Gowanus Canal CAG Water Quality & Technical Committee Meeting

The Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group’s Water Quality/Technical Committee will hold its November monthly meeting on Monday, November 2nd, 2026 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., via Zoom video conference.

You can join the Zoom meeting here: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/9808972869?omn=89344822562

Agenda

1. Bond-Lorraine Sewer abandonment and how the proposed initial design of the high-level sewer lines to take the street runoff will ultimately result in a LOT of disruption in the neighborhood. Katia reported that the last time DEP did work on Columbia Street in 1975 or so, many buildings collapsed and people died.

2. Gas line at Huntington and other NAPL leaks. Per Katia, there were all these special sealants that were not so impenetrable on the bulkheads.

a. NAPL leak at head of the Canal – no action at the moment as EPA is still figuring out what is going on there – EPA said the bulkhead is bulging. Katia noted that wouldn’t National Grid be responsible for paying for the leak since the coal tar has migrated from the MGP site (Fulton at Thomas Greene Park) under the Canal and over to the east side where the NAPL leak is (next to the flushing tunnel at Butler Street). Per Aaron, the GRT is the party responsible for that location. The closure sheet capping the bulkhead there did not go down all the way and that is what Aaron believes is the source of the sheening. They were going to do supplemental grouting but that approach is not effective, so they are now figuring out a different solution per Victoria. If there is historic contamination from the Fulton site or other activities in the area, that exposure pathway is going to be sealed. Joan showed Irene on Google Maps the area that we are discussing, and she will look into whether Fulton is involved.

b. Gas line going across Public Place from west to east at Huntington needs to be sealed. We asked Irene if that would be sealed by National Grid because it still supplies Red Hook. Brian at the General CAG meeting acknowledged the Gas Tunnel – design discussions between EPA, GRT and National Grid to address sealing around that infrastructure before cleanup can happen in that area. The bulkheads have to go in before any of that can happen and EPA is in charge of sequencing that.

Also, NAPL leaking into the Canal at Huntington. Is National Grid going to seal that up? Question sent to Victoria, what party is dealing with the bulkhead at the street end at Huntington, the City or a developer.

c. Katia – Have they ever dredged around 3rd St Bridge pylons? Aaron responded – RTA 1 substantially complete – odds and ends remaining like 1st Street turning basin and the leak at the head of the canal. As for 3rd Street dredging around the pylons he thinks that may be addressed in the RTA 2 design.  Joan sent that question to Victoria.

d. Joan asked how many third party bulkheads are not done? Eight to nine properties including the 7th Street turning basin.

3. Turning Basin 1 – Request presentation of completed design – Aaron said that by end of year we will have a 90% design presentation (per Facilitation Committee that is happening at the October General CAG – sent email to Victoria and Natalie to confirm since it is on the October agenda). Resolution regarding naming – Marylander Basin, Denton’s Mill. Discussed re-naming and Aaron suggested that should be addressed to the Parks Department or Community Board 6.

4. Ingress/Egress: Aaron says in terms of the bulkheads designed by GRT, its responsibility is narrowly focused on the remedy – only purpose from a legal standpoint is to support the uplands banks. GRT has no liberty to add bells and whistles like ladders, docks, chains. Bulkheads are not owned by the GRT; they are owned by the property owners. There is no requirement by the City to add those things so need legislation from City Council. Joan asked Brian via email where the point of egress on Bond Street is that he referred to.

5. Mounding: GRT did the last mounding study. We’d like to see the new one. Aaron said study is done with the corresponding design. Joan followed up by email reminding Aaron to look into whether there is a new mounding study.

6. Housekeeping

a) PowerHouse walkway at Turning Basin 1.  No update.

b) Dissolved Oxygen Levels: Need to follow up with Erica (not at this meeting) re: DEC response to CAG resolution re: DO levels

c) Operation and Maintenance Plan: What is EPA’s demand for responsible parties to maintain an operation and maintenance plan (OMP) for the Gowanus Canal Clean-up strategy? Who will ensure that the OMP is done going forward? Will EPA continue to check that the water quality remains good and that the cap is intact? Does EPA have an OMP Plan? Where is it?  Nothing yet.

d) Hydrology – Aaron responded (see below) that DEC hopes to have the survey complete by 1st Quarter 2027. Jason shared his map tool with Aaron to see if they can be combined.

7. Review emails and responses so far and decide whether to send follow up questions on some

a) Real-time canal monitoring/public reporting – waiting on Court of Appeals. No action. Summary of decision below. Mike Dulong presented at General CAG 9/22/2026.

b) CSOs – Joan reported out answer from DEP regarding its Long-Term Control Plan. See below for full answer but importantly there is no LTCP for the CSO tank results and re-dredging would only happen if EPA orders it. At that point, DEP and other PRPs would be required to dredge.  March 30, 2026, EPA notified the City of the completion of capping in RTA1. Under the terms of the 2021 UAO, the City will have one year from the date of that letter to begin in-canal sediment sampling. We are awaiting a schedule from the City.

c) NAPL leaks and remediation at the head of the Canal – Joan followed up to obtain Victoria’s answers to our questions (below) that Tom Mongelli read out at the CAG meeting 7/27 (see below). It seems a lot of what is going on is based on suspicion of what is going on but is also exploratory if EPA has it wrong. Work is in progress. Victoria’s full response is below but at the 9/22 CAG meeting she indicated there is bulging at the bulkhead so they are re-evaluating the plan. Irene to follow up regarding the Gas Pipe and re: NAPL at Canal Head.

d)  Other issues

– Has DEP started to measure how much of first flush the new buildings are capturing? We did not cover this yet.

– Did the scientific projections in the LTCP account for the results of climate change?  We eventually will ask questions about this.

– Bond-Lorraine Sewer – Katia feels that it is very important DEP Alicia West – Appears DEP will run the sewage from Smith to the canal northwards to the Pumping Station, while they run the storm water from that area south where it will be dumped into the canal at Public Place. Design planned to go to DDC by year’s end. 9/16 Joan sent questions to DEP.  Andrea said, at the General CAG meeting that the north flowing CSO pipe will be (obviously) underground and will flow down, not uphill, and will not empty into the flushing tunnel. Another long discussion about Bond-Lorraine map. Will the streets be torn up everywhere there is an arrow on that map? We definitely ultimately want a community presentation. Wrote to Alicia and discussed with Alicia after this meeting. Supposedly CB6 has asked, GOTF has asked, we have now asked, too. She will get back to me. I will follow up with her.

All Gowanus CAG meetings are open to the public, unless specifically noted otherwise.