|
High Tide 12:04am
|
Low Tide 6:41am
|
High Tide 12:49pm
|
Low Tide 6:53pm*
|
|
Announcing 2010's Best Waterfront
Day Trips! Click here to see MWA's fourth installment in the series.
|
|
City of Water Day approaches!
This year the festivities take place on July 24. Click here to read about the latest venue
to sign on: PortSide New York.
|
 LETTERS
to the editor
Have an opinion on a story you read in WaterWire? Details to add? A different way of
looking at the issue?
Write to us.
| Re: WaterWire, June 18, 2010
"I
must comment on the two lead stories in the June 18 WaterWire.
Regarding alternative fuel, please recognize that biodiesel is very
problematic from the perspective of its harmful impacts, including high
pesticide use, high energy inputs and high food prices in many parts of
the world - all traceable to the use of land to grow fuel. All too
often advocates of biodiesel fail to distinguish between grease waste
(which is good) and industrial agricultural biodiesel (which is not).
And as
for the story on East River redevelopment plans, the issue about the
United Nations taking over Robert Moses Park is not as clear cut as you
present it. Many very well-organized people in our midtown east
community are not so sanguine about the promise of a replacement park
to Robert Moses Park (seeing what's happened in the Bronx with Yankee
Stadium, where promised compensatory parks have yet to materialize)."
- Robert Jereski
Youth mentor, Friends of Brook Park; 2004
candidate for the US Congress challenging Rep. Carolyn Maloney
|
|
Events on the Waterfront
Click on the links for more
information about these events.
A detailed calendar of events
may be found at www.waterfrontalliance.org/calendar
|
July 3
6p, PortSide NY, Pier 11, Atlantic Basin July 4 |
|
MWA Blue Bulletin Board
| To volunteer for the 3rd annual
CITY OF WATER DAY FESTIVAL
on July 24, 2010, please contact Louis Kleinman Visit MWA at
241 Water Street, 3rd FloorNew York, NY 10038. MWA EMAIL ADDRESSESOur waterwire.net addresses are no longer in service. All MWA emails end in waterfrontalliance.org. |
|
Join Our List
|
|
|
|
| CONTENTS: July 1, 2010
| How to Curb Port Emissions? It Takes City, State and Federal Attention
A City Council Waterfronts Committee hearing offers much food for thought
State Dept. Begins Process to Amend Coastal Management Program
Goals: to further protect ocean habitat and to develop wind energy sites
PortSide New York Joins City of Water Day Festivites
But first, the Red Hook maritime and cultural hub must move to Atlantic Basin
Enthusiastic Response to the Passaic River Symposium
Experts discuss the revitalization of the New Jersey river
Check Out MWA's SPLASH Resource Guide
Get your children to the water!
Register for the City of Water Day Partner Fair on July 24
Publicize your organization and programs to thousands of people
2010's Best Day Trips to the Waterfront: Next in the Series
In which we suggest great ways to explore this region's wonderful shoreline
Meet Some MWA Partners
|
|
GOAL OF NEW PORT PROGRAMS IS BETTER AIR QUALITY
|
|
Who Should Pay for New Reduced-Emissions Trucks: Companies or Individuals?
"My name is Daniel Ortiz," began the man testifying on June 10 before the NY City Council Waterfronts Committee. The room was quiet. "I've been a truck driver at the ports for nine years."
Mr. Ortiz delivered his testimony to a standing-room only crowd mainly composed of representatives from the shipping industry and city and state agencies. They had gathered at the request of committee chair Michael Nelson to discuss the "greening" of the port, and to tout their very worthy emissions-reduction programs. Mr. Ortiz's testimony, however, put a human face on what can sometimes turn into a litany of statistics.
"I've seen a lot of change for the truckers - for the worse," Mr. Ortiz told the policy-makers. "Most of us are no longer employees, but we are instead independent contractors and we must carry the cost of owning our trucks and taking care of them. It is difficult financially for me and other port drivers to earn a living, pay for all the costs of a truck and take care of our families. But the money isn't the only problem. I sit behind the wheel of my truck for 90 hours a week sometimes and I breathe the diesel fumes all the time. I want to drive a clean truck because it affects me and my family. The pollution also affects my community where I live. Newark is very close to a lot of ports and I know that my truck isn't good for the air that my neighbors breathe."
