We have a new air and soil watchdog
Air
In this neighborhood with high asthma rates, we need to know what’s we are breathing now before the city starts tearing up East River Park. The East Side Coastal Resiliency project will take down 1,000 trees that cleanse the air. The demolition will release particulate matter in the air. We need to be able to compare it to what happens after bulldozers roll in.
Soil
What is the City going to dig up when they start demolishing East River Park? We know there’s an excess of lead under the Williamsburg Bridge. (see our post, “Soil Test.” What else is there?
Information, please
Here’s a letter sent 10/15/20 asking questions: Dear CB3 (Community Board 3 where East River Park is located) Parks, Recreation, Waterfront, & Resiliency Committee
LES Breathe, a new community committee within the nonprofit East River Park Action, requests that all data related to air quality and soil quality already collected in and around the ESCR (East Side Coastal Resiliency) area be made public and released immediately, through the CAG (Community Advistory Group) or otherwise.
This request is not controversial. Considering that we are in the middle of a respiratory pandemic, more people are spending time at home and need to access green open space for wellbeing.
This is a matter of environmental justice in an area with an underserved, vulnerable population.
With public health, transparency and awareness our goal, we are planning a citizen science project to monitor air quality. Test monitoring begins next week; we will also be sharing the outcomes of soil testing done last month as part of our initial outreach.
We request the release of information on construction locations, the number of construction vehicles, trucks and barges, as well as any planned mitigation measures.
Please contact East River Park Action – lesbreathe@gmail.com with the data and any questions, thank you!
Sincerely,
Wendy Brawer, member
English
The city, as it prepares to remove plants and all biodiversity from the East River Park, says that they will install and test air quality equipment. For many areas South of 14th Street, this is INTENDED to happen in Spring 2021 (or in Feb, which isn’t quite Spring). They DO NOT say that they will install and test air quality equipment as part of the preparation for the “Early Package”, which is INTENDED to take place this fall and will also involve plant removal– from the LESEC Compost Yard.
this looks great!