 News and stories about the waterways of
New York and New Jersey, from the Metropolitan Waterfront AllianceMARCH 16, 2013 |
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A FIRST: NYC MAYORAL CANDIDATES DISCUSS SEA LEVEL RISE -- ON A BOAT!
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On April 9, 2013, leading candidates for the office of Mayor of New York City will gather at the invitation of the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance to debate, for the first time, the challenge of sea level rise and the future of the City's waterfront. And they'll be doing it on a boat. NY City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, NYC Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, NYC Comptroller John C. Liu, former NYC Comptroller William C. Thompson and Former Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion Jr. will participate in a Mayoral Candidates Forum that will launch the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance 2013 Waterfront Conference.  The forum will be moderated by Christopher O. Ward, chairman of the MWA Board of Directors and former executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Each candidate will give a brief statement describing his or her vision for the waterfront, and then will receive questions from an all-star audience of activists and policy-makers. "Making the City's shoreline more resilient is the most pressing issue..." READ MORE. __________________________________________________________
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SEAPORT LOVERS STORM CITY HALL
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Robert LaValva, president of the New Amsterdam Market, tried to warn the City Council ahead of time. Perhaps you should schedule the March 14 hearing about rezoning part of the South Street Seaport Historic District in a large room, he suggested, since quite a few people were expected to show up. But even Mr. LaValva didn't expect the crowd that filled the hearing room at 250 Broadway, then overflowed the overflow room, then lined up in the lobby, out the door and down Broadway.
In short order, the hearing was moved across Broadway to a larger room at City Hall, and the crowd followed.
They were there to speak about two main issues dovetailing at the Seaport waterfront:
- a plea from retailers and restaurateurs to the Howard Hughes Corporation to postpone an order to vacate Pier 17 -- which is scheduled to be demolished and then reconstructed over a period of two years -- by May 1 and allow them to stay in business through the summer in order to partially recoup severe losses after Superstorm Sandy
- a plea to the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) to put constraints on the rezoning proposal proposed by Howard Hughes in connection with the redesign of Pier 17 that Seaport advocates say will adversely affect the future of the historic district
Offering his statement to City Council members, Mr. LaValva focused on the threat of inappropriate development. "Howard Hughes has a letter of intent to develop the fish market site into a luxury high rise," he said. "The only time to protect the site is now." More than 4,000 people have signed a petition put forth by the Save Our Seaport Coalition about the disposition of public space in the Seaport historic district. Read WaterWire's previous story on the issue, Maritime Heritage in Jeopardy, for details. Next to Mr. LaValva, Tom Berton, owner of the tall ship Clipper City and the company Manhattan by Sail, described his effort and major financial investment to keep Pier 17 open. "I am asking for one thing," he said. "That my viable business and the viable businesses of the Seaport be allowed to operate as long as possible. I have stalled on developing operations for my business; I've not been able to pursue a growth strategy; I've refrained from signing new contracts for private events. Instead, I have spent inordinate amounts of time trying to convince an uninterested developer and a tone-deaf EDC of the dire need for the businesses of Pier 17 to be allowed to operate through the summer of 2013. I've been trying to feed my children and keep from laying off my employees, even though I have a thriving business. That is a real shame."  A rendering of the new Pier 17, from Howard Hughes Corp.
"Is it asking too much for Howard Hughes to delay construction by a couple months, especially when it's going to be so robust this summer?" Council member Margaret Chin demanded... READ MORE _________________________________________________________
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EPA CUTS HEP LOOSE
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The New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program, known as HEP, was founded in 1987 under the auspices of the Environmental Protection Agency to protect this region's Estuary of National Significance, one of 28 across the United States.
Until now, the NY-NJ HEP has been one of only two of the 28 programs (the other is Long Island Sound) not managed by an outside entity. The time has come, however, for the HEP to strike out on its own. Earlier this month, Judith Enck, EPA Region 2 administrator, announced to HEP partners that "the EPA believes that it is in the best interest of the program to transfer HEP to an outside entity."
As HEP director Robert Nyman prepares for this new phase, he is gathering information from other National Estuary Programs and may invite representatives from those programs to participate in a workshop about organization, finances and advocacy. "While a transition will certainly create challenges, it also represents a unique opportunity to grow the program and address limitations posed by the current structure," he told HEP partners in a recent letter announcing the transition.
In an email to WaterWire, he explained further. "A new management structure is being sought to allow for enhanced programmatic flexibility, the ability to seek significant additional sources of funding, and supporting the estuary with outside parties," he said.
HEP recently expanded its geographic footprint to... READ MORE
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RAISING THE BAYONNE BRIDGE: YEAS AND NAYS
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 The raising of the Bayonne Bridge to allow passage of the bigger container ships that will begin to churn through the expanded Panama Canal on their way east in 2015 has spurred great debate. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey asserts that the billion dollar project will be an economic and environmental boon to the region, with newer, cleaner ships visiting the port and fewer vessel calls overall.
