Minutes of the July 7, 2025 Meeting of the Gowanus Canal CAG Archaeology & Historic Preservation Committee

Attendees

Joan Salome-Rodriguez (Facilitator), Katia Kelly, Louis Kleinman, Peter Reich.
Guests: Aaron Kaufman (Gowanus Remediation Team), Irene Baker (National Grid).

Agenda

  1. Discussed getting more material for Michael & Rachel’s Instagram account to get eyes on what we have: https://www.instagram.com/gowanus_archaeology/.
  2. Asked the committee for more material such as photos of old Gowanus that he can share.
  3. Discussed with Aaron Kaufman getting clearance for posting GRT material to the account. He responded 7/9/2025 that we have clearance and just need to send a notification when we post their material. 
  4. Discussed status of the Storyboard which is not yet finalized. Aaron will try to get an ETA on completion. He thinks a few months more. He will also confirm whether it can be used freely by this CAG group and/or on the Instagram. 
  5. I had wanted to reach out to Johnny Thornton (Arts Gowanus), Sasha (Proteus Gowanus), Andrea (GCC), Gowanus Dredgers, and Emily (also of Arts Gowanus) for a meeting in the fall for us to continue to conduct curated exhibition planning. Peter will follow up with Johnny Thornton to see what is going on in terms of opportunities for more exhibits, but right now there are QR-code walking tours posted about the Gowanus. He thinks Johnny would be interested in materials we could assemble for the walking tour. I asked for how-tos. We can put together photos of whatever we’d like added. Peter indicated he’d like to see 234 Butler Street added. Aiming for the fall because of summer doldrums and my upcoming surgery. Katia suggested maybe our committee could do the tour, but right now it is completely virtual. We asked Joseph if the photos in his book were open-source. He thinks yes. Also suggested the Brooklyn Eagle’s archive.  
  6. Also, we can use language “courtesy of …….”
  7. Joan will reach out to Brooklyn College Museum Studies Program and to Pratt’s archaeology team to see if there is any opportunity there in the fall. Surgery in August will delay Joan’s ability to chase these things down. Also will check with Union Street Library.
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Summary and Follow-Up to Issues Raised at the June 24, 2025 General Meeting of the Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group

CSO Tank Updates

RH-034 Tank

  • Drilling of micropiles below tank is ongoing and will continue through end of summer.
    • Purpose is to support the weight of the tank when full during CSO events and prevent upward force on the tank when it is empty.
  • Tank structure waterproofing and concrete forming / pouring expected to begin in early July and will continue through summer 2026.
  • Construction of new outfall structure at end of DeGraw Street is ongoing.

OH-007 Tank

  • New concrete sidewalks poured.
  • Construction of the new salt shed roof and walls and compost facility roof expected to complete in late July / early August.
  • Perimeter wall construction is ongoing, 98 of 138 panels completed (70+%), and will continue through September.
  • Permeation grouting of the completed panels down to the bedrock layer is under way.

DEP response to question regarding odors generated as a result of installing micropiles:

The drilling of micropiles generates little to no spoils. Any spoils that are generated are contained within the footprint of the CSO Tank excavation area. There is a very low potential for odors to be generated during the drilling operation but the project team continues to implement the odor control strategies that were successful in controlling odors during the mass excavation phase, including:

  • Remedial Odor Eliminator Concentrate: Applied directly at the source to neutralize odors.
  • Interior Misting Systems: Equipped with odor-neutralizing agents to mitigate airborne smells.

In addition, the ongoing monitoring efforts include:

  • Community and onsite odor walks: Regular inspections to assess and respond to odor conditions.
  • Community Air Monitoring Program (CAMP): Continuous sampling for PM10 and BTEX compounds.
  • Twice weekly SUMMA canister air sampling at 15 locations.

Five-Year Review

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Minutes of the June 9, 2025 Meeting of the Gowanus Canal CAG Water Quality & Technical Committee

Attendees

Joan Salome-Rodriguez, (Facilitator), Lisa Bowstead, Erica Eliason, Katia Kelly, Linda LaViolette, Mark Yarish, Susan Yung, Aaron Kaufman (Gowanus Remediation Team), Irene Baker (National Grid)

You can watch a recording of the meeting here. Enter passcode yc0e7%mF.

Riverkeeper and SWIM Coalition – sign on to letter re: wet weather designations.

