| Low Tide 3:08am | High Tide 9:28am | Low Tide 3:38pm | High Tide 9:59pm* |
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Maritime Monarchs
As she did in 2008, Queen Mary 2
(shown above at sunset three years ago, crosswise on the Hudson River, maneuvering to join her sister Queens) will meet up with Queen Victoria and the new Queen Elizabeth for a royal rendezvous at the Statue of Liberty on
Thursday, January 13. It will be a grand sight, complete with fireworks.
Find out more in the story below.
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announcing a new WaterWire service
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CALL FOR ARTISTS
Artists wanted for "Creatures of the Deep" exhibition aboard the Waterfront Museum. One or two entries may be submitted. Large works encouraged. All media considered. Contact Karen Gersch at keg37@verizon.net
CAMP INTERNSHIP
Develop a hands-on marine environmental science curriculum for SUNY Maritime College's summer Maritime Adventure Camp for middle school students. For more information, email rcrafa@sunymaritime.edu.
NY/NJ BAYKEEPER POSITIONEnvironmental advocacy group seeks a full-time Policy Associate and Campaign Coordinator. For a full job description, email testa@nynjbaykeeper.org. Applications due before Jan. 17.
DOCKMASTERSupervising dockmaster needed for NYC Parks-managed marinas, including the W. 79th Street Boat Basin, World's Fair Marina or Sheepshead Bay Marina. Email grow@parks.nyc.gov for more info. Resumes due by Jan. 14.
BOATING INSTRUCTORFun-loving instructors needed to teach middle school students sailing, powerboating and kayaking skills at summer camp. For details, email rcrafa@sunymaritime.edu.
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Department of Corrections
(letters from readers)
To the editor:
Please note that the new waterfront park in Staten Island ["New Waterfront Parks for the City," WaterWire, December 13, 2010] is not Seaside Nature Park, (Brooklyn, NY), but Seaside Wildlife Nature Park.
Any update about when the shoreline along Staten Island's Front Street will be developed? It is prime shoreline that is in deplorable condition! It would be nice to see a seashore park, comparable to the Hudson River Park, from the Staten Island Ferry Terminal to Fort Wadsworth. Only time and money will tell if it will be developed in my lifetime (now age 66).
- Claudia Toback |
 Events on the Waterfront
Click links for details. For a full calendar of waterfront events, visit:
www.waterfrontalliance.org/calendar
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January 11
Workshop: Bronx River Watershed Initiative
10a-12p, Westchester County Ctr., White Plains; 1p-3p, Rocking the Boat, 812 Edgewater Rd., Bronx
January 12
Workshop: Rockaway Waterfront Alliance
7p, Meditation Rm., Peninsula Hospital,
5115 Beach Channel Dr., Arverne, NY
January 13
Film: City of Water
7p, CB6, Stuyvesant Town Community Center, 16th St. Loop
Spectacle: Three Queens Rendezvous
6p-8p, NY Harbor (see story at right) |
MWA Blue Bulletin Board |
WHAT'S YOUR STORY?WaterWire wants to know about your organization. Pitch us a story idea! Write to Alison at asimko@waterfrontalliance.orgMWA ADDRESS
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.
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| CONTENTS: January 7, 2011 | Time to Weigh in on the Estuary's Comprehensive Restoration Plan
Make time to attend one of the public meetings and contribute your opinions
Orchard Beach Renewal is Underway
Army Corps of Engineers is reusing sand dredged from Ambrose Channel
Adam Green: One Happy Fellow
The Rocking the Boat founder is named one of the first NYC Venture Fellows
State Task Force Publishes Proposed Response to Climate Change
NYC is not completely on board
Governor Cuomo Names New DEC Commissioner
Say hello to Joe Martens
Royal Rendezvous
Three Cunard Queens will meet in the Harbor next week
Making Sure You Don't Miss the Boat
A new WaterWire department that identifies vessels on our waterways
Meet Some MWA Partners!
