Inspiring Words from CORD Co-Founder re: Lightstone Development application

Hello from CORD!

Below is the full testimony of Rita Miller, CORD-Co Founder, who spoke at the CB 6 meeting about the Lightstone Development Project application.

For an excellent review of this meeting and the issues involved for our community please see PMFA http://pardonmeforasking.blogspot.com/2012/09/community-board-6-weighs-in-on.html

Last night Community Board 6's Land Use Committee asked for a supplemental environmental impact study among other things. 

CORD

www.carrollgardenspetition.blogspot.com

"Good evening. 

"I am a Co-Founder of CORD (Carroll Gardens Coalition for Respectful Development) and serve as the CORD representative on the administrative, real estate and water quality committees of the CAG [EPA Gowanus Superfund Community Advisory Group].  In that capacity I was one of the very limited number of CAG members, as per the developer's request, that Lightstone agreed to meet with last week.

But I am here tonight as a resident and CORD member.

"It is my understanding that it is your role, as the land use committee members to assess and advise on this new application by Lightstone.  I deliberately use the word new, not only because of the changes, minor or not, but because of the fact that this proposal comes before you under a different set of circumstances than its predecessor did.

"As the CORD representative on the CAG--i have been lucky enough to learn a great deal not only about the canal, our sewer system, the superfund, that a floatable is not always a pool toy---but about how things within our government work, how rules are created and applied and mostly how we must adapt and sometimes be brave enough to fight back when we recognize that the application of the same old rules is just not working for us.

"That is really the dilemma before you this evening because tonight is not about being for or against this project.

"Tonight is not about being pro or anti development.

"Tonight is about being for or against what is in the best interests of your community, your neighbors and your own families."

"Tonight is about saying out loud--superfund designation of that canal is the best thing that ever happened here --it has changed the old rules -and is the one shot we have at getting some of our most pressing present environmental problems fixed and improving the conditions for whatever future WE participate in creating for our own community.

"We are on new ground here--this is an exciting time and you are in a position to make a real difference.

"Do you want to? Are you strong enough? Or do you want to rubber stamp a project just because the "rules" , as provided to you in such a narrow fashion, say you should...

"The EPA tells us developers are interested in the area---

"Be brave--send a message to city planning that you will not be used -- don't thank them for including you--stand up and tell them we want a comprehensive rezoning first a STUDY of the area that addresses the cumulative impact of that rezoning and any proposed projects upon our environment, our community and the proposed remedy--something this 'spot rezoned before so therefore we must plop it down now' mind set does not do--

"Tonight is the night to say, no."

Rita Miller 9-28-2012

VERY IMPORTANT! Community Meeting re: Lightstone Group ‘s “Minor Modifications” Application

VERY IMPORTANT! Community Meeting re:  Lightstone Group ‘s “Minor Modifications” Application for their LARGE- SCALE general development for Bond St. along the Gowanus Canal in Carroll Gardens/Gowanus.

Scroll down for the NY Times:

“Anticipating Fallout From Lobbyist’s Legal Cooperation”

From our District Manager:

“Greetings!”

“Please be advised that the Brooklyn CB6 Landmarks/Land Use committee's review of The Lightstone Group's application for "minor modifications" to the previously approved land use actions at 363-365 Bond Street has been confirmed for 6:45pm on Thursday, September 27th and it will take place at P.S. 32 Auditorium, 317 Hoyt Street (between Union/President Streets), Brooklyn.”

In addition to the information contained in the string of emails below, you might also be interested in seeing the full letter from the Department of City Planning inviting the Community Board to review and submit comment by October 29, 2012.”

The letter from the department can be seen by clicking here, or at the following link:

http://www.brooklyncb6.org/_attachments/2012-09-10%20DCP%20363-365%20Bond%20Street%20Review.pdf

Please also note that while this committee meeting will begin at 6:00pm, this particular issue will not be heard before 6:45pm to allow our committee to get through the landmarks portion of their agenda. All committee members are urged to be especially prompt to this meeting.