Earlier in the hearing, Rick Larrabee, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Director of Port Commerce Development, had described the bi-state agency's recently introduced Clean Air Strategy. One of the PA's strategies emulates the new Clean Trucks program in Los Angeles that banned thousands of high-emission trucks at the port; in the last year airborne particulate matter at the LA port was reduced by 70%. The NY/NJ version -- a combined grant/low-interest loan plan called the Truck Replacement Program -- is meant to help phase out hundreds of the oldest diesel trucks serving local port facilities with newer
reduced-emissions models.
The problem, according to Mr. Ortiz and others at the hearing such as Paul Karr and Christina Montorio from the Coalition for Healthy Ports, is that the NY/NJ program places the financial burden of obtaining new trucks on individuals such as Mr. Ortiz whereas the LA program targets trucking companies. "Even with the grants and subsidies, these owner-operators can not afford new trucks," said Professor David Bensman, of Rutgers University, who also testified at the City Council hearing. "The reason is simple; new trucks cost too much. Owner operators are forced to drive for rates that are too low to pay for modern, efficient diesel engines. They are not credit worthy to take on leases of $75,000 or more."
In LA, the trucking industry is fighting back and has filed a lawsuit to block the provision that requires companies to bear the cost of complying with environmental regulations rather than individual drivers. Countering the industry and supporting the drivers is an alliance of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and environmental groups.
Monitoring the legal uncertainty in Los Angeles, ports around the country are hesitant to implement sweeping emissions-reduction programs. Trying to move the process forward, Congressman Jerrold Nadler has proposed an update of federal legislation that would allow ports to enforce Clean Trucks programs and protect individual truckers. More than 100 organizations across the country have signed on to Rep.
Nadler's proposal as well as 78 members of the House of
Representatives. Click here to see of short video of Rep. Nadler discussing the LA Clean Trucks program and its implications for the nation.
Amy Traub, Director of
Research at the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy, a non-partisan
think tank based in NYC, was one of several people testifying who asked for the City Council's support of Rep. Nadler's legislation. "The federal law must be updated so that it's
not the taxpayer or the
truckers who pay for environmental upgrades but companies that profit
most from the operation of our ports," she said.
Roland Lewis, president of the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, was another. "We applaud
the Port Authority's and City of New York's goals but we encourage them to reach the
level of abatement that our colleagues in LA have aggressively taken on," he said. "MWA strongly supports Congressmen
Nadler's effort to pass federal legislation to allow the Port Authority
to develop a comprehensive program like the LA program."
Also testifying in support of the federal legislation was Rich Kassel, Senior Attorney and Director, Clean Fuels and Vehicles Project, for the NYC branch of the National Resources Defense Council.
Aside from the Truck Replacement program, Mr. Larrabee described other Clean Air strategies from the Port Authority. Next month, in one incentive program, owners of ocean-going vessels, which now mainly use high sulfur "bunker" fuel, will begin to be reimbursed for up to 50% of the cost differential between low sulfur fuel and high sulfur fuel. Burning bunker fuel creates the port's single largest source of air pollution.
All three photos courtesy of the Port Authority.
Bottom two photos taken at Howland Hook Marine Terminal.
Mr. Larrabee described another program that will reimburse companies 20% of the cost of replacing cargo handling equipment with new reduced-emissions equipment. And, when the PA's ExpressRail completes construction in 2011, the on-dock rail network will be able to handle
1.5 million containers every year, which translates to 2.5
million fewer truck trips annually on local roadways.
Other city and state agencies work to decrease port emissions.
- The Dept. of Transportation is retrofitting the Staten Island ferry fleet with cleaner fuel-burning engines. Four ferries are retrofitted, with four to go.
- EDC now requires waterfront tenants to use low-emission vehicles. A star tenant is Phoenix Beverages, at Pier 11 in Brooklyn. "By inducing ships with large volumes of New York City-bound containers to call at Red Hook, by pursuing a cleaner truck fleet, by recycling its own waste, and by generating its own power, Phoenix Beverages has brought a new paradigm in freight logistics to New York," said Andrew Genn, EDC Vice President in his testimony to the Waterfronts Committee.
Mr. Genn went on to describe future federal emissions rules for which the City is preparing. "Marine fuel is among the dirtiest used in the United States and port
activities do have an environmental impact," he told the committee. "Our goal is to work with
our partners in government to reduce emissions from the ships and
trucks that use our ports. Due to the complex regulatory structure
governing the port, much of this effort can be accomplished only in
collaboration with our colleagues at the Port Authority and at the
EPA. In 2015, EPA will introduce new Emissions Control Area
requirements that will reduce the sulfur content of marine fuels. In
the meantime, NYCEDC is working with the harbor craft industry and
ferry community to introduce these lighter fuels ahead of the
regulations."
