 News and stories about the waterways of
New York and New Jersey, from the Metropolitan Waterfront AllianceFEBRUARY 16, 2013 |
|
|
CONTENTS
|
Return to Manahatta - Envisioning a more resilient coastline, Borough President Scott Stringer sets aside $3.5 million to build wetlands off Manhattan, among other projects in the East River Blueway Plan
|
|
 Imagine fresh, green wetlands at the shores of Manhattan. Picture them at the end of East 14th Street and at the East River shoreline between Rutgers Slip and the Brooklyn Bridge. If Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer has his way, this is not just a vision of the past, but of the future. New wetlands and other ecological improvements and infrastructure projects, such as enhancing the neglected beach under the Brooklyn Bridge (below) and a new Eco Dock at Stuyvesant Cove, are part of Mr. Stringer's plan to revitalize and protect Manhattan's East River waterfront.  "Our goal," Mr. Stringer said in his State of the Borough address on February 7, "was to redesign an often forgotten stretch of our precious East Side waterfront, from the Brooklyn Bridge to East 38th Street. We wanted to open up the long-neglected area, creating parks, beachfront access and other amenities that would bring people closer to the water. But we also knew that we had to..." READ MORE.
__________________________________________________________
|
DIG THIS: THE 10-YEAR, 38-MILE HARBOR DEEPENING PROJECT IS ALMOST DONE
|
Back in 2004, a giant claw reached down through the water in New York Harbor and took a big bite of muck. It was the start of the New York-New Jersey Harbor Deepening Project, an undertaking by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey that would involve dredging nearly 38 miles of shipping channels between New York and New Jersey to bring them to a safe depth of 50 feet.
The 50-foot deepening project is scheduled for completion in 2014, just in time for the giant post-Panamax ships to call at the Port of New York and New Jersey after having passed through the expanded Panama Canal.
Last month, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, awarded a contract for $41 million to Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company, LLC for the last section of the Harbor Deepening Project -- the Arthur Kill Federal Channel. The contract area to be dredged to 50 feet deep is near the New York Container Terminal, along Newark Bay, New Jersey and the Arthur Kill, Borough of Staten Island, New York.
The final project, now underway, includes drilling, blasting, dredging, and disposal of rock.
_________________________________________________________
|
WHAT'S THAT, BRONX?
SPEAK UP!
|
It's the 19th annual Bronx Parks Speak Up -- Bronx residents' annual opportunity to discuss environmental issues and opportunities face to face with representatives from government agencies and the offices of elected officials. Hundreds are expected at this year's community networking conference.
Presentations will include "Creating Bronx Parks: A Historic Anniversary Presentation" and "Discovering the Bronx River's African-American Heritage." Panel discussions include a Mayoral candidates forum focused on "The Future of Bonx Parks" and "Building Understanding Around Cultural Differences: Learning What Parks Mean to Different Cultures." Workshops include "The History of Hip-Hop in Bronx Parks" ..." READ MORE.
Photo: Mouth of the Hutchinson River at Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx, by Jim Henderson
_______________________________________________________
|
NO OPENING DATES SET FOR LIBERTY AND ELLIS ISLANDS
|
Why is Liberty Island closed three months after Superstorm Sandy blew through in late October? Senator Charles Schumer and others want to know. On February 12, National Park Service Superintendent David Luchsinger responded -- but said he was not able to provide a timeline for reopening. Nor has a reopening date been established for Ellis Island.
Senator Schumer held a press conference at Battery Park in early February to publicize his request to the Department of the Interior for a reopening date for Liberty Island. Tourists need to plan their visits, he reasoned, and hundreds of employees need to return to their jobs.
Currently at Liberty Island, docks are being restored and replaced by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Mr. Luchsinger said many other repairs to the island's infrastructure need to take place before visitors are allowed, including repairs to the promenade and structures surrounding the Statue of Liberty, as well as to electrical systems, wastewater treatment and security screening equipment.
Photo courtesy of the National Park Service
_________________________________________________________
|
SPRING BREAK AT THE JERSEY SHORE!
