NYC DEP Punked by the Yes Men by Lissa Harris - Watershed Post

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No, the sticker above -- which, according to the Wall Street Journal, has been spotted near public faucets around New York City lately -- isn't the work of the NYC Department of Environmental Protection. It's part of a pretty slick anti-fracking campaign, complete with a website (www.nyc-dep.org) dressed up to look almost exactly like the DEP's actual site. There's also a fake "DEP" video, with instructions on how to tell if your water is safe. (Hint: Try to set it on fire.)

The stickers, and the official-looking fake website that goes along with them, appear to be the work of the Yes Men, a group of activist merry pranksters that specialize in the art of the well-played anti-corporate hoax. Just last month, they gulled the Associated Press into running a story declaring that General Electric would be returning its $3.2 billion tax refund to the U.S. government. And back in 2000, they famously impersonated the World Trade Organization via a fake website (www.gatt.org) that earned them an invitation to speak at a seminar on international trade in Austria. (A rather extraordinary drama then unfolded, in which the Yes Men's "WTO representative" spoke at the seminar, was hit in the face with a pie, and subsequently "died.")

Regular Watershed Post readers might recognize the name: The Yes Men were canonized just a couple of weeks ago, along with local anti-fracking activist and radio personality Sabrina Artel, in a ceremony conducted by the Rev. Billy Talen (himself a fellow anti-corporate prankster who performs exorcisms on cash registers, backed up by a gospel choir in full regalia).

Though DEP officials were quick to disavow the stickers, the anti-fracking sentiment behind the stunt isn't too far from their real views on the subject. Department officials aren't big fans of the idea of doing horizontal drilling for natural gas within spitting distance of the city's watershed. From a statement on the DEP's actual website:

While DEP is mindful of the potential economic opportunity that this represents for the State, hydraulic fracturing poses an unacceptable threat to the unfiltered water supply of nine million New Yorkers and cannot safely be permitted with the New York City watershed.

Photo by Flickr user prizepony. Published under Creative Commons license.

Volunteers Embark On Earth Day Cleanups by Roger Clark - NY1.com

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Volunteers all over the city spent Friday cleaning up recreational areas to mark Earth Day.

In Queens, the Hindu community took part in a cleanup of Jamaica Bay where offerings from religious ceremonies are creating environmental concerns.

The space, part of the National Park Service's gateway recreation area, is near the North Channel Bridge in Broad Channel.

"We come here and we make our offerings to the mother, because we believe the water for us is mother. She is a deity, what we worship. But at the same time we need to keep our mother clean, too. So after making our offerings into the water we should clean up after that," said Hindu Priest Chunelall Narine.

"We do promote a healthy environment, and although it's hard for some to understand the different situation that we're in, we do respect the community and we hope to clean up for Earth Day and to promote a good environment," said Clean-Up Volunteer Kamelia Kilawan.

For the past five years, park rangers have been working with the Hindu community to educate worshipers about the dangers posed to the environment and wildlife when leaving behind ritual items, like pieces of fruit and coconut shells.

"They can disrupt food chains and delay migration, they certainly can affect the water quality of Jamaica Bay," said Kathy Krause, Gateway National Recreation Area.

"It is our responsibility and duty to protect, to do whatever we can to protect the earth and keep the earth as clean as possible," said Hindu Community Leader Bhoj Dindiyal.

Other events across the city are focusing on green businesses and green cars.

Friday marks the 41st annual Earth Day celebration.

On Earth Day, Weiner Report Shows Republican Budget Proposal Would Severely Harm New York’s Environment

Today, to commemorate the 41^st annual Earth Day, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D – Queens and Brooklyn) released a report highlighting the dangerous impact of the proposed Republican FY 2012 budget on New York City’s environment, which if implemented, would cut $54.1 million from the fund that ensures clean drinking water for the City and cut $2 million in funding from Gateway National Recreation Area, the country’s largest urban national park.

Under the 2012 Republican budget proposal, funding cuts would also be made to numerous national monuments and historic sites in the New York area, including $900,000 for operating costs at the Statue of Liberty and $120,000 in funding for Governors Island National Monument.

In addition, nearly $400,000 would be cut from projects affecting Jamaica Bay and the Rockaways. These cuts would jeopardize all of the beach replenishment that has been conducted over the past decade by delaying the long-term prevention plan against storm damage that is currently underway. They would also delay the vital marshland restoration projects that have already begun, including the replenishment of Elders Point East, for which Rep. Weiner helped secure $1.5 million. Last month, Weiner announced $500,000 to help prevent erosion at Plumb Beach, but reduced funding to the Army Corps also places the future of projects like this at risk.

The GOP budget would also have a direct impact on park staff and visitors at Gateway National Recreation. Because national parks rely heavily on personnel for their operations, these GOP cuts would mean fewer park rangers at Gateway, especially in the summer when park visitation is at its peak.