On June 23, the MWA's Working Waterfront Task Force convened to discuss port emissions and other pressing matters. Eddie Bautista, Executive Director of the NYC Environmental Justice Alliance reminded task force members that Significant Maritime and Industrial Areas (click here for a listing of the City's SMIAs) have some of the highest unemployment rates and asthma rates. The expansion of maritime delivery centers, he said, must be balanced by mitigating the problems caused by more trucking. Trucks must be retrofitted or exchanged for new trucks, he insisted, to lessen the consequences for residents who live near transportation nodes. (back to top)
|
|
|
|
|
|
USING AND PROTECTING NEW YORK'S PRECIOUS STRETCH OF OCEAN
|
| 
As reported last fall in WaterWire, President Obama's Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force released a report in September 2009 that addressed the nation's ocean uses, including wind energy. At the State level, the NY Department of State is amending New York State's Coastal Management Program under the authority of the federal Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972. This work will be integrated with broader efforts at the interstate and national levels. The focus of this phased approach will be the development of siting criteria for offshore wind development and the identification critical habitats in need of greater protection in the ocean waters off our state's shores. Below are answers to frequently asked questions about the project.
WHAT IS NEW YORK STATE AMENDING?
- New York State Department of State (DOS) is amending its Coastal Management Program (CMP), under the authority of the federal Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) of 1972, to appropriately site offshore wind energy facilities and provide greater protection of ocean habitats.
WHY IS NEW YORK STATE DOING THIS?
- The Atlantic is the windiest coastal area off the United States, and New York's offshore area is one of the windiest along the Atlantic. Taking advantage of this readily available renewable resource will help New York State meet its goal of reducing dependency on fossil fuels, while meeting growing energy demand. Under the CZMA, states with approved Coastal Management Programs have the authority to approve or deny a proposed federal action no matter where it may occur, if the action may affect that state's coastal resources. To better address issues associated with offshore wind development and critical habitat protection as it makes decisions on federal actions, DOS will develop criteria for siting offshore wind facilities and for protecting critical ocean habitat.
This map shows Phases 1 and 2 (of 3) of the Atlantic Ocean Amendment to the NYS Coastal Management Plan. Phase 1 includes parts of the Atlantic Ocean south of Long Island and NYC, the Hudson Canyon depression out to the continental shelf and the continental shelf edge and slope. Phase 2 will address the Peconic Estuary at the eastern end of Long Island and the rest of the Atlantic off the shores of New York. Phase 3 will focus on Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
IS NEW YORK STATE ALONE IN THIS EFFORT?
- The federal government is interested in offshore renewable energy. In December, 2009, President Obama's Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force released its interim framework for coastal and marine spatial planning to address emerging ocean uses including wind energy. Through the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO), DOS is working to develop a regional approach that fits within the new national framework. The Department of Interior (DOI) is the federal agency responsible for leasing blocks of the ocean for offshore wind energy development. The DOS has been designated as the state agency lead to coordinate with the federal government on offshore renewable energy. Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey and Oregon are engaged in similar ocean planning efforts.
|
CITY OF WATER DAY EXPANDS TO FOUR FABULOUS WATERFRONT LOCATIONS FOR 2010
|
| PortSide New York is the Latest Venue to Join the Festivities on July 24
City of Water Day, that marvelous, annual citywide celebration of the water that surrounds us, will take place Saturday, July 24. Last year's event drew a record crowd to Governors Island and presented participating MWA Partners with a picturesque setting in which to publicize their programs. (See the story below for information on how to participate in the City of Water Day Information Fair.)  This year, City of Water Day expands to four locations: Governors Island, Liberty State Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park and -- just signed on last week -- PortSide New York in Red Hook. PortSide New York is a maritime organization centered around the historic tanker Mary A. Whalen, a retired ship that functions as an event and education space. Click here to see a video of an Open House NY tour of the Whalen. PortSide founder and director Carolina Salguero tells WaterWire that after
years of negotiation, she will oversee the important move of the Whalen this week from Pier 9B at the Red Hook Container Port -- where the vessel has enjoyed free electricity, labor, storage and a berth courtesy of American Stevedoring but, at the same time, severe public access restrictions -- to Pier 11 in Atlantic Basin. The relocation comes just in time for PortSide's big 4th of July fundraiser weekend: the Big BlueBQ funraiser on July 3 at PortSide NY and a limited number of tickets to the North River fireworks
party at Pier 66 Maritime on July 4. While the Whalen's presence in Atlantic Basin will be on a temporary permit from the Economic Development Corporation, Ms. Salguero is optimistic that a permanent lease will be negotiated. "This summer will be the first time PortSide has a place to run programs on more than a special-event basis," Ms. Salguero says. "At last, we will fulfill our original vision to be a place that the Mary Whalen is a part of. Looking to the future, our plan is to create a maritime hub and cultural center at Pier 11. We will have interior and
exterior space, 600 feet of pier to program and be able to provide a landing for
workboats, historic vessels, charter and excursion boats and ferries."  In 2007, PortSide NY co-produced a Puccini opera on the Mary Whalen at the Red Hook Container Port.
