| High Tide 1:13am | Low Tide 7:15am | High Tide 1:11pm | Low Tide 8:41pm* |
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Good-Bye Phragmites!
See how Marine Park was
transformed after the
Army Corps of Engineers
cleared away one particular
invasive species earlier this year.
Read the story below.
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 Events on the Waterfront
Click links for more information.
For a full calendar of events visit
www.waterfrontalliance.org/calendar
| October28
Meeting: Newtown Creek Brownfield Opportunity
6p-8:30p, St. Mary's Church, 10-08 49th Avenue, Long Island City
Meeting: Green Shores NYC
6:30p, Greater Astoria Historical Society
Meeting: Friends of Stuyvesant Cove Park
7p, Stuyvesant Town Community Center
October 29
Tugboat Tour: Hidden Harbor via the W.O. Decker
3:45p, South Street Seaport Museum
October 30
Benefit: Brooklyn Bridge Park All Hallows Eve Bash
8p, One Brooklyn Bridge Park
October 31
Tour: Bridges and Infrastructure of the East River
12:45p, about the American Princess, departing from South Street Seaport Museum
November 1
Meeting:Naval Hospital Cemetery Site
5:30p, Brooklyn Navy Yard
November 4
Fundraiser: Brooklyn Greenway
6p, FIND Home Furnishings, Brooklyn
November 6
Race: Coney Island Brighton Beach Open Water Swim
11:30a, NY Aquarium
Cruise: Friends of Hudson River Park
1p, Pier 40
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MWA Blue Bulletin Board |
SAVE THE DATE!2010 Waterfront ConferenceThe Future Waterfront &
a Fair Share for the NY-NJ HarborTuesday, Nov. 30 · 8am to 8pm National Museum of the American Indian WHAT'S YOUR STORY?WaterWire wants to know about your organization. Pitch us a story idea! Write to Alison at asimko@waterfrontalliance.orgMWA EMAIL ADDRESSESOur waterwire.net addresses are no longer in service. All MWA emails end in waterfrontalliance.org.
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Join Our List
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| CONTENTS: Oct. 29, 2010 | Care About the Waterfront? Come to the 2010 MWA Waterfront Conference
Nov. 30: Planning for the future waterfront and a fair share for the NY-NJ Harbor
Heroes of the Harbor Bask in Tributes from a Jury of their Piers
All hail Joan K. Davidson and Gajus Scheltema
It's YOUR Waterfront!
Invited to participate in waterfront planning sessions, citizens come out in full force
Not the Marine Park I Remember!
A woman who grew up near Marine Park writes about its environmental restoration
OUTRAGE
Reactions to the firing of DEC commissioner Pete Grannis
Meet Some MWA Partners!
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HOW TO GET A FAIR SHARE FOR NEW YORK HARBOR?
| | Come to the 2010 MWA Waterfront Conference and find out
Motivated by an expanding awareness of the abundance of opportunity at and on the waters of New York and New Jersey, waterfront stakeholders from around the metro region will converge at MWA's 2010 Waterfront Alliance Conference on November 30.
More than 500 people  -- everyone who cares and thinks about the waterfront, including maritime business owners, planners, kayakers, captains, environmentalists, elected officials, community advocates, scientists, engineers, architects and designers -- are expected to participate in this year's Waterfront Conference on Tuesday, November 30, 8am to 8pm, at the National Museum of the American Indian at Bowling Green. Here's the preliminary listing of topics (for more information click here).
MORNING- The Future of Our Harbor: Reactions to the Comprehensive Waterfront Plan
- Why is New York Harbor Missing the Boat? Strategies to capture the societal, economic, historic, and educational value of a New York-New Jersey Harbor alive with ships and boats
- Ecology and Economy -- A Workshop
- We have a Plan to Bring Our Harbor Back to Life!
