The next Croton Facilities Monitoring Committee (CFMC) meeting will be held on Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 7 PM in the DEP’s Contractor’s community office on 3660 Jerome Avenue, Bronx NY 10467 (across from the CWTP between 213th and Bainbridge)

1. Welcome, Call Meeting to Order
2. Consider, Adopt Minutes of    CFMC 4-30 (as revised) and 6-18 Meetings
3. DEP Report on Jobs & Hiring
4. Parks Dept Report on Jobs & Hiring
5. Status Report – Jerome Park Reservoir Public  Access Study
6. Croton Construction Update
7. Discussion, Set Next Meeting CFMC Principals

Topics should include questions concerning the below listed documents:

1.  Comptroller’s Audits

• DEP’s Oversight of Costs to Construct the CWTP, FR09-110A, 9/1/2009 – http://bit.ly/AI5Pr
• DEP’s Progress in Constructing the CWTP, FR08-121A, 9/1/2009 – http://bit.ly/1a4a3E

Community response  WaterBlogged.org » From Guest Pens: Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz – Croton is one of the Mayor’s worst failures http://bit.ly/3Xawfi

2.  Public comments in June and DEP response in September

June Public written:  Why_to_the_DEP_June_2009 (verbal comments in minutes we have not seen yet)

CRO-313-312OS Minor Mod RTC 07-24-09 v2

CRO_Design Commission Response_090728_FINAL

PDC Response 2 – Friend of VCP

3. Community’s response to the Design Commission

Deisgn_Comm_re_Parking_MGH_101309

All EISs are supposed to be online and available for the public to see. See the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) web page.

Here is the New York City Department of Environmental Protection

• Minor Modification dated April 2009

• Minor Modification Notice Dated May 1, 2009

Critique to follow

• CITY IS NEGLIGENT ON BRONX HS of SCIENCE EMERGENCY PLANNING
• NOT PREPARED IN CASE OF CHLORINE ACCIDENT

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz warned that poor city agency response to the March 20 bomb scare at the Bronx High School of Science underscores the city’s negligence in emergency planning for its most prestigious school.

“With the irresponsible DEP handling deadly chlorine across the street, it’s alarming that first responders and other emergency teams have no clear evacuation plan.” the Assemblyman said, “Looking at the response from a risk management perspective, I give them a ‘D’.“

Two times between June, 2007 and October, 2008 the DEP spilled chlorine at the Jerome Park Reservoir — directly across the street from Bronx Science.

“Thankfully those accidents weren’t large enough to directly affect the school,” Assemblyman Dinowitz said. “But incredibly, there is nothing in place for any of the schools in the area in case something more serious does happen” he said. “One would think emergency planning would be the City’s first priority, but judging from their non-existent plan in case of a chlorine leak and how last week’s bomb scare was handled, clearly it’s the farthest thing from their minds.”

In the most recent incident at Bronx Science, after an emailed bomb threat was received, a fire drill was called, followed by an announcement to evacuate the building. But without effective communication systems to help coordinate and no support from the NYPD to direct traffic, the process to get students to a safe haven was severely hampered. As a result, hundreds of students were limited to walking on the sidewalk and when they got to nearby Clinton High School, the metal detection process meant they would have to stand in the street and wait.

“During this sort of emergency, you want to close the streets to traffic and have everyone move into shelter as soon as possible,” said Assemblyman Dinowitz, who graduated from Bronx Science in 1971. “School officials reacted to the bomb scare as best they could, but without proper guidance from the NYPD, FDNY, OEM, and DEP, there’s no question that student safety was compromised,” said Assemblyman Dinowitz. “Does something have to go terribly wrong before the city reacts?”

“The school did a good job but there’s need for more support from the City and NYPD,” said Bob Lang, head of the school’s UFT chapter. “It’s also troublesome that they are handling chlorine gas right across the street. If there is a chlorine spill are we supposed to be in the building or out of the building? We need professional advice in terms of planning.”

