700 new apartments along the Gowanus? Smells like SEWAGE to me. Please sign this petition!

This fugly project looks like it belongs in Dallas.

 

Once again the Gowanus community is up against a developer looking to make a fast buck in the name of "affordable housing" and "jobs". If approved this development will situate itself  on Bond Street between 2nd Street and Carroll Street in the same place as the Toll Brothers proposed to build their project which housed 200 LESS units than this. Toll Brothers abandoned the project when the EPA declared this a toxic waterway and designated it a Superfund site.

 

The developers, Lightstone Group, are using an Environmental Impact Statement or "EIS" from the days before it became a superfund site and have admitted at a CB6 land use meeting last week to be using non union workers. This is WRONG!

 

Please sign this petition and pass it on to anyone you know who cares about the environment, over development and profit over community concerns.

 

Sign the petition here.

 

Preservation Support for the Gowanus Awarded by Historic District Council!

I am happy to learn that the hard work of a Gowanus neighbor of mine has paid off. This person, who chooses to remain anonymous, has been tirelessly working to get the Gowanus Urban Industrial district considered for preservation since before the Toll Brothers knocked down the Blades-Forman Lumber Company warehouse at the end of 2nd street near the canal (which should of been landmarked) back in December 2007.

Contrary to what many developers say, there are many beautiful buildings in the Gowanus which exude their own unique industrial revolution era charm. The type of charm which has vanished from other parts of Brooklyn and other parts of the city and needs to stay. The Gowanus district spans from Butler up to Hamilton Avenue and is bordered by Hoyt and 4th Avenues. It really is quite larger than most people think. Since 4th Avenue has been partially destroyed and marred by some pretty fugly condo buildings it is a bit of a relief that an agency in NYC actually cares about maintaining what is so special about the Gowanus corridor.

The Gowanus has been chosen along with 5 other neighborhoods in the five boroughs by the New York Historic District Council as part of a program called "Six to Celebrate". The other neighborhoods chosen are Bedford-Stuyvesant,Jackson Heights, The Bowery, Mt. Morris Park and Inwood.

Here are the details from the New York Historic Distict Council's website.

"The six, chosen from applications submitted by community organizations, were selected on the basis of the architectural and historic merit of the area, the level of threat to the neighborhood, strength and willingness of the local advocates, and potential for HDC’s preservation support to be meaningful. Throughout 2011, its 40th anniversary year, HDC will work with these neighborhood partners to set and reach preservation goals through strategic planning, advocacy, outreach, programs and publicity.

“Neighborhoods throughout New York are fighting an unseen struggle to determine their own futures. By bringing these locally-driven neighborhood preservation efforts into the spotlight, HDC hopes to focus New Yorkers’ attention on the very real threats that historic communities throughout the city are facing from indiscriminate and inappropriate development.” said Simeon Bankoff, HDC’s Executive Director. “As the first list of its kind in New York, the Six to Celebrate will help raise awareness of local efforts to save neighborhoods on a citywide level.”

Read more at the Historic District Council's website here.

Gowanus News: First C.A.G Meeting Recap.

I attended the first C.A.G (Community Advisory Group) meeting at the American Can Factory building at 3rd Street & 3rd Avenue last night. I never thought that I would see the day when the cast of characters seen for the last couple years at the many community board meetings and court hearings (it all began with the Toll Brothers) would now be sitting together discussing the future of the Gowanus. The large group of 57 C.A.G members represented all sides and opinions on the issue of the Gowanus Canal and it’s many stakeholders included avid anti-Super Fund/pro-development people such as Buddy Scotto, the Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation, members of groups that avidly fought for Superfunding such as F.R.O.G.G, The Park Slope Neighbors Association, C.O.R.D as well as academic representatives such as C.U.P (Center for Urban Pedagogy), Pratt Center of Community Development, local residents and business owners.

The evening began with EPA spokesperson Walter Mugdan doing a rundown on the timeline of the Superfund process. He anticipated that the whole thing will take 10 to 12 years with time for problems and delays factored in his estimate. He said the mud at the bottom of the Gowanus Canal is what put the canal on the Superfund List. The water quality of the canal is effected by the quality of the mud, which is full of toxic sediment which was measured by parts per hundred instead of parts per trillion making the Gowanus one of the most toxic bodies of water in America.

At the moment the EPA in the “Remedial Investigation” phase and has found that the mud at the bottom is 5 feet high in some areas of the canal, so dredging will be the order of business. This brought up the issue of C.S.O’s (Combined Sewage Overflow) which is the city’s concern. The sewage will continue to flow into the canal, which will continue to dissolve into the toxic mud, so how long will dredging last before it piles up again? Maintenance will be needed and I believe think that is a whole separate issue.

Mugdan gave kudos to Project Manager, Christos Tsiamis, for finishing the first phase of the Remedial Investigation which would normally take about 2 years in 10 months. Mugdon said that they should be finished with the Remedial Investigation phase by the end of the year and a full report will be available when finished. They hope to have a proposed plan by early 2012 and this plan will have a 60 day public comment period, then they hope to have a remedial design plan in 2013.

After the rundown of the time line, C.A.G members were put into discussion groups, the stakeholders were given seating assignments which created diversity in opinions in each group. The main concerns of the groups at this point seemed to regard impartial communication between the C.A.G and also how to release information to the public.

The one thing I have to say though is that although the C.A.G is diverse in its’ viewpoints, it was not really diverse as it was about 98% white, which, the last time I looked around the neighborhood of the Gowanus does not really match up to the reality of who lives in the neighborhood.

Read more details about the meeting at Pardon Me For Asking who also happens to be a C.A.G Stakeholder.

