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At a June 26, 2026 public scoping meeting, the NYC Department of City Planning (DCP) heard community testimony demanding that the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Independence Plaza modifications study how dewatering, groundwater handling, and any discharge to the Hudson River will be performed and coordinated with nearby Battery Park City resiliency dewatering to avoid cumulative impacts. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=375
# What’s happening
– DCP held a public scoping meeting on the Independence Plaza modifications DEIS June 26, 2026. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=375
– The Department of City Planning (DCP) is leading the environmental review and DEIS scoping. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=375
– The DEIS build year is assumed to be 2032 in project materials presented. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=1755
# Why it matters
– Residents of Independence Plaza and adjacent historic townhouses face construction risks during dewatering and excavation. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=5487
– Discharges to the Hudson River and overlapping dewatering may affect water quality and underground infrastructure. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=2450
# Key details
– Meeting date: June 26, 2026; DCP public scoping session for Independence Plaza modifications. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=375
– Project: modification of the Independence Plaza large-scale residential development (LSRD). Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=375
– DEIS build year assumed: 2032. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=1755
– Public testimony said excavation will require “significant dewatering” and possible dumping of groundwater into the Hudson River. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=5487, https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=2450
– Testimony warned simultaneous Battery Park City resiliency dewatering could overlap and cumulatively pump “up to 14 million gallons of water a day.” Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=5487
– DCP indicated water and sewer infrastructure is currently screened out of three technical DEIS areas. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=1755
Main article body
The New York City Department of City Planning (DCP) convened a public scoping meeting on June 26, 2026 to gather comments on the draft scope of work for the Independence Plaza modifications Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=375
**New York City Department of City Planning (DCP)**
– Role or jurisdiction: City agency responsible for land use and environmental review in New York City.
– Action taken or responsibility: Hosted the scoping meeting and presented the draft scope of work for the DEIS.
– Relevant numbers or dates: Public scoping meeting held June 26, 2026; DEIS build year assumed 2032. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=375, https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=1755
DCP staff described the purpose of scoping as allowing public input to shape the DEIS at an early stage and said the draft scope materials are available through the zoning applicant portal on DCP’s website. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=375
**Independence Plaza modifications (project)**
– Role or jurisdiction: Proposed modification to the Independence Plaza large-scale residential development (LSRD) in Lower Manhattan.
– Action taken or responsibility: Applicant seeks to add housing capacity using available floor area without changing zoning.
– Relevant numbers or dates: Project materials reference up to 929 units in slides and a separate slide assuming up to 251 affordable units; DEIS build year assumed 2032. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=1755
Speakers at the meeting repeatedly asked how dewatering and groundwater handling would be performed during excavation and foundation work. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=5197, https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=5487
Residents and advocates said the site sits within a block of the Hudson River and a high water table, and that excavation will require “significant dewatering.” Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=5487
Multiple speakers raised concerns that Battery Park City resiliency construction nearby is already discharging groundwater to the Hudson River, and they asked the DEIS to evaluate overlapping and cumulative impacts between the two projects. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=2450, https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=5487
Public testimony at the meeting alleged that overlapping, uncoordinated dewatering between the Independence Plaza work and the northwest Battery Park City resiliency project could, in combination, pump up to 14 million gallons of groundwater per day from soils beneath adjacent townhouses and other structures. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=5487
Speakers requested that the DEIS include boring and soils reports, existing foundation and structural-condition information for nearby historic structures, detailed plans for protecting those structures, and ongoing monitoring during construction. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=2450, https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=4391
DCP staff explained the DEIS will follow the city’s technical manual and that the draft scope screens out three technical areas, including water and sewer infrastructure, from further analysis in the DEIS materials shown. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=1755
Several speakers challenged that screening and urged that sewer, groundwater, and Hudson River discharge impacts be analyzed, especially given recent increases in extreme rain events and existing resiliency plans in lower Manhattan. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=2450
Speakers also asked the applicant to commit in writing to repair any damage to neighboring landmark townhouses caused by construction and to fund independent engineering reviews and monitoring selected with community input. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=5197, https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=5487
The meeting record does not include a technical presentation of dewatering methods, specific permitting steps for discharge to the Hudson River, or a coordination plan with Battery Park City; attendees urged that those items be added to the DEIS scope. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=375, https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=5487
Council Member Christopher Marte testified and said the scope of the DEIS is crucial, raised concerns about construction impacts, and noted longstanding community opposition to the proposed tower and related impacts. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=2645
**Battery Park City resiliency project**
– Role or jurisdiction: Nearby resiliency construction in lower Manhattan addressing flood protection in Battery Park City.
– Action taken or responsibility: Currently conducting construction-related dewatering and discharging groundwater to the Hudson River, per public testimony.
– Relevant numbers or dates: Testimony linked Battery Park City dewatering to potential cumulative pumping with Independence Plaza work. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=2450, https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=5487
DCP invited written comments and public participation in shaping the DEIS but, in the material presented at the meeting, did not enumerate permit types or agency approvals for potential Hudson River discharges. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=375
Participants at the meeting urged that the DEIS assess cumulative environmental impacts, include wet-weather or sewer-capacity analysis, and consult other agencies — including the Landmarks Preservation Commission for adjacent historic houses — during environmental review. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=5892, https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=4391
Next steps identified at the meeting: DCP will receive public testimony on the draft scope and use scoping input to prepare the DEIS; the draft scope materials are posted online for review. Source: https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=375
Source attribution (meeting): https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=375, https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=1755, https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=2450, https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=2645, https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=4391, https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=5197, https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=5487, https://youtu.be/EFEjeMVGizQ&t=5892
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