In total, over $5 million in funding would be slashed for all national parks in the City and nearly $290 million would be reduced from National Parks Service nationwide. Visitor safety would be put at risk and visitor center and campsite hours could also be reduced significantly.

The proposal put forward by Republicans would also cut $2.8 billion, or 27%, from the Environmental Protection Agency.

“The draconian GOP budget proposal would slash vital funding for projects that protect our beautiful green spaces, national parks and waterways," Weiner said. “The future of our city’s natural treasures shouldn’t be subjected to the whims of Republicans in Washington who care only about appeasing the most extreme elements of their party.”

Full details of Weiner’s Report below:

The Republican FY ‘12 Budget Proposal Would Harm Gateway National Park

• Funding to Gateway National Park’s would be cut by $2 million, a 13% cut from FY10 levels. (NYC IBO).
• This would mean that there would be fewer park rangers in Gateway, especially in the summer when the visitation to the park is at its peak. This puts visitor safety at risk and could mean reduced visitor center and campsite hours. Park facilities would also deteriorate because they do not have the funding or personnel needed to maintain them.

The Republican FY ’12 Budget Proposal Would Cut Funding to New York Area Monuments and Historic Sites

• Funding for the African Burial Ground National Monument would be cut by $2 million
• Funding for the Castle Clinton National Monument would be cut by $19,000
• Funding for the Federal Hall National Memorial would be cut by $115,000
• Funding for the General Grant National Memorial would be cut by $270,000
• Funding for the Governors Island National Monument would be cut by $120,000
• Funding for the Hamilton Grange National Memorial would be cut by $4,000
• Funding for the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site would be cut by $11,000

The Republican FY ’12 Budget Proposal Would Cut Funding to the Statue of Liberty

• The Statue of Liberty would lose $900,000 in funding for operating expenses, 80% of which goes to personnel.

The Republican FY ‘12 Budget Proposal Would Harm Jamaica Bay and the Rockaways

• Would cut the Army Corps of Engineers funding for the bay by nearly $400,000.
• These cuts would jeopardize all of the beach replenishment that has been done over the past decade by delaying the long-term prevention plan for storm-damage that is currently underway. They would also delay the marshland restoration that has already occurred at some of the islands in the Bay.

The Republican FY ‘12 Budget Proposal Puts New Yorkers’ Health at Risk

• The Drinking Water Revolving Fund, which works to ensure that local residents receive clean and safe drinking water, would be cut by $54.1 million for NYC. (NYC OMB)
• The Clean Water Revolving Fund which works to ensures that local communities can provide clean and sanitary wastewater treatment services for their residents would be cut by $283 million for NYC. (NYC OMB)

Rep. Weiner, who has been endorsed numerous times by the New York League of Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club, has worked tirelessly to protect the environment over the course of his career in Congress. His district is home to Gateway National Recreation Area, the nation’s largest urban national park.

From working to combat Jamaica Bay’s vanishing marshlands, to hosting the first Floyd Bennett Field Blue Ribbon Panel to create recommendations on how to best improve one of the nation's most-visited national recreation areas, guarding Brooklyn and Queens’ natural beauty has always been at the forefront of Weiner’s agenda.

He has secured over $10 million in funding to replenish Rockaway beaches. This funding has been used to prevent shoreline erosion and design a long-term storm damage prevention plan through the use of groins and jetties. He secured an additional $6 million in funding to restore Jamaica Bay marshland, including 42 acres at Elders Point East. A marshland restoration project implemented by Rep. Weiner is underway at Elders Point West, with an additional 50 acres set to be restored at Yellow Bar Island.

Weiner has also secured over $14 million funding for Gateway National Park during his years in Congress.

Earth Day 2011 - RETRO Anti-Pollution Ad with Native American - 1970s

Many of us have seen this commercial a million times as children, and learned not to litter.

News & Notes from NY Senator Joe Addabbo - 15th Senate District

SENATOR ADDABBO STATEMENT ON ACTING CHANCELLOR DENNIS WALCOTTAPPEARING BEFORE SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach), a member of the Senate’s Education Committee, released the following statement:

The visit by Acting Chancellor Dennis Walcott to the NYS Senate Education Committee was both promising and encouraging for the Department of Education and the children in the school system. I stated at the meeting that I look forward to working with Mr. Walcott through the fiscal, policy and administrative challenges that face our public schools. I have known Mr. Walcott for over 15 years and have always found him to be professional and dedicated to public service.

SENATOR JOSEPH P. ADDABBO, JR. STATEMENT ON PIA’S ELIMINATION FROM AMERICAN IDOL

NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) released the following statement on last week’s elimination of contestant and Howard Beach resident Pia Toscano from the popular TV show:

“Pia’s elimination from American Idol was shocking and premature. If I had the chance to give Pia a message, it would be to express my appreciation for her God-given talent, for exciting a community and for touching the hearts of millions of people around the country. I am so proud to have Pia within my district.”