Victoria Sacks (EPA Regional Project Manager) replied to our letter – any follow ups? The original letter with Victoria’s answers is below, followed by the questions we came up with at the meeting, which have been sent to Victoria and Heidi Dudek (NYS Department of Environmental Conservation).

Dear EPA and DEC representatives:

At a recent meeting, the members of the Gowanus CAG Water Quality Committee discussed a February 4, 2025 groundwater survey by HRP relating to a DEC Brownfield remediation at 473 President Street. (The site includes 469 President and 514 Union St).

The survey’s purpose was to identify the impacts from the President Street site’s chlorinated Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) on off-site soil vapor and on groundwater.

The investigative work on the sites was performed from October 2022 to June 2024.  The report mentions that the three parcels are 12’ above sea level, and that the groundwater elevations range from .66 to 2.85’.  The groundwater flow is in a west-north westerly direction, towards the intersection of Union & Nevins and the Gowanus Canal, with minor fluctuations in levels based on tides.  

The elevations were mapped between January 2023 and June 2024. (see page 2, paragraph 3).  

The soil samplings referenced in the report were apparently not alarming. However, the groundwater samplings were (see pages 5-6).

In an effort to better understand how the many changes in the Gowanus area have affected groundwater flow in the area, the members of our committee would like to ask the following questions:

-where is this (potentially contaminated) groundwater going now that 70’ metal bulkheads have been installed in the canal as part of the Superfund Remediation?

Victoria Sacks: Not all of the bulkheads that have been installed around the canal are sealed (i.e. watertight) and not all of the bulkheads are as deep as 70 feet. The bulkhead designs are individual engineering decisions based on contamination in the upland and land stability for the canal remedy implementation. In addition, the cap is designed such that groundwater can move upwards through the cap, trapping any NAPL and chemical contamination below.

Follow-up question: Where is the NAPL and chemical contamination going?

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Minutes of the June 9, 2025 Meeting of the Gowanus Canal CAG Archaeology Committee

Attendees

Joan Salome-Rodriguez (Facilitator), Joseph Alexiou, Katia Kelly, Michael Killian, Louis Kleinman, Peter Reich.
Guests: Aaron Kaufman (Gowanus Remediation Team), Irene Baker (National Grid).

Michael and Rachel started an Instagram account to get eyes on what we have. It is up and running at https://www.instagram.com/gowanus_archaeology/. Please follow!

Michael needs more material. Joan will send him the photos she and Mary used for the exhibit. Aaron will get the clearance for posting GRT material to the account. Joan and others will look for old Gowanus photos we have and share with Michael so he can post to the account, too.  

The storyboard is not yet finalized. Aaron to get an ETA on completion and will ask if it can be used freely by this CAG group and/or on the Instagram. (Just a note, we may want to save it for events – I did not bring this up at the meeting).

Our joint endeavor with Johnny Thornton (Arts Gowanus), Sasha (Proteus Gowanus), Andrea (GCC), and Emily (also of Arts Gowanus) went over great.  Lots of interest and foot traffic.

Continue to conduct curated exhibition planning.  Peter will follow up with Johnny Thornton to see what is going on in terms of opportunities for more exhibits.

We still need to formulate a strategic business plan. Getting an exhibit together is not really enough and we don’t have expertise. Joan will reach out to Brooklyn College Museum Studies Program and to Pratt’s archaeology team to see if there is any opportunity there. Maybe also the reopening of the Union Street Library on Clinton Street.

Aaron clarified what items are actually artifacts and which are not based on GRT’s definitions, as follows.

Objects of Local Interest are defined as meeting all of the following criteria:

  • Identifiable by type, function, material and/or time period.
  • Has a general association with the area, but not with a specific site, event, or person along the Gowanus Canal during the canal’s period of significance (1853 to 1965).
  • Does not confirm previously unconfirmed archival information along the canal or reveal new facts that change our understanding of the history of the area. 

Artifacts are defined as meeting all of the following criteria: 

  • Identifiable by type, function, material and time period.
  • Has an identifiable association with a specific building, site, event, or person along the Gowanus Canal during the canal’s period of significance (1853 to 1965).
  • Confirms previously unconfirmed archival information along the canal or reveals new information that changes our understanding of the history/development of the area.