Lastly, even though the Community Board is not required to conduct a public hearing since this is not a matter subject the City's uniform land use review procedures (ULURP), they have opted to provide an opportunity for the public to share their views with us about this application.

“A copy of our Public Hearing notice is available by clicking here, or at the following link:

http://www.brooklyncb6.org/_attachments/2012-09-10%20DCP%20363-365%20Bond%20Street%20Review.pdf

Please feel free to help spread the word.”

Best, Craig

Craig R. Hammerman

District Manager

Brooklyn Community Board 6

250 Baltic Street

Brooklyn, NY 11201-6401

t. 718.643.3027

f. 718.624.8410

w. www.BrooklynCB6.org

e. districtmanager@BrooklynCB6.org

This just in from the NY Times:

“Anticipating Fallout From Lobbyist’s Legal Cooperation”

By THOMAS KAPLAN and DAVID W. CHEN

Published: September 25, 2012

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/26/nyregion/lipskys-cooperation-with-authorities-prompts-unease.html?emc=eta1&_r=0

Below is the List of New York City Lobbyist List.  Please note:  Lightstone Group LLC on the first line.

http://www.nyc.gov/lobbyistsearch/search?client=The+Lightstone+Group%2C+LLC

CORD

 

Is an OPEN SEWER good enough for you in Carroll Gardens/Gowanus?

Is an open sewer good enough for you in Carroll Gardens/Gowanus?

This picture, taken on 4/21/2012 tells the story:  Here we can see the PERSISTENT CSO's (Combined Sewer Overflows) problem in the Gowanus Canal.  This picture was taken after several DRY day, i.e. after several days of NO rainfall.

Is an open sewer good enough for you in Carroll Gardens/Gowanus?

GOWANUS CAG GENERAL MEETING HELD ON JULY 2, 2012 --  PART TWO*

*For PART ONE please see our recent post: A “good enough” neighborhood just isn’t good enough in Carroll Gardens/Gowanus!


The Water Quality/Technical Committee invited two high ranking officials from EPA Headquarters in Washington D.C. to come and meet with us.


Deputy Commissioner, Bob Perciasepe and Assistant Deputy Commissioner Mathy Stanislaus, have met with NYC Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner, Carter Strickland, and in the interest of equal time and fairness they were asked to extend themselves to a meeting with us as well.

As of today, no meeting has been set up.....

The CAG also unanimously supported a Water Quality/Technical Committee proposal which called for reaching out to our elected officials in order to garner public support from them regarding two of our recently passed resolutions...one regarding water reclassification and another on the most important call for a complete elimination of the CSO's and therefore protection of the EPA remedy in the Gowanus Canal. (SEE RESOLUTIONS BELOW)

That is particularly important right now since both the NYS Department of Conservation and the NYC Department of Environmental Protection are apparently ignoring or should we say, "challenging", the EPA findings that toxic compounds are continually contaminating the canal through the CSO's and "must be addressed". 

The City and State seem to be in perfect agreement that a city wide plan which is designed to reduce to varying and ever changing percentages, the CSO emissions and storm water run off, THROUGHOUT THE CITY, is good enough for us......The fact that the major part of this plan, which is called, THE LONG TERM CONTROL PLAN, is not slated to be finished for at least thirty years and does not address the particular problems of the Gowanus Canal does not seem to make a difference to either the City or State of New York.

The Gowanus Canal is most certainly part of New York City and should be included in any city wide plan. The city wide plan is an admirable start on the clean up of our city waterways.

But it is simply an inadequate remedy for the environmental and health issues the contamination of the Gowanus Canal presents to our community. That is why the Gowanus is a Superfund site in the first place...And that is why our community must steadfastly support EPA's Region 2 forthcoming plan.

This "good enough" theme seems to permeate the attitude toward our neighborhood from everyone except our friends at the EPA  and frankly, good enough just isn't.... After all of the years we have had to put up with this canal and its disgusting and  apparently quite dangerous conditions--it is time we demand some justice.

It will certainly be very interesting to see which of our elected officials will support the CAG's resolutions since so many of them live in the surrounding communities....and should therefore be particularly aware of and sensitive to the health and environmental hazards that this highly polluted/contaminated waterway presents.

