With over 620 participants, including all of the region's key waterfront officials and advocates, the MWA 2010 Waterfront Conference on November 30 proved to be fertile ground for exchange of information and viewpoints. "It was a testament to the strength and momentum of our burgeoning movement -- the Blue Movement -- for a revitalized New York/New Jersey harbor and waterway," said Roland Lewis, Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance President. "The collaboration and exchange of ideas that took place will serve as the foundation for years of work to realize our shared vision of a open, healthy, and dynamic waterfront for all to share."

Some speakers disclosed new programs. To delighted applause, NYC Dept. of City Planning Director Amanda Burden announced new East River ferry service starting next May. The city-subsidized service will be year-round for at least two years, running every hour on the hour and every 15 minutes during peak commuting times. "It will change the city," she said.

Ms. Burden wasn't the only government leader making a serious commitment at the morning plenary session. Deputy Mayor Robert Steel promised to continue the City's work in reactivating railroad tracks to the waterfront, starting with those at 65th Street in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

Courtesy of the New York Container Terminal

Mr. Steel also reiterated a commitment by the city earlier this year to develop Berth 4 at Staten Island's New York Container Terminal, one of the city's largest cargo ports. "The recent economic slowdown has not weakened our resolve to reclaim the waterfront," he declared. "If anything, it's strengthened our resolve." A few minutes later, NYC Economic Development Corp. President Seth Pinsky added comments about the expansion of the NY Container Terminal, saying the EDC is looking to replicate the success of the new SIMS recycling facility at Sunset Park, which receives 80% of goods by barge and eliminates 150,000 truck trips annually. Opening up Berth 4, he said, would increase activity at the terminal by 75%.

NYC Dept. of Environmental Protection commissioner Cas Holloway speaks, as, from left to right, Deputy Mayor Robert Steel, NYC Parks Dept. commissioner Adrian Benepe, NYC Dept. of City Planning commissioner Amanda Burden and NYC Director of Sustainability David Bragdon listen.

The topic switched from the working waterfront to the environment when NYC Dept. of Environmental Protection Commissioner Cas Holloway took the microphone. He told the crowd that the DEP is working with the Environmental Protection Agency and the State Dept. of Environmental Conservation to get the recently announced NYC Green Infrastructure Plan approved. Once approval is gained, the City will begin developing a Green Infrastructure Fund, creating an inter-agency partnership, partnering with community groups and building demonstration projects. In a related City plan, Version 2 of PlaNYC will be released in April, said David Bragdon, the City's Director of the Mayor's Office of Long-Term Planning & Sustainability.

Bob Martin, Commissioner of the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, discussed the transformation of the NJ DEP and said the agency was close to releasing new waterfront access regulations.

After Empire State Development Corporation Executive Director Peter Davidson contributed the state perspective, Captain Linda Fagan, Commander of Coast Guard Sector NY and Captain of the Port of NY-NJ, and Col. John Boule, Commander of US Army Corp of Engineers, New York District, offered the federal harborwide approach, speaking about about navigation challenges and waterfront development, as well as about partnership with the City administration. "We have a vision for a world class harbor estuary," Col. Boule said, referring to the Comprehensive Restoration Plan for the Hudson-Raritan Estuary, an important document released by the Army Corps and the Port Authority in cooperation with dozens of agencies and organizations.

Chris Ward, Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, summed up the morning plenary session by commenting on the "sense of real mission" that he discerned at the conference and at waterfronts all across the metropolitan region. The challenge, he said, is to focus on resolving conflicts and "not let time be our enemy."

Throughout the day, panelists, moderators and audience members offered ideas, expertise and passion to the discourse. "The water is a new territory that needs just as much planning as we've given to the land," Ms. Burden declared. She noted that Vision 2020: The New York City Comprehensive Waterfront Plan, which will be released by the end of the year, had received more than 500 comments from the public.

"But how do you pull in the dollars?" asked Michael Northrop, a program director at the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, at one point, voicing the question on everyone's mind. "We need a coalition that's unified, and we must communicate in an organized way. We have to be in Washington, DC."

Waterfront maven Tom Fox, President of the Harbor Experience Companies, had one of the last words as the conference drew to a close. "Think creatively about filling boats, such as the ones going back empty in the Rockaway run," he said. "The water is sitting there calling to us. How do we marshall public and private forces, and most important, the political will? There's hope because there's young people here. All these young people ready to take up the cudgel when we falter. The waterfront is hot!" (back to top)