Minutes of the August 5, 2024 Meeting of the Gowanus Canal CAG’s Water Quality/Technical Committee

Attendees: Joan Salome-Rodriguez, Erica Eliason, Emily Ruby, Marlene Donnelly, Eymund Diegel, Aaron Kaufman, Katia Kelly, Richard Lawrence, Susan Yung

The Committee discussed the following:

1. Aaron Kaufman alerted us to the closure of a sewage outflow (unlicensed) at the 3rd Street Bridge (south side) on the Gowanus Canal.  Appears it comes out of the concrete mixing facility. Marlene alerted Aaron that he should contact NYC DOT because part of that area belongs to DOT. Also showed Aaron the documents attached below for consideration of whether the President Street outflow poses a problem. Shared those documents in a follow up email to Aaron tonight.

2. Update on responses to the two letters sent by the Water Quality/Technical Committee

US Geological Survey – Has a 5 year contract with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and is doing reconnaissance to find its own water caps in all five boroughs. It is starting in southern Queens. Their rep said Lincoln Place and 6th Avenue is their nearest cap, but they will use DEP caps as well. Asked him to keep Gowanus in mind because we have huge flooding issues and huge development going on. He said he would do so. Eymund reported there are caps at Carroll and Nevins and Union and Nevins.  

New York City Department of Environmental Protection Long-Term Control Plan – Received a response.  No changes are anticipated or contemplated to the LTCP.

3. Edits to comments to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation regarding reclassification of Gowanus – We went over the entire petition. Emily at Riverkeeper is going to fact-check one paragraph. It will be shared again to the entire committee once complete and then to the entire CAG for approval of a resolution to submit the petition to DEC. Key change is to ask for Class SC.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MGD8utC1u-K2-qDn8CtkZ6-eN17-19l1

4. The latest report of the Citizen’s water-quality testing for summer 2024, for the committee to consider. Marlene pulled out the results for the Gowanus and Red Hook sites for those who prefer a data chart focused on our area: 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lugHqKn2GoD4aHiE21ciu5fan-DJ7MTojumJR8XAowo

Note that the data for rainfall each day of each week is given at the top of each week’s test results. 

5. Shared report of $2 billion going to upgrade sewers near Owl’s Head Pollution Control Plant. 

Missed our July 2024 General Meeting? You can review video of the meeting on EPA Region 2’s Zoom page.

If you were unable to join us on Zoom for our July 2024 general meeting, you can view the video recording of the meeting on EPA Region 2’s Zoom page. Enter the passcode 10340836 to access the video.

For recordings of the rest of our general meetings since April, 2020, please visit our Vimeo page at vimeo.com/showcase/gowanuscag and click on any of the videos to view the recording of the meeting.

Minutes of the August 8, 2024 Meeting of the Gowanus Canal CAG Administrative Committee

The Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group’s Admin Committee met via zoom on August 8, 2024.

Attendees:

Jerry Armer
Louis Kleinman
Katia Kelly

* Joan Salome-Rodriguez was unable to log in due to technical difficulties, but was briefed by Katia immediately afterward.

Rita Miller of CORD and alternate Maryann Young are currently on a leave of absence.

The Admin Committee reviewed two recent CAG membership applications. The applicants are:

Christian Schilhab for 420 Carroll Apartment Community, and Ayo Shanti for World Water Hub.

The Admin Committee issued the following opinion:

It was decided to send Ayo Shanti’s application to the full CAG for an interview and subsequent vote at the next general meeting.

It was also decided that Katia would contact Christian Schilhab on behalf of the Committee to ask for a clarification on his application.

The committee also briefly spoke about the need for a new membership survey and considered the possibility of October for a survey. 