ADDABBO: WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO IN SECURING AREAS TEN YEARS AFTER 9/11

Senate Revisits Public Protection Concerns

NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-Queens), who serves as ranking Minority member on the Senate’s Veterans, Homeland Security, & Military Affairs Committee, participated in this past Friday’s public hearing on Homeland Security 10 years later after September 11, 2001, to listen and respond to testimony on public protection since the terrorist attacks. Among the attending witnesses were Peter King, United States Congressman and Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security; Michael O’Meara, Executive Vice President of the Metropolitan Transit Authority Police Benevolent Association; Richard Daddario, NYPD Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Counter-terrorism; and Douglas Zeigler, Director of Security for the Metropolitan Transit Authority.

While the hearing became increasingly contentious when the topic of religious sects were being discussed, the first half of the hearing included testimony from the NYPD, MTA, the Port Authority and other public safety personnel. “The critical issues were the lack of funding allocations for improved security measures and the need for upgrading the communication systems between our safety-related agencies,” stated Senator Addabbo. It was mentioned at the hearing that some of the radios and means of communicating among the agencies were over 20 years old. Addabbo said that he intends to discuss with the Port Authority the issue of security at JFK Airport and on the Airtrain.

Congressman King spoke at great length as to how terrorist threat levels are as high as 9/11, and reiterated that these are very real threats as we approach the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Michael O’Meara gave insight as to the issue of communication between the Metropolitan Transit Authority Police and the ongoing discussions with the MTA to correct and improve radio frequency communications between MTA Police and the MTA. The radio system, according to Mr. O’Meara, has not worked since its implementation some 20 years ago.

The use and placement of security cameras on New York State tunnels, bridges and pedestrian areas was explained by Douglas Ziegler. Currently, almost 4,000 cameras have been placed within the MTA system, with the intention of more to come.

A future similar Senate hearing concerning the status of security measures since the 9/11 tragedy is being scheduled in Albany.

Together with above release, here are two complementary statements from the Senator:

Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., released the following statement on NYS Senate Homeland Security Hearing held on Friday, 8, 2011:

It was my intent to participate in a focused hearing which was to examine the security of the New York City residents, and surrounding areas, ten years after the tragedy of 9/11. Based on the testimony of witnesses and my questioning of those witnesses, my main concern continues to be the governmental funding and interaction of the entities involved in maintaining the safety of individuals, namely the NYPD, FDNY, MTA and Port Authority. I intend, as the ranking member of the Senate Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs Committee, to continue my efforts in finding the means available to improve the safety and security of people locally and throughout the city and state.

Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., released the following statement on the witness list for the NYS Senate Homeland Security Hearing held on Friday, 8, 2011:

As I have previously stated, I intended to participate in a NYS Senate hearing focused on the public safety of individuals in New York City, ten years after the 9/11 tragedy. In my opinion, there should have been separate hearings with one having witnesses from governmental entities who would testify as to their plans to secure people and another, separate hearing with witnesses of all backgrounds giving testimony on their cultural and ideological theories toward their views on Americans. The global issue of terrorism as it pertains to our safety is so complex and intricate, that I believe separate Senate hearings were warranted.

ADDABBO: STATEMENT ON SAFETY OF AIRTRAIN & JFK AIRPORT

Generally, I have a daily concern for security in and around the JFK Airport property, including the Airtrain. The gateway to millions of visitors to New York is right in our backyard and therefore, my interest in the airport’s safety measures, which are a high priority for me. I intend to continue my working relationship with the all aspects of the Port Authority to ensure the safety of my constituents. In a recent conversation with the Port Authority regarding the inoperable radio usage near the Jet Blue Terminal, they advised me that the situation is being addressed and should be resolved shortly. I plan on having advanced discussions and meetings with the Port Authority about their vision for improved security at JFK.

SENATORS INTRODUCE CLEAN WATER LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE AND VOW TO KEEP NEW YORK’S WATER SAFE & CLEAN

As new information continues to surface on the dangers of horizontal hydraulic fracturing, particularly in relation to the wastewater produced during the hydro-fracking process, Senators Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan), Ranking Member of the Environmental Protection Committee Tony Avella (D-Queens) and Joseph Addabbo (D-Queens) have introduced a package of bills that aim to keep New York’s water clean against the effects of hydro-fracking. First and foremost, the package calls for a ban on hydro-fracking. While working towards this goal, the package installs a series of necessary, common sense measures that would implement stronger regulations and heightened scrutiny that will keep New Yorkers, and their water, safe.

