REMARKS
DEP's focus on water quality science and community engagement
1:52:00
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3 min
Commissioner Aggarwala elaborates on DEP's focus on water quality science and community engagement. He emphasizes the importance of basing decisions on scientific evidence while also addressing community concerns and adapting to changing circumstances.
- DEP maintains a strong focus on water quality science in all decision-making
- The agency works closely with environmental communities and other stakeholders
- DEP regularly reassesses its approaches and adapts to changing circumstances
- Example given of the Ashokan reservoir interim release protocol, which was revised after 14 years to better balance water quality needs and community concerns
- Emphasis on finding solutions that protect water quality while minimizing negative impacts on local communities
Rohit T Aggarwala
1:52:00
And council member, I think that's certainly we've been trying to work very closely with the environmental community.
1:52:10
I would hope that particularly in our DC and and River Keeper would would say that we have been doing that certainly under my leadership, and I think that's got a long tradition of DEP.
1:52:20
I will say, I think, frankly, it doesn't matter who.
1:52:26
What we are always going to be focused on is the water quality science.
1:52:30
Right?
1:52:31
I would say there are people who also want to use the fad as an skused to do all sorts of things for recreation or wildlife protection or land acquisition, whether it matters for water quality or not, we need to defend against that.
1:52:43
I would agree with you that we need to make sure that everybody understands that our water infrastructure is mainly there to deliver clean drinking water to 10,000,000 people across New York State.
1:52:56
And where we can be a positive force.
1:53:02
In the watershed, of course, we can and should do that.
1:53:05
And one of the things that we have to do is regularly look at what we are doing.
1:53:09
And I think that's something we've done a lot.
1:53:13
This rethinking of land acquisition is based on the fact that this National Academy review took place, we're thinking differently about the threats to the fad because we step back to say, well, alright.
1:53:26
How are circumstances changing?
1:53:27
How does the fad have to change?
1:53:29
I was really pleased earlier this year to do an announcement with a number of officials in the watershed and and with the Alster County executive and and state senator Hinchy about the interim release protocol from the Ashokan reservoir, which for 14 years, I think, has generated a lot of controversy because it directed us to release Turbine water into the Lower Soapis Creek, which had primarily visual and aesthetic impacts on the communities downriver, but nonetheless, they they were vociferous about how much they didn't like it.
1:54:09
And frankly, in 14 years ago, Those releases were important to our ability to maintain water quality with some changes and investments that we've made, particularly the interconnection at shaft 4 that allows us to send Delaware water through the Cascale aqueduct.
1:54:28
We found on reconsideration, we didn't need to do those releases at all, so we were basically able to go to the local community and say, hey, look, do you want us to do releases for flood control, or do you want us to do no releases so that the water in the lower esophagus stays clear, you'd choose we really don't care because it's fine either way.
1:54:49
And working with the local community, they reached a consensus that we have now embraced and is and trying to divide d e c.
1:54:56
So that was a great example of how because we looked again at something that we had looked at 14 years ago, but circumstances has changed, we found a way to to avoid being a negative impact and yet to protect our primary job of delivering clean water.
