JACLYN JEFFREY-WILENSKY / GOTHAMIST – Tens of thousands of tons of hazardous waste are stored in coastal facilities threatened by sea level rise in New York and New Jersey, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. If the sites aren’t properly safeguarded, EPA officials said, floodwaters could carry the toxic chemicals stored within into streets and waterways, where they can harm people and animals.

New York City broke rainfall records last month due to a slew of tropical storms that also threatened the tristate area with storm surge and coastal flooding …