A series of articles produced by the New York Times has revealed that studies conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency show that the wastewater produced in hydro-fracking is far more dangerous than previously reported. Even before it enters the ground, the frac fluid used in drilling poses serious threats to the environment and human health, as it is made of a combination of undisclosed chemicals that often contain carcinogenic materials. However, as reported by the New York Times, wastewater produced in hydro-fracking grows even more dangerous once it’s blasted through rock thousands of feet below ground. There, the frac fluid picks up salts and radioactive elements, like radium, that are naturally embedded in the Earth.

To address these issues, the first three bills in the Clean Water Package will implement tighter regulation and ensure transparency so the public can be assured that proper precautions are in place to monitor both frac fluid and the resulting wastewater. The bills providing for increased regulation are absolutely necessary to provide immediate and necessary oversight to keep the public and environment safe while ample political support is gathered to establish an all out ban, which has been proposed by Senator Avella. Senator Krueger’s bill (S.425) is currently on the agenda to be voted on in the Environmental Conservation Committee on Tuesday, the 12th.

The bills in the Clean Water Package are:

• S.425 (Krueger) - Would provide greater regulation of the use of hydraulic fracturing fluids used for oil and gas drilling, including prohibiting the use of frac fluids containing chemicals that pose a risk to human health.
• S.2697 (Avella) – Would provide for comprehensive regulation of oil and natural gas operations.
• S. 4251 (Addabbo) – Would require treatment works to test waste from hydraulic fracturing operations for radioactivity.
• S.4220 (Avella) – Would prohibit the use of hydraulic fracturing in the process of drilling for natural gas and/or oil.

Senator Liz Krueger said, “I don’t see it as that great of a request to require these gas companies to inform the public on what chemicals they’re blasting into the Earth. They want us to just fall into line and not ask any questions, to just ‘trust them.’ Well, we saw what they did with Pennsylvania’s trust, and I say no. Not here, not in New York. I tend to believe that if you guard a secret with your life it’s not because you’re hiding something good or harmless, it’s because you know that whatever you’re hiding will bring negative consequences for you if it comes to light.”

Senator Avella added, “Perhaps our greatest resource as New York City residents is the clean, unfiltered and refreshing water we receive every time we turn on our faucets. It is clear to me, that until we can be assured that the practice of hydro-fracking presents absolutely no threat to New York’s residents and their drinking water, we must completely ban fracking.”

Senator Addabbo said, “Today, I join my Senate colleagues, Tony Avella and Liz Krueger, to support their respective bills, which together with mine, would amend the environmental conservation law, requiring new regulations from the DEC. My new bill authorizes the DEC Commissioner, after hosting a public hearing, to force regulations requiring treatment facilities handling wastewater to test for radioactivity levels. The DEC will identify tests to be performed on the water, including ingredients found within the hydro-fracking fluids, and would prohibit the acceptance, treatment or discharge of hydro-fracking-produced waste. This was in response to EPA and drilling industry studies that concluded radioactivity in drilling waste cannot be fully diluted in rivers and other waterways.”

There are many ways this wastewater puts human health and the environment in danger. In other states, wastewater is often stored in open pits until transported for ultimate disposal, but chemicals evaporate from these open pits, contributing to air pollution. Even prior to fracking, the trucks are carrying the fluids in high concentrations, and are subject to leaks and spills, causing contamination of surface waters. The fracturing fluid left underground can migrate or seep through fractures in underground formations, cracks in well-bore casings or through abandoned wells, polluting groundwater.

As has been made clear by a number of incidents related to natural gas drilling in Pennsylvania and elsewhere, high-volume hydro-fracking continues to present unacceptable risks.

ADDABBO: GOVERNOR SIGNS BILL INTO LAW EXTENDING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS THROUGH 2011

Extended Benefits Will Provide Relief for 166,000 New Yorkers

NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-Queens), a member of the Senate’s Labor Committee who supported the measure, is pleased to report to his constituents that Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law a measure that extends federally funded unemployment insurance benefits throughout 2011. This bill, S.3928, amends the Labor Law to allow New York to take advantage of provisions contained in the recently enacted Federal Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 by modifying provisions concerning unemployment insurance extended benefits.

The extension would have expired early this spring, giving people who lose their jobs up to 80 weeks of unemployment checks instead of up to 93, for people now on the unemployment rolls, said the Senator. Without this new law, the state would not be able to continue to pay a total of 93 weeks of benefits and would have forfeited $620 million in federal payments to the unemployed, negatively impacting approximately 166,000 New Yorkers.

Since 2009, New York State has participated in a two-year, federally funded unemployment insurance program. In December 2010, the U.S. Congress extended the federal program by an additional year. The governor’s legislation amends New York State law to allow the state to qualify for the additional third year of the program.

Under the program, benefits for all private sector and nonprofit employees are fully federally funded. This act is effective immediately and “shall be deemed to have been in full force and effect on and after February 1, 2011.”