Wednesday Night Flick on Tanker in Red Hook*Ferry Tales*

Last week I had the pleasure of finally seeing that movie made in 1998 about the Gowanus Canal, Lavender Lake. I saw it in one of the most amazing and appropriate settings, on the deck of tanker, Marie Whelan, docked down in Red Hook. The event was hosted by Portside, New York. First off, I would like to comment on the movie. It was very well made and as a Gowanus resident it was fascinating. It was basically about the history of the canal and about well known Carroll Gardens resident and local funeral home owner Buddy Scotto's personal crusade to clean the canal and about his vision to turn it into the next San Antonio "River Walk". Buddy seemed sincere, although he mentioned "development" a lot. It is sort of shocking 12 years later that when people (the EPA) have stepped in to sincerely clean the canal, he took the side of the Toll Brothers and the city...but that's ancient history!

This week's tankerFlick is Ferry Tales. Sounds like fun!

The details:

"Hop aboard the Mary A. Whalen for the screening of Ferry Tales, the 2003 documentary nominated for an Academy award in 2004 A film by director Katja Esson, Ferry Tales takes place in the Ladies Powder Room of the Staten Island Ferry. It is a sneak peek into a culture that only happens 30 minutes a day in the women's bathroom….a place where no men are allowed. As they put on their make-up, they are transformed from housewives to businesswomen, from mothers to lawyers, from sisters to socialites. The women who step inside this room leave their race, social status and net worth at the door, sharing their most intimate secrets, solving each other’s problems or just dishing up the latest ferry gossip. What starts as funny anecdotes turns into a deep and moving account as these women, one by one, draw each other out, solve one another's problems and dish up the latest ferry gossip. "

Seating will begin at 8:30, and the movie will start at 9.

Printed Tickets are not mandatory, though reserving a ticket online is preferred.

Click here to reserve.

PS- When I went last week the first 40 people got a free beer. You are welcome to bring your own food and drink as well. The setting is fantastic. The skyline, the Statue of Liberty, an old tanker, the moonlight...a truly unique experience.

Where? Pier 11, Atlantic Basin, Red Hook (Pedestrian entrance at Pioneer & Conover)

Check out other events at Portside New York here

A Puzzling Blog Fest.

I was pretty horrified on how the Brooklyn Blogfest was more about that vodka that begins with an “A” than anything else. As someone who turned to blogging to escape the man, I wanted to escape this blogfest but was so shocked at the corporate branding and the blogs being secondary to the whole event that I just had stay to watch this corporate love fest. In the past the actual bloggers were given a face to their blogs and that was the whole point, you got to finally meet the people behind the blogs. At this year’s blog fest, an actor did the “shout out” and if you didn’t know the blogs, or were into hip hop style poetry you wouldn’t really know what the hell he was saying.

The appearance of Marty Markowitz was the cherry on the sundae. If the organizers of the blogfest wanted to alienate many of the bloggers in the audience who have spent the last couple years fighting the Atlantic Yards, the Sitt invasion of Coney Island or the Toll Brothers plans for the Gowanus, they did it here. I was incredulous!

Spike Lee graciously admitted he really didn’t know much about blogs and it is was just so painfully apparent that this was all about this vodka company using the blogs for free advertising for their new Brooklyn vodka! Apparently, many blogs were approached to pimp their vodka with the award of a flip camera. I actually received this email and deleted it immediately. I actually did not even bother reading it, too much work and not F.I.B’s style. Now if they offered to pay me what they would pay a regular media outlet, I might consider. But for a flip camera?
Anyway I have to run to work and could go on and on. Check out Norman Oder’s excellent recap of the event here.

PS- On the plus side after the “shill fest” was over I did meet some lovely people including my doppelganger Lisanne!

Reminder that the doc about Freddy's is playing tonite, you can be sure that is one Brooklyn event that Marty might not have the nerve to make an appearance!

Thursday Night Happenings

So much going on this Thursday, here is just a few.

I am sure by now you have all heard that the Gowanus Canal has gotten Superfunded! If you are not sure what this is all about, click on the youtube video at the top right to see community outrage before the desigination and understand why we will all be celebrating tomorrow night after the meeting!!! I have been listening to the Mayor's office whining about how their plan is quicker today and all I can do is laugh. All I have to say is, "Where were you before the Toll Brothers wanted to build?" And to the Toll Brothers."Thanks for pulling out of your project even though there is no stigma here, the canal has ALWAYS been polluted, people know it and live here anyway but in buildings that were built over 100 years ago. The gall that you guys had to dig into the ground and say that it's not that polluted is astounding. For once the truth has prevailed!"

OK so back to Thursday..

1. Thee EPA meeting.
The EPA will meet with the public to discuss "upcoming activity" along the Gowanus.
When: Thursday, March 4, 2010
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Where: P.S. 58 auditorium
330 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY
(entrance to the school is on Carroll Street)

*Should be a media circus so I advise you to get there early.

2. Melanie Hope Greenberg, illustrator of the fab book >Mermaids on Parade and friend of F.I.B will be at Superfine in Dumbo for the March 2010 Women's History Month Celebration where Brooklyn Honors Local Artists and Literature. Superfine is a at 126 Front Street Dumbo Brooklyn 718.243.9005
Opening Reception March 4, 6-8pm


3.This one sounds positively gothic!“Death Becomes Them”: Unearthing the Suicides of the Brilliant, the Famous, and the Notorious; a reading and lecture at Proteus Gowanus.

Nevins Street and Union (entrance in the alley on Nevins)

Time: 8:00
Admission: $5.00
Read the gory details here

4. Jenna Hunt Astrology readings at Beast Restaurant & Bar in Prospect Heights!
Info here.

Gowanus Canal a *DESIGNATED* Superfund Site!

