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Low Tide 4:12am
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High Tide 9:44am
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Low Tide 4:21pm
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High Tide 9:57pm*
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MWA Harbor Recreation Task Force members enjoy a dip in the water. See story below for more on the reactivation of the six influential Task Forces.
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Join Our List
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 Events on the Waterfront
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Fundraiser: Tug Pegasus Preservation Project
2/17, Ear Inn, 5:30p
Interactive Panel: Opening Out Towards the Water
2/24, Hunter College, 5:30p
Meeting: Black Skimmer Recovery Plan
2/24, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, 2p
Public Session: Bronx Parks Speak Up! Open Spaces, Environment and Health
2/27, Lehman College, 11:30a
Seminar: Bracing for Climate Change in NYC
3/2, Hudson River Fdn., 10:30a
Gala: Award Reception for the Working Harbor Committee
3/11, India House, 6p
Conference: Bronx Council for Environmental Quality Water Conference
3/17, Manhattan College, 2:30p
Interactive Panel: Waterfront Parks: Old, New, Green, Blue
2/24, Hunter College, 5:30p
Seminar: The Archaeology of Environmental Change in the New York/New Jersey Harbor Estuary
3/2, Hudson River Fdn., 10:30a
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MWA Blue Bulletin Board
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Save the Date: 3rd Annual City of Water Day Festival is July 24, 2010 We've moved! Come see us at 241 Water Street, 3rd FloorNew York, NY 10038. Email Address Update:Our waterwire.net email addresses are no longer in service. All MWA emails end in waterfrontalliance.org.
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| CONTENTS: Feb. 17, 2010
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Staten Island's Radioactive Waterfront Gets Attention
Feds agree to clean up North Shore almost 70 years after uranium spill
New York to Lose Elite Coast Guard Patrol
Elected officials and Community Board 1 protest
MWA Task Forces Begin to Reconvene
Waterfront advocates turn their attention to funding and politics
HabitatMap Goes Global
Use this community activist web site!
Welcome to the Waterfront: New Alliance Partners
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FEDS AGREE TO REMEDIATE RADIOACTIVE WATERFRONT
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Traces of Uranium Spill Confirm
Staten Island's Secret Role in the Manhattan Project
In 1939, a ship carrying raw uranium ore from the Belgian Congo steamed into New York Harbor. It bore left around Staten Island into the Kill van Kull and docked under the Bayonne Bridge. The radioactive ore was stored in a warehouse owned by the Archer Daniels Midland company. Few people other than NYC Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia knew it was there. Not even the Staten Island Borough President was included in the plan.
This current-day picture of the site was captured online using Google Maps.
The map above it shows the location of the site (small, red balloon
at lower left) in the context of New York Harbor.
The uranium eventually was sent by train across the United States,
destined for scientists developing the world's first atomic bomb in Los
Alamos, New Mexico. At some point, however, either when it was being brought into or out of the Staten Island warehouse, uranium was spilled.
Through the years, the site, which was never remediated, remained industrial. The link to the Manhattan Project was no more than urban legend until 1980, when the site was tested for radioactivity by representatives from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a
Tennessee facility established as part of the Manhattan Project. The tests proved positive, but the report was swallowed by the U.S. Dept. of Energy, once known as the Atomic Energy Commission.
In
1999, the site across the street from the radioactive area was purchased by developers who wanted to
rezone it as residential. As part of the rezoning, community members
participated in the City's Uniform Land Use Review Process -- and the
myth of the Manhattan Project was retold. That's when Beryl Thurman, president and executive director of the North Shore Waterfront Conservancy,
first heard about it. Then the president of the Port Richmond Civic
Association, she was questioning the wisdom of building hundreds of new
homes without more school seats.
Radioactivity, however, was far
more serious. Concerned, she decided to get to the bottom of the story,
requesting details about the site from the Dept. of Energy under the
Freedom
of Information Act. "It became crucial that more historic information
was needed regarding
this property," Ms. Thurman writes in a recent report about the
borough's contaminated waterfront. In 2001, the Dept. of Energy faxed
Ms. Thurman the
Oak Ridge report.
This current-day bird's eye view of the site was captured from
the Environmental Protection Agency web site. The EPA refers
to the site now as the Richmond Terrace Radiological Site.
 The government rejected responsibility to include the site in a federal remediation program because it was privately owned during the time of the uranium storage.
According to a story published last year in Gotham Gazette, the NY State Dept. of Environmental Conservation found high levels of radiation at the site in 1992 but no action was taken. In 2008, at the request of local residents, officials from the Environmental Protection Agency, DEC and NYC Dept. of Health conducted yet another assessment and found dangerous radiation levels.
At this point, the EPA asked the Dept. of Energy to reevaluate its position on remediation of the site.
On Thursday, January 7, 2010, representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency told Ms. Thurman that the US Army Corps of Engineers would assess the extent of radioactivity, and then proceed with a clean-up. Site assessments began last month.