Newslinks
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HOW CAN YOUR WATERFRONT BE PART OF
THE COMPREHENSIVE RESTORATION PLAN?
| | Upcoming Meetings Let People Tailor Plan to Local Needs
The draft Comprehensive Restoration Plan for the Hudson-Raritan ecosystem, a sweeping draft blueprint put forth by the New York District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the New York/New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program (HEP), is being introduced to the public in two informational meetings this month.
- Lower Hudson River Planning Region
Public information meeting in conjunction with the Harbor Estuary Program Restoration Work Group
Restoration Conference
January 20, 2011
US Custom House, One Bowling Green
9am-4pm restoration conference
6pm-8pm CRP outreach
- Arthur Kill and Kill van Kull Planning Region
Public information meeting
January 25, 2011 (snow date: January 26)
City Hall, 50 Winfield Scott Plaza, Elizabeth, NJ
2pm-4pm day session (2:30pm presentation)
6pm-8pm evening session (6:30pm presentation)
The Plan identifies 11 habitat and ecological targets for restoration, and calls for the establishment of tidal wetlands, oyster reefs, eelgrass beds, islands for waterbirds and coastal and maritime forests. The reversal of human-induced degradation and the improvement of public access throughout the estuary are also priority goals. At both meetings there will be special emphasis on restoration projects and opportunities specific to the local planning region. In preparation for the meeting, you are invited to review the draft plan, available for download here. Attendees may RSVP to Kate Boicourt. (back to top)
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| ORCHARD BEACH RESTORATION UNDERWAY | | Army Corps to Use Dredged Sand from Ambrose Channel
Underway for two months, the Orchard Beach Shoreline Protection Project is scheduled to be completed in time for the start of the 2011 beach season. When the project broke ground on October 29, 2010, representatives from the Army Corps of Engineers joined Rep. José Serrano, Rep. Joseph Crowley, NYC Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, Deputy Bronx Borough President Aurelia Greene, District Manager Kenneth Kearns, Bronx Borough Commissioner, Hector M. Aponte, and Community Board 10 Chair Virginia Gallagher for a celebratory ceremony.
Originally constructed by the City of New York in the 1930's, Orchard Beach serves as a major draw for residents of the Bronx and its surrounding communities. Last year more than 1.4 million or close to 14,000 residents per day visited the beach. The beach's last renourishment occurred in 1964.
Over the years the beach has lost a tremendous amount of sand due to tides, winds, waves and storms. The Corps project will help combat erosion at the beach by replacing lost sand, re-grading the south end of the shoreline, and repairing and extending the south jetty 350 feet to help inhibit erosion. It will make the beach safer by relieving overcrowding and eliminating drop-off zones which represent potential drowning hazards.
An Army Corps of Engineers contractor positions stones as part of the Orchard Beach Replenishment project. Photo by Christopher Gardner, USACE.
"This project represents an outstanding investment of public dollars to provide the great people of the Bronx with a first-class recreational beach in these tough economic times," said Col. John R. Boulé, commander, Army Corps of Engineers New York District. "We're excited to be partnering with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation to restore Orchard Beach."
Col. Boulé also pointed out that this project is the culmination of more than a decade's worth of work and made it a point to thank the project delivery team including, Anthony Ciorra, Frank Verga, David Yang, Diane Rahoy, Robert Smith, Peter Womack and Ellen Simon. "I can't say enough about the tireless work done by district personnel on this project," he said.
More than 250,000 cubic yards of sand will be used to restore the popular crescent-shaped beach. "The people of the Bronx will soon have a restored, functional and expansive Orchard Beach, as it was envisioned by its creators decades ago, when it was called the Riviera of the Bronx," said Rep. Serrano.
A contractor for the Army Corps of Engineers rearranges sand as part of the Orchard Beach Replenishment project. Photo by Kenneth Wells, USACE
Construction will have minimal impact on the environment because the construction window has been shaped so it occurs during the offseason, conforms to air emissions standards and doesn't have a negative environmental impact on the winter flounder spawning season.