See a video of the event. This photo and the one above of Dutch flat-bottom boats at PortSide NY by Carolina Salguero. Here's what you'll find at PortSide NY, safely berthed at its new roomy pier in Atlantic Basin, on City of Water Day, July 24: · Tours of the
Mary A. Whalen· Tours of the
steamship Lilac· US Customs marine security
display, including a VACIS container scanning machine
and a sniffer dog · Urban Divers EnviroMedia Mobile, a traveling maritime and nature museum · Local Brooklyn food vendors · Live music throughout the day · BookCourt, an
independent bookstore selling books with water
or waterfront themes · Waterfront
artists: Christina Sun, Underwater New
York · Paint Your Own Fish T-shirt booth
(make prints from real fish on your t-shirt). For a complete run-down of the day's activities at all four venues, click here. (back to top) |
| ENTHUSIASTIC RESPONSE TO PASSAIC RIVER SYMPOSIUM
|
|  Environmental Restoration from Different Perspectives
From park planning along the Newark waterfront to the debate over a lawsuit to force polluters to bear the cost of river restoration, the Fourth Passaic River Symposium on June 22 offered plenty to think about.
Sponsored by the Passaic River Institute at Montclair State University, the symposium featured more than 300
educators, environmentalists, scientists, legislators, and industry
representatives, including Judith  Enck,
Region 2 administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Bob Martin, Commissioner of the NJ Department of Environmental Protection;
Congressman Bill Pascrell; and Colonel John R. Boulé II, commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District.
A debate ensued between Rep. Pascrell and Commissioner Martin over a lawsuit to force Occidental Chemical Corp., Maxus Energy Corp. and Tierra Solutions Inc. to pay for clean-up of dioxin pollution caused by the manufacturing of Agent Orange by the former Diamond
Alkali plant in Newark. "We believe the most effective way to clean up that river is to continue litigation. We also believe that it's long overdue that those companies pay and
that we extract a level of justice from those companies for that
cleanup over the long haul," Commissioner Martin was quoted as saying at the symposium. (See the news story in the The Record). Countering him was Congressman Pascrell, who criticized the litigation. "While we have made important strides in recent years in getting many
of the principal stakeholders on the Passaic to pull together on a
cooperative basis, we are disheartened that the effort is collapsing
unnecessarily into a litigious morass due to the state lawsuit," reads part of a letter later sent by Rep. Pascrell to Governor Christie, as noted in The Record's article.  In another symposium session, waterfront planner Damon Rich described the drive to build public access and facilities along the Newark riverfront, and the outcome of a recent series of town hall meetings to produce a community-based design. Click here to read more about this effort.
At right, see a photo of the current state of part of the Newark riverfront. Below is a proposal from Newark's nonprofit social service organization Ironbound Community Corporation.
(back to top)
|
| SPLASH! EDUCATING KIDS AT, ON AND IN THE WATER
|
|
 A Resource Guide from the
Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance
MWA invites educators and parents to check out SPLASH, a new resource guide to free and low-cost waterfront education resources in the New York City area.
This guide is intended to be helpful to camp leaders, schoolteachers and others who work to connect students to opportunities at and on the waterways. At MWA, we believe that the New York and New Jersey waterways can be vibrant places to play, learn, and work. Our hope is that, through the work of organizations like yours and those in this guide, every child in the metropolitan area will have the knowledge and tools to become invested in the care, improvement and responsible use of our waterfront and harbor.