Added Addabbo, “The unemployment rate in Queens is about 8.5 percent; it’s between 8.9-9.2 percent for New York City, and 8.7 percent for our state overall. While some reports have noted that the worst of the long recession has ended, many of my people have been seeking jobs for the past year, and for some, almost two years. The governor requested quick legislative action, which has allowed us to access federal funds to assist those on unemployment. This law will give them a safety net as they continue to pursue time-consuming and daunting efforts to re-enter the workforce.” The senator is hopeful that future extensions of unemployment benefits would be unnecessary due to an improving economy and new jobs in the city. “The main goal is to find people stable employment,” Addabbo concluded.

Reviving New York's Rivers -- With Oysters! by Architect Kate Orff | Video on TED.com

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Architect Kate Orff sees the oyster as an agent of urban change. Bundled into beds and sunk into city rivers, oysters slurp up pollution and make legendarily dirty waters clean -- thus driving even more innovation in "oyster-tecture." Orff shares her vision for an urban landscape that links nature and humanity for mutual benefit.

About Kate Orff:

Kate Orff asks us to rethink “landscape”—to use urban greenspaces and blue spaces in fresh ways to mediate between humankind and nature.



Kate Orff is a landscape architect who thinks deeply about sustainable development, biodiversity and community-based change—and suggests some surprising and wonderful ways to make change through landscape. She’s a professor at Columbia’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, where she’s a director of the Urban Landscape Lab. She’s the co-editor of the new book Gateway: Visions for an Urban National Park, about the Gateway National Recreation Area, a vast and underused tract of land spreading across the coastline of Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and New Jersey.

She is principal of SCAPE, a landscape architecture and urban design office with projects ranging from a 1,000-square-foot pocket park in Brooklyn to a 100-acre environmental center in Greenville, SC, to a 1000-acre landfill regeneration project in Dublin, Ireland. 

"Perhaps the snazziest proposal is also the oddest, calling for oyster beds in the Gowanus Canal. The oyster reefs, as imagined by Kate Orff, would ease the impact of storms and filter pollution in the water. Orff’s fantastical future also includes a flupsy (for “flowing upweller system”) parade of oyster-filled boats along the Gowanus."

Samantha Henig, “Earl Versus the Oysters,” New Yorker, Sept. 2, 2010

Mark Ruffalo on Hydrofracking in New York

Act to stop gas drilling (hydrofracking) in New York until we are sure it can be done safely without threatening drinking water.

Take action now - Click here...

EPA Wants to Know Chemicals Used in Gas Drilling by Matthew Daly- The Associated Press

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Ron Bishop, lecturer in chemistry and biochemistry at SUNY Oneonta, gives an overview of natural gas extraction technology and explain how water contamination can occur during the gas drilling process.

The Environmental Protection Agency asked nine natural gas companies Thursday to voluntarily disclose the chemical components used in a drilling technique called hydraulic fracturing.

The agency said the information is important to its study of the controversial drilling practice, also known as "fracking." Crews inject vast quantities of water, sand and chemicals underground to force open channels in sand and rock formations so oil and natural gas will flow.

The EPA is studying whether the practice affects drinking water and the public health.

Drilling companies have largely sought to protect their chemical formulas, calling them proprietary. Environmentalists are concerned that the chemicals, some of them carcinogens, will taint underground water supplies.

The EPA is taking a new look at fracking as gas drillers swarm to the lucrative Marcellus Shale region in the northeastern United States and blast into other shale formations around the country.

Fracking is exempt from federal regulation. The process is touted as the key to unlocking huge reserves of clean-burning natural gas.

Supporters say the practice is safe, noting that it is done thousands of feet below ground, much deeper than most water sources. They also point out that authorities have yet to link fracking to contaminated drinking water.

The EPA said in March it will study potential human health and water quality threats from fracking.

"By sharing information about the chemicals and methods they are using, these companies will help us make a thorough and efficient review of hydraulic fracturing and determine the best path forward," said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. "Natural gas is an important part of our nation's energy future, and it's critical that the extraction of this valuable natural resource does not come at the expense of safe water and healthy communities."

Letters were sent to nine leading national and regional hydraulic fracturing service providers, including Halliburton, Schlumberger and Key Energy Services.

Chris Tucker, a spokesman for Energy In Depth, a Washington-based group that advocates for the energy industry, said the EPA study offers an important opportunity to demonstrate that fracturing technology is safe, efficient and well-regulated by the states.

"If EPA believes it needs specific information to ensure its study draws on the best science and data available, we're hopeful the agency can coordinate with our members to ensure it has everything it needs, and uses that information in an appropriate way," Tucker said.

The EPA requested the information within 30 days and asked the companies to respond within seven days whether they will provide all of the information. If not, EPA said it is prepared to use its legal authority to force the companies to provide the information.

In Pennsylvania, where the Marcellus Shale is being pursued in a modern-day gas rush, state legislators and environmental regulators are pushing for a law to require drilling companies to disclose what's used at the well sites.

