photo credit: Laphoto1on Flickr
At Tuesday's Informational Meeting On Gowanus Superfund Designation
I don't know about you, dear Reader, but Mayor Bloomberg's opposition to having the toxic Gowanus Canal designated a Superfund site by EPA infuriates me.
After almost eight years in office, the best Mayor Bloomberg's administration could come up with as far as a clean-up plan, was to have City Planning rezone the polluted shores of the Gowanus Canal from industrial to residential, leaving it up to the developers to remove toxins before capping the soil with a layer of cement.
Obviously, that's a band-aid approach to a pollution problem of great magnitude.
Now, that EPA is stepping in, he doesn't want their help. That frankly doesn't surprise me. Allowing the federal government to take control would only shed light on the fact that the Bloomberg administration wasn't really serious about a thorough cleanup.
As someone commented yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg seems to be more concerned about cigarette smoke and trans-fats than about the hazardous toxins in the waters of the Gowanus.
Frankly, allowing development along the canal before such a comprehensive remediation is almost criminal especially since his administration knew the severity of the pollution.
If they didn't, they were just incompetent.
In my humble opinion, it is time for Bloomberg to step aside and let EPA take a shot at cleaning the canal. More importantly, he should be gracious enough to move over after two terms instead of seeking a third one.
Because if he didn't get it cleaned in 8 years, he won't get it done in 12.
What's your opinion?
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12 comments:
From the news:
Gowanus Superfund: Toll Brothers Lobbying Hard
Toll Brothers has hired the Geto/Demilly PR firm to campaign against the possible Superfund designation of the Gowanus Canal.
Toll Brothers, which is planning a 460-apartment project, is launching a public assault on the issue, putting the lobbying firm Geto & De Milly to work with attorneys at the law firm Kramer Levin.
So common citizens with good sense and good intentions have to go against Bloomerg, lawyers, and a lobbying firm!
Seems like David and Goliath. But remember what happened to Goliath!! Time to get out the "slingshots" - act and be heard in the 60-day period we have fellow Gowanus lovers who would like to see it cleaned up and who are not swayed by the scare and other tactics.
At the end of the 60 day period the residents and property owners of Gowanus should be asked and I do me all of them by registered mail or door to door, to vote on this issue. Toll as a property owner (I'm not sure they actually own it yet, they may still be able to back out?)should have 1 vote. The Union guys who want to build so bad but do not live there should not get a vote, speculators should not get a vote. This will determine the will of the poeple who are most affected. We all know the debate we are being invited to participate in is a cruel shame. This system and process needs to change. I do understand we vote for officials,they make the laws that manage how we live, they set up agencies to run our cities and enforce laws. That system can work but it's flaws and corrution face us everyday in the news. Personel profit and gain dismantles fairness. It really is not tto much to ask all residents to vote on this and to have that count be part of the decision process instead of these seriously flawed community input meeting. They should just be informational but a vote should be the outcome. Then that vote can be reconciled with the science and judgment of experts in a transparent way. I think GCNA should have a event where only Gowanus residents, the zoning map can give us and idea of boundaries,get to speak. I would be willing to work and support a meeting like that.
Vince
Is David Yassky the only local politician who has publicly supported the EPA clean up? It would seem that they would welcome the EPA clean up unless they are counting on developer campaign contributions. I would really like to know what Bill, Joan, and Daniel have to say. If they oppose this I really can't wait to hear the spin.
Toll Brothers can still build. It has been over four years since the Satori demolished the carriage houses on Bond and to date only a handful are in contract. I would assume the Toll project will take much longer given the remediation work needed and the scale of the project. Or David Vonspeckelsomething can pick up his marbles and go home.
if Bloomie won't listen to reason it is time to call Tony Avella, mayoral candidate and friend of NYC neighborhoods!
Bloomeberg has been the worst thing to happen to neighborhoods/small communites in NYC in a very very LOOOOONNNGGG Time...
his unabashed pro-development stance has even gotten countless people killed in construction related accidents
it is time to STOP IRRESPONSIBLE development including putting innocent people to live on a carcinogenic site
Be very careful of what you wish for. I listened to a radio interview today with an EPA rep( he was at the meeting)and an eco advocated from NJ. Epa promised a particular cleanup would take a year or 2 and now 10 years later it's still not done! He stated that the canal would take a year or two also, I laughed out loud.
I went on the Superfund site and found out that Love Canal took 24years and it's not ready for all use even after all those years!
The ONLY good thing about becoming a Superfund site is that Toll will back out. The home owners in the neighborhood would be screwed though.
Vince
I would be very happy to help with just such an event!
Rita
An event with true locals where we can figure out how to combat the fear and smear that Toll and Co. are spreading would be great. I think the sooner the better. I'm all in.
Steven
to 3:33
Mr. Mugdan of the EPA clearly stated that homeowners would not be responsible for any of the clean-up costs. So I'm not sure what you are referring to when you say that homeowners would be screwed. EVERYONE already knows that the Gowanus is severely toxic. It is already a "de facto" Superfund site. The pollution is very complex, and, yes, it will take time to clean it up as it should be cleaned up - comprehensively. What is the alternative? The EPA knows what they are doing. They have experience. The alternative is leaving it in the hands of the developers to clean it up - and they have a very different opinion of the canal. Toll said it really wasn't that dirty. Mr. Buddy Scotto said that it was already clean enough as it was to develop residentially. What kind of clean-up do you think will come out of THAT kind of attitude. Clearly they are not for the community, but for the quick bucks they hoped they could make.
margaret
When I said the home owners would be screwed, I meant that we will be living in a stigmatize neighborhood where we will not be able to sell our homes if we need to nor will we be able to refinace those homes if we need to because lenders redline in Superfund areas. And don't believe this clean up will take a year or two. Superfund sites are notorious for running for DECADES! I would not trust a developer to clean the site but I think the City & State can do it just well as the Feds and alot quicker.
To 11:46 anon.
Clean Water Act was passed in 1972.
The city has had more than THREE DECADES to bring the canal into compliance with that federal standard. How many more DECADES should we give the city to cleanup the canal?
to 11:46
EVERYBODY already knows that the Gowanus is toxic. It is ALREADY a de facto Superfund site (i.e. Brownfield remedial programs). If the area is really cleaned up, it will actually raise property values - have you thought of that???!!! The Feds said that the state and the city DO NOT HAVE the financial resources nor the technology to remediate the canal. That's why the state asked the Feds. How much do you think the properties will be worth if potential buyers know that this area was nomintated as a Superfund site, but did not go for the best clean-up?!? How much did Toll Bros and Whole Foods pay for their sites? I'm sure it wasn't $1.98!!! And they knew what they were getting.
Bloomberg's term should be up. But what can one expect from a man who subverts the law to his own ends and votes himself the possibility of a third term? Without even putting it to a city wide vote?
He does not live in our neighborhood. He is safely away from the pollution. And his wealth increased manyfold over his years in office. I'm just sayin'....
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