The plan is to dredge sand from Ambrose Channel, an area where the sand composition is similar to the original 1934 mixture brought in from the Rockaways and Sandy Hook, NJ. The material will be transported into Long Island Sound by a hopper-dredge vessel and delivered to the beach through 3,500 feet of underwater hose. The hose will connect to piping on the beach and be slurried into place.
Although portions of the beach will be closed during the construction process, visitors will be able to view the sand replenishment work from the promenade, giving them a visual of precisely how their tax dollars are being used to produce quality work that will be beneficial to the community for years to come.
"This project represents an exciting first step to expand and replenish Orchard Beach's shores - opening access to this popular beach and preserving it for generations to come," said Rep. Crowley. "After years of severe erosion, Orchard Beach is in dire need of restoration to transform it back to the treasure it once was. Together, with NYC Parks and the Corps of Engineers, we will ensure Bronx residents have a beautiful beach right in their backyard that can be enjoyed for years to come."
The Orchard Beach Shoreline Protection Project is scheduled to cost $13 million. It's a cost-sharing partnership, with $7 million in funding provided by the Army Corps and $6 million provided by the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. The contractor for this project is Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company of Oak Brook, IL. The project is scheduled to be completed before the beginning of the 2011 summer beach season. (back to top)
By Kenneth Wells
Public affairs specialist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, NY District
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ROCKING THE BOAT FOUNDER/DIRECTOR NAMED A NYC VENTURE FELLOW
| |  Adam Green is One of 23 Entrepreneurs Selected for Program's First Year
The New York City Venture Fellows are a joint program, just launched last month, between the NYC Economic Development Corporation and Fordham University. The new program aims to help outstanding entrepreneurs achieve the next stage of growth for their organizations by connecting them with a team of business mentors.
 Adam Green, founder and executive director of Rocking the Boat, a nonprofit organization that empowers the young people of the South Bronx by teaching them boat building and boat handling skills, is one of the first 23 Fellows to be named to the new program. "Half of us are international, half are from New York City, and only I and one other run non-profits," he giddily reported to his listserv.
Later, he spoke to WaterWire. "The fellowship is introducing me to an amazing new network of highly successful people who are already helping to bring new ideas and resources to Rocking the Boat," he said. "I am deeply honored to be included among such an exclusive group."
(back to top)
Left, Rocking the Boat students dock their handbuilt boats. Above, students work on a new boat.
Photos by Joaquin Cotten. |
DEC SEA LEVEL RISE TASK FORCE PUBLISHES FINAL REPORT
| |  NYC Does Not Agree with All of State's Findings
Three years ago, the NY State Legislature created the Sea Level Rise Task Force and gave it a home with the Department of Environmental Conservation. Its mission: to address the impacts of climate change on the state's coastlines and to produce an action plan to protect coastal communities and shoreline habitats.
The final report of the task force, published on December 31, 2010, finds it very likely that future powerful storms combined with sea level rise due to climate change will adversely affect life and infrastructure in New York. "This vulnerability will increase in area and magnitude over time," the report states.
The State's report does not have the City's full approval. The Bloomberg Administration is concerned that the report advocates implementing climate-change measures too swiftly, and that such implementation will stifle development. As reported by DNAInfo, Adam Freed, deputy director of the Mayor's Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability, commented that some of the report's recommendations "are not supported by thorough scientific, environmental, or cost-benefit analysis [and] do not recognize the differences between undeveloped areas and densely-populated cities... since this analysis has not been done, we do not fully understand the potential impacts of sea level rise and storm surge on coastal infrastructure and communities - much less many of the intended and unintended consequences of the proposed policy recommendations in the draft report." The Bloomberg Administration's long-term sustainability and climate-resiliance plan, PlaNYC, published its own climate resilience report -- Climate Change Adaptation in New York City -- last May.
