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North Shore Waterfront Conservancy of Staten Island, Inc.
Creating Livable Communities
Welcome to the North Shore Waterfront Conservancy of Staten Island, Inc.’s web site.
NSWC is a community based grass roots organization. Our mission is to advance and promote increased safe and sustainable public access to the waterfront. To build healthier, greener communities along the Kill Van Kull. To advance public policies and laws to be inclusive of the needs of Staten Island’s North Shore environmental justice communities and waterfront communities. While working with civic associations, neighborhoods and environmental groups, businesses, industries, government agencies and the general public, like you!
Associated Press: Panama Canal Project Raises Ire Around East Ports , by Katie Zezima
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/panama-canal-project-raises-ire-around-east-ports
Posted February 24, 2013.
Business As Usual...
Bayonne Bridge Draft Environmental Assessment Meeting Sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Ever Greedy NY/NJ Port Authority will be held: February 7, 2013, at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center, 7PM - 9PM.
The Bayonne Bridge Hearing was held last night and the turn out was as most would expect. It is possible that those who have never come to a public hearing on the North Shore involving environmental impacts especially one that will have such a huge and adverse impact to several communities probably thought it would be a rowdy crowd. But that is not how the people on the North Shore react to any issues. They have been successfully and sufficiently beaten down by New York City and State, its authorities and entities. As well as officials who sell off our resources like candy from a penny bubble gum machine. Some electeds have yet to grasp that Staten Island is an Island and everything that happens here due to the lack of space is a lot more intense and therefore more harmful to its people than it would be on the main land where buffers exist.
This poor judgement and easy ways have happend so often in how the Environmental Justice Communities have been treated. That these hearings come off as just another unwelcome nudge like being crammed into a subway car in Manhattan. You may wince, roll your eyes, but no other response or action is required. And so that is how it goes...
The people that this bridge raising will affect still have no idea of how this will impact them. It can be said they never got the memo and if they did, they didn't have the slightest clue about what any of it meant.
The draft Environmental Assessment according to Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) is approximately 7,000 pages including its Appendices. And was clearly not intended for anyone from an Environmental Justice Community to be able to read, understand, and respond to. This document was written in technical and legal jargon. Very similar to the treaties that the U.S. Government would give to the Native Americans to read and sign as they were being forced to turn over their lands and to be placed on Reservations. It is with great irony that we find that this technique is still being employed even today with low income people and people of color to make them submit to unconditional terms. Posted February 8, 2013.
Bill Moyers' Show on " The Toxic Politics of Science" well worth taking the time to watch:
http://billmoyers.com/episode/full-show-the-toxic-politics-of-science/
Remediation is a Necessity not a Nicety
The remediation and clean up of Staten Island’s North Shore waterfront is a necessity whose time has come. It is obvious that residents complaining for years about its unkemptness, the odors, or hospital visits weren’t enough to stir anyone into action.
And even though scientists, scholars and environmentalists went to great lengths to explain the vulnerabilities of the New York City’s coast line to Climate Change to the powers that be and anyone else that would listen. And with all of the envisioning being done by NYC Economic Development Corporation of what Staten Island could look like. It appears that none of that envisioning could foresee that Staten Island’s North Shore with its industrial and maritime shore line would be susceptible to sea level rising, storm surges and flooding that could and did push contaminants and pollutants back towards the residential communities.
It was the kind of concern that only those in Environmental Justice communities and their leaders could identify with. As they were the ones who were watching with great foreboding the after effects of similar industrial coast lines and adjacent residential communities along the East Coast during tropical storms and hurricanes.
Remediating Staten Island’s North Shore’s contaminated properties is only the beginning of a series of activities that will be need to be done in order to make the shore line more resilient to Climate Change. NSWC sincerely hopes that as we move forward the Environmental Justice Communities that we advocate on behalf and this organization will experience less difficulties in being heard and receiving the kind of assistance and resources that are needed consecutively. To enable the thoughtful and meaningful work that NSWC is providing so that we can continue to give support to these communities.