From a statement from Judith Enck, the E.P.A. regional administrator:

“After conducting our own evaluations and consulting extensively with the many people who have expressed interest in the future of the Gowanus Canal and the surrounding area, we have determined that a Superfund designation is the best path to a cleanup of this heavily contaminated and long neglected urban waterway,”

After years of community activists speaking up against the developer's plan to put housing on the shores of the aquatic brownfield that is the Gowanus which then turned into supporting the EPA when they stepped in last April when the Toll Brothers got special "spot zoning" to build, something rational has finally happened. The canal will be cleaned the RIGHT way without putting the developers before the existing community. Hallelujah!!

The RESIDENTS of the community have tirelessly spread the word of the importance of Superfunding, a massive petition drive was organized within days of finding out about the nomination to encourage people to submit comments to the EPA's website, films were made, politicians were met with, the EPA themselves said that they had never had such massive community support.

I am happy to say that sometimes you can fight city hall and WIN!!!

Read the statement in today's New York Times.

DUMBO! Get Ready to Fight! The Toll Brothers are trying to move in...

I rarely look to the the press for local news but this time I can't help myself.The Troll Brothers are now looking to annoy the people of DUMBO now with another unneccesary condo. Toll Brother V.P David Von Sprecklesen is all hot and bothered about clogging the open sky with another Toll Brothers montrosity. He says and I quote from The Brooklyn Paper article:“It’s a big vacant site — people would like to see some activity there,”. “Our goal is to have the whole process finished by April, and start building shortly thereafter.” He also mentioned that if there were no landsmarks commision they would just build over 12 stories. Hello! David! This site is located between two very important NYC bridges. This man just is crazy to build near the water no matter what!This is what they built in Williamsburg..BARF!
*Photocredit: Curbed

People of DUMBO get ready to rally!!!!!

I hope the neighborhood of DUMBO proves your assumptions wrong as far as what "people would like to see". Just give it up. Please. The condos in Brooklyn are festering and empty. Why are you so intent in littering the landscape?

Click here for over 50 F.I.B posts about the Toll Brothers and the Gowanus.

Bill DeBlasio - Don't Believe the Hype!

I'm sorry I am going to rant a little here, after listening and reading about Bill DeBlasio's Public Advocate speech where he is sounding like such a great man of the people, a man who is there for the community, like a god d@mn Kennedy - I just have to blow off a little steam!

From the Daily News

"(W)e no longer have to make a false choice between a government that serves the people efficiently, or a government that intently listens to them. We can and must have both," De Blasio said.

"My office will be a place where the voice of the people speaks loudly. A place that helps organize communities to play a more meaningful role in our city government. A place that unlocks the mystery of government and refuses to stand by when a New Yorker could have been helped, but wasn't."
"And, in the instances where government fails, my office will be the place that demands accountability and change."

Oh just gag me right now!!!

I just want to remind people that this is the man who was rarely to be seen when his own constituents needed him in Carroll Gardens and the Gowanus. He would rarely show at community board meetings and when he did it was pretty much a drive by. This man actually sided with the smarmy Toll Brothers in the name of 'affordable housing" even though it is barely affordable and the project was going to be build on the shores of the toxic Gowanus with NO cleanup by the city of New York. It took the EPA nominating it as a Superfund site after the special spot-zoning of the Gowanus was granted which gave a go ahead to Toll to build.

This man also has left a legacy in Carroll Gardens by reneging on a promise to change the glitch in zoning laws which would allow developers to build tall buildings on historic narrow Carroll Gardens brownstone streets by factoring in the sidewalks and front yard as street space!

He is also all for the construction of the Atlantic Yards. A project which has forced long time residents to move and relocate, who certainly did not make the income which DeBlasio considers to be one of a low income family, which is....drum roll please..$100,000 a year!!!!

All I can say is, despite him coming on as a saviour to Bloomberg haters, he is not my public advocate and was not much of one as for the 39th district when he was a councilman! Beware of his sneaky ways!

Read details over about DeBlasio "sticking it to Carroll Gardeners on his way out" at Pardon Me For Asking.

Gowanus Finally Gets Honest Major Newspaper Coverage!

I am reprinting this article from today's Daily New's because it is so nice to get an honest account about what is going on over the battle between the community & the EPA versus Bloomberg and assorted developers which include suburban home giants and Williamsburg condo blighters, The Toll Brothers.

Bloomberg nor anyone else in the city cared about the Gowanus until developers started snooping around dreaming about building condos like the glass/steel ones on the Bowery in Manhattan. Except these were going to be built on a toxic brownfield on the shores of an aquatic brownfield without a thought to health and environmental risks. I guess waterfront prooperty is waterfront property! For almost 2 years there has been a battle between the developers and environmental activists/historic preservationists concerning a rezoning that would allow over 2,000 new residents into this fragile area which lacks infrastructure (schools?!)and would bring significant traffic into a neighborhood with narrow streets.

Anyway! Surprise surprise, even though 80% of the comments were PRO Superfund on the governments website and there WAS a deadline, Bloomberg is acting like that the city is already the ones who are cleaning it, the pumping station is only PART of the puzzle.....I just don't get it. Condos are empty, constructions projects are abandoned- doesn't it make SENSE to let the EPA come in and clean the canal with money that does not come from us?

Anyway a long lead in to an article, honestly reported.

"Advocates of Superfund cleanup of Gowanus Canal denied entry at city launch of $150M cleanup"

BY Erin Durkin

Gowanus Canal advocates charge they were shut out of Mayor Bloomberg's kickoff of a canal cleanup because they support designating the polluted waterway a Superfund site.

The group of eight was barred by police from entering the Friday event, at which Bloomberg launched a $150 million project to improve water quality.

Some members of the group had hoped to attend as members of the Department of Environmental Protection's Flushing Tunnel Rehabilitation Stakeholders Committee, formed in 2002 to work with the city on plans to rehab the canal's flushing tunnel.