Some agree; others do not. Below are excerpts from statements by individuals, agencies and civic organizations. Click here for the ends of the excerpted paragraphs. All submitted testimony may be read here.
From our perspective, it is not unreasonable to think that the reconfiguration of the Bayonne Bridge could serve as a gateway to further dredging and port development. Before that happens, it seems to us irresponsible not to assess the cumulative impact of dredging and harbor infrastructure...
- The Citizens Advisory Committee, New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program
Our support for the project presumes that the Port Authority will increase and expand upon current efforts to work with the city of Newark and Newark-based community groups on reducing the air quality impacts to our neighborhoods from existing and prospective truck and ocean vessel emissions as well as...
- Mayor Cory Booker, City of Newark
The proposed modification is necessary if the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is to remain competitive with other U.S> East Coast Ports that don't have channel depth or bridge restrictions. In fact...
- Al Gebhart, senior vice president, Maersk Lines
The scope of this EA is too narrow. There should be an Environmental Impact Statement in order to take into account effects that were not covered in the EA, and to...
- Laura Lynch
We believe this increase in air draft will have a positive effect on the region's environment as the newer ships meet the highest environmental standards currently available, as well as...
- Carleen Lyden-Kluss, co-founder/executive director, NAMEPA (North American Marine Environment Protection Association)
The Draft Environmental Assessment fails to take the requisite "hard look" in order to determine if the project may result in potentially significant effects. Further, errors in the...
- Melissa Lin Perrella, senior attorney, Natural Resources Defense Council
Essentially, the MWA recognizes the significant value to the New York Metropolitan Area of raising the Bayonne Bridge. A port able to accept more energy-efficient and clean ships will contribute to the short-term environmental and economic sustainability of the region. However, it is critical that this project not allow us to become complacent about the need for long-term solutions to the impacts from increased and mega-sized global shipping...
- Roland Lewis, president and chief executive officer, Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance
Photo by Jim Henderson
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Welcome to the debut of a new column by
MWA's new Ferry Transit Program Manager, Harrison Peck The Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance is pleased to announce the launch of our new Ferry Transit Program. We believe that the dream of a five-borough ferry system -- an interconnected network of blue highways that can transport New Yorkers from Coney Island to Yankee Stadium or from Astoria to St. George, from home to work, or to safety in times of crisis -- is achievable. After all, ferry service that is affordable, reliable, and well-integrated with other modes of mass transit can lead to less congested trains and roads, cleaner air, and rapid response to emergencies, all at a fraction of the capital costs of rail and road infrastructure.
No one put it better than MWA president Roland Lewis in the February 17th issue of Crain's. Reminding us of how much people rely on ferries, Roland's op ed also strongly advocated for a transit subsidy to keep ferry fares affordable for all New Yorkers. Those of you attending the MWA's Waterfront Conference on April 9th, to be held aboard Entertainment Cruises's Spirit of New Jersey, will find a panel devoted to the topic of ferries as critical emergency response and recovery assets. Roland, the MWA staff and I look forward to working with New York's waterfront enthusiasts on the Ferry Transit Program. If you'd like to contact me, Harrison Peck, please email hpeck@waterfrontalliance.org
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BY & LARGE
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Short items on
waterfront events and issues
Bronx Gets Another
East River Access Point
Another 1.2 acres of city waterfront property in the Hunts Point neighborhood, adjacent to Barretto Point Park, will be converted to recreational space, the NYC Department of Environmental Protection announced. After a four- to six-month environmental remediation, the land will be transferred to the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation. "As we continue to look for opportunities to expand fishing, boating, and other recreational uses of our waterways, this newly converted land will provide residents with an important open space and an additional access point to the East River," said NYC DEP Commissioner Carter Strickland.
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USMX and ILA Move Closer to Final Master Contract
On March 13, the Master Contract for International Longshoremen's Association members at East and Gulf Coast ports moved closer to final approval after the union's Wage Scale Committee endorsed the six-year agreement. The contract now goes to ILA's 14,500 members and to members of the U.S. Maritime Alliance for ratification. For details, read this story at the Star-Ledger.
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Seal Watch Cruise:
A Great Day Trip!
The two-hour Seal Watch Cruise on March 10 offered by the Riverhead Foundation and the New York Sailing Club for $19 was sold out. Morris Handelman and Hope Wright, both off-duty US Coast Guard Auxiliary Marine Safety Officers from Division 12, were on the boat and are reporting a great trip and lots of marine life, including harbor seals, dolphins, oyster catchers and cormorants. Cruises are offered through April.
