My name is Triada Samaras.
I am opposed to the current Gowanus Rezoning plan and urge a pause in the overall process.
I am a member of the Gowanus Canal CAG / Citizen's Advisory Group and I co-founded Carroll Gardens CORD / Carroll Gardens Coalition for Respectful Development with my neighbors in 2007.
I bought my home in Carroll Gardens in the mid 1990's. I'm a single mother and working artist. I worked many years to be able to own my home in Carroll Gardens.
In my arts education career I have worked exclusively in public settings with the neediest communities in NYC and urban NJ for over 30 years. I have been a committed community and arts activist and vocal activist for respectful development for all that time.
The truth here about the health and safety issues of this rezoning are not visible to many of those who are here admirably raging for housing justice for the neediest New Yorkers and who believe this rezoning is a good thing.
I urge everyone to carefully read the DEIS which has mistakes and major flaws throughout it. It is irresponsible for NYC to railroad this community during this time when we are trying to emerge from a pandemic. Gowanus deserves better.
Neither social nor economic nor environmental justice is being served by this misguided and rushed re-zoning. I am opposed to this current re-zoning plan and urge a pause in the overall process until a comprehensive study is done at *"Public Place" and other coal tar remediation areas that fully documents the the human health impacts of living over a coal tar contaminated site.
As a CAG member I can tell you that the City of New York is currently in total non-compliance with the EPA. In addition, this ULURP process has been entirely illegal and undemocratic until a few days ago.
Affordable housing is indeed an issue in New York City but the proposed rezoning puts the neediest New Yorkers directly in harms' way due to: **chemical contamination, ***inadequate CSO planning, and perhaps worst of all: the location of the land in a flood zone that was ****well-documented during Hurricane Sandy as having toxic flood waters flooding the surrounding streets.
Triada Samaras
CG CORD Co-Founder
Gowanus Canal CAG Member
More Info:
* NYS Just Degraded the Environmental Clean-Up at Public Place / Former Citizen's Manufactured Gas Plant Site
** Contamination at MGP Sites
*** Poonami: Storm Floods Gowanus Canal with Raw Sewage
**** Gowanus Canal Flooding Brings Contamination Concerns
**** Photos: One of America's Most Extensively Contaminated Water Bodies is Flooding
I have been a committed community and arts activist and vocal advocate for respectful development in Brooklyn for all that time. The truth here about the health and safety issues of this proposed rezoning are not visible to many of those here who are admirably arguing for housing justice for the neediest Nyers and who believe this rezoning is a good thing.
I urge everyone to carefully read the EIS which has mistakes and flaws throughout it.
It is completely irresponsible to railroad this community during this time when we are trying to emerge from a pandemic. Gowanus deserves . |
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Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez has publicly called for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Gowanus rezoning to be re-done with the full participation of federal agencies, as required by state and federal law. Neither social nor economic nor environmental justice is being served by this misguided and rushed rezoning. |
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I am opposed to the current rezoning plan and urge a pause in the overall process until a comprehensive study is done at "Public Place" and other coal tar remediation areas that fully documents the human health impacts of living over a coal tar contaminated site. |
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Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez has publicly called for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Gowanus rezoning to be re-done with the full participation of federal agencies, as required by state and federal law. Neither social nor economic nor environmental justice is being served by this misguided and rushed rezoning. |
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As a CGA member I can tell you that The City of New York is currently in total noncompliance with the EPA. In addition this ULURP process has been entirely illegal and undemocratic until a few days ago.
Affordable housing is indeed an issue in New York City but the proposed rezoning that we are talking
about puts the neediest New Yorkers directly in harm's way due to: chemical contamination. inadequate CSO planning, and perhaps worst of all: the location of the land in a flood zone that was well-documented during Hurricane Sandy as having toxic waters flooding the surrounding streets.
Triada Samaras
CG CORD Co-Founder
Gowanus Canal CAG Member