|
 Hey, everybody: meet you at the Jersey Shore for Spring Break! Sure, it'll be a little chilly -- but then again, if you join the students, faculty and alumni from the New Jersey Institute of Technology in March and April, you won't be sunbathing. This is an alternative Spring Break sponsored by NJIT's College of Architecture and Design, and these good people, hundreds of them, will be volunteering their time to rebuild Jersey Shore communities hit hardest by Superstorm Sandy.  This community service, called (Re)Build New Jersey Strong, is part of the Institute's new Center for Resilient Design, founded late last year in the wake of the devastating storm. The long-term goal is to provide state and local leaders, business owners and residents with actionable 21st century ready-to-build designs and expertise through research, design and actual demonstration projects. The short-term goal, of course, is to help people rebuild. The Center for Resilient Design is hosting a series of lectures and events that are open to the public. The next one, on February 25, 11:30am to 12:30am at the NJIT campus in Newark, features Dan Etheridge, deputy director of Tulane City Center in New Orleans, speaking on "Post Sandy Resilient Design: Lessons from New Orleans." Thomas Dallessio, the Institute's Resilient Design Project Manager, hopes the Center for Resilient Design will become a clearinghouse for innovative design, technique, expertise shared by academic institutions, businesses and NGOs. For more information or to join the good times during Spring Break, contact Mr. Dallessio at thomas.g.dallessio@njit.edu, call 973-596-5872 or go to http://njit-sandy.tumblr.com/. Photos courtesy of New Jersey Institute of Technology_________________________________________________________ |
AHOY! WaterWire speaks with Lucy Ambrosino
|
 Lucy Ambrosino is the Manager of Outreach and New York/New England Sales for the Port Commerce Department of the Port Authority of NY and NJ, where she has been working since 1990. A member of the international freight community since 1975, Lucy has worked for major steamship lines such as CAST, Seatrain Pacific, Mitsui OSK Lines and SEALAND and, just prior to the Port Authority, for the rail company CSX Intermodal. You have extensive experience in the shipping industry. Is this unusual for a woman? When I started women were basically secretaries or they worked in HR. I started as an administrative assistant. They wouldn't put women in sales because they said these guys cuss, but eventually I did go into sales. It was tough. Now there's tons of women in the industry -- although it still is a male-dominated industry. What do you do at the Port Authority?We sell the port. We basically try to make sure companies know the benefits of coming to our port, and we make sure we find out what their needs are. If they need truckers, for example, we can help with lists of trucking companies. There is some satisfaction to knowing you gave them knowledge they didn't have, so that now they can save time, save money, go green. Another part of my outreach is being on the Harbor Safety Navigation and Operations committee -- Harbors Ops for short. I'm working with the waterside of the harbor -- the harbor pilots, the terminals, the Coast Guard, the Army Corps, NOAA. It's a very cooperative group. What's the most important water-related issue to address in NY/NJ Harbor this year? READ MORE._________________________________________________________ |
|
|
sidebar surge
|
BY & LARGEShort items on
waterfront events and issues
Harbor Coalition
Goes to Washington
Spending Superstorm Sandy dollars wisely on projects that protect our urban coastline and benefit the environment -- that's the focus of the NY-NJ Harbor Coalition these days.
Last week Coalition representatives traveled to Washington, DC to meet with the staffs of a half dozen members of our NY-NJ harbor delegation to talk about the many benefits creating waterfront parks, restoring wetlands and oyster reefs, and better protecting our industrial shorelines (and the neighborhoods nearby) would provide for our region. The Coalition is also meeting with officials at Federal agencies that oversee Sandy spending to be sure harbor restoration projects are on their radar screens.
To learn more, get involved or recommend projects you'd like to see considered for funding please visit the Coalition's website or email info@harborcoalition.org.
- Lilo Stainton
__________________________
Romantic Times at Newtown Creek
What could be a more romantic Valentines Day outing than learning about the wastewater treatment process? To the surprise of the Department of Environmental Protection, many people feel this way; so many, in fact, that the DEP had to add an extra tour of the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant on Valentines Day to accommodate the crowds wishing to celebrate love at the digester eggs.
Photos courtesy of the NYC DEP
_________________________
Living With the Water,
Not Fighting It
That's the theme of the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance's 2013 Waterfront Conference, taking place on April 9, 2013, aboard the Spirit of New Jersey. Join Alliance Partners, civic leaders, activists, and decision makers at this important event. Click here for more information on the day's events and tickets.
__________________________
World's Largest Private Yacht Slips Into NYC Under the Cover of Darkness  Staying safely away from most prying eyes, Eclipse -- the world's largest private yacht, owned by Russian tycoon Roman Abramovich -- settled off Liberty Island on February 13, kept company only by the Coast Guard Cutter Hammerhead. Once night fell, the 536-foot yacht slipped uptown, squeezing into a space at the Passenger Ship Terminal. Eclipse is equipped with two helicopter pads, three launch boats and a submarine, not to mention a missile-defense system and an anti-paparazzi shield.  ___________________________
Relive the MWA's
General Assembly Videos and a meeting summary of the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance's General Assembly on November 14, 2012 have been posted on the MWA web site. Click here to see and hear important ideas from participants on rebuilding and resilience.
____________________________
Submit Your Sandy Shots Two local museums are calling for submissions of material about Superstorm Sandy.
The Museum of the City of New York is curating a photography exhibition that will show New York City before, during and after the devastating storm. Novice and professional photographers may submit photographs for a juried exhibition that will open in April. Deadline for entries: 11:59pm, March 3, 2013. For more information, click here.