We have chosen to focus on those experiences that cost on average less than $10 per participant.
|
| HERE'S A GREAT WAY TO LET EVERYONE KNOW ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION!
|
|
 Register to participate at City of Water Day, where you'll connect with hundreds of people
This
year, the third annual City of Water Day on July 24 will take place at
no fewer than four waterfront venues -- at Governors Island, Liberty State Park,
PortSide New York in Red Hook and Brooklyn Bridge Park. Promising to be a blockbuster event that will
showcase the diversity and magnificence of our
waterfront, City of Water Day is a terrific opportunity for
water-related organizations to get the word out about your mission and programs to the public. The photos at left and below were taken at last year's festival.
 The
strength of the waterfront movement is the diverse network of
Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance Partners, all committed to improving our waterfront. We encourage and welcome you to participate at the City of Water
Day 2010 Alliance Partner Fair. Put your own stamp on your exhibit: a
simple display is fine, or hold a demonstration, offer an activity or
provide arts and
crafts or other entertainment. Whatever you chose to do, you are
guaranteed to get hundreds, if not thousands, of viewers. Click here to sign up for the Partner Fair -- and start planning your exhibit! (back to top)
|
|
MWA'S BIWEEKLY GUIDE TO THE AREA'S BEST WATERFRONT SPOTS
|
|
Vacation at the Waterfront Without Leaving the Metro Region
 It's no secret that the coastlines of New York and New Jersey have become generally much cleaner and more accessible -- but many people still don't know how to get to all the new waterfront parks, paths and piers that have opened in recent years. WaterWire to the rescue! Read on, and make this the summer that you discover more of this urban archipelago's beautiful shoreline.
(For previous Waterfront Day Trip ideas, go to the WaterWire archive.)DAY TRIP #4Bicycling Along the Hudson RiverFrom the Battery to the mouth of the Harlem River, the stretch of Hudson River along Manhattan's west side is scenic and mostly flat; in short, a wonderful bike ride. End to end, it's about 14 miles, but cyclists (and pedestrians) can intersect the path at many points along the way. We recommend starting your ride, helmet firmly in place, as early as you can; by 9am, if possible. As the day progresses, the bike path can get crowded.  In this travelogue, we'll begin at Pier A, the landmark Victorian piershed that is the dividing point between leafy, historic Battery Park and Battery Park City. Start pedaling north. You may either cycle up the riverside esplanade used also by pedestrians or the bike path adjacent to the highway. Past Stuyvesant High School, you've ventured into Hudson River Park territory. Pier 25 will open later this summer featuring a town dock, locations for historic boats, a miniature golf course, beach volleyball and more; Pier 26's opening -- and with it, the River Project -- is not assured until more funding has been obtained.  As you cycle north, admire the sloped plantings and satisfying design of the park -- it's a pleasure that increases each time a new segment opens. Photo at right courtesy of Friends of Hudson River Park. At Pier 54 (near Little West 12th Street), look up at the arched iron entranceway to see the faded remains of letters that once said "Cunard Lines." Titanic survivors were brought to this pier in 1912. In 1915 the Lusitania departed from this pier on a voyage that ended in disaster when the ship was torpedoed by the Germans. The pier was used by Cunard until the 1930s. It's possible to veer off the bike path at Chelsea Piers and cycle slowly along the waterfront on the other side of the big recreation center and admire the docked boats (e.g. Bateaux New York, Classic Harbor Line, Offshore Sailing School).  Pass Pier 66 Maritime (see photo at left, at 26th Street; have you noticed that you subtract 40 from the pier number to get the cross street?) and if it's too early to stop, make a mental note to return for the burgers, beer, boats and breezes. Be careful as you approach the midtown waterfront! Vehicles constantly cross the bike path to get to the Circle Line 42 (including the Beast speedboat), World Yacht and NY Waterway. Another block and you're cycling past the Intrepid Sea/Air/Space Museum, the historic aircraft carrier turned into a museum. Don't miss the Growler submarine anchored next to the Intrepid. Two minutes later you're passing the behemoths docked at the Passenger Ship Terminal.  Need a break from pedaling? Now at three locations along the Hudson -- Pier 40 (Houston Street, see photo at right), Pier 96 (56th St.) and near 72nd Street the Downtown Boathouse offers free kayaking. Just south of the city-operated 79th Street Boat Basin is the Pier I Cafe, whose menu starts with espresso, ends with sangria and has a nice assortment of beverage and food options in between. Food, bathrooms, tables with umbrellas; it's a good spot to rest. Another few minutes north is the 79th Street Boat Basin Cafe, a casual, popular open-air restaurant above the bike path.  