Evaluation

The Staten Island Bluebelt has been a successful project at multiple scales. 

• At the city wide scale the Bluebelt has relieved a financial strain on the New York City , saving $80,000,000 in capital investment expenditures versus a traditional piped stormwater system (Wieman, C.  1998). 
• At the scale of Staten Island the Bluebelt combined with the concurrent sanitary sewer project has help relieve waste water pollution in the ground water of Staten Island and solved a potential additional combined sewer overflow issue for New York City .  The combination of the Bluebelt with the existing Staten Island Greenbelt of parks has enhanced the ecological connectivity of habitat and added in increasing biodiversity.
• At the neighborhood scale the Bluebelt has created and enhanced wildlife habitat.  Through community outreach during and after the planning and construction process, residents of Staten Island have been educated about the hydrology and ecology of their neighborhoods and have been provided an opportunity to interact with these systems.

Transferability

• Utilization of existing wetlands and streams as a part of stormwater and CSO solutions is a directly transferable environmental planning concept.  The ability for this idea to be used in other locales would be dependant on local agencies being able to develop relationships with state and federal agencies as the NYC DEP did with the NYS DEC and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.
• Ownership - Waters of the State.  Many states in the USA have the legal abilty to make improvements within “waters of the state”.  The NYC DEP has taken full advantage of this.
• Fiscally responsible, even with land purchases.  The Bluebelt project has demonstrated not only are interventions such as these fiscally viable, but they are fiscally responsible as well.

Criticism

• New York City has not adequately funded the Buebelt.  Funding is acquired through piggybacking projects onto the NYC DEPs large water supply, waste water, and stormwater projects else were in the City (New York City DEP.  2005a).
• There is little evidence of efficacy studies for water quality improvement.  The NYC DEP should publicize studies if they exist and make them publicly available so engineers and designers in other areas can use the data proactively.
• Is the NYC DEP considering this approach in other low density areas of the City, such as the outer areas of Queens and Brooklyn ?  If they are not, why?

Award and recognition for the Staten Island Bluebelt.

• 1996, American Rivers , Urban River Restoration Award for Staten Island Bluebelt Project
• 1997, New York Association of Consulting Engineers, Platinum Award for Richmond Creek Drainage Plan
• 2003, American Council of Consulting Engineers, National Recognition Award
• 2003, American Academy of Environmental Engineers, Honor Award
• 2003, New York Association of Consulting Engineers, Diamond Award for Blue Heron Drainage Plan

Conclusion

The Staten Island Bluebelt is an innovative and import case for the use of natural systems within an urban environment.  The NYC DEP was able to conceptualize a plan integrating traditional piped stormwater systems with the naturally occurring wetlands in Richmond , Staten Island .  The NYC DEP then became a national leader in the development and testing of stormwater BMPs, as these were integral to the success of the Bluebelt project.  As part of the planning and design process the multidisciplinary and multi-agency Bluebelt team developed several key programs to help ensure the future success of the Bluebelt.  The community outreach and public education programs were instituted as part a comprehensive watershed planning and management initiative and have been integral to the project’s success.  The streamlined permitting process developed with the NYS DEC has allowed the Bluebelt team to concentrate their efforts on innovative planning and design and not on producing documentation in support of permit applications.  These along with the previously discuss innovations have produce a comprehensive stormwater management system which uses natural systems and existing hydrology to cleanse stormwater and alleviate flooding in an aesthetically pleasing and community supported project.    

Extended detention wetland in Richmond Creek. (From New York City DEP.  2005a)