- Future of the Port
- How to Get 2 Million Kids on and in the Water
AFTERNOON - Recreational Revolution -- 20 New Paddling Clubs in 10 years
- New Opportunities and Funding for Natural System Infrastructure in Historically Underserved Neighborhoods
- The Rising Tide from the Bottom Up
- Everyone Else Gets the Mud Out - Why Can't We?
- The Oyster and the Clean Water Act
LATE AFTERNOON - A Fair Share for Our National Park - What can be done to save Gateway?
- Show us the Money: New Advocacy and Funding Mechanisms for Federal Dollars
- Design for the Rising Tide and Aquatic Life -- Regulation, Design, and Planning Barriers to Innovation
- The Working Waterfront Works
- Water Mass Transit -- A Plan for our Region
Be part of the dialogue. Help plan the future of our waterfront. Click here for more information, or contact Ian Douglas at 212-935-9831. (back to top)
Photos by Bernard Ente
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MWA BOWS TO THE HEROES OF THE HARBOR
| | Joan K. Davidson and the Kingdom of the Netherlands are Honored on October 19
As the shoreside throng cheered and the Marine band played a jaunty tune, this year's Heroes of the Harbor -- Joan K. Davidson and Gajus Scheltema, Consul General of the Netherlands -- pulled up to the annual Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance awards ceremony on the historic John J. Harvey fireboat.
A parade of tugs, kayaks, historic working boats and luxury yachts had prepped the crowd for the finale: the Harvey, bearing the honorees, escorted by the city's newest firefighting vessel, Fireboat 343, both spouting graceful arcs of water as the sun set.
Ms. Davidson was honored for her dedicated work as an environmentalist and philanthropist and Mr. Scheltema accepted the award on behalf of the people of the Netherlands for raising awareness of critical water issues, fostering interest in our harbor, and helping forge a renewed Dutch-American partnership.
The MWA sends out special thanks to Liz Atwood, John Neu, and Entertainment Cruises for their exemplary support of the 2010 Heroes of the Harbor Awards. (back to top)
Photos by Ian Douglas
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ALL AROUND THE HARBOR, COMMUNITIES GET CHANCES TO PLAN THEIR SHORELINE
| | It's YOUR Waterfront!
The rallying cry "It's your waterfront!" is popping up online and in real life all around the city, from the web site of Green Shores NYC to that of the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, from bulletin boards in the Brooklyn Rockaways to those in Astoria, Queens.
Communities across New York and New Jersey are responding. Crowded into workshops of all kinds, people are eagerly participating in the redevelopment of stretches of metropolitan waterfront. They care deeply; they want to be part of the process. And often, they know best.
"Community planning sessions are extremely important because they offer residents a chance to have a say and express their thoughts, feelings, wishes for the current state and the future of the waterfront," says Katie Ellman, president of Green Shores NYC, which is partnering with the Trust for Public Land to produce a community-driven vision for the Astoria/Long Island City waterfront. This past summer, Green Shores held a series of Listening Sessions, and in early October, a Waterfront Design Day.
The people who attended the Green Shores Listening Sessions were not the same folks inspired to attend the workshops sponsored by the Department of City Planning this past summer in preparation for the release of the Comprehensive Waterfront Plan. "The vast majority of participants in our visioning project had not heard of, nor have they attended any of the City's Vision 2020 Waterfront Planning Sessions," Ms. Ellman says. "It has been a wonderful experience to hear our neighbors' concerns and ideas on how to make our waterfront better and workshop participants often tell us how grateful they are that someone is actually listening to them."
Andy Stone, from the Trust for Public Land, is equally heartened by the outcome of the Listening Sessions. "We've always seen the waterfront as one of the last open space frontiers in the city," he says. "It's been the case for a while that New York has had a long way to go to connect people to the waterfront. While it's happened in high visibility locations such as Brooklyn Bridge Park, there still are a lot of neighborhoods where people are cut off from their waterfront. But there's excitement to build on throughout the city, and there's a lot of local energy to harness effectively."