Ms. Thurman is suggesting phone calls, letters and email to the office of Congressman Michael E. McMahon, who represents Staten Island, "to
make sure that sufficient funding to the US Army Corps of Engineers is
made available for the proper clean up and disposal of all radioactive
materials from this site and if need be the Kill Van Kull."
She is pleased at the outcome of many years of advocacy, but points out that this is just one of many contaminated sites along Staten Island's North Shore. Selected as one of EPA's Environmental Justice Communities last November, the North Shore area received a $100,000 commitment to be used to develop a community-based health strategy. The award specifically mentioned dangerously high lead levels associated with a waterfront area just down the road from the Archer Daniels Midland/Manhattan Project site. This particular site was most recently occupied by a Sedutto's Ice Cream Factory, but before that, for more than 100 years and reaching back into the 19th century, it was home to National Lead Industries.
Responding to the EPA award last November, Ms. Thurman said, "These are waterfront communities
and their history and their sense of who they are, is connected to
their waterfront. NSWCSI is here to help rebuild that sense of
community and with the help of the EPA and officials to eliminate as
much of the toxins as we can from our environment. It is essential to
make Staten Island's north shore environmental justice communities,
waterfront and surrounding waterways clean, safe and healthy for
residents."
(back to top)
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| ELITE HARBOR SECURITY UNIT TO BE TRANSFERRED OUT OF NEW YORK HARBOR
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Senator Charles Schumer, Rep. Michael McMahon and Community Board 1 Protest
The sight of Coast Guard boats with guns mounted on their decks might have added to post-9/11 trauma, but after a while New Yorkers got used to seeing the armed, orange-hulled vessels patrolling New York Harbor. Part of a nationwide anti-terrorism program created by the Dept. of Homeland Security after 9/11, the boats, known as the Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST), guard seaports and waterways around the country. Below, two Coast Guard officers
man
their weapons on an MSST boat as a U.S. Park
Police vessel
travels alongside them. 2007 photo by USCG Petty Officer 3rd Class Annie R. Berlin In a consolidation of the MSST program proposed by the Obama Administration recently, New York's MSST would be transferred to Boston Harbor. New Yorkers are protesting, saying the move would leave the metropolitan area vulnerable to attack. Congressman Michael McMahon calls the MSST "a critical component of the security of New York Harbor." He and other members of New York's Congressional delegation wrote to Janet Napolitano, secretary of the Dept. of Homeland Security, urging her to "abandon this misguided and ill-conceived proposal to transfer the New York based MSST to Boston." Adding his voice to the protest, Senator Charles Schumer was concerned "that it would take too long to deploy an MSST team
from Boston in cases of extreme threat, disaster or attack." Community Board 1, representing those who live and work in Lower Manhattan, is preparing a resolution urging that the MSST remain in New York. "If cuts must be enacted," part of the draft resolution states, "the consolidated Maritime Safety and Security Team should be stationed in New York Harbor instead of Boston Harbor." Capt. Ron LaBrec, spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard, sent WaterWire a statement from Washington, DC headquarters. "The FY11 budget that includes decommissioning five of these teams proposes
necessary trade-offs, including a decrease in patrol hours of Coast
Guard MSSTs nationwide," he wrote, "to fund the necessary replacement of aging,
and increasingly dangerous and obsolete Coast Guard vessels, aircraft
and infrastructure." "Marine Safety and Security Teams will continue to support New York
Fleet Week, the United Nations General Assembly, First Night and other
events," he added. "The MSST in Boston will be used regionally to provide added
security in New York when needed." (back to top) |
| WITH MUCH WORK STILL TO DO, MWA TASK FORCES ARE RECONVENING
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Members are Brainstorming About Funding, the Political Process and New Programs
In 2007, it seemed like a novel plan, if somewhat unwieldy: convene hundreds of waterfront representatives -- scientists, engineers, urban planners, community advocates, government workers, boat captains and other stakeholders -- to develop a shared vision for the waterways of New York and New Jersey.
The Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance did just that, creating six Task Forces -- focused on Aquatecture, Green Harbor, Education, Mass Water Transit, Waterfront Play and the Working Waterfront -- to synthesize the agendas of the MWA's many Partners and prioritize land-use proposals for the waterfront. By the end of 2008, the groups emerged with the Waterfront Action Agenda, a significant document that has already affected economic decisions, environmental priorities, transportation plans and waterfront infrastructure development. With a proven track record of positive influence, the work of the Task Forces has only begun. Task Force members are now reconvening at the new MWA offices in Lower Manhattan (241 Water Street), tackling issues such as fundraising, new programming, permitting and political jurisdiction. Here's a glimpse of the process so far--  The Harbor Education Task Force met on November 10, 2009 and discussed: - creating an inventory of environmental education programs to clarify who does what, improve continuity and facilitate communication;
- creating a curriculum framework outlining basic knowledge about the harbor.
