Toll Brothers' V.P. Von Spreckelsen Submits His Testimony To The EPA!

I am sure that the EPA will be super impressed by a developer such as Toll Brothers calling its reputation into question and urging the federal agency to refrain from listing the Gowanus Canal on their National Priority List as a Superfund Site.
But that is exactly what David Von Spreckelsen, Toll Brothers V.P. is doing. Von Spreckelsen submitted the testimony below to the EPA, as part of the agency's public submission process on the Gowanus nomination.
In his submission, he is urging the EPA to let the City go ahead with its rather shaky alternative clean-up plan.
No surprise there!
The Toll Brothers' VP has been working hard to move the developer's condo project at 363-365 Bond Street forward. First, Von Spreckelsen spent hundreds of thousands of dollars lobbying the New York City Council, the City Planning Commission, the Brooklyn Borough President, Brooklyn Community Board 6, the Mayor's Office and the State Assembly, to facilitate the rezoning from manufacturing to residential of the two blocks along the Gowanus Canal on which the Toll Brothers' wanted to build.

Not surprisingly, the spot-rezoning was approved at every step during the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (U.L.U.R.P.), despite the protests of community members who pleaded with city officials to first clean the Gowanus Canal thoroughly before rezoning its shores. To no avail. The New York City Council approved the spot-rezoning in March, 2009, ahead of a general rezoning of the Gowanus area.

But just when it looked as though the last hurdle had been removed and that the Toll Brothers' Bond Street project could get started, the EPA stepped forward and announced that the Gowanus Canal was one of the most polluted waterways in the country. In April, the federal agency proposed placing the canal on its list of Superfund sites. That was welcome news for most local residents.

But not for the Toll Brothers. David Von Spreckelsen went into over-drive. Just days after the EPA made its announcement, he was quoted in countless newspapers as opposing the listing. He told everyone who would listen, that the Toll Brothers would walk away from their Gowanus project if the canal were to be listed. He hired a consulting firm and joined forces with a handful of Gowanus property owners to oppose the EPA Superfund designation. The Clean Gowanus Now! Coalition, as they called themselves, printed up slick anonymous fliers filled with misinformation. The Coalition hired a young man, named Daniel, to knock on the doors of local residents to spread more untruths about the Superfund program. Daniel freely gave out a telephone number that could be tracked right back to David Von Spreckelsen.

It is unlikely that the EPA will listen to the Toll Brothers' spin. The agency after all is more interested in science and in protecting the public from harmful chemicals, than in covering up facts to help a developer.











The EPA's Public comment period will end on July 8th. If you have not yet sent in your own testimony, I urge you to do so.

Please help insure that the Gowanus Canal becomes a Listed Superfund Site. You can participate by doing the following:

1. Go to www.superfundgowanus.org and sign the online petition to our representatives.

2. Go directly to the EPA Website and submit your comments under the Public Comment period that runs until July 8, 2009. http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/npl/gowanus/

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Greetings From South Carolina: Little Creatures Of The Beach

If you look carefully at the tracks in the sand here at Surfside Beach,

you will discover that many wonderful little creatures walk this beach



Some dance and skip through the surf.



Others peek through the blades of dune grass.



Still others survey the beach while strutting up and down.

And hidden from them all, this tiny guy basks in the sun.

One more day of sun and fun at Surfside Beach, dear Reader. I will be leaving with a heavy heart, but at the same time, I am looking forward to returning to Carroll Gardens.

So please check back right here on Monday for my usual neighborhood coverage!



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Free Friday Family Fun At Prospect Park's Children's Corner

Another incredible free summer event in Brooklyn. This one is from Heart Of Brooklyn and is offered free every Friday in July and August at the Children's Corner In Prospect Park. Here are the details:

Family Fridays at the Prospect Park Children's Corner

Many New York families are planning summer “staycations” this year, and luckily, adventures await in the heart of Brooklyn at the Prospect Park Children’s Corner, located by the Willink entrance to Prospect Park. Fridays in July and August this kid-centric sanctuary will provide a one-stop destination for storytelling, history, exploration and more. Each Friday the Children’s Corner, made up of Lefferts Historic House, the Prospect Park Carousel, and Propsect Park Zoo, will host Brooklyn Public Library’s Kidsmobile and Prospect Park Zoo’s Animal Tales . With so many activities to choose from, families can look forward to a new adventure each Friday, including the 62nd Annual R.H. Macy’s Fishing Contest at the Prospect Park Audubon Center July 17.