Along the Newark shores of the Passaic River, Damon Rich, an urban designer and waterfront planner who leads the Newark Riverfront Regeneration, has a similar mission: to involve local residents in remaking their riverfront. "The movement to reclaim Newark 's riverfront begins with people seeing it with their own eyes," he says. "Last summer, over 200 Newarkers experienced their city by boat. This summer, 360 did the same. That's how the curious become advocates for their neighborhoods and their city, and how we will continue to build momentum and win victories to create the riverfront that Newark wants. Early next year, in partnership with the County of Essex and the Trust for Public Land, the City of Newark will begin construction on the first section of Newark Riverfront Park, containing a walking and biking trail, floating boat dock, riverfront boardwalk, and other settings for relaxation, picnics, exercise, and environmental education."
A decade ago, involving the community in basic infrastructure design was not a typical move. In 2002, however, the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance guided a collaboration named Design the Edge, and invited a landscape architect, marine engineer, marine biologist, environmental artists, Community Boards 10 and 11, elected officials, community organizations, tenant groups and other residents of East Harlem to help develop a new shoreline along the Harlem River. The Design the Edge shoreline -- accessible and eco-friendly -- opened in 2009 to wide acclaim. Involved then, Richard Toussaint of the Harlem River Park Task Force still works on the project. Why are neighborhood planning sessions important? "Because they engage the community and foster partnerships," he says.
Inspired to get involved in the future of your local waterfront? Here's a partial list of projects that had, are having, or will have community planning sessions.
- Brooklyn Bridge Park - It took more than 20 years of community advocacy to get to the current stage of Brooklyn Bridge Park -- Piers 1 and 6 opened, with 2, 3, 4 and 5 planned -- and community meetings continue to this day. Both the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy and the Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation host public meetings to solicit input toward the planning of the park. Join the mailing list to be notified of future meetings.
- Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway - The NYC Dept. of Transportation just wrapped up three weeks of well-attended and productive community workshops -- cosponsored by the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative (BGI) and Regional Plan Association -- to determine the route of the 14-mile Greenway. If you missed these but want to stay abreast of plans, email brooklynwaterfrontgreenway@dot.nyc.gov. The BGI sometimes hosts separate meetings on the Greenway; the next one, on Nov. 1, is about the future landscape of the Brooklyn Navy Yard's Naval Hospital cemetery site, along which the Greenway will be built.
- East River Waterfront - After several community planning sessions about the Chinatown section of the East River, CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities put forth an alternative development plan earlier this year called the People's Plan for the East River Waterfront.
- Floyd Bennett Field - Meetings in Brooklyn and Queens took place in September to gather community input on improvements to Floyd Bennett Field. Comments from local residents on the field's current use and potential are being forwarded to the Blue Ribbon Panel formed earlier this year by Senator Charles Schumer and Congressman Anthony Weiner. The Blue Ribbon Panel is a project of Regional Plan Association and National Parks Conservation Association.
- Gateway National Recreation Area - The National Park Service is drafting a new General Management Plan (GMP) for the Gateway National Recreation Area, which encompasses Staten Island, Jamaica Bay and Sandy Hook, NJ. The GMP is considering three different approaches. You can share your opinion on which approach you like best at one of nine November open houses in New York City and New Jersey. Click here for more information.
- Gowanus Canal - Keep up to date with community meetings regarding the Environmental Protection Agency's plans for this new Superfund site by visiting the EPA or the Gowanus Canal Conservancy web site.
- Harlem River - Change is coming to this historic waterway, and communities on both sides are playing major roles. For the latest planning events on the Bronx side of the river, check out the Harlem River Working Group (part of the Bronx Council for Environmental Equality). As for the Manhattan side, several initiatives are in play. The Harlem River Park Task Force works specifically on park space along the waterfront between 125th and 145th Street. Up the shoreline a bit, the NYC Economic Development Corporation has been working on a Sherman Creek Waterfront Esplanade Master Plan. At a visioning session in March, the EDC formed an Advisory Committee; for details on the next meeting of the Committee this fall, email shermancreekwaterfront@nycedc.com. Around the northern bend of the Harlem River, community attention has been focused recently on the abandoned Marine Transfer Station at 135th Street and the Hudson River. WeAct hosted a public meeting about it, and Waterfront and Economic Development Committee of Community Board 9 invited West Harlem residents to come up with ideas for its future. How about using it as a boathouse?