July 23, 2024 Update from EPA Region 2 on the Status of Work In and Around the Gowanus Canal

In-Canal Update

  • Supplemental dredging near the flushing tunnel to remove recently deposited debris and for grout placement between the armor mats is ongoing.
    • Work began on May 9th and is anticipated to be completed in the next day or two.
    • The flushing tunnel is tentatively scheduled to be reactivated for 24 hours this Wednesday, July 24th, to improve visibility for the diving team to inspect the flushing tunnel. In addition, to ensure that the material that has been placed in the canal near the flushing tunnel is not disturbed when the flushing tunnel is turned on, the temporary start up and shutdown will allow an inspection to determine if that is the case (the inspections cannot be performed while the flushing tunnel is on).
    • The flushing tunnel will be shut down for approximately one week to allow for final inspections, gravel placement, and NAPL monitoring. If there are no issues identified, the flushing tunnel will be permanently reactivated at the end of next week or the beginning of the week of August 5th.
  • Carroll Street Bridge
    • Draft design for repair work was submitted by NYCDOT on June 30th for review by the Trust.
    • Final design is expected later this summer.
  • RTA 2 Construction
    • Began on June 20th with the probing of bulkheads to check for potential obstructions.
    • Bulkhead design completion and coordination with property owners is ongoing.
      • Bulkhead support construction will begin in September.
    • Access dredging is currently underway in the 7th Street turning basin.

CSO Retention Tank Update

Red Hook Tank

  • Perimeter wall is approximately 98% complete
    • 114 of 116 panels have been excavated and concreted as of July 19th (see attached figure).
    • Excavation work is anticipated to be completed by the end of this week.
    • Personnel will continue to use the current work schedule 6am to 2am, Monday through Friday.
      • CAMP monitoring will continue and results posted to the NYCDEP website daily.
    • Next phase of work, full tank excavation, anticipated to begin in fall 2024.
Read more »

Next Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group General Meeting: Tuesday, July 23, 6:30 p.m.

Please join us for our July 2024 General Meeting, on Tuesday, July 23, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., conducted via Zoom video conference.

In order to join the meeting, you must pre-register, here:

https://usepa.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsdeusrjkvGeNZXWh8T9KUHNlpP4-pw7w

DRAFT AGENDA (all times are approximate)

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

6:45 – 7:45 p.m.: EPA Updates and CAG Q&A

7:45 – 8:00 p.m.: Public Comment/Questions

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

  • CAG Working Group
  • Administrative Committee
  • Archaeology and Historic Preservation Committee
  • Land Use Committee
  • Outreach Committee
  • Water Quality/Technical 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.

June 25, 2024 Update from EPA Region 2 on the Status of Work In and Around the Gowanus Canal

In-Canal Update

  • Supplemental dredging near the flushing tunnel to remove recently deposited debris is ongoing
    • Work began on May 9th
    • Work is anticipated to be completed by the end of July which will allow for reactivation of the Flushing Tunnel
    • NAPL was discovered in the Flushing Tunnel, but the source is uncertain
    • The Trust is monitoring dissolved oxygen levels which have decreased as water temperatures have increased
  • Grouting of the armor mats in this area is being conducted concurrently as areas are dredged
  • Carroll Street Bridge
    • 65% design for repair work is anticipated to be submitted this week for review by the Trust
    • Final design is expected later this summer
  • RTA 2 Construction
    • Began on June 20th with the probing of bulkheads to check for potential obstructions
    • Bulkhead design completion and coordination with property owners is ongoing
      • Bulkhead support construction will begin in September
    • Access dredging will begin this week (anticipated June 25th) and will remove a significant amount of debris from within the turning basins

CSO Retention Tank Update

Red Hook Tank

  • Perimeter wall is approximately 90% complete
    • 104 of 116 panels have been excavated and concreted as of June 21st (see attached figure)
    • Work is anticipated to be completed in July
    • Next phase of work anticipated to begin in fall 2024

Owl’s Head Tank

  • Demolition of buildings south of 5th Street began on May 21st
    • Building demolitions are complete, slab demolitions are ongoing
  • Below ground tank construction work began on June 24th
    • Initial activities will include geotechnical and environmental borings and is expected to last approximately two months
    • Followed by start of slurry wall installation
  • A temporary salt shed has been constructed on the property
  • Construction of a new, permanent salt shed will begin by end of this week and will continue through October

Minutes of the June 3, 2024 Meeting of the Gowanus Canal CAG Water Quality/Technical Committee

Attendees: Joan Salome-Rodriguez, Eymund Diegel, Richard Lawrence, Joseph Alexiou, Louis Kleinman, Erica Eliason, Aaron Kaufman

The Committee discussed the following:

1. Water Quality will begin to review materials in order to prepare written comments related to the below public notice from DEC:

