Next CAG Committee Meeting: Outreach, Thursday, May 11, 6:30 p.m.

Please join the Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group’s Outreach & Education Committee for our regular monthly meeting. We’ll be meeting in the offices of the Fifth Avenue Committee, at 621 Degraw Street, in the large conference room on the ground floor (if the front door is locked, please ring the doorbell and someone will let you in).

We’ll be discussing plans for outreach at EXPO Gowanus, a possible community update town hall meeting, and other business.

As always, this meeting is open to the public.

Next Gowanus Canal CAG General Meeting: Tuesday, April 25, 6:30 p.m.

Please join us for our next General Meeting, on Tuesday, April 25, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the Mary Star of the Sea Senior Apartments, 41 1st Street, in Carroll Gardens. All of our meetings are open to the public.

DRAFT AGENDA (all times are approximate)

6:30 – 6:40 PM: Introductions

  • Introductions
  • Approval of minutes from March meeting

6:40 – 7:00 PM: Project Updates, Q&A

  • EPA

 7:00 – 8:00 PM: Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Facilities Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement

  • New York City Department of Environmental Protection

8:00 PM: CAG Committee Action and Updates

  • Archaeology Committee (proposed letter to NYS DEC)
  • Outreach Committee
  • Water Quality and Technical Committee
  • Administration Committee
  • Facilitation Committee
  • Land Use Committee

8:30 PM: Adjourn

April 18 at the Brooklyn Historical Society: Superfund Brooklyn

Coming up at the Brooklyn Historical Society…

Superfund Brooklyn
Tuesday, April 18, 6:30 pm
$10 / $5 Members
Reserve your spot!

Three major environmental remediation project sites lie within or on Brooklyn’s borders, and each at big development sites: Newtown Creek, Gowanus Canal, and Wolff-Alport. Join Jarrett Murphy, Executive Publisher of City Limits, as he talks to a panel of experts about the history of these sites, cleanup efforts, and what this means for the borough. Panelists include Walter Mugdan, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund Division Regional Director, Willis Elkins, Program Manager at Newtown Creek Alliance, and Michelle de la Uz, Executive Director of the Fifth Avenue Committee.

NYC DEP Announces Environmental Review Process for Gowanus Canal Sewage-Retention Tank Installation

Public Scoping Session to be held May 4th at 7:00 p.m.

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP) announced this week that it has determined that a Draft Environmental Impact Statement must be prepared for the proposed Gowanus Canal Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Facilities Project, since the installation of the two large retention tanks intended to reduce CSOs into the Gowanus Canal may have a significant adverse impact on the environment.

NYC DEP will hold a public scoping session on May 4, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. at PS 32, 317 Hoyt Street in Carroll Gardens.

The project is part of the federally required remediation of the Canal under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA or Superfund), and will be reviewed in accordance with the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR), and the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP). The project is located at the Head End Facility, at 242 Nevins Street, 234 Butler Street and 270 Nevins Street, and at the Owls Head Facility, at 2 2nd Avenue and 110 5th Street, in Brooklyn, New York.

NYC DEP issued a Draft Scoping Document for the Gowanus Canal Combined Sewer Overflow Facilities Project EIS for public review and comment on April 4th, 2017. NYC DEP will hold an informal information and listening session one hour prior to the public scoping session on May 4th, beginning at 6:00 p.m., followed by the official scoping hearing at 7:00 p.m. They will accept public comments on the draft scoping document through May 14th, 2017.

For more information, please contact:

Rasheed Lucas, Project Manager
Bureau of Environmental Planning and Analysis
New York City Department of Environmental Protection
59-17 Junction Blvd, 11th Floor
Flushing, NY 11373-5108
(718) 595-6959
rlucas@dep.nyc.gov

Related Documents:

NYC DEP Notice of Positive Declaration, Intent to Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Lead Agency Declaration, Draft Scope of Work, and Public Meeting

Draft Scope of Work to Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Gowanus Canal Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Facilities Project

Minutes of the February 28, 2017 Meeting of the Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group

Gowanus Canal CAG Meeting
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Mary Star of the Sea Senior Apartments, 41 1st Street

 

Announcements

Doug Sarno opened the meeting at 6:35.