"It was really a private party," said committee member Marlene Donnelly. "They wouldn't let us through the gates. They actually told us we weren't allowed to stand on the sidewalk there because this was a private event."

Bloomberg has lobbied vigorously to stop the federal Environmental Protection Agency from making the canal a Superfund site, saying the city can do its own cleanup faster and without driving away potential development.

"I had my Superfund sign with me. I'm not going to deny that," said Linda Mariano, another committee member, noting that local activists who oppose a Superfund designation and representatives of developer Toll Brothers were let in. "It was an extremely sad scenario there on Friday."

Bloomberg spokesman Marc LaVorgna said the event was "for invited guests and the media .... They [those denied entry] were permitted to be just outside the event on the street and make their voices heard."

The city project includes fixing the canal's flushing tunnel, upgrading a pumping station so less sewage will be dumped into the canal, and dredging part of the waterway.

Read the actual article here.

Bloomberg Comes to Gowanus and LOCKS OUT COMMUNITY!

F.I.B's eyewitness news team showed up this afternoon for Bloomberg's celebration of the start of work on the Gowanus Flushing tunnel finally starting (of course it took the threat of halting development to proceed) and said that no one who really lived in the community was allowed to watch or participate in it! The usual suspects were there for this private celebration. You know, Toll Brothers,our former lame-o Councilman Bill DiBlasio, Buddy Scotto and his crew, Borough President Marty Markowitz, assorted politicians and the people who love them and of course the press.

Can't wait to see what slanted articles appear in the Post and the Daily News tomorrow!

Through the Gowanus grapevine I received this irate email from an extremely involved member of the community.


"Eight members of the DEP Flushing Tunnel Rehabilitation Stakeholders Committee were barred from entering and taking part in the celebration that is going on as I type this email at the Flushing Tunnel Station on Douglass Street. These 8 people and others spent many, many hours of their time freely to review documents and provide input into the planning for this effort since DEP convened the group in 2002.

TODAY BLOOMBERG SAW FIT TO LOCK THESE COMMUNITY PARTICIPANTS OUT OF AN EVENT THAT THEIR DONATED TIME HELPED TO BRING ABOUT.

Just wanted all of you to know how concerned citizens who give their time to better their community and all of New York City get treated by the current mayor of NYC."

Is anyone surprised? I wish I was.

Superfund Gowanus-Contact your Senators ASAP!!!

You know how F.I.B was begging you all to comment on the EPA's website that the Gowanus Canal should be Superfunded from April to July? And before that letting you all know that the Gowanus is not the place for the Toll Brothers as well as others to plant their condos as it is an AQUATIC BROWNFIELD? Remember how happy the community was when the EPA stepped in? The show of support of the community resulted in 80% of the comments to be FOR the Superfund! BUT apparently that means nothing because even though the comment period is OFFICIALLY OVER, the EPA in Washington is taking time to take meetings with Mayor Bloomberg and NOT the community (we've been trying to meet with them) and last I heard is stalling it's decision until December. Originally they said the reason for the delay is that they have to read each and every comment. Apparently it was the highest number of comments the EPA had received for ANY project. You would think that would say something about what should be done! But NO! It's the same old same old, "money talks ..",the City wants to clean the canal after years of ignoring it (um where is this money going to come from? Us and a WRDA grant they will have to apply for every year) now that it may slow their plans down to build, build, build...so people, once I again I ask you to take five minutes to cut and paste the letter (composed by C.O.R.D) below and send it to our Senators Charles Schumer and Gillibrand. We need to clog their mailboxes to let them know that the community needs to be heard,just as we were the majority on that comment site. I am so TIRED of the developers getting their way despite the lack of infrastructure,we barely have subway service and if you have been reading the news lately, the city needs to build more SCHOOLS not CONDOS! It made my day to see that L Magazine voted the Toll Brothers in this week's issue as one of the "villains" responsible for destroying New York...Von Sprecklesen no matter how hip you choose to portray yourself you still ain't!

PLEASE COPY AND PAST THE FOLLOWING AND SENT TO THE EMAIL ADDRESSES PROVIDED BELOW!


Dear Senators Gillibrand and Schumer, 
 


We are residents of the Gowanus area. 
 
Our neighborhoods may have different names such as Carroll Gardens or Park Slope, but we are the people whose lives are touched every single day by the deplorable condition of the Gowanus Canal. 
 


We are the people who applauded Commissioner Grannis's request to nominate this open sewer to the National Priorities List. 
 


We are the people who signed a petition in support of that nomination. 
 


We are the people who attended the multiple meetings held in our community. 
 


We are the people who obediently sent in our comments to the Environmental Protection Agency in the prescribed, timely manner and we are the people who have been waiting patiently for science and common sense to lead our Canal into the healthier life the Superfund designation would offer us all. 
 


We are the people who are beginning to strongly feel that what residents want is of no importance; that the desires of those who stand to benefit financially somehow trumps the health of those who inhabit the area. 



We are your constituents. Our pro designation comments represent the majority and we ask that you speak on our behalf. 
 


The Gowanus Canal must be added to the National Priorities List. It must be designated a Superfund site. 
 


Work must begin with the sole motivation of improving public health and the environment. 
 
No other plan, no other dream, no other ambition is more important.

No other course of action should be permitted to take precedence over the health of Gowanus area residents and our children. 
 
The EPA indicated in those community meetings that they are ready, willing and able to proceed. 
 