- Hudson-Raritan Estuary Comprehensive Restoration Plan - This collaborative effort between the New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey and the US Army Corps of Engineers/New York District was developed to provide the blueprint for restoration for the entire New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary. For more information about the public information meetings on the Comprehensive Restoration Plan that have taken place throughout the year, go to The Waters We Share.
- Newtown Creek - The City Parks Foundation recently held an Environmental Benefits meeting to find out how the community wants to spend $7 million. What did they decide? Find out here. On Oct. 28, the community gave input on the goals of a Newtown Creek Brownfield Opportunity Area at a planning session sponsored by the Greenpoint Manufacturing & Design Center, Newtown Creek Alliance, and Riverkeeper.
- Rockaways - The Rockaway Waterfront Alliance is in the middle of a series of meetings that are the first phase of a community-based open space vision plan being produced with the Trust for Public Land and urban planners from Jonathan Rose Companies. The next meeting is the Greater Rockaway Brainstorm Meeting on November 10. Click here for details. In November, the input collected from these sessions will be presented to address issues of concern and prioritize projects for implementation.
- Vision 2020: Comprehensive Waterfront Plan - By the end of the year, the Department of City Planning will present its plan for the more than 500 miles of New York Harbor and its tributaries, creeks and bays. The planning process began with public meetings and workshops in each borough in the spring and summer. More than 250 people attend the October 12 meeting at which the draft plan was presented for comment.
We know we can't possibly have listed all the waterfront planning sessions that invited community input. For starters, just think of all the meetings of community board committees with waterfront jurisdictions. Write to WaterWire if we left something important out, or if you'd like to see your particular project highlighted. And keep in mind what Andy Stone from the Trust for Public Land said: "Developing community involvement is key, whether it's for programming or entering into innovative partnerships to make sure the parks are well cared for. We need to make sure that parks reflect the community's goals." (back to top)
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ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TRANSFORMS MARINE PARK
| | With the Phragmites Cleared, A Whole New Park Appears
By Dr. JoAnne Castagna
When I was a girl, I lived near Marine Park in the borough of Brooklyn. I have fond memories of that park but I also distinctly recall abandoned cars along the waterfront and strange odors from nearby landfills. At right, that's my brother and me in Marine Park in the late 70s.
I'm now a writer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and proud to be chronicling this Federal agency's restoration of Marine Park's natural habitat.
In December 2009, the Army Corps' New
 | | The 798-acre public park is primarily a marsh adjacent to Jamaica Bay. The project is restoring 32 acres of marsh and around 20 acres of coastal grassland in portions of Marine Park. |
YorkDistrict, in partnership with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, began work on the Gerritsen CreekMarine Park Ecosystem Restoration Project. It's one of the first ecosystem restoration projects undertaken by the New York District. "Our hope with this habitat restoration project is to not onlyhave an excellent habitat, but to also create a beautiful place for visitors to getclose tonatural wetland habitats," said Dan Falt, a project manager with the Army Corps' civil works branch. "The Army Corps is often required to perform ecosystem restoration work as part of all of its construction projects; however, the environmental work being performed on this project is not a result of construction work. It is a pure environmental project from beginning to end."
In the mid 20th century, developers took dredged sand from nearby Rockaway Inlet and filled in most of the marshland so that the land could be built up to create the community of Marine Park. Over the years, the remaining marsh degraded, due to land fill, dumping and plant overgrowth.