The Green Harbor Task Force met on November 19, 2009 and discussed:new development guidelines that call for environmental restoration to be integrated with waterfront construction; an ecosystem approach to development rather than dependence solely on regulatory guidance; the creation of virtual tours of the Harbor for public education.
The Harbor Recreation Task Force met on February 8, 2010 and discussed:- the policies and legislation of waterfront access;
- the connection between health and waterfront access;
- taxing developments and businesses that profit from proximity to the waterfront.
Stay tuned for information on more upcoming meetings which will focus in particular on the development of the New York City Comprehensive Waterfront Plan,
an important City Planning document which can help define and guide waterfront development decisions for the next decade. All MWA Task Force meetings will culminate in MWA's 2010 Waterfront Conference to be in held in November 2010. If you would like more information on the MWA Task Forces, please email Cortney Worrall, MWA's Director of Programs, or call her at 212-935-9831, ext. 102. (back to top) |
| HABITATMAP GOES GLOBAL
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 Useful Site for Community Activists Expands its Reach
Maps have the capacity to clarify and illustrate the most complicated concepts, and HabitatMap, an environmental justice organization, is trying to spread the word. Have you heard comments, for example, that waste transfer stations are not evenly distributed around the city? Click here to see a map of New York's existing stations, created by the Organization of Waterfront Neighborhoods and decide for yourself. Has a curious child ever asked you what happens when the toilet flushes? Take a look at the map above (click on it for a larger version), created by SWIM (Storm Water Infrastructure Matters), and be able to talk about New York City's 14 treatment plants and the 494 sewer overflow outfalls. HabitatMap was founded in 2006 in Brooklyn with the intention of maximizing "the impact of community voices on city planning." Last month, HabitatMap launched a new website and invited the world at large to sign in and get involved. Users may either create a new map or add to an existing map. A good resource for community organizations, HabitatMap is also useful for teachers interested in incorporating urban planning,
environmental studies, and the internet into the classroom. Click here to find out about community mapping workshops and curriculum development. (back to top) |
| WELCOME TO THE WATERFRONT
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New Alliance Partners
More than 400 Partners strong, and expanding every week, the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance is more than a coalition; it's a force. We are
ferry captains, shipping executives, park directors, scientists,
sailors, paddlers, swimmers, teachers, urban planners, architects and
more. Together, we advocate for the best possible waterfront in the
best possible city, a waterfront that is clean and accessible to all,
with a robust maritime workforce and efficient, affordable waterborne
transportation. Join us! Contact Louis Kleinman at lkleinman@waterfrontalliance.orgMeet some new MWA Partners! - Earth
Celebrations www.earthcelebrations.com
Earth Celebrations is a not-for-profit 501c3 organization in New York City, dedicated to
fostering ecological awareness and reviving the arts at the center of
community life. Earth Celebrations innovative environmental and arts
programs include: theatrical pageants, exhibitions, performances, art
& ecology/puppet & costume workshops, internships, artist
residencies, and partnerships with schools, community centers, and
gardens. Free workshops in the creation of costumes, masks and giant puppets begin March 3 at the World Financial Center Winter Garden. These will be used in the Hudson River Pageant on May 22.
Hudson River Swim for Life www.hudsonriverswim.orgThe Hudson River Swim For Life is a 3-mile swim from Nyack, NY to
Sleepy Hollow, NY. Swimmers will conquer the river as kayakers and
boaters assist them for safety. Since its inception over 19 years ago, the mission of the Hudson River
Swim for Life has been to raise awareness of the Hudson River, promote
swimming as a lifelong form of fitness, and to raise funds for the
ongoing efforts of charities in the community. Overall, the event has
raised approximately $2 million for local non-profit organizations.
India House
Foundation www.indiahousefoundation.orgThe India House Foundation was established in 1999 to document and
preserve maritime history and help revitalize Lower Manhattan. Through February 28, 2010, see the exhibition "Ships, Explorers and the World Trade Center" at India House
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Capt. Jonathan Atkin, maritime photographer, specializes in world-wide
aerial and ship-to-ship photography for cruise lines, tug boat
companies, dinner boat operators, salvage operators, port development
projects and cargo lines. (back to top)
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| WATERFRONT NEWSLINKS
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Baruch professors study NYC harborThe Ticker, Baruch College, Feb. 15, 2010 Feds, GE will seek changes in next Hudson dredging phaseThe Poughkeepsie Journal, Feb. 13, 2010 Thirty Knots with the Wind at Your WingsThe New York Times, Feb. 9, 2010 The Jane Jacobs of GowanusThe New York Observer, Feb. 4, 2010 A Private Shrine to a Legendary Luxury Liner Goes PublicThe New York Times, Feb. 3, 2010 Army Corps to help restore Bronx RiverDaily News, Feb. 2, 2010 (back to top)
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