 All comments on the draft report may be seen here on the DEC web site.
The report concludes that its "findings coalesce around the need for immediate action. Every day, New York's residents, governments and businesses make decisions that affect the future vulnerability of the state's coastline. The magnitude and scope of the challenge posed by sea level rise require that releveant and accurate information about climate risk, resilience and adaptation become part of these everyday decisions." (back to top)
Large aerial photo of the Rockaways by Jay Tanski. Small photo by an unidentified photographer shows damage from the 1938 hurricane in the City of Long Beach, New York.
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NEW YORK STATE HAS A NEW DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION COMMISSIONER
| | Governor Cuomo Nominates Joseph Martens
Joseph Martens, President of the Open Space Institute, Chair of the Olympic Regional Development Authority in upstate New York and Chair of the Adirondack Lake Survey Corporation which monitors Adirondack lakes and streams, has been nominated by Governor Cuomo to the position of Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation. He will relieve the Acting Commissioner, Peter Iwanowitz, who took over when Governor Paterson fired Alexander "Pete" Grannis last year.
"Joe knows how to strike the critical balance between defending our natural resources from pollution and destruction while at the same time fostering a climate of economic renewal and growth. His experience and record as a competent and productive manager will breathe life into this vital agency," the Governor stated in a press release.
Mr. Martens' nomination was cheered by the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, the Waterkeeper Alliance and the National Resources Defense Council, among other groups reacting to the news. "The Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance looks forward to continued close work with DEC and its new Commissioner, Joe Martens, to untap the potential of the great New York harbor to make it a place that is healthy, vibrant and accessible for all New Yorkers," said MWA president Roland Lewis. "Commissioner Martens' long record of innovative environmental and open space leadership will make him a natural and strong ally in this effort."
"We are at a crossroads for the environmental movement in New York State and I know that Joe will continue to be a leader in the fight to preserve our great state's landscape, environment, and natural resources," commented Waterkeeper Alliance chair Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
"Joe Martens' experience, judgment, and temperament make him the right person at the right time to meet the challenges that DEC faces," said Ashok Gupta, from the NRDC. "He has the support and key relationships with the business and environmental community that will allow him to hit the ground running." (back to top)
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ROYAL RENDEZVOUS
| | Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth to Sweep Into New York Harbor
Three maritime monarchs in full regalia -- Cunard's flagship RMS Queen Mary 2, the MS Queen Victoria and the new MS Queen Elizabeth -- will gather near the Statue of Liberty around 6pm on January 13. This is only the second time in Cunard's history that its three ships have met in New York. The first meeting of the monarchs occurred in January 2008, when the QM2 and the QV converged to bid the Queen Elizabeth 2 farewell as she steamed out of NYC toward retirement in Dubai.
This is the maiden voyage of the new QE to New York. She is not known as the QE3 because she is a "Motor Ship;" hence the "MS" before her name. The original Queen Elizabeth and the QE2 were classified as RMS -- "Royal Mail Ship" -- vessels, a designation that referrs to the way mail used to cross the Atlantic.
When built in 2003, the QM2 was the largest ocean liner in the world; that superlative was taken from her three years later with the debut of Royal Caribbean International's Freedom of the Seas. At 1,132 feet, the QM2 is five times longer than Cunard's first ship, Britannia (230 ft.). She announces her royal presence with a blast from a powerful whistle. An A, two octaves below middle A, the QM2's whistle, aka "horn," can be heard ten miles away. Of her three whistles, one is from the Queen Mary of 1936. Click here to get to the QM2's live web cam. On January 6 she was approaching small boats off the Virgin Islands.