The January meeting summary was approved with no revisions.

 

Project Updates

Natalie Loney, EPA, presented the updates

  • Planning for dredging of the 4th Street Basin is continuing; expect to mobilize in late August, dredging should be complete in February of next year; technical discussions between involved parties are moving forward and are on schedule.
  • Project Manager Christos Tsiamis will be at the March CAG meeting and will provide more detail.
  • EPA will meet with the city next week to review progress.

Questions & Answers

CAG Member: They’re working on bulkheads at the Fourth Street Basin now.
EPA: Originally the remediation plan was to start at the head of Canal and work our way down. Instead we’re starting with the Fourth Street Basin with the lessons learned and then moving to the head of the Canal.

CAG Member: How far along is National Grid in the remediation of the Public Place Site?
EPA: I don’t have an answer for that.

 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Activities Relating to the Gowanus Canal

Lynn Rakos, Archaeologist at USACE, briefed the CAG.

On February 27, the Corps released the Draft Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Assessment for the Hudson Raritan Estuary Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study.

  • Includes eight planning regions in a 25-mile radius around the Statue of Liberty.
  • Recommends that 260 sites in the HRE CRP go forward to other feasibility studies.
  • Corps had been doing six other studies separately starting in the 1990s and early 2000s, focusing on restoration efforts in different areas of Hudson Raritan Estuary, all of these are now incorporated into the HRE study.
  • The goal is to strengthen natural habitats and minimize environmental impacts.
  • 33 projects are recommended for funding.

USACE is also conducting a coastal storm risk-management study within the New York & New Jersey Harbor and tidally affected tributaries encompassing all of New York City. Anticipated recommendations will include features that can be implemented by the Corps and others. The Corps is currently developing a project management plan and will hold public & NGO workshops in the coming months.
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Minutes of the March 7, 2017 Land Use Committee Meeting

The Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group’s Land Use Committee met on Tuesday, March 7, 2017, in the offices of the Gowanus Canal Conservancy at 543 Union Street.

Committee Members present: David Briggs, Katia Kelly, Andrea Parker, Peter Reich, Buddy Scotto, Debra Scotto, Maryann Young

Guests: Terri Thomson, National Grid; David McSweeney

Item 1

1st Street turning basin was discussed. Katia reported that Eymund Diegel believes there may be an easement between the east end of the basin and 3rd Avenue.

Action

None required.

Item 2

Using a map of the canal, the committee discussed how to best approach identifying ecological restoration sites for consideration by the trustees of the National Resource Damage Assessment process. Potential sites include turning basins in Sunset Park, esplanades, street ends, and Industrial Business Zone properties (assuming owners are willing).

Action

Trustees will present at March CAG meeting where scope and feasibility of restoration projects will be discussed.

Item 3

A concern was raised about whether a committee member or organization that could knowingly benefit from the development of ecological restoration sites should participate in the discussions and decision-making on the issues.

Action

After subsequently checking with CAG by-laws, there is a general consensus that all members are welcome to participate in the discussions. Those members/organizations that could knowingly benefit from the development of ecological restoration sites should make their interests known during discussions and refrain from any decision-making.

Minutes of the February 7, 2017 Land Use Committee Meeting

The Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group’s Land Use Committee met on Tuesday, February 7, 2017, in the offices of the Gowanus Canal Conservancy at 543 Union Street.

Committee Members present: David Briggs, Rafael Gomez de Luna, Katia Kelly, Andrea Parker, Peter Reich, Buddy Scotto

Guests: Terri Thomson, National Grid

Item 1

October 4, 2016 and November 1, 2016 meeting minutes approved via email.

Action

None required.

Item 2

Mission statement was discussed and finalized for full committee review.

Action

Dave will circulate.

Item 3

Andrea reported that the NOAA, US Fish & Wildlife, and NYS DEC are presenting at the March CAG meeting. They are the trustees of the Natural Resource Damages Assessment that takes place at the end of a Superfund clean up.

