Queens, NY – On Monday, Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-South Queens) and State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-South Queens) sent a letter to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and City Planning Director, Marisa Lago calling for a new Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to be conducted for the Arverne East proposed development in Arverne, Queens within the Arverne Urban Renewal Area. The current EIS was conducted in the early-2000s and does not account for numerous factors including major weather events, the COVID-19 pandemic, and demographic trends that have changed over time.

“There are a lot of great aspects to this development, but the reality is there has not been a comprehensive EIS done for Arverne East since George Bush was President. A lot has changed in our community since then that needs to be considered,” Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato said. “Major weather events, population growth, commercial and retail trends, education needs, and a global pandemic are just a few of the factors that were not considered in the last EIS. A development this large needs to be done responsibly; a current EIS will better states the needs of our community and we deserve that.”

“Due to several major changes and events over the last 17 years, I believe it is imperative that a new Environmental Impact Study (EIS) is conducted for the proposed Arverne East Development, as well as a full re-evaluation of the commercial program before any projects begin,” said State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo. “While I normally favor job growth and development, the Rockaway Peninsula is a completely different place than it was in 2003, when the original EIS was done. We owe it to the people of Arverne to take another look at where the community stands, and what the community needs now in 2020 and beyond.”

The Arverne East Development is within the Arverne Urban Renewal Area, overseen by the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). The plan calls for thousands of units of housing, 150,000 SF of community retail and restaurant space, and a nature preserve over the 81 acres of city-owned land that has been vacant for decades. Over the past decade, the Rockaway Peninsula has been slated to received over 5,000 new units of housing through major rezoning’s including the Downtown Far Rockaway Revitalization, and the Peninsula Hospital site redevelopment. Pheffer Amato, Addabbo, community leaders and Community Board 14 have voiced their concerns regarding the various projects, citing that the city has not accounted for increased density and a lack of resources for residents.