Debris is defined as any other item recovered from excavation/dredging, including:

  • Unidentifiable objects
  • Objects with no apparent association with the local area
  • Construction debris
  • Objects made after 1965
  • Natural items (such as trees, brush, rocks, etc.)

Minutes of the May 5, 2025 Meeting of the Gowanus Canal CAG Water Quality & Technical Committee

Attendees

Erica Eliason, Louis Kleinman, Susan Yung, Andrea Parker, Katia Kelly, Celeste LeCompte, Eymund Diegel, Corinne Brenner, Em Ruby, Mike Dulong, Aaron Kaufman (Trust), Irene Baker (National Grid), Gary Francis

1) Finalized email regarding groundwater survey conducted by HRP with questions to EPA and DEC representatives related to Brownfield remediation. The Water Quality Committee seeks clarification on how changes in the area affect groundwater flow and containment.

2) Discussed notice of proposed rulemaking to reclassify Gowanus canal from Class SD to Class SC, swimmable and fishable, with input from Em Ruby and Mike Dulong of Riverkeeper. Public comments are due by 11:59 p.m. on June 26, 2025.

Em discussed the Harlem River Use Attainability Analysis (UAA). Harlem River has been proposed to be reclassified to Class SB with a wet weather designation, which means it is safe for primary contact except during and after wet weather. This is a new classification for New York waters.

There are concerns in the UAA – the city is saying that Harlem River is currently meeting standards for SB with a wet weather designation after daylighting project is in place, so the city is arguing that it won’t have to do any more CSO reduction. However, Harlem River gets  as much as 2 billion gallons of CSO annually, which is the most CSO of any river in the state. There are concerns that the city won’t do more sewage capture with this designation and can use this to justify the current amount of CSO.

There’s no process for UAA to be reviewed regularly. Riverkeeper has an action alert. This UAA will inform the city’s reclassification of the other waterways, so this could have potential implications for the Gowanus Canal. The city is arguing that they don’t have the financial capability to get the Harlem River to Class SB without the wet weather designation.

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Minutes of the April 7, 2025 Gowanus Canal CAG Water Quality & Technical Committee Meeting

Attendees

Joan Salome-Rodriguez (Facilitator), Erica Eliason, Katia Kelly, Louis Kleinman, Margaret Maugenest, Susan Yung, Aaron Kaufman (Gowanus Remediation Team)

1:  Joan reported that US Geological Survey is doing a survey on behalf of the NYC Department of Environmental Protection – Michael Como responded. The USGS is looking at Gowanus but, disappointingly, is still only looking at the Federal Monitoring Well on Sterling Place and 6th Avenue. We need them to come down to at least Nevins between Sackett and Union there may be City water caps there). Joan will continue to follow up.  

2:  Erica will email the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation about its water quality rules. Nothing yet.

3.  We need to keep checking for a Notice of Proposed Rule Making with the New York State Department of State (NYSDOS), by March 31, 2025. It is DEC’s goal to file a Notice of Adoption with the NYSDOS by September 30, 2025. This rulemaking(s) may require a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for Small Businesses and Local Governments. Both Erica and I checked the website and did not see anything that appeared to be relevant to this. We will follow.  

4.  Follow ups for our many questions about the Whole Foods site:

Victoria Sacks (EPA Remedial Project Manager) emailed answers to our follow-up questions.  Only those for which we have yet to get full answers are listed here with our new questions.  Question 1 ultimately required we follow up with DEC.

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Join us at the Hall of Gowanus!

From April 17 through May 11, the Hall of Gowanus is returning to our neighborhood! A community-curated archive of art, artifacts and documents related to the history and environment of the Gowanus Canal, the Hall of Gowanus archive was conceived and community-curated from 2005 – 2015 at Proteus Gowanus, an interdisciplinary gallery at 543 Union Street.

Artifacts were donated by community members, often found during their walks or canoe trips along the canal. Since then the collection has been exhibited throughout the neighborhood, including: Gowanus Canal Conservancy’s Lowlands Nursery and office; the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club boathouse and 19th St Dock; the Gowanus Souvenir Shop; and on this storymap.

As the Superfund clean-up has progressed, the Archaeology Committee of the Gowanus Community Advisory Group has worked with the Gowanus Remediation Trust to add additional artifacts found in the Canal to the collection. Currently stewarded by Arts Gowanus, Gowanus Canal Conservancy, Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club and other stakeholders, the Hall of Gowanus is a vital historical, ecological, educational and artistic resource. It is our hope that the archive finds a permanent home in the neighborhood.