It is the obligation, no, the duty of every resident of our community to make sure that they let our public officials know that we are not only tired of the open sewer that runs through the heart of our neighborhoods, we are now fully aware of and justifiably concerned that the toxic compounds have been and continue to present an additional health and environmental hazard to each of us and we absolutely support the EPA and their commitment that this problem must be corrected. (SEE OUR CAG LETTER BELOW)

We all also know that that the one and only opportunity to get this done is right here and right now.

On the financial front, the State of New York and the City of New York have no problem talking about the high prohibitive cost of doing the right thing here----yet they do not seem to have any objection to the fact that the hundreds of millions of dollars that the cleanup will cost will be wasted if the toxic contamination is allowed to continue to flow into the canal after the EPA has completed their work.

All of these monies are OURS.....don't be shy about telling our electeds how you feel about how and where they are spending our money!

Do you want the Canal clean? Do you want our environment safe and ours and our childrens' health protected? Then it WILL cost money. Let's be realistic. National Grid will have to raise their rates in order to compensate for the enormous amount of money this clean up will cost. They are required to do it but that does not mean that somewhere down the line rates will not be raised in order to keep them in business. The City of New York will have to spend money to pay for what they are responsible for as well. We all understand this.

Let those people that we put in office to serve us know that you expect all of our monies to be well spent...not literally flushed down the toilet!

We would like to see the city return something real to us for our hard earned cash.....instead of the litany of financial boondoggles, stalled, cost- ballooning projects and overpaid consultants that we seem to read about every day.

Interestingly, three employees of the NYC Law Department attended the meeting.  No one from DEP, just some lawyers.

One of the young ladies introduced herself and then introduced the other two young ladies as "interns" who were there to observe. The spokeswoman of the group also made it abundantly clear that she would not be speaking, commenting or answering any questions and if any of us objected to their presence--they would leave.

It was a rather strange introduction but being the open hearted community that we are---we of course allowed the young ladies to stay. As an observer of the observers, I wondered exactly what the interns took from our meeting----

As always, if you have any questions or comments or would like to know what YOU could do to help, please write to us at CGCORD@GMAIL.COM

CORD

CAG Letter to Our Elected Officials!

July 17, 2012

Honorable Michael R. Bloomberg

Office of the Mayor

City Hall

New York, NY 10007

Dear Honorable Bloomberg,

The Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group is made up of 54 representatives from civic, environmental, business and community organizations, as well as individual at large citizen-members who are the stakeholders in the community around the Gowanus Canal impacted by the Superfund work.

Our community has been plagued by the pollution in the canal caused by combined sewer overflows whose toxic compounds, hazardous regulated materials and PAH’s represent adverse health risks to people, animals and plant life and therefore has overwhelmingly passed the following (two) resolutions—(see below for April 2012 Resolution)

RESOLUTION #1:     April 2012 Sediment Resolution to EPA

The Gowanus Superfund Community Advisory Group fully supports the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in its finding that New York City’s Combined Sewer Overflows are a significant contributor of harmful sediment and Superfund regulated PAHs and metals to the canal. The CAG takes the position that the total elimination of CSOs into the Gowanus Canal is the only acceptable solution to the problem.

The CAG asks that the EPA, under their Superfund authority, take the necessary measures that will ensure protection of the proposed remedy from ongoing CSO sediment solids deposits and the release of PAHs and other toxins.

RESOLUTION #2:     Resolution on Water Quality Classification

The Gowanus Superfund Community Advisory Group hereby resolves that the water of the Gowanus Canal be reclassified from it's current industrial standard, which is designated Class-SD. Class-SD only mandates a minimal level of dissolved oxygen be maintained in the waters, but places no limit on levels of pathogens present in the waterway.

The CAG requests that the Gowanus Canal be given a water classification that is protective of its current recreational uses which includes contact recreation for families and children. A reclassification that imposes limits on pathogen levels, both coliform and enterococci bacteria, is necessary to insure that children and others are not exposed to unacceptable health risks, including dangerous diseases, due to a simple act of coming into contact with the water while recreating in, on, or at the canal.