The Hoboken Historical Museum is gathering stories and photographs about Sandy's impact on residents. Material may be used in the Museum's collections, programs and presentations. Click here to email stories and images or mail them to PO Box 3296, Hoboken, NJ 07030. ________________________
SOS: Sign the Petition
The Save Our Seaport Coalition is collecting signatures on a petition directed to Mayor Bloomberg and the City Council. To ensure the future of the South Street Seaport Historic District and maintain its public purpose, the Coalition asks that disposition of public space in the district to private developers be halted; that a community-based oversight committee be created to study city-owned property at the Seaport and determine its future disposition, uses, and boundaries; that the South Street Seaport Museum be strengthened and expanded; that the NYC Landmark District be aligned with the federal and state boundaries for the South Street Seaport Historic District; and that the New Market Building and Tin Building sites be designated public food hubs and economic development engines as proposed by New Amsterdam Market. Click here for details and to sign the petition.
Comment on the Gowanus Canal Clean-Up Plan
The Environmental Protection Agency's half-billion dollar clean-up plan for the Gowanus Canal includes removal of contaminated sediment, capping dredged areas and new controls to prevent raw sewage overflows. Download the plan here. The EPA has extended the deadline for public comment to April 27, 2013. Click here to email comments to the EPA. Contact Natalie Loney, the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator, with any questions. Comment on the Port Authority's Plan to Raise the Bayonne BridgeRead a thorough explanation of the Bayonne Bridge Navigational Clearance Program here. Written comments may be emailed to Homeland Security on or before February 18, 2013, via www.regulations.gov ________________________ Sunday, February 17Third community workshop on environmental resiliency. 1pm to 3pm, Ocean Village Community Room, 57-07, Shore Front Parkway, Rockaway
Saturday, February 23 Community conference for park and environmental stakeholders. 11am to 5pm, Lehman College Faculty Dining Room,250
Bedford Park Boulevard West, Bronx
NYC Dept. of Environmental Protection Volunteer Day
9:30am-1pm, Midland Beach, Staten Island. 718-595-6599. Tuesday, February 26Wednesday, February 27
Lecture. 6:30pm. Pepperjack Grill, 316 Manor Rd., Staten Island
Thursday, February 28Citywide workshop. 6pm. US Custom House, One Bowling Green. 6pm-8pm, Bronx Art Space, 305 E. 140th Street, Bronx
7pm-9pm. Johnson Community Center, 1820 Lexington Avenue __________ CLASSIFIED ADSPlace your water-related classified ad free in
WaterWire! Contact asimko@waterfrontalliance.org
| |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
WATERFRONT NEWSLINKS
Gowanus Canal Competition Winners Get Creative
"Urban design advocacy group Gowanus By Design hosted a competition for architects and students and received in return 150 renderings depicting fanciful visions for how to cope with the perennially polluted canal. Yesterday the organization announced winners in three categories: urban ecology, architectural design, and community programming..."
Curbed.com, February 14, 2013
EPA questions Bayonne Bridge environmental assessment by Coast Guard
"The Environmental Protection Agency has "fundamental concerns" over a finding by the Coast Guard that raising the Bayonne Bridge would not have a significant environmental impact..."
The Star-Ledger, February 13, 2013
Bayonne Bridge project alarms some Staten Island residents
"Braving the cold and snow, a dozen members of the North Shore community met at the Bayonne Bridge on Sunday morning, Feb. 3, to draw attention to the importance of public participation as the final determinations are made in how the community will be affected by the proposed three-year Bayonne Bridge construction project..."
Staten Island Advance, February 13, 2013
East River Ferry Pier Still Awaits Construction
"GREENPOINT - Nearly two years after the India Street pier opened, it is still blighted with orange netting and construction zones, leading residents and officials to question its safety..."
DNA Info, February 13, 2013
Stevedores Say Unions Let Mob Run Docks
"Mafia-corrupted union bosses threatened to put a stevedore company's boss "in a box" if he didn't cede control of docks to the Longshoremen's union, American Stevedoring claims in court..."
Courthouse News Service, February 11, 2013
In Teeth of Winter, Fixing a Broken Beach for Summer
"...Carpenters set wooden two-by-fours into the herringboned ranks that make a boardwalk. A laborer swung a sledgehammer to drive a stake into the sand, a post for snow fencing that will, for the moment, be New York's version of dune grass..."
The New York Times, February 7, 2013
A Plan Aims to Reconnect Residents With the East River Waterfront
"As New Yorkers have watched the waterfront around Manhattan open up in recent years, one stretch has lagged: the East River waterfront, especially from the Brooklyn Bridge north to 38th Street, where the Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive impedes access, bike lanes are squeezed by development and, now in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, storm surges threaten parkland..."
The New York Times, February 6, 2013
Jamaica Bay kayakers rescued off Broad Channel
"A kayaking trip in Jamaica Bay went dangerously wrong for two men on Saturday afternoon, forcing their dramatic rescue from the 40-degree waters in cold, windy conditions..."
Queens Chronicle, February 4, 2013
______________________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