Public Notice

Advanced Notice of Proposed Rule Making – NYS Triennial Review of Water Quality Standards
Notice is hereby given that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) has published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rule Making (ANPRM) in the New York State Register on May 8, 2024. The ANPRM solicits public input toward NYSDEC’s Triennial Review of Water Quality Standards (WQS). Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 303(c) and 40 CFR 131.20 include requirements for states to perform a formal regulatory review of WQS every three years, known as the Triennial Review. The Triennial Review is an opportunity for the NYS DEC to integrate the best available science and methods into WQS to protect the waters of the State. Regulations subject to Triennial Review are any that direct the water quality standards, waterbody classification, and antidegradation policies and actions of the State. The effort may result in amendments to water quality standards found in 6 NYCRR Parts 700-706.

The ANPRM document can be viewed at https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/water/water-quality/standards-classifications/ANPRM-triennial-review-of-water-quality-standards. The public may submit input and feedback in response to the ANPRM through November 4, 2024.

The ANPRM is not a regulatory action, but an opportunity to gather stakeholder input to inform future regulatory changes, if appropriate. As such, there are no regulatory impacts and no need for a rule making hearing. 

Public Information Meetings
NYS DEC plans to hold three public information meetings to supplement the ANPRM effort. The information meetings are staggered within the input period to provide better assistance to the public in their effort to assemble useable information for submission.

Read more »

Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group Comments on the Gowanus Canal Natural Resources Damage Assessment Plan

On May 29, 2024, the Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group submitted the following comments to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on the Gowanus Canal Natural Resources Damage Assessment Plan that was released on March 1, 2024.

You can read our response below, or click here to view and download a PDF of the complete document.

Read more »

May 28, 2024 Update from EPA Region 2 on the Status of Work In and Around the Gowanus Canal

In-Canal Update

  • Supplemental dredging near the flushing tunnel to remove recently deposited debris is ongoing
    • Work began on May 9th
    • Work is anticipated to be completed by the end of July
  • Grouting of the armor mats in this area is being conducted concurrently as areas are dredged
  • Carroll Street bridge – no updates, 65% design for repair work is anticipated to be submitted in early summer
  • RTA 2 Construction
    • EPA reviewing access dredging work plan
    • 100% design for the dredging/capping/ISS work in RTA2 is expected to be submitted to EPA by mid-June

CSO Retention Tank Update

Red Hook Tank

  • Perimeter wall is approximately 80% complete.
    • 91 of 116 panels have been excavated and concreted as of May 24th (see attached figure)
    • Work is anticipated to be completed in July
  • Odor Complaints
    • In response to odor complaints from residents, primarily on Nevins and Sackett Streets, NYCDEP has taken the following steps over the past several months to minimize odors:
      • Continued operation of a perimeter misting system with odor masking scent, including a recent expansion of the system to the area south of the tank site (i.e., Sackett Street between Nevins Street and the canal)
      • Use of odor suppressing foam at the point of soil excavation, over on-site soil piles awaiting disposal, and, more recently, on soil as it is being loaded into trucks for off-site disposal.
      • Relocation of the soil loading area to a more centralized location on-site, away from the Nevins Street/Sackett Street intersection.
    • There is a Community Air Monitoring Plan in place which includes eight monitoring stations around the perimeter of the site.
      • Daily air monitoring data reports are compiled and posted on the NYCDEP website: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dep/water/gowanus-canal.page
      • Exceedances of threshold levels in the CAMP have been infrequent, short duration, and often unrelated to excavation activities, such as fuel refilling operations or idling trucks near one of the monitoring stations.
    • NYCDEP and EPA oversight staff conduct multiple routine perimeter odor checks each day, as well as additional checks in response to any odor complaints.
    • NYCDEP has constructed a tent over certain equipment on-site which is believed to be a primary source of odors.
      • EPA has requested that the next phase of work, full-scale excavation of the RH-034 tank, be conducted completely within a tent structure.

Owl’s Head Tank

  • Demolition of buildings south of 5th Street began on May 21st
    • Expected to be completed by the end of June
  • Below ground tank construction work will begin with mobilization of equipment later this week.
    • Initial activities will include geotechnical and environmental borings beginning on June 10th.