In summary, the CAG believes that the Superfund cleanup represents a unique opportunity to conduct a comprehensive cleanup of the Gowanus Canal and that it would be a waste of time, money, and energy to select a remedy that does not completely prevent recontamination by CSOs.

As our elected representative, we are requesting you support this community's wishes by furthering the goals of these resolutions.

You can begin by forwarding a statement of your full support by July 30, 2012 to:

Lisa P. Jackson, Administrator

United States Environmental Protection Agency

Ariel Rios Building

1200 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.

Washington .C. 20460

Email: jackson.lisap@epa.gov

Walter Mugdan, EPA Region 2, Director of the Division of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP)

United States Environmental Protection Agency

Ariel Rios Building

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20004 

Email: Mugdan.walter@epa.gov

Robert Perciasepe Deputy Administrator

United States Environmental Protection Agency

Ariel Rios Building

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20004 

Email: perciasepe.bob@epa.gov

Joseph Martens, Commissioner

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Division of Public Affairs and Education

625 Broadway

Albany, NY 12233-4500

Email: joemartens@gw.dec.state.ny.us

Again, we respectfully urge you to take every action possible to support these resolutions, which will make a difference in the lives of your constituents.

Please forward a copy of your letter to the Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group via email at gowanuscagop@gmail.com.

We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely yours,

The Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group

Comprised of:

Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce

Carroll Gardens Coalition for Respectful Development (CORD)

Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association

Center for Urban Pedagogy

Citizens of Pozzallo

Cobble Hill Association

Community Board 6

Fifth Avenue Committee

Friends and Residents of Greater Gowanus (FROGG)

Friends of Douglass/Greene Park, Inc.

Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation

Gowanus Canal Conservancy

Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club

Gowanus Houses Tenants Association

Gowanus Neighborhood Association/Gowanus-4-Life

Metropolitan Waterfront Association

Our Lady of Loretto

Council #585, Knights of Columbus

Park Slope Civic Council

Park Slope Neighbors

Pratt Center for Community Development

Proteus Gowanus

Red Hook Civic Association

Red Hook East Tenants Association

Red Hook West Tenants Association

Riverkeeper

Sierra Club

South Brooklyn Local Development Corporation

Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corporation

Urban Divers Estuary Conservancy

Wyckoff Gardens Tenants Association/Public Housing Communities, Inc.

And 25 At-Large Members

CORD

A “good enough” neighborhood just isn’t good enough in Carroll Gardens/Gowanus!

HELLO FROM CORD!

A “good enough” neighborhood just isn’t good enough in Carroll Gardens/Gowanus!


Is An Open Sewer Good Enough for You in Carroll Gardens/Gowanus?

This picture taken on 4/21/2012 tells the story:  Here we can see the PERSISTENT CSO's (Combine Sewer Overflows) problem in the Gowanus Canal.  This picture was taken after several DRY day, i.e. after several days of NO rainfall.

Is an open sewer good enough for you in Carroll Gardens/Gowanus?

On Monday evening, July 2nd, the CAG met at the St Marys Senior Housing.

The meeting was well attended by CAG members, especially considering this is a very busy vacation time for many folks. There were also several guests--some speakers--some very quiet observers..and happily, some new neighborhood faces who were interested in what was happening at the CAG.

The meeting kicked off with the NY State Department of Conservation Project Manager, Hank Williams who gave an update on the upland sites--the former gas manufacturing plants located at Thomas Greene Park, Public Place and the Lowe's site.

We are still waiting for some reports from the DEC but they are moving along. The Thomas Greene Park site is awaiting a Feasibility Study, The barrier wall and some of the pilot testing that is to be done at Public Place is still waiting for some additional permitting by the Army Corps of Engineers and the Lowe's site it was stated that there is no contamination leaking into the canal from that site at this time.

