"With over 570  miles of waterfront it is imperative that we keep this precious resource clean for all New Yorkers," said City Council Speaker Christine Quinn as the Council prepared to vote in early March on Int. 54, a new law that increases fines for dumping in and along New York City's waterways.

The Council went on to pass the proposed legislation, setting dumping penalties at not less than $1,500 or more than $10,000 for the first violation, and not less $5,000 or more than $20,000 for each subsequent violation. The legislation also authorizes coordinated enforcement by the Department of Sanitation, the Department of Small Business Services (SBS) and the Department of Environmental Protection. Before the bill was passed, only the SBS enforced waterfront penalties -- though the City had assistance in waterfront patrols from organizations such as Riverkeeper (above, the Riverkeeper boat patrols the Gowanus Canal).

"What we have in the city of New York is a set of waterfront pollution regulations that are unfortunately inconsistent, full of loopholes and not fully enforceable," Ms. Quinn commented, as noted by the Gotham Gazette. (back to top)

After months of negotiation, New York State has accepted New York City's offer of $55 million for park construction and ceded control of Brooklyn Bridge Park to the city. Development of the 85-acre park, which has been stalled, will go forward under the new not-for-profit Brooklyn Bridge Park Operating Entity. Piers 1 and 6 are expected to open this spring.

As seen at left in a rendering by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, designers of the park, Pier 1 will feature a wide lawn and new promenade -- six new acres of parkland in total -- south of the Brooklyn Bridge. Farther south, Pier 6, at the foot of Atlantic Avenue, will feature another seven acres of parkland, including a destination playground with a "swing valley," a "slide mountain" with two-story high slides, a water-play area, climbing structure, and a "boulder mountain." The rest of the park will be built in stages over the next several years.

Hailing the plan, State Senator Daniel Squadron and Assembly Member Joan Millman are calling for a more public process and for alternatives to the housing that was originally proposed to fund park operations. Senator Squadron, who holds veto power over the construction of the aforementioned housing, described the agreement as "a significant step toward achieving a true Harbor Park -- a Central Park for the center of our city."

Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy Executive Director Nancy Webster also commended the City and State for their agreement. "The Conservancy's vision has been that Brooklyn Bridge Park be a world-class park that reflects the history and character of the Brooklyn waterfront, and serves the people of the New York City region and beyond," she said. "To that end, we reaffirm our commitment to a self-sustaining park as called for in the 2002 Memorandum of Understanding between the City and State, with the goal of having non-park, revenue-generating space occupy the smallest footprint feasible."

Go to the web site of the Brooklyn Heights Association for a virtual tour of the park by landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh, who, at the 100th annual meeting of the BHA this past February, discussed the thinking behind the design of the park and "the unique challenges posed along the way - topographical, infrastructural, governmental."

Meanwhile, negotiations continue over control of Governors Island, another urban waterfront gem with great potential. According to the New York Post, Peter Davidson, head of the Empire State Development Corporation, predicted a deal for the island would be announced in the next few weeks. (back to top)

In 2003, the deteriorated steel wall along the Harlem River could have been replaced by something similarly off-putting. But seven years ago, an innovative team of planners began to brainstorm with the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance and the local community to create a more natural kind of urban shoreline.

The collaboration was called Design the Edge, and the result is Harlem River Park -- a stretch of waterfront with strategically placed boulders and steps descending into the water. In the future, planners envision docks, boating and other recreational activities along this revitalized section of the river. Crew teams skim by periodically, heading to and from boathouses around the bend (the Peter Jay Sharp Boathouse, the Harlem River Community Rowing boathouse and the Columbia University boathouse), so it's not such a farfetched idea.

Back in 2003, however, was it difficult to gain support for replacing a waterfront wall with a rocky shoreline that invited access? "No, that was easy," said Thomas Lunke, Director of Planning and Development for the Harlem Community Development Corporation and leader of the Harlem River Park Task Force. "The complicated part was making sure that people, especially children, would not fall into the river and be swept away. So we compromised by putting a decorative fence at the waters edge with a gate and a key."

The key has been given to the Frederick Douglass Academy, one of the Task Force partners, to enable students to do scientific research. The students are designing an addition to the waterfront park, behind their school at 150th Street. "This will be used in discussions with the Parks Department to extend Harlem River Park further," said Mr. Lunke, explaining that there are no official plans or funding to continue the park to 150th Street, just optimism and creativity.

To see the Design the Edge report, click here. It was prepared for the New York State Dept. of State Division of Coastal Resources with a grant from the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). The NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, Harlem River Park Task Force and Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance (MWA) were partners in the project. Intended to be a "demonstration," according to its primary author, Marcha Johnson, landscape architect and ecological restorationist for the Parks Department, the report summarizes the research and idea exchange which resulted in porous edges, tide pools, terraced steps and an irregular edge in addition to a bikeway and traditional park elements. Ten principles outline how to achieve this type of "living" waterfront and attract not only more people to the waterfront but more boaters to this stretch of land.

Ms. Johnson recalled the early days of the project when she worked with Carter Craft, former director of programs for the MWA. "He and I had many conversations about improving the ecology of waterfront edges and trying to get people to understand why that was important. At that time, people were afraid of the water and the waterfront, partly because it was isolated. The emergency evacuation of 9/11 brought home that our waterfronts really don't work. Until that moment there were very few people who gave it consideration. It was automatic to rebuild waterfront edges as rigidly and cleanly as possible."