We are the people. Represent us, please. Call E.P.A. Administrator Lisa Jackson


***Please copy, paste and sign the letter above and email to both senators.***

For Senator Schumer, click here

For Senator Gillibrand, click here

Field Trip to Williamsburg

This week is F.I.B's summer vacation and while most people might go to Maine, I do not think I have been to Williamsburg for well over a year and decided to take a little fieldtrip there today. Upon exiting the G train at Metropolitan Avenue I was quickly made to feel like I was at home as the sister building to the "Open Your Eyes" building that I see from my house in South Brooklyn was the first thing I saw as I hit the street! Ironically F.I.B used to rent a space in this building on Keape Street about 5 years ago. It was owned by a company that made Murphy beds. Now it is vacant and window less and covered with grafitti. What's up with that?Then upon crossing under the BQE I saw this! Shout out to Miss Heather!Then I went to this park on Kent Avenue where the skyline was real but unreal.Cliche photo I know but I just couldn't help it!The view may be beautiful but if you want to picnic or sunbath you will be lulled by the sounds of cranes and earthmovers on one side. And this Toll Brothers monolith on the other side. Ewwwww. Can you imagine being one of the numbers living in there? This would fit in better in a business district of a city such as Phoenix or Miami but whatever it's here and they are not selling like hotcakes. Upon skeedaddling out of that park with the bad condo feng shui - where the water, the view and the people playing happy dominoes were the only pleasantries, as well as the sprinklers we ran through which were wasting water to keep the sod dayglow green, I happily came across a rare commidity and FIB's favorite. OPEN SKY! That place on the corner is the Rosenwach's Tank Group which has been making wooden water tanks for over a hundred years!

The day ended at the fab Rolewskie Jadlo restaurant on Nassau Avenue in Greenpoint (you can't miss it, it's got knights in armor outside) where the chef/owner used to work at Nobu and the seasonal blueberry perogies are out of this world and only $5.50!

F.I.B is going to bust out of Brooklyn and head to Long Island for a few days, see y'all on the flipside!

Read this.

In the spirit of the 4th of July and democracy I am reposting a most fabulous comment from a native Brooklyite in response to the Superfund nomination.It could not be more opposite from the Toll Brothers rep who I understand is also a native Brooklynite (he really should be ashamed of himself)his comment does not mention the community only the development community anyway this comment is long but worth the read...please comment yourselves, click on the whale to the right.

To: Docket Coordinator
HeadquartersU.S. Environmental Protection Agency
CERCLA Docket Office - Mail Code 5305T
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20460
Via email: superfund.docket@epa.gov
I am writing in response to the EPA’s Federal Docket Number EPA HQ SFUND 2009 0063. I am a Brooklyn born woman raised in Park Slope. I now live in Boerum Hill, approximately 5 blocks away from the proposed Superfund Gowanus project site. I’m also a Producer of a local Brooklyn Community Access TV Show, called Freddy’s Brooklyn Roundhouse (FBR). FBR provides a non-commercial, unsubsidized voice for community leaders and organizations from Brooklyn to address local & national issues threatening everyone’s civil liberties. Issues range from the use of eminent domain at places such as Brooklyn’s historic Underground Railroad site at Duffield street and Atlantic Yards, to Brooklynites helping to save the homes of displaced residents of New Orleans, to the growing immigrants rights movement; we bridge borough, city-wide and national topics that infringe upon constitutional rights and threaten our communities, and we support the Superfund nomination because we believe it will address the environmental threat looming over our Borough.
Along with my letter today I am submitting several links to You Tube episodes of the Freddy’s Brooklyn Roundhouse Show that highlight the communities support for this nomination and some of the outrage expressed at the tactics being used by one of the nation’s largest developer’s, the Toll Brothers, and the City to oppose the Superfund designation. Such ploys include distribution of misleading mailers regarding the Superfund, frightening local home owners into thinking their property values will plummet if Superfund designation is given, to the Toll brothers providing a dock to the Gowanus Dredgers, a community group of boating enthusiasts, in exchange for their not supporting Superfund and even putting unknowing visitors at risk by offering them canoe rides on this toxic waterway. Public parody has also been made out of this process by the City proposing their own convoluted clean up plan which neglects the fact that they have had years to take action to clean up the canal and now are only making a show since the Feds are trying to come in, diverting resources that could be used to clean up other toxic parts of the city not on the Superfund list yet still in serious need of clean up.
As a person who grew up here, I have watched the character of Gowanus, Boerum Hill, Prospect Heights, Fort Greene and Park Slope develop in an organic community driven way that has far exceeded all my childhood expectations. In the 70’s and 80’s Brooklyn was a very dirty and environmentally unsound place and everyone knew the Gowanus was toxic, you could literally smell it. We have all seen the DEP signs by the Canal for years, advising that sewage outfalls should be reported, and everyone saw and smelled these outfalls regularly and very few people called because no one ever believed it would make a difference. Those were the real times of blight in Brooklyn, and for any study to deem an area in this present day wealthy, trendy set of neighborhoods a super toxic waterway, we know to take this message seriously, especially as the area becomes more and more populated with young families. It is an insult to those of us who grew up here and a false pretense for another landgrab for one of the nation’s largest developer’s, the Toll Brothers, and the City to oppose the Superfund designation.
A lot of our parents were pioneers in the local revitalization movement choosing to live and work here during the genuinely blighted years of industrial waste, crack and crime. Their contributions, along with so many others that I know personally, grew and culminated in the reduction of criminal elements, restoration, beautification, proliferation of diverse and successful small and locally owned businesses, and the fabulous street fairs we know and love. All these activities slowly coalesced over time and brought local communities together, entire neighborhoods that remain together thru several generations now and are the reason for which most people I grew up with here have never left. It is with great pride that we cherish what has been developed locally and organically as a vibrant mixed use and cultural diverse set of neighborhoods, all unique yet sharing the same seeds of social development; placing priorities on safety, the environment, healthy public school education, museums, art, access to our wonderful open spaces and parks, and supporting local merchants blending of old and new world traditions and sustainable urbanization. All of these attributes have created Northern Brooklyn’s distinct neighborhoods’ character that compliment each other and encourage cohesion and pride. For the EPA to come in and clean up, in a comprehensive manner, something that all of us are unequipped to manage is a true gift. For the city and the Toll brothers to oppose this and just continue to build their corporate monstrosities at the junction of these toxic waterways, with projects that are out of scale and diametrically opposed in proportion, design, and socio-economic character to these neighborhoods is to insult and negate all that the people and communities have independently accomplished for the past 40 years. To impose one developer’s and mayor’s political vision and will over the EPA and the thousands that live here is irresponsible at best, criminal at worst. They clearly demonstrate over and over again that they will put profit over people and the health of our eco-system.
It is not disputed that the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn has neglected sewers combined with a history of heavy industry that has never been properly cleaned up. When the Environmental Protection Agency nominated Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal as a Superfund cleanup site on its National Priority List there was a lot of excitement that this would be a real opportunity to transform this super sick waterway into a viable estuary for us and future generations. This waterway used to be known as Lavender Lake because it glowed psychedelic hues from all the oil, coal tars, heavy metals, lead, PCB’s, toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH’s), Benzene/Toluene/Ethylbenzene/Xylene in it. Beyond being a chemical dumping ground for all these years, the Canal is also a highly neglected sewage overflow system where Combined Sewage Overflow points (CSO’s) spill into the Canal depositing our fecal matter, condoms, tampons and anything else that get flushed into the Canal when we have a heavy rainstorm. Recently, strains of Gonorrhea and other venereal diseases were even discovered in Brooklyn’s “Love Canal”. Beyond neglect, there have been no comprehensive health studies done in the community to study the impacts of living near such an industrial toxic mess for the residents and the larger ecosystem of plants, birds and fish. We do know that 2 years ago, a 12-foot apparently healthy baby Minke whale died within two days after getting lost and swimming just outside the locks of the Gowanus Canal. The U.S. Coast Guard nicknamed the whale Sludgy because it appeared to be covered with oily sediment from the canal!
Many of us are thrilled with the announcement that the EPA is preparing to comprehensively clean up this waterway and help transform it into a viable estuary. However, we are shocked that certain city officials and real estate interests have come out against this nomination, instead promising to clean up the Canal in a piecemeal fashion that won’t stigmatize our Borough. We strongly feel that not only is our Canal full of crap, but so are they. They have had years to comply with the Clean Water Act and they have done little and now only when their development designs are at risk do they scramble to say they need more time to develop their own alternative clean up plans. It appears these corporate and political interests don’t care about the quality of life for folks living there, but only want to continue to use the area to turn mega profits. The City has successfully lobbied to have the comment period to the EPA extended until July 8th, so they can fight against the Superfund nomination, please do not allow them any more extensions to derail this nomination. A lot of the local community is outraged at such tactics and there has been much talk on the issue. FROGG, Friends and Residents of Greater Gowanus, has created a website for people to take action to let you know that we want the Canal cleaned by the EPA. Please go online and check out the petition to read what the community is saying (www.superfundgowanus.org). We are very unhappy that several City Council members and the Mayor are not supporting their constituent’s positions and only serving the interests of giant luxury real estate developers like the Toll Brothers.