"We have broad right to know about the use of chemicals and discharges of any sort into the environment," said John Hanger, Pennsylvania's environmental protection secretary.

Associated Press writer Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pa., contributed to this report.

NYC DEP Begins Dredging at Hendrix Creek in Jamaica Bay...

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Completed Wetland Restoration Improves Water Quality of Jamaica Bay Tributary

Environmental Protection Commissioner Cas Holloway today announced the start of dredging at Hendrix Creek, a 7,000-foot tributary at the northern boundary of Jamaica Bay. The $13.1 million project will remove accumulated combined sewer overflow (CSO) sediment from the upper portion of the creek to reduce odors in the surrounding community. In addition to the dredging work, DEP recently completed a $1.3 million wetland restoration project, adding 30,000 salt marsh plantings and 23,000 square feet of coastal grassland and shrubland to improve the overall water quality and ecology of the creek and Jamaica Bay.

"The dredging and wetland restoration of Hendrix Creek are two more steps forward in our comprehensive plan to improve one of New York City's greatest natural resources, Jamaica Bay," said Commissioner Holloway. "Back in February, Mayor Bloomberg announced $115 million of investments to further reduce nitrogen levels and restore marsh islands in the bay. And in June, we expanded the number of water quality testing sites in the bay by 50%. Now, we are restoring the natural habitat in one of the bay's largest tributaries and dredging it to reduce odors in the community. Step by step, we are making the bay cleaner and healthier so that New Yorkers will be able to enjoy this ecological marvel for generations to come."
Dredging will remove 20,000 cubic yards of accumulated sediment at the uppermost 1,400 feet of the creek to eliminate a potential source of odors. The 
sediment is composed of material from combined sewer overflows which occur when stormwater and wastewater is discharged into surrounding waterways during heavy storms to prevent local wastewater treatment plants from being overwhelmed by increased stormwater flows. The hydraulic dredging method uses a cutter head which loosens the below-water sediment, and pumps, which vacuum the sediment through a flexible pipe onto barges. The pumped material is then dewatered by equipment on barges at the 26th Ward Wastewater Treatment Plant pier. Once dewatered, the material is then transported by barge for off-site processing and disposal. Hydraulic dredging reduces the overall project duration, results in less turbidity within the creek, and has less impact on the local habitat. The creek bottom will then be restored by placing an 18-inch layer of clean sand atop the dredged surface to cap the remaining sediment within the dredged area of the creek. It is anticipated that the project will be completed in late summer 2011.

The Hendrix Creek Wetland Restoration Project restored 30,000 square feet of salt marsh habitat and 23,000 square feet of a coastal grassland and shrubland habitat. The restoration removed highly invasive plants, including phragmites, Japanese knotweed and mugwort and debris from the shoreline. The improved habitat allows for greater plant diversity and the return of native plants that had been previously displaced by the invasive ones. Restoring additional tidal salt marsh and adjacent plant communities in a tributary of Jamaica Bay helps provide key ecological functions, including: additional nursery, forage and refuge habitat for the 91 species of fish in the bay; use by migratory and resident birds; and water filtering.

Jamaica Bay is a 39-square-mile water body with a broader watershed of approximately 142 square miles that includes portions of Brooklyn, Queens and Nassau County. The bay is a diverse ecological resource that supports multiple habitats, including open water, salt marshes, grasslands, coastal woodlands, maritime shrublands and brackish and freshwater wetlands. These habitats support fish, birds and many reptile, amphibian and small mammal species. The bay is a critical stop for birds along the Eastern Flyway migration route and has become an internationally renowned birding destination. Portions of the bay, most notably the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, have been designated as Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitats by the federal and state governments.

The City announced in February that it would make $115 million in new investments to improve the overall water quality and mitigate marshland loss in Jamaica Bay. The investments include $100 million to install new nitrogen control technologies at wastewater treatment plants located on Jamaica Bay. The investments, made in concert with $95 million the City already has committed for nitrogen control upgrades, will reduce the nitrogen loads discharged into Jamaica Bay by nearly 50 percent over the next ten years. The City also will invest $15 million for marshland restoration projects around the bay beyond the investments made in these Hendrix Creek projects.

Since 2002, the City has invested $37.4 million to reclaim more than 440 acres of environmentally sensitive land adjoining Jamaica Bay and plans to remediate nearly 100 additional acres. The City will leverage its new $15 million investment in the bay's marshlands by applying for Federal matching funds, which could net an additional $30 million in funding for Jamaica Bay marshland preservation projects.