In an interesting exchange, we learned that although we have been reassured many many times that the clean ups that National Grid is doing on each of the sites would be identical in the level of remediation-- and that we are going to get the best possible job at each location regardless of the end use.......there is apparently a plan to remediate the Public Place site (AKA Citizen"s site), to what Mr Williams referred to as, "development neutral"-----which apparently means that it will be cleaned to a higher degree than one that is not remediated to a "development neutral" status.

So, the other sites and by proximity, all of us are just not so lucky. 

Thomas Greene Park and Lowe's sites will NOT be cleaned to the mysterious "development neutral" standard----although the name of the standard they are reaching for was not revealed. Perhaps something like, "pretty good", "so so", "good enough"....??? we just don't know....

In all fairness, Mr Williams came on board a little late in the game and may not be as familiar with all of the details, plans and goings on as he should be, but when asked point blank if each of the sites would be remediated to the same level he hesitatingly but most definitely had to admit that they would not.

Next, Christos Tsiamis, our EPA Project Manager gave an update on his presentation to the National Remedy Review Board (NRRB) in Washington D.C. in mid June.

He explained that this particular board, one of the many necessary steps in the Superfund process. was initiated under the Clinton Administration for EPA projects that would cost in excess of twenty five million ($25,000,000) dollars. 

The Project Manager and his team present their plans for the site. This presentation is usually fairly brief. The NRRB routinely hears two to three presentations each day. However, our  Gowanus, was given TWO FULL DAYS worth of time for its presentation----Christos pointed out that this is pretty rare. Christos also reaffirmed that the Proposed Plan will probably be presented at the end of this coming September.

Administrative, Archaeology and Water Quality/Technical Committees all gave updates:

Admin Committee is working on some internal housekeeping business in preparation of some needed Charter changes.

The Archaeology Committee informed us that the Brooklyn Historical Society would like to archive the CAG activities for posterity. Imagine that!

                                                                                                  TO BE CONTINUED....

FREE PUBLIC PLACE WORKSHOP #2

The featured Free Public Place artwork today was created by by Leopold Veuve and Reshma Devnani who wrote:

"We would like to see Public Place become a Recreational Park where basically, people of all ages could come and hang out."

"This park would consist of:

• trail to jog/bikeride/walk
• are afor children to draw with chalk
• street games
• basketball or some game for an older crowd
• benches for people to sit and relax.  

Leo and Reshma."

Please feel free to visit our Free Public Place Facebook page and rember to "like" us and submit your own ideas!  This workshop was part of the Brooklyn Utopias Exhibition: Park Space, Play Space held at the Old Stone House.http://theoldstonehouse.org/calendar/730-p/

Hello from Triada Samaras and CORD!

Due to the great success of our Free Public Place art/activist workshop last Saturday at the Old Stone House with the Brooklyn Utopias: Park Space, Play Space exhibition, we will now start a new feature here at our blog.

We plan to exhibit one Free Public Place artwork per day from our workshop, complete with explanation by the artist.  This art work will also be posted at our new,
Free Public Place Facebook page, where the public can continue to you can weigh in with ideas and thoughts for Public Place after the EPA Superfund Clean-up. 

All ideas are welcome!  And please remember to read the lovely write up about our event at Pardon Me for Asking.  Katia writes,  "Perhaps they (these artists) could teach City Planning a thing or two?"

Below:  Artist of the Day, Lucy DeCarlo
A Second Street resident, and CORD Co-Founder, Lucy favors indoor and outdoor parking spaces at Public Place after the clean-up due to the increasing car congestion and lack of available parking spots in our community.  And, as Lucy wisely says, "cars can not get sick from coal tar."

CORD Gowanus Canal CAG Meeting Summary

Hello from Carroll Gardens CORD!

Tuesday night's  general CAG meeting took place at the Brooklyn Historical Society. The meeting was attended by nineteen members of the CAG as well as an assortment of guests.

The night's business included, among other things, a vote on a resolution proposed by the Water Quality/Technical Committee, which came out of a meeting the CAG had with the DEP earlier in the month.