We all have a big stake in seeing a comprehensive toxic cleanup happen in a holistic manner. Beyond the long term health effects from heavy industry poisons along the Canal we must address the issues of out of scale, unsustainable development throughout Brooklyn affecting the Combined Sewage Overflow points in the Canal, that in conjunction with flooding from global warming, with no operational Flushing Tunnel, poses a real threat to our beloved Borough. When Hurricane Katrina hit, New Orleans had neglected levees coupled with antiquated oil refineries that made for a deadly environmental disaster from which many communities have never recovered. Here in Brooklyn, unsustainable development, industrial and human waste, along with more forceful flooding, could create similar catastrophic consequences along the Canal that could turn Brooklyn into a giant toxic toilet bowl!
For all of the above reasons this Superfund nomination must be approved. We need experts to remedy the toxicity and seriously address how to environmentally repair and protect this area from real devastation. The City also says there is no danger in letting them try and clean up the area and if they are not successful then the EPA could come in, yes there is danger in delay, the threat is real and the time is now. We must learn from past mistakes and remember New Orleans.
Sincerely,
Ms. Sabine Aronowsky
Producer, www.FreddysBrooklynRoundhouse.rg

The Word "Superfund" Scares the City! A Recap on City's "Alternative to Superfund" Presentation.

Representatives from the City of New York, Cas Holloway and Dan Watson talked in unconvincing circles tonight at their second presentation this week to discuss alternatives to designating the Gowanus as a Superfund site.

Their major points.

1. The city’s plan is exactly the same as the E.P.A’s. The dredging will be done by the Army Corp of Engineers and will be overseen by the EPA. The difference? It wound not be called a Superfund site. They see it as a stigma.

2. They feel that P.R.P’s (potentially responsible parties or polluters) would be more willing to pay up if it was on a voluntary basis. (Does anybody believe this?)

3. The monies that are NOT collected from P.R.P’s will be gotten through the Water Resources Development Act or WRDA.

This is the best part!

4. If it doesn’t work out and the big “if” lies on getting the money from W.R.D.A than they will hand the project over to the EPA and it can then become the much stigmatized Superfund site. Of course this will be a few years down the road but "what's the hurry?"

The problem is and they did not mention it but Dan Wiley from Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez’s office confirmed that there is no money in WRDA for the Gowanus!

Making the city’s plan a huge waste of money all in order to avoid the “stigma” of the word Superfund!

To quote Congresswoman Velazquez from an article from the Brooklyn Star (link below):
"The Gowanus Canal has never been included in WRDA and this is the vehicle the city is proposing to use," Velazquez said. "For the city to say that their plan relies on money that the federal government won't be able to provide is a disservice to the community."

