EPA officials rejected New York City’s proposal to build a long tunnel to prevent sewage overflows into the Gowanus Canal. Instead, the original plan to build two holding tanks will continue uninterrupted. This was the main topic of the September Gowanus Community Advisory Group (CAG) public meeting, held the last Tuesday of the month as usual at the Cabrini residence, 41 First Street.
“The risks outweighed the benefits, [particularly] in regards to prolonging canal cleanup – which is not something that would be desirable,” said EPA Remedial Project Manager Christos Tsiamis at last month’s meeting.
While this decision is a step forward in what’s already been a decade-long journey, many CAG members still want to know what will happen to canal remediation if the Gowanus rezoning moves forward.
Lopez covered that in his letter to Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Vincent Sapienza on Sept. 20, saying the EPA is open to discussing a potential expansion in the two tanks’ storage volumes – if the City thinks that should be considered in relation with the proposed rezoning. However, he believes the slated volume is “adequate, in combination with other appropriate control measures.” According to Tsiamis, developers would be held responsible for properly disposing additional sewage, as a means to protect the remedy and to not overload the system.
Tsiamis also reiterated that the tank scalability could be altered, since further rezoning was anticipated at the time when the Record of Decision was written in 2013.
The next CAG meeting will take place on October 22 at 6 pm at 41 1st St.
Top photo screenshot from DEP’s Jan. 2019 Gowanus CSO Tunnel Alternative – CAG Briefing presentation.
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