Green Infrastructure (GI) has to be incorporated into the Long Term Control Plans in a meaning and measurablemanner. While this plan goes a long way toward that goal, there is no need for additional planning for incorporation of GIwhile the Long Term Control Plans (LTCPs) are being developed. Just do it; it is already widely accepted all over thecountry and by EPA.

Read more here

BCEQ_letter_CSO2011 111811

Harlem River Working Group
Celebrate the Harlem River

HRWG is online

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Chauncy Young: 646-719-0034

Press Advisory

Community residents, environmental organizations and elected officials meet with United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to discussion the Urban Waters Partnership and collaborative efforts to revitalize the Harlem River

(Bronx NY, October 27, 2011) Community residents and environmental organizations will gather at Roberto Clemente State Park — the only Bronx State park, located along the Harlem River to welcome Secretary Ken Salazar and celebrate the Harlem River.

“The Harlem River is a wonderful asset. We are excited to welcome the Secretary to witness our hard work in the rebirth of the Harlem River,” stated Anita Antonetty, long time community resident and Harlem River Working Group Member.

Community residents, environmental organizations and elected officials will hold a press conference at 2:00 pm in support of Secretary Salazar announcement of Urban Waters Partnership and America’s Great Outdoors – both national initiatives taking place across the nation and in the Bronx. Other federal, state and city agencies are expected to attend, as are local Bronx elected officials: Borough President Ruben Diaz, Congressman Jose Serrano, State Senator Marco Serrano, and State Assemblywoman Vanessa L. Gibson, among others. Together, this local perspective recognizes the community’s renaissance vision for a greenway and waterfront access for Bronx communities along Harlem River.

“I have been a part of planning meetings for the Harlem River and the surrounding area for the last 30 years” says Dart Westphal, community leader and Bronx Council for Environmental Quality (BCEQ) Board Member, “I am glad to be a member of the Harlem River Working Group and to see plans long discussed finally being implemented due to the collaboration between city, state and federal elected officials and departments, particularly, the NYC Parks Department, and community residents.”

Harlem River Working Group Coordinator, Chauncy Young, notes “Over the past four years since the formation of the Harlem River Working Group, we have been effective in making the Harlem River a focus for community residents and their representatives and government agencies, the Harlem River was designated as one of seven locations across the United States designated for the new Urban Waters Federal Partnership and both Massachusetts Institute for Technology and Columbia University have worked with community members to develop visions for the Harlem River Waterfront.”

Community members will be available for comments on local perspectives following the press event.

Date: Friday October 28, 2011

Time:   2:00 pm

Location: Roberto Clemente State Park, 301 West Tremont Avenue, Bronx NY 10453

DEC Commissioner Denied Appeal – BCEQ_DECCom_reject_appeal (8-3-10)

Appeal to the DEC Commissioner  BCEQ_Appeal_Sensitive_Area_04192010

DEC response  - DEC_reply_to_BCEQ__Requesting_Sensitive_Area_(3-5-10)

BCEQ request to designated Bronx and Harlem Rivers as Sensitive Areas -  BCEQ__Requesting_Sensitive_Area_02172010

Check out what other EPA regions do:  MO_WQS_decision_letter102909

Help us by signing a petition and/or a letter and emailing it to us at water@bceq.org or fax to (888)763-8399

Sample letter for your organization to sign Senstive Areas Organization Letterhead

Petition for your and your friends to sign PETITION Sensitive Areas

“Examining Harlem River Water Quality: Imputs, Effects and Solutions”

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at Manhattan College, Leo Engineering Building

2:30 pm – 4:00 pm, Main Auditorium: GENERAL MEETING

• What is the NY-NJ Harbor Estuary Program? What is an Estuary? US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Bob Nyman Director, NY-NJ Harbor Estuary Program
• What is the State of the Sewers? NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), NYC Region 2 Director Suzanne Mattei -The State of the Sewers
• What can the History of the Harlem River teach us? Sid Horenstein, Environmental Educator Emeritus, American Museum of Natural History
• What we see Google Mapping of Places of interest along the Harlem River? Jerry Willis, National Parks Service, and the Harlem River Working Group (HRWG)

4:00 pm, Downstairs Cafeteria: REFRESHMENTS, TABLING, BREAKOUTS

4:15 to 5:15 pm, Downstairs Cafeteria: BREAKOUTS

• “Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda 2010-2014” presentation and public comment, Fran Dunwell, NYS DEC
• Grass roots designed Public Participation process for CSOs, Petition and Letter Writing – Karen Argenti, BCEQ & HRWG
• Google Mapping CSO Places of interest along the Harlem River – CSO Photos – Jerry Willis, National Parks Service, HRWG