I know this is redundant but it seems like a huge waste of time and money to me. Let the Fed’s do it!

The business owners in the audience questioned about P.R.Ps. Walter Mugdon of the EPA stepped in several times at the city’s invitation to explain things that the city obviously couldn’t answer. I think that this made the city seem less credible.

Debby Scotto, (one of the members of Clean Gowanus Now!) did comment about the “stigma” and how it will redline the neighborhood making it impossible to get insurance and mortgages. I would think the neighborhood is far past that, it’s gentrified and I don’t think there is any going back to those days. The Gowanus and Carroll Gardens are constantly being written about in the NY Times Real Estate section, fashion and design magazines etc. It will continue to be desirable. That’s why the Toll Brothers want in so bad. I would think that by allowing the EPA to step in with their plan, which they already have drawn up would cost the taxpayers far less money. The city did admit that that the taxpayers would be paying for the bulk of it their plan. Actually Walter Mugdon said that but they didn’t object!

SO….

The city on one hand says they will get it done faster and on the other hand say, “what’s the hurry?”

Cas Holloway admitted that the only reason that they came up with this plan was because the DEP requested that it become a Superfund site when questioned about their sudden interest. Reason enough alone to distrust them. They were willing to let developments happen on a toxic waste dump and only when forced have acted like they care. Ultimately it is the EPA that has the final decision on this and I hope they are not swayed by the lobbying that is probably being done in Washington despite Holloway’s claim that they are not.

Click here to read about how there is no money in WRDA for the Gowanus Canal!

Read about yesterday’s meeting over here at Pardon Me For Asking

As the Gowanus Turns....

Apparantly you have to pay people to convince local businesses that Superfund is bad! F.I.B heard through the Gowanus grapevine that a paid representative of the formerly anonymous Clean Gowanus Now! group was doing just that today and using all the usual scare tactics and non factoids, using talking points that included something about nurses in some other part of the country!

I say formerly anonymous because they have recently added their names to their organization.
Those names being:

Africa-Israel, U.S.A.(a huge multi-national real estate corporation.)
Bayside Fuel Oil Depot Corporation
Jobco, Inc.
Magnifico Enterprises
L&M Development Partners, Inc.(see photo of smiling Bloomie & Toll Brother V.P)
The Ribellino Family (Waste Management)
Debbie & Buddy Scotto
Toll Brothers, Inc.

surprise, surprise

I wonder if they are also paying someone to swipe Pro Superfund posters out of local business windows such as Winn Discount?

Also....

The Riverkeeper just visited the Gowanus and found "unsafe sewage levels in canal bacteria count high in Gowanus" and "that of the dozens of locations Riverkeeper tests - from New York City to north of Albany - only the Gowanus and Newtown Creek show contamination levels as high." Read about it in the Daily News here.

And our local Councilman STILL thinks it's not the job for the EPA!
Pardon Me for Asking has the story on that. Read: Councilman Bill DeBlasio Still Pushing City's Alternative To Gownaus Superfund Listing.

Congrats on the New York Times City Room picking up that story up Katia!

Earth Day or His Community's Health ($$$) Means Nothing to Councilman Bill DeBlasio

SUPERFUND ME! A nice big hunk of Gowanus Raw Sewage!

Bill DeBlasio has finally publicly declared that he is against the EPA's nomination of the Gowanus Canal as a Superfund site. No one is the community is surprised, I can't remember the last the man has been seen at a community meeting, oh yeah I can! He said his spiel about affordable housing (irregardless of the enviromental consequences) and left before listening to his community! While I haven't looked on his schedule I am sure Councilman Bill DeBlasio is probably doing some Earth Day photo op activities with children for a few minutes today. It's all smoke and mirrors, who cares about scientific data and longterm health when the Toll Brothers can surface clean the canal for less money and time.

For more info read the excellent blog Pardon Me For Asking's post "Councilman DeBlasio Advocating For Developers, Not For His Constituents" here and a scathing proclamation of disappointment from C.O.R.D here!

Also!

We are in the midst of the 60 day comment period for the public to have their say about whether the Gowanus should be cleaned up by the Federal Government (should be a no brainer) and I urge you to send your comments. Write down your experiences, send photos, make it personal, maybe the EPA will be more sympathetic than our non existent councilman has.

You can find the form here.

Gowanus Canal Superfund Meeting Recap

It pretty much felt like the Gowanus Canal becoming a Superfund site was a done deal at this meeting. Walter Mugdan, Director of Emergency & Remedial Response Division of the Environmental Protection Agency gave a clear and coherent overview of just exactly the objective of this project is. It was SO refreshing to hear someone with an actually scientific background say that “there is no RATIONAL DEBATE” regarding the fact that this area needs to be cleaned up BEFORE (unlike the Toll’s plan) building. THANK YOU!!! According to their sampling there is a tremendous amount of coal tar beneath the sediment and when the tide goes out the coal tar comes up. Coal tar is just ONE of the contaminents down there. He said that this is a “high profile” site which means it will get a lot of attention and that overall on a contamination score with the minimum at 28.5 and the highest at 100, the Gowanus Canal scored a 50 and that was based on just ONE pathway or area that they tested.

Of course there was the usual money based opposition. A representative from Mayor Bloomberg’s office appeared and burst the feeling of “YES! finally some sense is being spoke here” and said that the Mayor was against the superfunding and that developers have invested 400 million dollars in doing the same clean up as the EPA. Boos ensued, at least from one part of the room. Buddy Scotto, was absolutely seething and told certain people who want the Superfund project to happen, something to the effect of “ you are all good talkers but you have no money and never will." Paid union reps praised the wonderful Toll Brothers and complained about that the Superfunds were “undermining the development “ and also complained about the “romanticization of the Gowanus Canal”. Hey, what’s wrong with a little romance?