Brooklyn Public Library's colorful Kidsmobile, generously funded by Borough President Marty Markowitz, is a children's library on wheels. This summer the new Kidsmobile will be at Prospect Park every Friday from 12-3:30pm with books, fun programs and library cards for kids of all ages.

There’s more storytelling fun to be had with Prospect Park Zoo’s Animal Tales , a literacy-based program for kids ages four to eleven. Every Friday starting July 10, educators bringing the program to the Kidsmobile will focus on a different animal in the zoo’s collection; kangaroos, emerald tree boas, and California sea lions will come alive as children read and act out tales relating to each animal. Children may read stories and folktales, play games, try on costumes, and touch animal skulls and skins. At the end of each session, children will make an animal-themed craft to take home. From the Kidsmobile it’s just a short walk to Prospect Park Zoo, where kids can meet some of the animals featured in each day’s Animal Tale, plus many more, in person!

Nearby at Lefferts Historic House, families can take a trip back in time with tools, toys and games from 200 years of Brooklyn’s history. Or they can stop by Prospect Park’s old-fashioned Carousel, featuring 51 magnificently carved horses, a lion, a giraffe, a deer, and two dragon-pulled chariots, accompanied by joyous organ music. And on Friday July 17, from 10am-4pm, kids 15 and under can enter the Macy’s Fishing Contest at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, where prizes are awarded daily! The Audubon Center is no more than a 10-minute walk into the Park from the Children’s Corner. For information call (718) 287-3400, x101.

With so much to see and do on summer Fridays, the Prospect Park Children’s Corner is a unique arena where children can learn and explore. The Children's Corner is located inside Prospect Park’s Willink entrance, at the intersection of Flatbush Avenue and Empire Boulevard. For a full schedule of Children’s Corner activities, visit http://heartofbrooklyn.org/childrenscorner

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Greetings From South Carolina: Nothing But Sunshine

It was beastly hot again today
at Surfside Beach
in South Carolina.
There was not a cloud in the sky
and it was a relief at the end of the day,
when the sun started to set.

Just a few more days
before I will get back to
Carroll Gardens

C.O.R.D. Has No Doubt Superfund Is Best For Gowanus Canal

The waters of the Gowanus Canal

My friends of The Coalition For Respectful Development (CORD) have just released a statement regarding the proposed listing of the Gowanus Canal as a Superfund site. After attending every meeting held, both by the EPA and by the City, after researching the subject thoroughly and going right to the sources with all their questions, CORD has no doubt: Superfund is the way to go.
I couldn't agree with them more!
Below is their statement:

As the end of the public comment period rapidly approaches and all of the meetings have been held and a great deal of information disseminated, CORD is convinced now more than ever, that the nomination of the Gowanus Canal to the National Priorities List as a Superfund site is STILL the best thing that ever happened to our neighborhood.

We do not believe that the City of New York's "alternative" plan affords any tangible benefit to the community in terms of process, result or timeframe.

It is our understanding that the city’s plan is basically an attempt to provide the responsible parties (the polluters) with a deep discount by trying to have a good portion of the polluters’ tab picked up by a federal program known as WRDA. There is a waiting line for the money and long long list of projects that would be ahead of the Canal. And….did we mention?

THE GOWANUS CANAL IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR WRDA FUNDS AT THIS TIME.

The City is expending, by their own admission, a great deal of time, energy, effort (and therefore, money), to lobby the federal government to make the canal part of this program. In essence, the City is adding an additional layer of government , personnel and complications to the process while simultaneously adding additional financial burdens upon the already- strapped New York City taxpayer.