Three years ago, the Queen Mary 2 turned ponderously in the Hudson River as she got ready to meet her sister Queens. A glimpse of the Battery Park City esplanade at lower right shows how close the ship came to land! Photo: Matt Breitenbach
Grucci fireworks will add to the pageantry starting around 6:45pm. The best viewing opportunities for landlubbers are the esplanade of Battery Park, southern Battery Park City at Wagner Park and the Jersey City promenade. Want to get even closer to the royal trio? Suggestions are below.
- Spirit Cruises is offering dining and dancing aboard the Three Queens Fireworks Dinner Cruise for $87.90 (adults) and $43.95 (children). The boat departs from Chelsea Piers at 5:30pm. Click here for more information.
- Join the Seaport Museum New York and the World Ship Society on a boat departing from Pier 78 (West 38th Street) at 5:30pm.The $50 charge ($40 for Seaport Museum members) does not include food and drink, which will be available for purchase. Call 212-748-8786 for reservations.
- New York Water Taxi is offering a jaunt to see the Queens for $65, which includes champagne and appetizers. The NY Water Taxi departs Pier 17 at 6pm and returns at 8pm. Click here for more information and to make reservations.
- Book the Statue Cruises trip to see the Queens for $129 (full dinner buffet and open bar; $75 for children). The cruise leaves Liberty Landing Marina at 5pm, picks up folks in Battery Park at 5:30pm, and heads back out to the Harbor for the royal party until 9pm. Click here for details.
- Time a Staten Island Ferry or a NY Waterway ferry right and you're in for a great, free show! (back to top)
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DON'T MISS THIS BOAT
| |  Vessel: Harmen Oldendorff
Owned by: Oldendorff is a global shipping company that carries more than 150 million tons of cargo annually to some 125 countries. The company is based in the Hanseatic city of Lubeck, Germany.
Seen: heading north on the Hudson River
Date: December 21, 2010
What was on board: Coal from Santa Marta, Colombia, on its way to Newburgh, NY
Interesting fact: Harmen Oldendorff is a gravity self-unloader and can discharge without shore cranes. Because her discharge system is enclosed, there is no spillage or dust.
Photographer: Robert Simko
Have you seen a vessel that you're curious about? Click here to send a photograph to this new WaterWire department. We'll do some research and publish what we find out, along with your photo. (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:
- Alt. Technica LTD
http://www.alt-technica.com/
Alt.Technica provides design solutions with creativity, sensitivity to materials,technical proficiency, cost savings, ease of maintenance, and basic aesthetic principles to integrate photovoltaics into urban and natural landscapes.
- Bayonne Drydock and Repair Corporation
http://www.bayonnedrydock.com/
Our mission is to create a more livable built environment, operating at a high level of ecological function, through the integration of green utilities.
- Destination: Jersey City
http://www.destinationjerseycity.com/
Destination Jersey City advocates to promote Jersey City.
- The Institute for Rational Urban Mobility
http://www.irum.org
IRUM was formed to study and promote the enhanced livability and increased economic competitiveness of New York City and other dense urban areas through a program of innovative transport reforms. (back to top)
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| WATERFRONT NEWSLINKS |
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Rising Sea Levels Have City and State at OddsDNAInfo, January 4, 2011 Residents: Idling Cruise Ships Choking BrooklynCBS NY, January 3, 2011 Bayonne residents praise Port Authority plans for Bayonne Bridge The Jersey Journal, January 3, 2011 Admiral's Row relic at Brooklyn Navy Yard is sending out an SOSNew York Daily News, December 23, 2010 Surfing in Winter A Leap of Faith Wall Street Journal, December 20, 2010 EPA or DEP for CSOs? Sorting Through the Gowanus Canal Cleanup EffortsBrooklyn Daily Eagle, December 20, 2010 Ban on Kayaking in Newtown Creek Is Over, Lentol ReportsBrooklyn Daily Eagle, December 17, 2010 Fate of Plum Beach Still Uncertain, Say ExpertsBrooklyn Daily Eagle, December 14, 2010 A Race to Capture a Bounty From ShippingThe New York Times, December 12, 2010
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