First Step To Cleaner Waterway
As part of development of a water quality improvement plan for Newtown Creek, the state Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the city Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) are holding a public meeting to present information and obtain public input.
The DEC and DEP want to consider and include comments from the public in the Newtown Creek Watershed/ Waterbody Facility Plan (WWFP) before it is finalized. A WWFP is the initial step in the process toward achieving water quality goals for Newtown Creek. Following final WWFP approvals, the DEP will commence the Long Term
The meeting will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 22, at 6:30 p.m. at the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility Visitor Center, located at 329 Greenpoint Ave. in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Visitors should use the entrance at the intersection of Greenpoint Avenue and Humboldt Street.
The Newtown Creek WWFP was originally developed under a 2005 Consent Order between NYSDEC and DEP. Public meetings were conducted to present information and hear from interested parties. The WWFP has now been modified in conformance with the recently nego- tiated NYSDEC-DEP 2011 Consent Order.
This plan is separate from the EPA-designated Superfund National Priorities List Program for Newtown Creek.
The DEP has placed the WWFPs for electronic review online at www.hydroqual.com/projects/ltcp/w bws/index.htm. For persons who wish to review the repository copy, the WWFP is available on Fridays between noon and 4 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or may be viewed by appointment at other times at the Newtown Creek Visitor Center.
Contact Jessica Bergeron, events coordinator, at 1-860-919-7724 or jbergeron@dep.nyc.gov to make arrangements to see the repository copy.
In addition to soliciting public comments on Feb. 22, the public comment period will continue through Mar. 9. Comments or questions may be sent via e-mail to kmahoney@ dep.nyc.gov and gekline@gw.dec.state.ny.us, or by mail to Keith Mahoney, P.E., DEP Bureau ofWastewater Treatment, 96- 05 Horace Harding Expwy, Elmhurst, N.Y. 11373 and Gary E. Kline P.E., NYSDEC, 625 Broadway, Albany N.Y. 12233-3506.
