At its January 26, 2021 general meeting, the Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group passed the following resolution supporting EPA’s response to the New York City Department of Environmental Protection’s letter requesting extended deadlines for construction of CSO retention tanks.
The resolution reads as follows:
Resolved:
The Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group (CAG) strongly supports the position EPA states in its November 6th letter to the NYC DEP regarding DEP’s request for a 12-month extension to complete the future construction of the RH-034 CSO Tank and an 18-month extension to complete the future construction of the OH-007 CSO tank. The DEP’s proposed delays are of great concern to the community because of the “impacts to the Canal cleanup that may occur if contaminated CSO solids discharges continue as a result of further delays to DEP’s completion of the CSO solids controls component of EPA’s September 2013 Record of Decision (ROD) for the site.”
Background:
The EPA clarifies for DEP that “based on the above, it is EPA’s conclusion that the requested extensions are not justified. EPA would like to meet with DEP to discuss in more detail our evaluation of DEP’s extension request, a resolution of DEP’s significant ongoing noncompliance, and the issuance of an enforcement instrument which memorializes DEP’s CSO remedy implementation obligations.” “Even as the upcoming dredging begins to cure the Canal’s century and a half of pollution, EPA is cognizant that the CSO portion of the Canal remedy is of equal significance to the community.”
Click here to see a PDF version of the full resolution.