Photos by Hope Wright
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WW Follow-UpCorrections, clarifications, updates, and letters to the editorDistinctive New York Lofts Available and Free to the First... Osprey The story in the last edition of WaterWire on the resurgence of osprey -- magnificent bids of prey migrating north this month through the metropolitan area -- elicited responses. As readers will recall, the New York Harbor Osprey Initiative is putting up nesting platforms near Bush Terminal Piers Park in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and at the end of Yankee Pier on Governors Island. Reread the story here. Bart Chezar of the NY Harbor Osprey Initiative wrote in. "We won't initially have web cams," he clarified. "If osprey occupy the platforms, I hope (if I can raise funding) to install them." Mr. Chezar added that he knows of an osprey platform in Marine Park, and that he is discussing an osprey platform in the water off Brooklyn Bridge Park. "I hope the osprey appreciate all this new housing for them," he said. Chrissy Ward, director of public programs at Rocking the Boat in the Bronx wrote, "I read the article in WaterWire about the osprey and the two platforms going in. That's great news! Actually, we installed a platform here on the Bronx River at the site of the Waterwash ABC restoration last year. It was built by two Service Learning students and installed last May (see photo below). We're keeping our fingers crossed that it attracts a nesting pair this year. I observed osprey regularly last season including three at the same time one day last summer. We're working on another Service Learning project to assist tree swallows by building and installing nest boxes in Soundview Park."  WaterWire also heard from Michael Anton, Dept. of Sanitation photographer. "For the past several years a family of osprey has nested at Fresh Kills, the site of a former landfill. It's a stunning example of returning wildlife," he said.  Photo: Michael Anton, New York City Department of Sanitation ________________________
SOS: Sign the Petition
The Save Our Seaport Coalition is collecting signatures on a petition directed to Mayor Bloomberg and the City Council. The Coalition is asking 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 New Market Building and Tin Building sites be designated public food hubs and economic development engines; and more. 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. ________________________
EVENTS Monday, March 18NYC's Special Initiative for Rebuilding and Resiliency local workshop. 7:30pm, 160 Beach 29th St., Far Rockaway
Tuesday, March 19 NYC's Special Initiative for Rebuilding and Resiliency local workshop. 7pm, NYU Kimmel Center for University Life,
60 Washington Square South, Manhattan Wednesday, March 20Thursday, March 21
6:30pm. Charles A. Dana Discover Center, Central Park, 110th Street
Fri., Mar. 22 - Sun., Mar. 2412pm-9pm, Garden State Exhibit Center, 50 Atrium Dr, Somerset NJ Lecture. 6pm. Pratt Institute, 144 W. 14th Street Sunday, March 24
11am
Click here for more events on MWA's online calendar! To post an event, contact Louis Kleinman __________ CLASSIFIED ADSPlace your water-related classified ad free in
WaterWire! Contact asimko@waterfrontalliance.orgNYC Parks and the National Park Service are issuing Requests for Proposals for the installation, operation and maintenance of kayak/canoe rental stations, bike rental stations, and mobile food units in Jamaica Bay, the Rockaway Peninsula and Gateway National Recreation Area. All proposals must be submitted by April 8, 2013 at 3pm. There will be a recommended meeting and site tour on March 20, 2013 at 10am. RFPs may be downloaded at www.nyc.gov/parks/businessopportunities; click on the "Concessions Opportunities at Parks." For details, contact Lauren Standke at 212-360-3495 or lauren.standke@parks.nyc.gov.
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WATERFRONT NEWSLINKS
Dolphin still hanging around in NYC's East River
"A dolphin spotted in New York City's East River is still there a day later and does not appear to be sick or injured..."
Asbury Park Press, March 14, 2013
Governors Island's New Park Space Readies For October
"...Construction is rapidly moving forward on 30 acres of new park space that includes ball fields, a grove of trees strung with hammocks and playful greenery with maze-like hedges, all of which is slated for an Oct. 30 ribbon cutting, Leslie Koch, president of The Trust for Governors Island, told members of Community Board 1 recently..."
DNA Info, March 11, 2013
An Osprey's Amazing Migration from Colombia to Jamaica Bay
"Tracking one bird to South American and back."
Audubon Magazine, March 8, 2013
Map Plots Rising Seas Street by Jersey Street
"While superstorm Sandy revealed the Northeast's vulnerability, a new map by New Jersey scientists suggests how rising seas could make future storms even worse..."
Wall Street Journal, March 5, 2013
Seawalls, dismissed by mayor, get attention
"...With a reference to the 11th century Danish ruler, the mayor dismissed the notion of seawalls with characteristic certainty. But the possibility of storm surge barriers in New York Harbor is alive and well inside the administration, which is preparing a master plan for rebuilding a more storm resilient city. The idea is "the elephant in the room," one administration official said, and addressing it one way or another will be a major component of the report expected to be released in May...."
Crain's New York, March 8, 2013
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announces first purchase of storm-ravaged city land to give it 'back to Mother Nature'
"...The Sandy-ravaged Staten Island neighborhood of Oakwood Beach will be first in line for the state's new policy of buying up waterfront properties vulnerable to storms, Gov. Cuomo said..."
Daily News, February 25, 2013
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