One of the highlights of the evening was when a CB 6 Board Member asked if maybe if the canal was polluted because of “the artists and their cadmium paint” she also compared the word “Superfund site” with having a “sex offender” in your neighborhood. You know it would destroy your property values. Call me crazy but wouldn’t a clean canal improve your property values and perhaps provide a healthier environment for your children and grandchildren?

Anyway, there is a 60 day comment period and I urge anyone who has an opinion to send your thoughts and concerns by June 6th.
Submit your comments here.

REMINDER! Gowanus E.P.A. SuperFund Meeting this Tuesday Night

Public Information Forum with the U.S Environmetal Protection Agency Regarding the Gowanus Canal Nomination for Superfund
Tuesday April 14th
PS 32 317 Hoyt Street
7pm


If you have any interest at all in the clean up of the Gowanus Canal I URGE you to attend this meeting. There have been a lot of twists and turns regarding clean up and development. Residents tirelessly have dragged themselves to meetings, hearings, have sent comments regarding the rezoning of the canal for the past year. Last month the city gave approval for a spot rezoning to take place so that developers the Toll Brothers could build their condos between Carroll and 2nd Street on the banks of the canal. Any cleanup that was to be done on this site was in the hands of the developers, a frightening thought in this day and age of people being screwed by corporations and banks. There are members of the community such as Buddy and Debby Scotto, who supposedly want a clean canal but are now balking about this highly toxic site receiving Superfunds so that the Environmental Protection Agency can do a proper job before any building takes place. Now, any rational person would think that one would clean BEFORE building but NO! Scare tactics from the developers have quickly occurred. Today I received a press release from the Toll's "public policy consultant's claiming:
Superfund Designation is Wrong Way to Clean Up the Gowanus Canal With No Funding and the Promise of Lengthy Litigation, Federal Involvement Will Only Diminish Property Values, Stunt Development and Muddy the Waters" and a business on Smith Street had a stack of papers published anonymously (hmm i wonder just who it is?) pablum along the same lines. They are inviting people to come to the meeting with local real estate people and other scare tactics. The general theme is all about property values going down with no THOUGHT at ALL about just WHY the EPA feels that this area needs clean up or about health issues or the future.

Judging by the media blitz I am sure in addition to people being for or against this on their own terms, there will also be a ton of paid union guys talking about being willing to endanger their health for a job.

I would like to quote a long time member of F.R.O.G.G (Friends and Residents of the Gowanus Canal, a neighborhood group has tirelessly fought for the clean up of the canal through the correct channels:

"It would be a great loss to this community to pass up the financial help and expertise that the Superfund listing will bring to this area wide Gowanus Cleanup. It may be the only opportunity that will lead to the water complying with the Clean Water Act. (Nothing else could be better for our home values than this, nothing!Nothing else could be better for our health and well being, NOTHING! No amount of affordable housing could take the place of havinga clean waterway for our future! Having a clean waterway that supports planned developments is the only way to go.)

It would be a great loss to the community and the city as a whole if Toll and Buddy put their clout behind stopping this when,it looks like Toll Inc may not be in the financial position to build now anyway. The news on condo sales in the city is that values are to drop for another 4-5 years. With these kind of financial indicators, we should all take a step back. This may be the perfect timing to addressthe Gowanus Canal. The Pump tunnel work is to begin this spring. The Army Corp is part of that whole aeration process that will be put into place soon with much water quality testing going on during this process. The Army Corp has already done much study work--there is good science going on here--not the lopsided science that pops up in EIS's to support one opinion.

Touche!

Important Meeting Tuesday: EPA Is Concerned About the Gowanus!

Some great news regarding the Gowanus. As you have been reading in this blog for over a year, residents have had a tough loosing battle against the Toll Brothers wanting to build a huge condo on the fragile shores. A ray of hope has come and the EPA has decided that toxicity of the canal IS an issue and the Gowanus Canal has been nominated for Superfunds.There will be a meeting on Tuesday to find out more, infomation is below.

It's laughable how much money and profit clouds the thinking of those who think that building should be done, a quote in today's New York Post from one of those. (Thanks Buddy!)

"The sooner we get the listing under way, the sooner EPA can begin its work, so that one day the Gowanus Canal can be used again to benefit the people of Brooklyn," said the agency's acting regional administrator, George Pavlou.

But Carroll Gardens activist Buddy Scotto, leader of an at-times successful effort to clean up the canal for decades, said the EPA's decision stinks.

He said all the designation "would do is tie up development projects off the shore," such as a luxury condo and townhouse project planned by the Toll Brothers developers.

"There's no question the canal is clean enough now to support development," Scotto said.

"This is all political because someone has decided they don't want to see development near the canal, but it doesn't make sense. How can anyone try to kill these projects during such a poor economic climate?"

The project by Toll Brothers calls for 130 of the 577 units to be marketed to low- to middle-income households near Bond, Carroll and Second streets, and the rest would go for market rate.

Other developments planned for the area around the canal include a 68,000-square-foot Whole Foods superstore on Third Street.

Normally, polluters are required to pay for cleanups after completion of an EPA Superfund review, but in the case of the canal, much of the contamination occurred well over a century ago. In these situations, federal dollars are used to pay for a cleanup.

An important meeting will be held regarding this coming Tuesday at PS 32.

Below is the information about the informational meeting regarding the nomination of the Canal for Superfunds

Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez and Congresswoman Yvette Clarke Invite you to a
A Public Information Forum with US EPA Regarding the Gowanus Canal Nomination for Superfund.

Tuesday, April 14, 7:00 PM

PS 32 Auditorium 317 Hoyt Street (between Union & President Streets)

Bring Your Questions!

US Environmental Protection Agency Will explain how the Superfund program works
and nomination process.