Please read the resolution below:

 
Proposed Resolution: A resolution passed by the WQ/Technical Committee will be up for a ratification vote by the full CAG at the 4/24 meeting:

 "The Gowanus Superfund Community Advisory Group fully supports the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in its finding that New York City’s Combined Sewer Overflows are a significant contributor of harmful sediment and Superfund regulated PAHs and metals to the canal. The CAG takes the position that the total elimination of CSOs into the Gowanus Canal is the only acceptable solution to the problem. The CAG asks that the EPA, under their Superfund authority, take the necessary measures that will insure protection of the proposed remedy from ongoing CSO sediment solids deposits and the release of PAHs and other toxins."

 Much to the surprise of some of the CAG members (CORD included), the facilitator announced at the beginning of the meeting that the DEP had sent a representative to the meeting in order to make a "presentation".. Initially, we were told they wanted twenty minutes, then down to ten then maybe we could grant them five minutes.

The facilitator suggested several scenarios whereby the DEP could speak before or after the Water Quality/Technical Committee presented the resolution to their fellow CAG members.

It was completely obvious to the Water Quality/Technical Committee members, who had worked on the proposal for several days prior to its presentation, that the DEP was there to persuade the group to accept their version of how the cleanup should proceed.

Why? Because after the Water Quality/Technical Committee's meeting with the DEP earlier this month,it was apparent that the city has no intention of doing anything more than what they already have in the works in regard to the canal...and it simply is not enough....

The science is clear----besides the raw sewage---there are dangerous chemicals and heavy metals that are being emitted into the canal through the cso's---some of these dangerous compounds actually wind up attaching themselves to the "solids"---and wind up accumulating at the bottom. Something must be done to address this once and for all.

We have talked about the city's Green Infrastructure and Long Term Control Plans. These are city wide programs--good programs---expensive programs--but they DO NOT tackle the complicated and massive problem of the Gowanus Canal---they in fact only address a very small percentage of the overall problems we have throughout the entire city in regard to our sewer system--they do not address the toxins and the reasons that the canal was designated a superfund site in the first place.

Keep your ears open and you will hear the city say things now like the EPA is moving too fast----incredible! It was the city who tried to talk the community out of allowing the feds in by whining that the process would be so slow, the city could do it better and faster, etc etc etc---now that the EPA is moving along right on target, and by the way, ahead of anything that the city promised....all of a sudden it's going too fast

Also, watch out and listen for things like the benign.....we want all the agencies to work together and coordinate their efforts.....

This is code for the city to try to get their Long Term Control Plan kicked into gear before the EPA can begin (that  city plan is not set to even begin until 2015--look at the name, "long term"--that means final results are not for twenty or thirty years!---the EPA will be presenting their proposed plan this summer/early fall) ---the city  just seems determined to slow the process down.

The truth is that the federal government is going to spend a half a billion dollars cleaning up the toxic sediment in the canal and prevent additional contamination from the surrounding uplands from entering the canal..

....and the city plans on continuing to dump more toxic and cross toxin contaminated bacterial waste on top of it!

If the CSO's emissions, documented by the EPA in their studies, are not addressed by the city in a more effective manner, we will be literally throwing our money and the epa's efforts into the toilet. How ridiculous and wasteful is that?!

The CAG, made up of local residents, business owners and community groups made a very clear statement...it is important that the science remain the focus- that the CAG supports the remedies that will address what the studies have shown.The EPA studies are clear and posted for all to see with even more information to come. http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/npl/gowanus/

It is important that all of us keep in mind that the end goal is a clean and healthy canal and environment----and that we focus on demanding those measures needed to attain that goal----not be swayed by city wide programs designed to meet other city wide obligations the city must meet.

More than an hour later, after a spirited discussion, a vote was taken and it was decided that the DEP would not speak....the resolution was presented and discussed and the the CAG approved the resolution. One tiny step---but an important one.

 It  clearly shows that we want and expect what most of us had in mind from the day we heard that the canal would be superfunded---a clean canal that does not endanger public health---

Eymund Diegel and Angela Murphy, members of the Archaeology Committee, presented a delightful slide show and a great history lesson on the Gowanus and offered up some wonderful suggestions on how we can commemorate the Canal's important place in Brooklyn's past and present.

Next meeting....end of May.

CORD