Action

None required.

Item 4

The committee discussed developing a map of potential canal sites where ecological restoration could take place at its next meeting in March.

Action

Andrea will provide background map for the March committee meeting.

Item 5

The committee discussed the height of the new bulkheads. It was agreed that advocating for higher bulkheads is best handled through the rezoning process that is currently underway. Katia shared that Councilmember Lander promised a hydrology study, which would help us evaluate possible bulkhead configurations.

Action

Andrea will follow up with Councilmember Lander’s office.

Next Gowanus Canal CAG General Meeting: Tuesday, March 28, 6:30 p.m.

Please join us for our next General Meeting, on Tuesday, January 24, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the Mary Star of the Sea Senior Apartments, 41 1st Street, in Carroll Gardens. All of our meetings are open to the public.

DRAFT AGENDA (all times are approximate)

6:30 – 6:45 PM: Introductions

  • Introductions
  • Approval of February meeting minutes

6:45 – 7:00 PM: Project Updates, Q&A

  • EPA

7:00 – 8:00 PM: Restoration Activities Related to the Gowanus Canal

  • Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA) Trustees
  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Draft Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Assessment for the Hudson Raritan Estuary Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study

8:30 PM: CAG Committee Updates

  • Water Quality and Technical Committee
  • Outreach Committee
  • Land Use Committee
  • Facilitation Committee
  • Archaeology Committee
  • Administration Committee

9:00 PM: Adjourn

Gowanus Neighborhood Planning Study Workshop, Saturday, March 25th

From the New York City Department of City Planning:

Gowanus – Workshop Session #1
Working Group Goals and Urban Design

Saturday, March 25th
10:00AM – 12:30PM & 1:30PM – 4:00PM
P.S. 32
317 Hoyt Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231

Come share your ideas at the Gowanus Neighborhood Planning Study’s first public workshop!

Participants will learn about neighborhood goals that community members and City agencies are working on together and contribute their own ideas about land use and urban design through mapping exercises and conceptualizing activities. This is the first public workshop in the planning process to develop a draft planning and land use framework for the neighborhood.

The all-day event will be divided into two time periods with a morning session beginning at 10 AM and an afternoon session beginning at 1:30 PM. Both sessions will cover identical materials – so join us at your own convenience!

Please share this information with your neighbors, colleagues, and friends. We look forward to seeing you and working with you!

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announces Draft Feasibility Report/Environmental Assessment for the Hudson-Raritan Estuary Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study; Public has until April 14 to comment

From the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, announced February 27, 2017:

Notice of Availability

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), New York District, announces the availability of Draft Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Assessment (Draft FR/EA) and the opening of a 45- day review period for the public to submit written comments for the Hudson-Raritan Estuary (HRE) Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study. The Draft FR/EA addresses the impacts associated with implementation of ecosystem restoration actions within the HRE Study Area defined as a 25-mile radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. The HRE study area includes eight (8) planning regions: 1) Jamaica Bay; 2) Harlem River, East River, and Western Long Island Sound; 3) Newark Bay, Hackensack River and Passaic River; 4) Upper Bay; 5) Lower Bay; 6) Lower Raritan River; 7) Arthur Kill/Kill Van Kull ; and 8) Lower Hudson River. The USACE and multiple non-federal sponsors {New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP), Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), Westchester County, New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (Former Hackensack Meadowlands Commission) and New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT)} commenced six (6) concurrent ecosystem restoration feasibility studies in the 1990s and early 2000s that focused on the restoration of different areas of the HRE. In an effort to streamline parallel efforts, and maximize efficiencies, resources, and benefits, the feasibility studies were integrated into the HRE Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study effort. The studies, referred to as “source” studies include:

  • Jamaica Bay, Marine Park, and Plumb Beach Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study;
  • Flushing Bay and Creek Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study;
  • Bronx River Basin Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study;
  • HRE Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study;
  • HRE- Lower Passaic River Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study; and
  • HRE- Hackensack Meadowlands Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study.

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