.
The Red Hook Marine Terminal piers currently accept domestic and international freight for distribution across the tri-state area, particularly in Brooklyn, and fresh produce that is shipped into the terminal must be transported by truck to locations outside of NYC where it can be refrigerated. When the produce is ready for distribution, it is typically sent right back to Red Hook, which increases the necessary truck traffic needed for the transportation of any perishable cargo.
The state and government officials constructing this plan wrote “The future of Red Hook Marine Terminal must be one that protects New Yorkers, mitigates exacerbated safety risks, and supports good-paying maritime jobs in Brooklyn.”
“As outlined on your website, one of the four governing strategies of the NYCEDC is to ‘deliver sustainable infrastructure for communities and the city’s future economy.’ We believe that the addition of cold storage at the port will both satisfy that strategy and add value to the site. To that end, we urge you to prioritize applications that include such accommodations for tenancy at Pier 11,” pleaded the officials in their letter to the NYCEDC.
The Red Hook neighborhood has long been disproportionately affected by their lack of cold storage, constantly increasing traffic in the area, diesel pollution from the trucks, and the erosion of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway roads, which collectively raises many safety concerns for residents.
Red Hook is one of three city neighborhoods, including Gowanus and Lower Manhattan, that will be impacted by planned U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) climate resiliency projects in coastal communities.