Where is the benefit to the community in the City’s plan? We can’t find it. The EPA through the SUPERFUND program, has the clout to collect the money from the responsible parties, has the expertise and a time improved program already in place to handle situations like our canal. Why does it seem as though the City is trying to stymie it? We can’t figure it out.

To continue reading CORD's statement, click here

Photographer Jose Gaytan Working On A Series Of Portraits Of Gowanus Artists And Residents

Photograph by Jose Gaytan

Photograph by Jose Gaytan

Aren't these amazing photos of the Gowanus Canal and the surface of its polluted waters? They were taken by photographer Jose Gaytan just last week-end. In an email to me, he wrote:

"Attached are 2 images that I shot on Sunday. The water levels are high and there is lots of stuff happening on the surface."

Jose has been taking photos along the shores of the Gowanus Canal for a long time now. An exhibit of his work, called "The Gowanus: Brooklyn In Transition" is currently being shown at the Brooklyn Public Library at Grand Army Plaza through August 29th.

He is continuing with the project. Currently, he is photographing residents and artists of the Gowanus area.
He writes: " I would like to do a series of panoramic portraits of Gowanus artists. If you or anyone you know would be interested in a sitting, please contact me."

So how about it? Are you a Gowanus Canal resident and/or artist? Do you want Jose to take your photos?
You can send hin am email through his web site here.

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This Summer, The 'Fitness Guru' To Offer Free Pilates Classes In Brooklyn Bridge Park

Photo courtesy of The Fitness Guru

Want to get into shape during the summer? Then the Guru In The Park event is for you. And it is absolutely free for everyone...
Starting on July 7th, the Fitness Guru, a studio in DUMBO, will be offering free Pilates mat sessions every Tuesday evening throughout the summer at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge in the Brooklyn Bridge Park. Registration for the free classes begins at 6:30pm and the class starts at 7pm.

Now, how cool is that? I dare you to come up with an excuse not to take part in this event.


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Greetings From South Carolina: A Bit Of Shade

It has been beasly hot
here at Surfside Beach,
dear Reader.

But I am not complaining,
mind you,
as long as there is a bit of shade
to hide under.

From Inside EPA's Superfund Report:" New York Faces Hurdles Winning 'Superfund Alternative' OK From EPA"

Below is an interesting perspective on New York City's Superfund Alternative Plan for the Gowanus Canal by John Heltman, Associate Editor of Inside EPA's Superfund Report, an online news service of the publishers of Inside EPA.com. It is extremely enlightening and I hope you will take the time to read it.
I am reprinting it here on Pardon Me For Asking with their permission.

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Greetings From South Carolina: Early Beach Hour

Sometimes,
I tiptoe town the stairs
early enough to witness
the sunrise over the ocean.

And what a spectacle it is!

A Look Back In History: Seals At Prospect Park Zoo, Circa 1950's

Here is a real glimpse back in time, dear Reader. I found this photo of the seals in the Prospect Park Zoo, circa 1950's. Though it is a terrific document, it does make me rather sad to see the seals sitting on those bare concrete blocks. It is amazing how much we have learned about creating habitats for animals in captivity. Of course today, the zoo in Prospect Park has been vastly improved.

And here is another photo of a little penguin at the zoo, probably taken on the same day.

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Greetings From South Carolina: In Perfect Unison

They walked energetically
down the beach
in perfect unison.
I should be doing the same,
I thought,
before returning to my book....

Meanwhile Back In Brooklyn: Dusk Over Brooklyn's Changing Skyline

I love this shot of a couple gazing over Brooklyn's changing skyline from a rooftop at dusk. Isn't it cool?
It was sent to me by wonderful Carroll Gardens friends Ann and Andy.
Thanks for sharing, guys!




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Senator Montgomery's Gowanus Canal Superfund Fact Sheet

Thanks to Jim Vogel of State Senator Velmanette Montgomery's office, for pointing me to the Senator's Gowanus Listing Fact Sheet which her office distributed last week at a meeting on the City's half-baked alternative clean-up plan.

I have been incredibly impressed by Senator Montgomery. She was the first elected official to come out in favor of the EPA's proposed listing of the Gowanus Canal as a Superfund site.
Her clear vision, outspokenness and williningness to listen to the community in this matter is very refreshing.
Below is her fact sheet.