The benefits of restoring the marshland include improved water quality, increased fish and wildlife habitats and a pleasing place for recreation and fishing. To restore the marsh, the Army Corps team removed invasive plants, replanted native plants and removed dredged material, so that the marsh can receive the tide water it needs from Gerritsen Creek.
First, the invasive phragmites -- reedgrass that crowded the soil and blocked sunlight -- was removed (photo at left). "There was a forest of phragmites 12 feet high!" said Falt "After we removed them, we were astonished to see how much land we had."
Then the team removed sand and soil from the marsh areas and placed it in different locations in the park. The sand was graded and contoured to levels that are suitable for a marsh and coastal grassland habitat, so that the salt water tide from Gerritsen Creek can wash over the land and create the growth of spartina marsh and not phragmites. Phragmites doesn't like salt water and will die off.
 Next spring, the team will plant native coastal grasses, which will act as filters for the water, lessening the negative impact caused by run-off and other contaminants.
There are over 80 species of fish and 330 species of birds, some threatened and endangered, in the area. Besides providing the vegetation the wildlife needs to survive, the team will be taking other measures to encourage wildlife to thrive. Osprey nesting poles will be placed in the park to encourage the native birds to breed and live in the area and a two-acre bird sanctuary is being created.
Features will be added to the park to entice the public there as well. Wildlife observation points and new nature trails are being created. Old trails are being restored, with educational signs posted along these paths to inform the public about the park's different species and plant life.
 | | A new trail at Marine Park. |
"With the phragmites down, the public will now be able to see a whole lot more of the park," said Falt. The project will be completed next spring and the land will be open to the public next summer after the newly planted vegetation has grown. I plan on visiting my old park when the project is completed. As Falt said, "This project is kind of historic. The project is one of our first pure ecosystem restoration efforts and will serve as a model for other restoration projects the Army Corps plans on doing in the area," such as the restoration of the marsh islands in Jamaica Bay. This project also advances the goals of the Hudson-Raritan Estuary Comprehensive Restoration Plan, which seeks to develop a mosaic of habitats that provides maximum ecological and societal benefits to the region. This plan was developed by the Army Corps' New York District in partnership with the New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program and the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey in partnership with a diverse group of more than 60 organizations and stakeholders.
To learn more about the Hudson Raritan Estuary Comprehensive Restoration Plan and the Gerritsen Creek Marine Park Ecosystem Restoration Project, please visit www.TheWatersWeShare.org. Dr. JoAnne Castagna is a technical writer-editor for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District. She can be reached at joanne.castagna@usace.army.mil. (back to top)
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OUTRAGE
| | Reactions to the Firing of DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis
Most WaterWire readers are probably aware that New York State Department of Environmental Conservation commissioner Pete Grannis was fired by the Paterson Administration last Thursday night, Oct. 21, while at a ceremony hosted by the New York Water Environment Association honoring him for his environmental stewardship. Reportedly, Mr. Grannis was fired because an internal memo describing the effects of the Paterson Administration's latest proposed cuts to DEC staff and budget was leaked to the Albany Times Union.
Reaction, uniformly negative, poured in from all jurisdictions. The next day, Rob Moore of Environmental Advocates of New York held a press conference to excoriate the Governor's action. According to the EANY, DEC "staff and budget cuts mean that new businesses moving to New York State must wait years for necessary permits and regulatory approvals, while polluters have little fear of enforcement and often escape regulatory oversight."
Read on for more comments from EANY, other environmental organizations and elected officials. Many of these comments were compiled by EANY.
Environmental Advocates of New York - "For decades, Alexander B "Pete" Grannis has been a steadfast champion of New York's environment. The Paterson Administration's staff and budget cuts have put the Department of Environmental Conservation on life support. By firing Pete Grannis, the Governor has effectively pulled the plug on New York's environment."