For now, you can join us at 240 3rd Ave. (Gowanus Wharf) on Saturdays and Sundays, from 1-6pm, until May 11, for open hours at the gallery and a variety of readings, talks, and events. There will be hands-on activities for visitors of all ages and a library of Gowanus-related reading materials to enjoy, as well. Check back for updates to the evolving schedule below!

Schedule of Events:

Additional historical talks and readings are in the works! Stay tuned.

Next Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group General Meeting: Tuesday, April 22, 6:30 p.m.

Please join us for our April 2025 General Meeting, on Tuesday, April 22, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., which will be held in person at the Gowanus Wharf, 240 3rd Avenue in Gowanus, and also streamed via Zoom video conference.

Gowanus Wharf
240 3rd Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11215

You can also join the meeting via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82072515913
Dial In Number: 646-558-8656
Meeting ID: 820 7251 5913

DRAFT AGENDA (all times are approximate)

6:30 – 6:45 p.m.: Welcome and CAG Member Introductions

6:45 – 8:00 p.m.: EPA Updates

  • Walk through Remedial Target Area 2 (RTA2) 100% Design
  • Update on the 1st Street Turning Basin
  • Other EPA Updates
  • CAG Q&A
  • Public Comment/Questions (as time allows)

8:00 – 8:30 p.m.: CAG Business and Committee Updates

  • Facilitation Committee (path forward on Charter Update)
  • Archaeology and Historic Preservation Committee
  • Land Use Committee
  • Outreach Committee
  • Water Quality/Technical Committee
  • Administrative Committee

8:30 p.m.: Adjourn

Guests are always welcome to comment and ask questions using the chat function.

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

The next Gowanus Canal CAG general meeting is scheduled for May 27, 2025, via Zoom.

March 25, 2025 Update from EPA Region 2 on the Status of Work In and Around the Gowanus Canal

The Environmental Protection Agency provided the following update on the status of the Superfund cleanup of the Gowanus Canal at our March 25 general meeting.

Red Hook (RH-034) Tank

As of today, excavation is 100% complete, pending final elevation surveying. This is a major milestone for the project. Furthermore, it was completed almost six months ahead of the originally anticipated 10-month schedule and over one month ahead of the accelerated schedule we presented during our December 2024 meeting.

Following completion of the soil excavation, there are several activities that will need to take place, including, most importantly, waterproofing of the tank walls. Once these activities are completed, tank construction will begin, likely in May or June 2025. In order to keep the excavation area dry, groundwater will continue to be pumped to and treated in the on-site water treatment plant until the bottom slab of the tank is poured. This should be complete by October or November 2025.

Owl’s Head (OH-007) Tank

Moving on to the Owl’s Head tank, work is continuing on the construction of the perimeter wall. As of today, 40 panels have been completed out of a total of 138 planned for the entire perimeter wall. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection’s contractor is averaging completion of four to five panels per week, and we expect this phase of the project to wrap up sometime around September or October of this year. Similar to the Red Hook tank, full-scale excavation will follow. 

Bulkheads

Bulkheads installation along Remedial Target Area 2 (mid-canal) is currently in progress.

Carroll Street Bridge

  • The Carroll Street Bridge design has been finalized and approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission.
  • Construction is scheduled to start in April 2025 and expected to take approximately nine months to complete.
  • The contractor has begun the preparatory work for the repairs and precast panels are being fabricated offsite. 
  • Reopening of the bridge is estimated to be possible in early 2026.

Turning Basin 1

As mentioned in previous CAG meetings, the Trust and EPA have been re-evaluating the design for the restoration of the former First Street Turning Basin. We are looking to deliver an end product to the community that better integrates with community interests while still meeting the needs of the cleanup.

EPA and the Trust are now moving forward with a design concept that better aligns with the Gowanus Lowlands Master Plan while maintaining equal protection to human health and the environment through an excavation and containment approach. Features of the new design concept include:

  • Uninterrupted canal access via shoreline walkway
  • Kayak launch access point
  • Communal/educational space
  • Diverse ecological habitat including larger wetland footprint
  • Integrated landscape with surrounding properties

The Trust is currently performing geotechnical surveying in Turning Basin 1 as part of the redesign.