5:00 – 5:30 pm, Main Auditorium: SUMMARIES REPORTED by 5:20 pm

5:30 – 7:00 pm, Auditorium: HARLEM RIVER WORKING GROUP MEETING

7:00 – 9:00 pm, Board Room: BCEQ BOARD MEETING

The Draft Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda 2010-2014 (pdf, 2MB) is now available for public comment. Written comments on the draft may be submitted until February 22, 2010. Comments can be sent via e-mail to hrep@gw.dec.state.ny.us (please include the words “Draft Action Agenda” in the subject line) or by mail addressed to: Action Agenda, Hudson River Estuary Program, NYSDEC Region 3 Office, 21 South Putt Corners Road, New Paltz, NY 12561. The final Action Agenda 2010-2014 is targeted for release in April 2010.

We have requested an extension, let’s see what we get.

Read our documents

Bronx River LTCP WWFP 091809 BCEQ

Bx Riv Stakeholder LTCP 060707

StormWaterCaptureProjects_BronxWishList

CRO_Design Commission Response_090728_FINAL with comments

Sue McCormick, P.E.

NYS DEC

625 Broadway

Albany, NY  12233-3506

sdmccorm@gw.dec.state.ny.us

Here are my notes:

There seems to be very little substantial change in the finished Bronx River Watershed Water Facility Plan (Bronx River WWFP, July 2009). There is mention of the Low Impact Development (LID), but only as a model in need of study, and besides which, there is no land to do this work!. There is mention of Westchester County Improvements, but like the LID, it is also anticipated in the later years of the Long Term Control Plan. There is mention of the shift from the Water Quality Standard of boat and fishable to the LTCP Clean Water Act goal of fishable-swimable. While the upgrade of the Hunts Point WWTP made the biggest difference, it is not new. What is new is the Floatables project for some $26 to 39 million. They could do much better with half going to street cleaning in the watershed!

It is simply incredible that the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) stated that they did not have enough time or money to pilot study, and could not find enough land to absorb stormwater runoff and build LIDs or Green Infrastructure! While it is true that the DEP does not own that much land in this watershed, there are other agencies. Moreover, we have asked them over and over again to expand the responsibility for this consent decree to other agencies, but that has not happened.

In the first two decades of the last century, New York City paid for 75% of the construction costs for the Westchester part of the Bronx River Parkway and Road, and 100% of the city land and roadway. A review of the history of the Bronx River Parkway and Roadway clearly shows that the purpose of the Parkway Project was to clean up the noxious health hazard of the Bronx River, both in the Bronx and Westchester.

This report is deficient. It is no wonder it was denied as a legitimate project for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act! Just as the Bronx River Parkway was the first organized parkway commission, with a little leadership and responsibility, it could have been a great national example once again!

What we need is
1. LID and the Westchester Plan to be written into the Long Term Control Plan for the long term.
2. Another baseline method to assess the health of the River, which takes into consideration the pollutants absorbed by the actions in the LID and Westchester part of the plan. You could call this a TMDL.
3. Some editorial corrections on the existing document – most of which involve stakeholder involvement. Real page numbers should be on the report, not just section and page. Public Meeting Time and Place was inappropriate for summer. Clearly the DEP does not know, nor is it interested in promoting stakeholder involvement as groups are mis-identified on page 6-5.  BCEQ is not a governmental agency!

Although that would be fun ……………….

The last time I’d visited HuntsPt Riverside Park, this little green gem in the SSBx hosted the Annual BRA.edu.com’s Student Research Projects Presentations.That event had student display tables setup all around the central grassy knoll, and featured a terrific solo guitar presentation by Education Chairman, Damian Griffin. This event was set up similarly, with very healthful refrescoes, a pretty good sound system off to the side, professionals servers at the tables , and lots of chances to meet fellow Bronx Philanthropic Supporters brought together by the chance to honor a few of those among us whose efforts actually have made a difference to SaveBronxEcology.

For the minimum price of only $75 a ticket, Upstream Soiree promised food, drink, live music, and valet parking under the watchful eyes of the local precinct. Executive Director Linda Cox was kind enuf to provide BCEQ with two unused philanthropic tickets. To show my presidential appreciation I wore a tie and jacket.

One of those tix went to the X-ec Director of Pelham Bay Pk’s Bartow Mansion, who was keen to be part of the crowd honoring longtime environmental activist and longserving BCEQ Corresponding Sec’y, Jorge Santiago.

There were also many BCEQ Members in attendance who paid for their own tickets, including yours truly. For a brief summary of why we are so proud of JS’s accomplishments, read the article in our upcoming newsletter. Also see the pictures taken by ardent photographer and acting BCEQ Director, Dotti Poggi, soon to be published on our website.

KeepINTouch!!! ***icle***