“Bronx Science’s parents are very concerned about potential threats to the health and safety of our children in the Jerome Park Reservoir area, whether due to noise, dirt, dust, and truck traffic related to the DEP’s drilling, possible deadly chlorine gas leaks, or emergency evacuations,” said Jennifer Nelson, Co-President of the Bronx H.S. of Science Parents Association. “The responsible city agencies have not demonstrated to us that they have well-thought out and developed procedures in place.”

”Also, communication with Bronx Science and the other schools in the area has not been very effective. We call upon the City to lay the necessary groundwork and increase our confidence that emergency situations, should they occur, would be effectively dealt with,” Ms. Nelson said.

Emergency planning in the area has other problems, too. “Just as the DEP did not notify us about the chlorine leaks, no one notified the residents in Scott Tower to remain inside during the evacuation and investigation,” stated Sonia Lappin, a long time resident of nearby Scott Tower Housing Cooperative.

Ironically, two hours after the ‘all-clear ‘in the bomb scare, the DEP sent out an email notifying local community groups and schools that they would begin hoe-ram digging across the street near the Jerome Park Reservoir. “With all this going on, we can only hope the contractor’s employees are prepared to take positive steps in case of an emergency,” stated Karen Argenti of the Bronx Council for Environmental Quality (BCEQ), “because the city is not ready to.”

Last week, the NYC Health Department issued a press release that stated Two New Yorkers have been infected with the West Nile Virus. You can read it here:

Two New Yorkers Test Positive for West Nile

What does this have to do with the Reservoir you ask?

Simple, for the last several months the DEP has kept the reservoir empty on both sides of the wall. The north side is empty and pretty much dry, however the south side is empty but with large standing pools of water that have now turned green and mossy.

So why is this a health issue? Again, simple, standing water attracts mosquitoes and with them come disease. The Health Departments own statement says:

“Take Simple Steps to Avoid Mosquitoes

* Eliminate any standing water from your property, and dispose of containers that can collect water.
Make sure roof gutters are clean and draining properly. Standing water is a violation of the health code. ”

So is DEP getting a violation? This is a serious situation that needs immediate addressing. Millions of mosquitoes could be breeding as I am typing this, do you want to be the next infected person?

I am asking everyone to call 311 and report the standing water in the south side of the reservoir. Please ask for a complaint number and if you can send it to us via our Contact us.

Philip McDonnell
FIPNA

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

The New York City Water Board will hold Hearings to hear from the public. It is anticipated that there will be a change from currently effective water rates and wastewater charges for services provided by the System, to be effective commencing July 1, 2008.

1. Metered and unmetered water rates will increase by an amount not to exceed 14.5%.
2. Wastewater charges will remain at 159% of water charges.

All members of the public who wish to testify at a hearing should contact Kevin Kunkle, New York City Water Board, 59-17 Junction Boulevard, 8th Floor, Flushing, NY 11373, telephone (718) 595-3601, email: kkunkle@dep.nyc.gov, not later than May 2, 2008. Oral testimony will be limited to five (5) minutes duration. A copy of any prepared or written statement may be submitted to the Water Board at the above address by the close of business May 2, 2008.

• Bronx, Monday, May 5 at 6:00 PM: Manhattan College, De La Salle Hall, Room 209, 4513 Manhattan College Parkway, Bronx, NY 10471
• Queens, Tuesday, May 6 at 11:00 AM: Dept. of Environmental Protection, Training Room, 6th Floor, 59-17 Junction Boulevard, Flushing, NY 11373
• Staten Island, Tuesday, May 6 at 6:00 PM: College of Staten Island, Center for the Arts, Recital Hall, 2800 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10314
• Manhattan, Wednesday, May 7 at 5:30 PM: St. John’s University – Manhattan, Room 123, 101 Murray Street, New York, NY 10314
• Brooklyn, Thursday, May 8 at 6:00 PM: Brooklyn College, Student Center, Alumni Lounge, (opposite Whitehead Hall), East 27th Street and Campus Rd., Brooklyn, NY 11210

Plan to attend and/or comment. We will have some points to mention in a few days. Perhaps some of our interested water bloggers can add some as well. For more information about the Water Board go to:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycwaterboard/html/home/home.shtml