NSWC is a member of the Sandy Regional Assembly a gathering of Environmental Justice organizations from New York and New Jersey who are being proactive in seeking solutions in helping our communities become resilient, sustainable and to adapt to whatever lessons Climate Change brings.
The Sandy Regional Assembly Press Conference held April 1, 2013 (audio link)
Pacifica Radio 99.5 FM NYC:
http://www.wbai.org/articles.php?headline=A%20regional%20coalition%20demands%20a%20role%20in%20federal,%20state%20and%20city%20discussions%20over%20rebuilding%20after%20Hurricane%20Sandy
Just remember it never hurts to talk about what is happening now in relationship to the future.
Climate Change Is Real !
Since 2005 NSWC has been very vocal about Climate Change and how vulnerable Staten Island's North Shore would be to sea level rising, storm surges and flooding especially with Nor' Easters or a Class 1 to 3 Hurricane. Staten Island's North Shore waterfront is in a flood plain and we have talked about that in reference to the contaminated sites at the waterfront. We also said that it is not a matter of if we were going to be hit by a severe storm, but that it is a matter of when. The concern then as it is now - would Staten Island's North Shore be prepared for such an event?
Proposed Development Projects along Staten Island's North Shore that are either in the flood plain or wetlands:
Spectra Energy's un-Natural Gas Pipeline Expansion, Arlington, Staten Island - flood plain
New York City EDC's New York Container Terminal 4th Berth Expansion, Arlington Marsh & Cove, tidal wetlands, Arlington, Staten Island. - wetland
Army Corp of Engineers Blasting and Dredging Project in the Kill Van Kull, Lower Newark Bay and Arthur Kill
Partial Remediation of the Devon Storage Facility, historic tidal wetlands fill, Mariners Harbor, Staten Island- flood plain
New York City EDC's Staten Island Terminal LLC, cement facility, Mariners Harbor, Staten Island - flood plain
Port Authority and Coast Guard's Raising of the Bayonne Bridge, Elm Park and Mariners Harbor, Staten Island - flood plain
Nicholas Avenue 9 1/2 acres, Elm Park, Staten Island, 89 units of housing being built in a wetland and flood plain
New York City EDC's New York Farries Wheel, Retail Outlet Stores, Hotel and Parking lot, St. George, Staten Island- flood plain
New York City EDC's Stapleton Luxury Apartments for 20 and 30 year olds on Front Street, Stapleton, Staten Island - flood plain
If these 9 projects are carried out without there being any mitigation in the form of buffers and or barriers to protect the residential communities that are behind them from Climate Change's: sea level rising, storm surges and flooding, as well as the contaminants and pollutants left from industries, then we truly have learned nothing from Sandy.
And this is where leadership comes into the situation as the truth be told our politicians can no longer afford to be ignorant about the environment, especially on an island. Or how the things that we do to the environment such as building in wetlands and flood plains can so easily affect all of us in very real life threatening and property damaging ways. Development needs to be a lot more than just putting a structure up and then trying to avoid dealing with the consequences later.
Out of all of Staten Island's North Shore waterfront communities that were impacted by sea level rising, storm surges and flooding, the communities that were not effected by Sandy were the Arlington community and the trailer home park community, as both are protected by wetlands. Well played indeed Nature, well played!
Or you can use PayPal to make a Donation to NSWC
All donations to NSWC are tax deductible to the full extent of the law, NSWC is a 501- C3, Not- For - Profit organization. Thank you for your kindness and support.
If you want to stay up to date on the EPA Removal Action at the Jewett White Lead/Seduttos Ice Cream factory site you can follow along on the EPA link below.
Jewett White Lead Removal (2000-2012 Richmond Terrace)
Staten Island, NY - EPA Region II
POLREP #1
Initial Report - Site Mobilization Activities
http://www.epaosc.org/site/sitrep_profile.aspx?site_id=8213&counter=18676
We would like to thank Mark Gallo, EPA On Site Coordinator for the Jewett White Lead Site, for completing the Removal Action at the John. J. Jewett and Sons White Lead Company/National Lead Industries/Seduttos Ice Cream Factory site at 2000 - 2012 Richmond Terrace. The EPA did an absolute awesome job at remediating the site.