DEP manages the City's water supply, providing more than 1 billion gallons of water each day to more than 9 million residents, including 8 million in New York City, and residents of Ulster, Orange, Putnam and Westchester counties. New York City's water is delivered from a watershed that extends more than 125 miles from the city, and comprises 19 reservoirs, and three controlled lakes. Approximately 7,000 miles of water mains, tunnels and aqueducts bring water to homes and businesses throughout the five boroughs, and waste7,400 miles of sewer lines take wastewater to 14 in-city treatment plants.

Senator Addabbo: Statement on Bill Being Passed To Halt Drilling In Upstate Watershed

NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., a co-sponsor of the Senate bill (S8129B) calling for a moratorium on hydrofracking, or drilling for natural gas reserves in the upstate watershed, today issued the following statement on the bill’s passage after being brought to the floor for a vote last night:

"I believe this bill, which provides for a nine-month moratorium, provides a rational, prudent approach to the practice of hydrofracking. This drilling process has possible short- and long-term health and safety implications and is the subject of a pending DEC report, which needs to be reviewed and evaluated. I look forward to working with the DEC on this issue as we seek to avoid any risks to our environment and personal safety. I thank my constituents for bringing this issue to my attention last year. I also want to thank the hundreds of residents across New York who signed petitions, wrote letters and attended rallies to show Albany that we needed hydrofracking legislation. Your voices were heard and together, we have taken the first step toward protecting our drinking water.

Stand Up New York and Speak Out at CleanWaterNotDirtyDrilling.org..!

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Stand Up and Speak Out!



Tell the New York legislature we need a drilling "time out" to protect NY water, and our public health from dirty drilling.

Stand up and speak out at CleanWaterNotDirtyDrilling.org!

Don't let dirty drilling frack up New York's clean water.

Drilling shouldn't occur unless and until we know it can be done safely, and we have rules and enforcement to require it.

Click here for more info: cleanwaternodirtydrilling.org



Thanks to the folks at Agit-Pop.com who made the vid, and the makers of SplitEstate.com and GASLANDthemovie.com, without whose footage it couldn't have been made.

to give them a piece of your mind.

Help the Working Family Party Stop Hydro-fracking in NYS Now..!

To stop risky natural gas drilling in New York, we have to get our State Senators back to Albany now.

At the moment, they're on recess for the indefinite future -- but if they don't return and pass a moratorium on hydrofracking ASAP, the first gas drilling permits could be issued this August, and it could be too late to save New York City's drinking water from pollution.

The Working Family Party (WFP) is about to send a letter to every single Senate office around the state, insisting that they return and pass a drilling moratorium right away.

Will you please sign the letter before they send it?

Sign the letter by clicking here...

In June, WFP delivered a 12,000-person petition to Senate Majority Leader John Sampson urging him to bring a moratorium bill to the floor. But Albany was in the middle of intense budget negotiations, and the Senate never got to voting on the bill before they adjourned.

They can still come back and pass a moratorium, but we have to put pressure on EVERY member of the State Senate to make it happen.

Some Senators are worried that if they do the right thing and vote for a ban, the drilling industry will come after them in the fall elections, spending hundreds of thousands to smear their reputations and try to defeat them at the polls.

We need to show these Senators that New Yorkers' grassroots support for a drilling moratorium overwhelms any threats from the drilling industry. The more signers we have on the WFP letter, the clearer that message becomes -- and then they'll make sure every single member of the State Senate gets it.

It really is now or never. I hope you'll sign the WFP  letter today, and ask all of your friends to sign it, too.

Plan Starts Up For Jamaica Bay Clean Up by Elise Finch - wcbs-tv

Jamaica Bay is a popular boating and fishing area, but it's been plagued by pollution in recent years...Take a tour of Jamaica Bay with NYC Department of Environmental Protection and CBS2's Elise Finch...

Addabbo Pushes Bill to Halt Watershed Drilling by Anna Gustafson - YourNabe.com

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State Sen. Joseph Adabbo said he was inspired to sponsor a bill that would place a moratorium on drilling near the city's water supply after speaking with the director of "Gasland."

State Sen. Joseph Addabbo’s (D-Howard Beach) bill calling for a moratorium on natural gas drilling near the upstate water supply may come up for a vote in the Senate this week, and Queens and city politicians said the legislation’s passage is crucial for the health and safety of 9 million city and Westchester County residents.

The bill would stop any drilling in the watershed, which provides drinking water for the city, until the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency completes its study of the effects of natural gas drilling on water and public health. The study began in March and is expected to end within two years.

The legislation would rule out the possibility that companies could use hydraulic fracturing, a process of extracting natural gas that entails injecting up to 5 million gallons of water laced with chemicals into the ground at high pressure to break the rock.

“Let me be clear: I am not against drilling, but I am totally against a process that certainly has questionable ingredients that should not be in our water,” Addabbo said. “Imagine not being able to use your water for fear of drinking carcinogens, plastics and toxins. The danger of hydraulic fracturing so close to the New York City watershed is easy to imagine. Toxic byproduct can seep into our drinking water and turn our once pristine water into a severe health risk.”