SUPERFUND IS NEEDED, NOW!
“Superfund” is the easy name for a program the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses to clean the most polluted areas of our country. The NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation asked the EPA to consider listing the Gowanus Canal after finding the incredibly high degree of pollution in the area.

THE CANAL IS VERY DANGEROUSLY POLLUTED
The level of pollution necessary for EPA Superfund listing is measured in “parts per million.” Heavy metals and certain other pollutants in the Gowanus Canal pollution registers in parts per HUNDRED. That’s 10,000 times more polluted than the lowest emergency listing! In addition, every time it rains raw sewage overflows into the canal. The bacteria count in a recent study is shocking, more than 25 times the unsafe level.

PROPERTY VALUES WILL INCREASE
Land surrounding a clean, safe canal will be far more valuable. A thorough and expeditious cleanup will be the best thing for everyone!

SUPERFUND CLEANUP WILL BE THOROUGH AND WON’T TAKE FOREVER
Progress should be seen quickly once work starts, but the complete cleanup will take time. The cleanup has to be thorough and consistent or the canal will return to the current dangerous state. Federal designation commits the cleanup to professional, uninterrupted effort.

RESPONSIBLE PARTIES PAY, AND WORK STARTS IMMEDIATELY
Superfund cleanups are funded by the people who caused the pollution.

The EPA believes much if not most of the cleanup will be the responsibility of National Grid.
*It won’t cost the community money.
*It won’t cost home owners money.
*It won’t cost new business owner money.
*The EPA has said it won’t cost New York City more money than they are already committed to spending.
The EPA starts work immediately from Federal funds set aside for this purpose.
*Congress budgets $320 million dollars annually for the Superfund
*An additional $600 million dollars has been allocated this year alone
*President Obama is reviving the funding stream that will place an additional billion dollars in the Superfund.
The EPA is ready to go!

THE CITY PLAN
New York City has proposed an alternative plan they believe will accomplish a similar clean canal, but the City is not in the business of cleaning toxic sites. While well meaning, the City plan is completely untested and contains questionable assumptions.
*The City plan depends on polluters voluntarily doing the work themselves, to their own standards; but these polluters haven’t done anything up to now.
*The City plan doesn’t intend to clean the whole canal, and a partial cleanup will not be safe.
*The City plan would need special Congressional approval for the Army Corps of Engineers to work on the entire Canal; they legally can’t go north of the Hamilton Avenue bridge!
*The City plan has no guarantees that the funding will actually happen; it relies on the idea that Congress will give substantial special money for years to come for this one project, which is very unlikely.
*The EPA has been doing this for decades and knows what it is doing. The EPA has said *Superfund listing will incorporate all City programs and not delay any efforts currently in progress. Superfund listing guarantees action in ways the City plan cannot.

JOBS
The cleaning process itself will produce new, Green jobs. And a clean Gowanus Canal and vicinity will be a much better employment area!

HOUSING
Current plans for building housing in the Gowanus area would expose families to a life next to dangerous contamination. For the sake of all, the area must be thoroughly cleaned to Superfund standards so housing for all can be responsibly built.

The fact sheet can be downloaded from Senator Montgomery's web site here.



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Comment Of The Day: Why Go Through All This?

A reader left the following comment on the post "A Carroll Gardener Furious At Mayor Bloomberg's Anti-Superfund Stance":

The major impetus for the City's plan is for the developers, not for the community. It is Developer Toll who said it is against Superfund because of the "stigma" it will bring to the scam they wanted to pull off that the Gowanus is great waterfront property as is so that they can put their mega condo development here. City Planning gave them the spot rezoning regardless of the outcries from the community that this was not appropriate for Gowanus - esp. since it is so toxic as well as other environmental issues. The City has NO EXPERIENCE with the clean-up Gowanus needs and the EPA will give.The City's fall back plan is that the EPA can take over if the City fails -it also puts more of the co$t of NYC taxpayers. Why do we need to go through all this? Give us EPA Superfund, please!

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