New York League of Conservation Voters - "The Department of Environmental Conservation was already in crisis mode because of the departure of so many experienced personnel and the likelihood of more layoffs in the wings," said Marcia Bystryn, NYLCV president. "Now without clear leadership, the ability of DEC to fulfill its basic mission of protecting New York's environment is in serious question. The timing of Commissioner Grannis' firing could not be worse: DEC is currently examining some of the most complex and controversial initiatives in a generation, especially hydrofracking for natural gas in the Marcellus and Utica Shale. Virtually every economic development initiative in the state could come to a standstill if DEC does not have the resources to efficiently review the required permits."
Citizens Campaign for the Environment - "The Governor just sent a chilling and frightening message to every government employee -- tell the truth and you will get fired. The disproportionate cuts to the DEC will have dramatic ramifications to every New Yorker. Protecting drinking water, air quality, cleaning up toxic waste site and protecting surface waters are necessities not luxury items. Managing a budget deficit isn't an excuse to endanger the health and welfare of New Yorkers," said CCE executive director Adrienne Esposito.
Natural Resources Defense Council - "Over the years, DEC absorbed significant budget cuts, as did other parts of state government. But Pete and his team, while recognizing that every agency had to make do with less, did not stand idly by as his Department faced round after round of disproportionate staff reductions," said NRDC's senior attorney Eric Goldstein on his blog. "After losing more than 600 people over the past year and a half and with DEC staffing levels at their lowest point in two decades, Pete objected to the most recent order to slash another 200 employees. And he was right to do so... The Commissioner can leave with his head held high and with public thanks for taking a stand on behalf of his beleaguered agency and for his years of devotion to protection of public health and conservation of the state's natural resources."
New York Civic - "The firing of the commissioner, coming eleven days before a statewide election, is so ridiculous that it is difficult to comprehend," wrote former NYC Parks Commissioner Henry Stern from his desk at the good government group New York Civic.
NY State Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee - "The firing of Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis is one more in a long series of examples of the Paterson administration's open hostility to the environment. It is obvious that the performance of Commissioner Grannis was anything but poor. He performed his duty as New York's environmental caretaker with diligence, clarity and fearlessness. Commissioner Grannis stood firm against proposals to cut the DEC to nearly the lowest levels in its history, and he paid for it," said committee chair Robert Sweeney.
NY State Assembly Energy Committee - "Commissioner Pete Grannis was fired for sounding the alarm and because the truth came out about the Department of Environmental Conservation. Budget cuts and staff attrition have pushed the agency to the brink. Instead of rising to the challenge and working to address these serious issues, the Governor's reaction was to fire the one person holding it all together. This wrong-headed move will cost New Yorkers dearly. Looking ahead, even if hydrofracking was safe, DEC does not even come remotely close to having the resources to enforce drilling regulations," said committee chair Kevin Cahill.
Sierra Club, Atlantic Chapter - "The Governor's systematic dismantling of the DEC is reckless-critically endangering human and environmental health," said chair Susan Lawrence. "It will take years to repair the damage Paterson has done to New York's environment."
Adirondack Council - "The firing of Pete Grannis is a sad punctuation on the dismal environmental record of the Paterson Administration," said AC executive director Brian L. Houseal.
Environmental Defense Fund - "The dismissal of Peter Grannis, a multi-decadal environmental statesman, is an act of political timidity and gutlessness reflecting an unwillingness to address the systematic fiscal challenges engulfing the State as well as a disregard for long-term environmental protection and health," said EDF general counsel Jim Tripp.
Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance - "The abrupt dismissal of DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis is unfortunate testament to the dysfunction of the New York State Government," said MWA president and CEO Roland Lewis. "The gross cutbacks and underfunding of this critical state agency may result in environmental calamity. In an era of sea level rise and many other environmental challenges, the consequences of DEC's reduced budget and capacity needs to be addressed, not denied. Pete Grannis is a true servant of the public. He championed the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance's call for an accessible, healthy and vibrant waterfront in the New York Harbor. We wish him the best and hope his call to service continues. We also hope that the next administration will work to protect and improve our environment and help us create a harbor and waterways in the metropolitan area that are usable and used."
