At its June 22, 2021 general meeting, the Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group passed the following resolution regarding the process underlying and the design of the planned Gowanus Canal Owls Head CSO facility.
The resolution reads as follows:
Resolved:
In recognition of the current ULURP (Uniform Land Use Review Procedure) underway for the Site Selection and Acquisition of property by the City and change to the City Map to facilitate a new combined sewer overflow (CSO) facility (aka “Gowanus Canal CSO Facility – Owls Head”) that is being sought by the City adjacent to the Gowanus Canal west of 2nd Avenue and north of the 6th Street Turning Basin in Gowanus, Community District 6, Brooklyn, the CAG requests the following:
- Conduct an in-person public input session with additional Zoom access in partnership with the Gowanus CAG as soon as possible to facilitate public input prior to finalization of site, tank, and headhouse design and an initial presentation of the project design to the community, supported by the CAG’s Resolution, “Requesting Public Engagement Regarding Mid-Canal CSO Tank Design” dated July 2020. Following this, and taking community feedback into account, additional presentations will be made at four key milestones: 100% schematic design, 100% design development, 100% bid documents, and documents issued for construction;
- Meet the EPA deadline for construction of the retention tanks described in the CAG’s Resolution, “Supporting EPA’s Position on NYC’s Request to Extend Deadlines for Construction of CSO Tanks,” dated January 26, 2021;
- Include safe access/egress to and from the canal in the design as described in the CAG’s Resolution, “Safe Emergency Access to, and Egress from, the Gowanus Canal,” dated October 23, 2018;
- Undertake ecological restoration opportunities as described in the CAG’s Resolution, “Preliminary Sites for NRDA Restoration Process,” dated September 26, 2017, and supported by the CAG’s Resolution, “Ecological Restoration,” dated May, 2012, and “Design that is supportive of Marine Life,” dated June 2016
Background:
Each CSO retention tank facility offers the city and community a rare opportunity to leverage critical urban infrastructure to improve our environment while ensuring minimal disruption to local stakeholders. An integrated design approach with clear community input that improves canal access and egress, restores tidal estuarine ecology including habitat for key marine and bird species, and diverts harmful contaminants from the waterway is a benefit to the community and city.
Click here to see a PDF version of the full resolution.