The photo below is of the Jewett Site during the excavation this is what was left of the old pots that were used in the making of the lead paint. They had been buried in the wall of the property.
Photo by Mark Gallo
We would like to thank all of the people at the EPA for their hard work and dedication. We never could have done any of this without you.
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Have you ever wondered what makes Staten Island's North Shore so different from all of the other areas of Staten Island and the other boroughs? Are you interested in finding out why the U.S. EPA chose Staten Island's North Shore as one of ten Environmental Justice Show Case Communities in the United States?
NSWC's Environmental Justice Booklet "Staten Island's Gold Coast 5.2 miles from St.George to Arlington" second edition is the answer to those questions and more. Much like the booklet no one had ever seen so much crammed into such a small radius of space - and yet it exists.
A donation of $25.00 will get you a black and white version of the "Staten Island's Gold Coast: 5.2 miles from St. George to Arlington"
A donation of $47.00 will get you a full color version version of Staten Island's Gold Coast: Gold Coast: 5.2 miles from St. George to Arlington"
Please send your check or money order and a note of your preference to the North Shore Waterfront Conservancy of Staten Island, Inc. P. O. Box 140502, Staten Island, NY. 10314
The North Shore Waterfront Conservancy of Staten Island, Inc., is a 501-C3 public charity, all donations to NSWC are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.
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Want to know more about the US EPA Removal Action on Mariners Marsh Park:
The photo above was taken at the old Coal Tar site that was in Mariners Marsh Park. Mariners Marsh Park (107.5 acres) wasn't always a park as a matter of fact it was iron and steel works company and then a ship building company. These old industrial uses left many very hazardous and dangerous contaminants behind. This site as well as three other sites on the North Shore of Staten Island were designated as U.S. EPA Superfund Sites and are slated for Superfund Removal Actions. More information in the SI ECHO Project...
Wetlands are more than places of beauty.
The opposite of dry is wet, which is our entry to discussions about fresh water wetlands. A few months back we received an invitation to identify any wetlands that are 9 acres or smaller and are not mapped by NYC Department of Environmental Protection, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation or the U.S. EPA. This inquiry was part of a wetland strategy for the PlanNYC the assumption was in the document that many of the smaller wetlands are owned by New York City. Which in Staten Island's case is not true. Many of the smaller fresh water wetlands are privately owned like Nicholas Avenue 9 1/2 acres (seen below in the photo) and the fresh water wetlands over by Richmondtown and Clark Avenue Civic Assoc.
Photo of Nicholas Avenue 9 1/2 acres, summer of 2012
It is common knowledge that wetlands absorb rain and snow runoff containing the water which keeps neighboring properties from flooding. Of course there are questions such as: what about the owner's right to develop their property even if over development is an issue? And then there is the another gripping question, who is responsible for neighboring properties that are flooded when wetlands are developed for other uses?
These are the kinds of critical thinking questions that deserve a well thought out answer. To which we have yet to receive any answers, all the while the smaller wetlands are being developed.
The Richmondtown & Clark Avenue Civic Association are fighting to keep a developer from destroying a neighborhood wetlands! NSWC supports their efforts to save their neighborhood wetlands and we will stand with them in solidarity.
Please view the following link to a You Tube video entitled "The Wetlands." The video was created by one of our residents, and very effectively captures the issues relating to the proposed development. http://youtu.be/Bm8naHqyzww We urge you to click on "Like" if you support the video's message, and share the video with members in your organization. Carol Donovan, President, Richmondtown & Clark Avenue Civic Association.
Want to know more about Staten Island's North Shore? Then Check out our news letter...
NSWC's News Letter on SI ECHO Project !
Prelude to a kiss? Not exactly, more like a prelude to the raising of the Bayonne Bridge. More info on the Lead Paint Removal on the Bayonne Bridge in the SI ECHO Project.
Can't get enough of NSWC want to know more... well you can check out our new blog at statenislandenvirojusticenswc@wordpress.com
Thank you for visiting our website!