National Wildlife Federation - "Governor Paterson's act of firing Pete Grannis betrayed New Yorkers' strong support for environmental protection and a transparent and accountable government," said NWF regional executive direction Curtis Fisher.
American Lung Association/New York - "The Lung Association calls on the state of New York to follow Pete's legacy by restoring much needed funds to DEC and refocusing its resources on cleaning the air we breathe," said president/CEO Scott T. Santarella.
Audubon New York - "This continued dismantling of the DEC... is leaving the state handicapped to protect its citizens, birds and other wildlife from emerging environmental threats, and it is our hope that the next administration reverses this wrongheaded strategy," said executive director Albert E. Caccese.
Clean New York - "The ongoing disproportionate targeting of this agency for cuts and the Commissioner's firing serve only unscrupulous companies that benefit from lack of oversight at the expense of the public's health and welfare," said CNY policy director Kathy Curtis.
On October 28, Governor Paterson appointed Peter Iwanowicz Acting Commissioner of the DEC. (back to top)
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| MWA PARTNER SPOTLIGHT |
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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:
- Freshkills Park
http://www.nyc.gov/parks.freshkillspark
The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation began in 2006 to implement the master plan developed by landscape architecture firm Field Operations. While the full build-out will continue in phases for the next 30 years, development over the next several years will focus on providing public access to the interior of the site and showcasing its unusual combination of natural and engineered beauty. - HabitatMap
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, promote policies that enhance equitable access to urban resources
- Partnership for Parks, Catalyst Program
http://www.partnershipsforparks.org/
Catalyst: Reclaiming the Waterfront is a new four -year initiative of Partnerships for Parks to revive 350 acres of significant, but neglected waterfront parkland in three historically underserved New York City neighborhoods. Catalyst will rejuvenate three major waterfront sites: Soundview Park in the South Bronx; East River Park in Lower Manhattan; and Calvert Vaux & Kaiser Parks in Brooklyn. Catalyst will also support the New York City Water Trail initiative. In collaboration with local groups, residents, and community based organizations, Catalyst will tap into the area's vibrant community in order to connect community members to the parks, facilitate waterfront and greenway access, foster community activities that promote healthy living, and help community stakeholders to establish a common voice for waterfront park stewardship.
- Tug Pegasus Preservation Project
http://www.tugpegasus.org/
Education abut our maritime aboard a NY Harbor artifact. From its inception, TPPP has had a twofold mission: the restoration and preservation of the tug Pegasus, a maritime icon whose very existence tells an important story about the history of the Port of New York/New Jersey, and to interpret the world around the tug Pegasus, by bringing the public out into the waterways of the Port. Naturalists, historians, and marine industry personnel can teach visitors about the harbor's value as a rich natural habitat, a historic waterway that shaped this city's history and a thriving commercial port crucial to today's economy.
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| WATERFRONT NEWS LINKS |
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Community carves a path for the GreenwayThe Riverdale Press, October 28, 2010 Passion and Beauty, Even at a Sewage PlantThe Brooklyn Ink, Oct. 28, 2010 A park on Staten Island's waterfront: That's Kill van CoolStaten Island Advance, Oct. 26, 2010 Details of City's Gowanus Cleanup Revealed at MeetingBrooklyn Eagle, October 26, 2010 Rockaway Program Introduces Queens Teens To Marine Science NY1, October 25, 2010 A nice day on the riverStar-Ledger, October 22, 2010 River stance! City says no to Newtown Creek kayakingThe Brooklyn Paper, October 21, 2010 ' Creek Speak' spills secrets of Superfund siteDaily News, October 19, 2010 DEP Releases Updated Jamaica Bay Watershed Protection Plan WaterWorld, October 18, 2010 Decimated by years of pollution, oysters once again find home in Jamaica BayDaily News, October 6, 2010 (back to top)
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