REMARKS
History and importance of the Filtration Avoidance Determination for NYC
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125 sec
Council Member Gennaro provides a detailed history of how New York City obtained its Filtration Avoidance Determination (FAD) from the EPA in 1997. He explains the challenges and negotiations involved in securing this rare exemption from water filtration requirements.
- The FAD resulted from a historic memorandum of agreement (MOA) between multiple parties
- Gennaro was personally involved in the negotiations as a policy analyst
- The FAD has been reauthorized several times due to DEP's stewardship and the committee's oversight
- Special recognition is given to Eric Goldstein of the NRDC for his long-term involvement in the issue
James F. Gennaro
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This committee and his Council were deeply engaged in years of delegate negotiations between the EPA, New York State, New York City, the coalition of upstate towns, and what was known as the environmental coalition, which is a group of environmental organizations that came together in common cause with city government, state government, the federal government, and the upstate towns to keep the New York City drinking water supply, watershed, unfiltered, and pristine in perpetuity.
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The 1997 fad was a result of a very historic memorandum of agreement or MOA of all the aforementioned parties.
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I know this well because I was there for those years leading up to the MOA as the policy analyst at that time for this committee.
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This committee went upstate to engage the coalition of watershed towns, to work to get to yes on this historic agreement.
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And more than 30 years after this process began and now 27 years since the FAD MOA and the FAD has been reauthorized several times because of the DEP's dedicated stewardship and investment in the watershed and in this committee's relentless oversight, which continues with this oversight hearing today.
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Special recognition, I don't know if he's here.
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Special recognition goes to Eric Goldstein of the National Resources Defense Council.
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He and I have the last ones, I believe, that are still active on this issue from all those involved in forging the 1997 fad.
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But it but it is DEP that has worked to comply with the fad every day for the last 27 years, and we look forward to DEP's good testimony today.
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Additionally, this committee will be hearing introductions 33, 225, 816, 91067, pretty full docket.
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The committee welcomes testimony from the Department of Environmental Protection, advocates, and interested members of the public.
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Also, we have the independent budget office who we we'll be testifying as well.