By now, you're in Riverside Park, approaching the curvy, cherry tree-lined path near 100th Street. Take a break; clamber down to boulders at the water's edge. Note the mysterious driftwood sculptures. At 125th Street is the new West Harlem Piers Park, and a potential pit stop at Fairway Market. Detouring inland for a few blocks around the North River Water Treatment Plant leads to a quiet path near railroad tracks and Queen Anne's Lace.  Look ahead. See the George Washington Bridge? Before you know it, it's looming before you, the Little Red Lighthouse nestled below. Many people stop here. But if you're interested in cycling the entire length of Manhattan, the northern tip -- where the Harlem River meets the Hudson -- is only a couple miles away! Press on. Fair warning: the northern part of this bike ride is rather hilly. You'll make your way to a bike path that runs adjacent to the Henry Hudson Parkway, high above the river, and eventually you'll find a short set of stairs leading down to Dyckman Street. Before you lies Inwood Hill Park, a beautiful woodland of old trees crisscrossed with paths. Explore. You'll find your way to Spuyten Duyvil, the roiling intersection of the Harlem and Hudson Rivers. Sit for a minute and consider the will and creativity it took to build these 14 miles of waterfront access along the Hudson River. Many waterfront advocates are working to duplicate the success of the Hudson River Greenway elsewhere along the New York and New Jersey coastline. Is there anything you can do to help? (back to top)
|
| MWA PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
|
| 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 Partners of the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance: - HabitatMap http://habitatmap.org
HabitatMap is a non-profit environmental health justice organization
whose goal is to raise awareness about the impact the environment has
on human health. Our online mapping and social networking platform is
designed to maximize the impact of community voices on city planning
and strengthen ties between organizations and activists working to
build greener, greater cities. Utilizing our shared advocacy platform
participants can alert the public to environmental health hazards, hold polluters accountable for their environmental impacts, highlight urban infrastructures that promote healthy living, identify future opportunities for sustainable urban development and promote policies that enhance equitable access to urban resources.
- Hudson River Foundation http://www.hudsonriver.org
The Hudson River Foundation (HRF) seeks to make science integral to
decision-making with regard to the Hudson River and its watershed and
to support competent stewardship of this extraordinary resource. This purpose is pursued through support of scientific research;
communication to expand knowledge about the river among the scientific
community, policy makers, and the public at large; initiatives to
enhance management of the Hudson ecosystem; education about the River;
and physical improvements to the riverfront.
- Randall's Island Sports Foundation http://randallsisland.org
The Randall's Island Sports Foundation (RISF) was founded in 1992 to
act as stewards of Randall's Island Park, in public-private partnership
with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. The
Foundation, in conjunction with City leadership and the local
community, works to realize the Island's unique potential by developing
sports and recreational facilities, restoring its vast natural
environment, reclaiming and maintaining parkland, and sponsoring free
programs for the children of New York City.
- Watershed Agricultural Council http://www.nycwatershed.org
WAC balances the economic viability of agriculture and forestry with protecting water quality.
WAC advocates for natural resource conservation within the context of the working landscape. WAC promotes comprehensive natural resource planning and best management practices. WAC promotes the development of partnerships that serve to enhance its mission. WAC strives to serve its clients well. WAC's vision for the future is to be a leader in conserving the
agricultural and forestry landscape in the New York City Watershed
region by proactively supporting: agriculture and forestry as viable economic lifestyles in the watershed; efforts that protect water quality; implementation of management plans throughout the wide geography of the watershed on farms and forests of all sizes and types; utilization of a science-based approach to the application of Best Management Practices; land conservation through procurement and stewardship of agricultural and forestry easements; long-term financial stability for the organization; continued organizational and programmatic flexibility; and responding to new needs as they arise. (back to top)
|
| WATERFRONT NEWSLINKS
|
|
U.S. Senate panel passes legislation to protect Long Island Sound Empire State News, July 1, 2010 Rockaway ferry beached after just two years of service due to lack of fundsDaily News, July 1, 2010 River symposium looks at mitigating flooding, clean up efforts Passaic Valley Today, July 1, 2010 New Start for Schools, Fish and HumanThe New York Times blog, June 30, 2010 Appeals court rejects GE's Superfund challengeAssociated Press, June 30, 2010 Passaic riverkeeper sees signs of hope despite the slow pace of cleanup Grist, June 30, 2010 'Hidden Harbor Tour' Will Highlight Brooklyn's Maritime Past and PresentBrooklyn Daily Eagle, June 30, 2010 At the New York Harbor School, Growing Oysters for Credit The New York Times, June 29, 2010 (back to top)
|
|
|