The paradigm is changing. The next stretch of NYC shoreline to receive a Design the Edge treatment is at Randall's Island, located in the East River at the mouth of the Harlem River. At the end of 2009, the Randall's Island Sports Foundation received a grant from the EPF to pay for the demolition of a failing seawall, and the design and construction of a 550-foot living shoreline to replace it, as well as construction of an adjacent  recreation area that will include trees, pathways, benches and small boat access.

"The Randall's Island Living Shoreline Recreation Area

This is part of the shoreline that will be transformed into the Randall's Island Living Shoreline Recreation Area. In the distance is the 103rd Street Footbridge, a vertical lift bridge whose middle section is raised for tall vessels.

was inspired by the success of Harlem River Park," said Anne Wilson, RISF Director of Planning & Public Funding, noting that the community planning process will begin this summer with the assistance of the NYC Parks Dept. and the MWA. "We hope we'll have the same kind of enthusiasm and expertise in the planning process. The process is nearly as important as the product."

"Already," she added, "there's a lot of interest in boating access."

If you don't have a boat, the best way to get to Randall's Island is via the 103rd Street Footbridge that crosses the FDR Drive and the East River, now open year-round. The island is also accessible via the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge (aka Triborough Bridge). (back to top)

Data collected by the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) shows that New York power plants annually use more than six trillion gallons of water to cool equipment, resulting in the deaths of more than 17 billion fish in various stages of life.

On March 10, the DEC took action to protect aquatic life by specifying, for the first time, a procedure to meet the 1972 federal Clean Water Act that requires the use of the "best technology available" to minimize environmental impact. The DEC proposal calls for facilities to limit water intake by switching to closed-cycle cooling, in which water is reused instead of being discharged, heated, back into the water body. Changing over to this system is calculated to reduce impacts on aquatic life by more than 90% -- and cost power plants billions of dollars in upgrades.

DEC is accepting public comments on the draft policy through May 9. Read it here; comment here.

According to DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis, "By requiring modern recycling technology, New York's marine resources will be afforded greater protection, including many marine fish species that are vital to the state's commercial and recreational fishing industries but are being harmed by water intakes."

To read about the DEC's general Aquatic Habitat Protection programs, click here. (back to top)

See below for links to notes and resources from recent meetings.

• Climate Change Adaptation in NYC: Building a Risk Management Response
  Hudson River Foundation, March 2, 2010
• A presentation by William Solecki, geographer and director of the CUNY Institute for Sustainable Cities, described the work of the NYC Panel for Climate Change, which he co-chairs. The discussion included general observations about climate change adapations in NYC and referred to well-developed strategies in other cities by which NYC can be guided. Mr. Solecki discussed scientific findings that show how the NYC climate is already changing and proposed key strategies, specific steps and timelines. For detailed notes on Mr. Solecki's presentation, as well as a question-and-answer period that followed, click here.
  
  
• Climate Change and Water
  New York State Judicial Institute at Pace Law School, March 11, 2010
  
• A panel moderated by Assistant Dean for Environmental Law Programs Alexandra Dapolito Dunn, and presented by panelist Katy Dunlap, Executive Director, Hudson River Watershed Alliance; panelist Sean Dixon, Pace Law LLM Candidate and Center Fellow; panelist Sarah Newkirk, Director of Coastal Conservation, The Nature Conservancy; and panelist Hilary Meltzer, Senior Counsel, Environmental Law Division, New York City Law Department, this panel provided a look at the impacts of climate change on water resources, with a particular focus on New York State's response. The speakers looked at laws and authorities that allow local jurisdictions to manage the impacts of climate change, New York City 's planning efforts, and future projections. For a packet of resources from the Climate Change and Water panel, click here. (back to top)
  

Better yet, get them on the water! Several Alliance Partners are offering programs for children released from classrooms the week of March 29.

• Fishing the Hudson Eco-Exploration
  Beczak Environmental Education Center
  Hudson River, Yonkers
  914-377-1900, x17
  www.beczak.org
  Children ages 10 to 14 are invited aboard the Island Current II, a 50' vessel equipped with fishing gear, safety equipment and the latest navigational tools. Each day, participants will explore the river's rich ecology, participating in a Striped Bass Derby, trawling the bottom of the river and identifying their catch, and learning about boating safety and nautical terms. 10am-4pm daily. $300 for 5-day program.

• Kid's Week at the Marsh

  Marine Park

  
  Salt Marsh Nature Center
  Marine Park, Brooklyn
  718-421-2021
  www.nycgovparks.org/parks/marinepark
  Children ages 12 and under are invited to spend their spring break exploring the salt marsh at Marine Park, a large park that surrounds the westernmost inlet of Jamaica Bay. There will be nature walks, crafts, tream-building activities, performances, and more. Free.

• Spring Break at South Street Seaport Museum
  12 Fulton Street
  212-748-8786
  www.southstreetseaportmuseum.org
  Tour the Seaport Historic District, the tall ship Peking and Schermerhorn Row, then come step inside the Living Harbor Wet Lab and learn about the critters that populate the Estuary waters.  Listen to Fish Tales and be inspired to create your own aquatic work of art. Help feed the marine animals each day at 3pm. 12pm-4pm. Free with admission ($12, $10, $8).(back to top)
  

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.org

Meet some MWA Partners!

Artists Arrive on Governors Island
The New York Times, March 16, 2010

House to vote on Hudson River park study
Associated Press, March 16, 2010

NY water plan could cost power generators billions
Reuters, March 12, 2010

DEP opens microbiology lab at Newtown Creek plant
New York Post, March 9, 2010

GE: Limit PCB contamination during Hudson dredging
Associated Press, March 8, 2010

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