Published in the June 26, 2008 Edition

The DEP Strikes Again

An annoying tendency regarding the filtration plant project is that the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is inclined not to listen to the ratepayers and citizens who are funding all of this.

Concerned residents, some of whom have become experts on the issue, turn up at hearing after hearing and tell the DEP important things.

Agency officials don’t really listen; they just “explain” why they’re right, as if all it would take for the community to agree is to have it explained in words we poor foolish citizens can understand.

Click on the link below to continue to read the article and comment to their blog, and/or return to our page for more chances to comment.

http://www.norwoodnews.org/story/?id=641&story=the+dep+strikes+again

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Reservoir Blasting Plan Bashed

by ALEX KRATZ
NORWOOD NEWS, June 26, 2008

Local residents came out in force last week to vigorously oppose a city plan to blast away rock with explosives at the Jerome Park Reservoir.

The controversial plan is the latest chapter in the ongoing saga of the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) contentious Croton Water Filtration Plant project currently under way in Van Cortlandt Park. The project has been plagued by massive cost overruns, federal fines, construction delays and contractor turnover.

Click on the link below to continue to read the article and comment to their blog, and/or return to our page for more chances to comment.

http://www.norwoodnews.org/story/index.cfm?s=e&id=635

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Broken Promises of the NYC DEP to the Jerome Park Reservoir community.

Some reports to the CFMC for June 19, 2008:

• fjpr-2008-june-19-public-access -Report on public access promises made to the Jerome Park Reservoir community
• outdoorurbanecologylab-jpc-2008 - What is the OUEL?
  

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Friends of Jerome Park Reservoir say:

Blasting at Jerome Park Reservoir?

NO WAY!

Thursday, June 19, 2008 beginning at 7 pm at Vladeck Hall,

(74 Van Cortlandt Park South at HIllman Avenue)

Our precious reservoir, as well as our peace and quiet, is in jeopardy!

In documents explaining the construction of the water filtration plant in the Mosholu Golf Course, the City’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) indicated that there would also be significant construction necessary at the Jerome Park Reservoir on Goulden Avenue right in front of the Bronx High School of Science. Unfortunately, in 2004 that project was approved by the City Council anyway.

But now that the work at the reservoir is about to commence, the DEP has come up with a dangerous new wrinkle. Rather than dig their holes using a “mechanical” method, DEP documents indicate that on Thursday night they are prepared to tell our community that they will be conducting BLASTING to dig the hole instead!

Aside from the noise and dust this will cause, this will mean they will be sending 45-90 trucks through our community each week in order to remove the 9,000 cubic yards of residual dirt. Please note that these trucks will not be necessary if they stick to their already-approved drilling method.

Needless to say the disruption to our community, the affect on all the schools along education row, in particular to the Bronx High School of Science, as well as the traffic congestion this will mean for our entire region is not acceptable. The timing of this proposal raises questions. Also, to conduct this sort of change to their original Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) without significant review or even issuing another study is not permitted.

Please join your neighbors at the Croton Facilities Monitoring Committee meeting that is to take place this Thursday, June 19, 2008 beginning at 7 pm at Vladeck Hall, (74 Van Cortlandt Park South at HIllman Avenue) to let the DEP know that we are united and strong against this nightmare. This meeting will include other items, such as local job opportunities, and public access to the reservoir. Please come.

For more information visit: www.waterblogged.org under the Friends of Jerome Park Reservoir category, or email: JeromePark@aol.com

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Water-Starved California Slows Development

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/07/us/07drought.html

Monica Almeida/The New York Times

The Quail Ranch Golf Course is planned to be part of the Quail Ranch housing development. More Photos >

PERRIS, Calif. — As California faces one of its worst droughts in two decades, building projects are being curtailed for the first time under state law by the inability of developers to find long-term water supplies.

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We received this note from a friend, and we think it is worth sharing with our readers.  As it was written for another state, many may have missed it.  Waterblogged is the place to share information which will be searchable.

http://www.nipc.org/environment/sustainable/development/communities/index.htm

While written for Illinois, this set of 13 4-page fact sheets on the broad range of community sustainability issues are broadly applicable.

Many of the fact sheets address low impact development, aquatic habitat conservation, conservation development, and other water quality aspects of smart growth. They are excellent, and most communities could benefit greatly from having publications like these to promote community sustainability. They really wouldn’t need to be modified to be usable in most locations.

More generally, you can search broadly around the web sites for www.nipc.org as well as www.growingsensibly.org and find many usseful resources.

/Karen

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