According to a report prepared by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, seven states in the country have experienced serious incidents of water contamination and explosions near hydraulic fracturing sites.

The method has been criticized by city government officials and environmentalists who often cite a 2008 report from the U.S. Land Management Bureau that said groundwater in Sublette County, Wyo., which has one of the country’s largest natural gas fields and where hydraulic fracturing was commonly employed, was contaminated with benzene, a substance that has been linked to cancer and nervous system disorders.

Addabbo said his concern over natural gas drilling upstate became more urgent after he met with Josh Fox, the writer and director of the movie “Gasland,” an environmental documentary chronicling the natural gas boom. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and landed a Special Documentary prize.

City Councilman James Gennaro (D-Fresh Meadows) is interviewed in the film. Gennaro, a longtime advocate against hydraulic fracturing near the watershed, has thrown his support behind Addabbo’s legislation.

Hydraulic fracturing “is completely unregulated by the federal government and poses unacceptable risks to drinking water supplies throughout the country,” said Gennaro, chairman of the Council Environmental Protection Committee.

Council Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan) is also backing Addabbo’s legislation. A version of Addabbo’s bill is being sponsored by state Assemblyman Steven Englebright (D-East Setauket).

40 Years - A Plea from Fellow Americans to President Obama: We Need You to Lead America to a Clean Climate & Energy Future

American presidents from Richard Nixon to George W. Bush have talked about our need to reform our energy policies and end our addiction to fossil fuels.

The last 7 presidents couldn't make it happen.

President Obama can, but only if he adds his direct and immediate leadership to the Senate's efforts to pass a strong climate and energy bill.

We need your help:

Please add your name to our letter to President Obama today. Let him know we stand with him for real energy reform now.

Help us reach 50,000 signatures!

What is Hydrofracking and How Could It Stop Us From Drinking Our Water by Senator Joe Addabbo...

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What is hydrofracking and how could it affect our drinking water even though it takes place over one hundred miles away? I asked myself that same question until a constituent, Brian Dooley, President of the Glendale Property Owners Association, educated me about the process. New York City has some of the cleanest, safest and most reliable drinking water in the country. However, the safety of our drinking water is in danger. Our drinking water is being put in jeopardy by big business oil companies who want to drill for natural gas dangerously close to New York City’s upstate watershed using a process known as hydraulic fracturing, also called hydrofracking.


This drilling process uses toxic chemicals under high pressure in water to break up rock formations deep underground releasing the natural gas. The targeted material for this natural gas drilling runs through approximately eight states including Pennsylvania and upstate New York and is known as the Marcellus Shale. The hydrofracking drilling method requires millions of gallons of water that the United States Department of Energy considers one of the most toxic industrial byproducts produced by gas and oil drilling.^[1] Let me be clear, I am not against drilling, but I am totally against a process that certainly has questionable ingredients that should not be in our water. Recently, I met with Josh Fox, writer and director of the movie Gasland, to discuss this issue and my education and concerns about hydrofracking grew.


The danger of hydraulic fracturing so close to the New York City watershed is easy to imagine. Toxic byproduct can seep into our drinking water and turn our once pristine water into a severe health risk. According to a report prepared by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, entitled Uncalculated Risk, seven states across the country have experienced serious incidents of water contamination and explosions near hydraulic fracturing mines.


Imagine not being able to use your water for fear of drinking carcinogens, plastics, and toxins.


To protect our drinking water I have introduced and sponsored legislation to place a one year moratorium on hydraulic fracturing in New York State. We need time to fully understand a report currently being prepared by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation regarding the potential dangers of hydraulic fracturing and its possible affects on the New York City watershed. The unknown, long term affects of the components of hydrofracking could be dangerous, if not fatal. Why take a chance with our precious drinking water. We should be certain that New York City’s water supply will not be damaged.


The risks are simply too high to just recklessly move forward with hydraulic fracturing. Over eight million people in New York City rely on clean safe unfiltered surface water collected in the watershed. We cannot put the health of New York City residents at risk. The harm to our city’s and state’s infrastructure, economy, and most importantly public trust far outweigh any benefits of moving forward immediately with hydrofracking.


In the wake of the BP oil spill in the Gulf we have seen firsthand the effects of ignoring common sense safety measures. While I know that upstate landowners stand to make huge amounts of money from the gas companies as they lease their land to allow the drilling and that the process creates jobs, I believe it is irresponsible and dangerous to permit drilling so near our water supply without taking the time to fully understand its ramifications.


Please go to my website here  to sign the petition supporting my legislation calling for a one year moratorium on hydraulic fracturing. Together we can protect our drinking water. 

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For additional ways to protect our City’s drinking water please call Senator Aaaabbo's  office at 718-738-1111 or 718-497-1630 or email addabbo@senate.state.ny.us