Q&A
Concerns and plans for the concrete recycling facility in Columbia Waterfront District
1:40:51
ยท
175 sec
Council Member Brooks-Powers inquires about the concrete recycling facility in the Columbia Waterfront District, which was moved from the South Brooklyn Army Terminal. DOT officials discuss the facility's impact on the local community, dust mitigation efforts, and plans for relocation.
- The facility was meant to be temporary but has caused concerns about concrete dust emissions
- DOT is actively looking for a new site for the facility
- Dust mitigation efforts include lowering piles, using water trucks, and plans for an automated irrigation system
Selvena Brooks-Powers
1:40:51
So just revisiting a few of the areas that I had already spoken on.
1:40:56
I wanted to, touch base on the Columbia Waterfront District.
1:41:03
So has DOT studied whether there are negative local effects, for example, air pollution, attributed to these facilities?
Paul Ochoa
1:41:17
Thanks, Jared.
1:41:18
We've actually received, we've been fielding a lot of, comments from the community and the elected officials at all levels.
1:41:27
We did see in a couple of occasions dust, during high wind, days, dust pile up.
1:41:34
We've made a lot of efforts to reduce that.
1:41:37
That we've done a couple of things.
1:41:39
Just, we've wet our piles, so that means it doesn't create dust.
1:41:43
We've lowered our piles over 90% at this point, and we've actually moved them moved our piles in in ways that they could any gust wind would not, you know, blow up any dust.
1:41:55
We are monitoring.
1:41:56
We're in constant communication with that, that group of electeds and community boards.
1:42:01
In fact, commissioner Rodriguez, deputy mayor Amir Iyoshi, and a couple of us at DOT were just in a meeting with them last week to discuss all the mitigation efforts for this operation.
1:42:11
Obviously, operation is key to the work we do.
1:42:14
It is our pet ramp crews, and concrete recycling, but, we are monitoring, and we are constantly talking to the electeds about any mitigation efforts.
Selvena Brooks-Powers
1:42:23
So the concrete recycling facility in the Columbia Waterfront District that was moved from the South Brooklyn Army Terminal.
1:42:31
It was supposed to be temporary initially.
1:42:33
However, local residents have reported concerns about concrete dust being emitted by the facility.
1:42:40
Does the city have plans to relocate this facility back to its original location?
Paul Ochoa
1:42:47
It's not gonna be back to the original original location.
1:42:50
The South Brooklyn Marine Terminal is now being used for the wind turbine project, which is obviously very important for the city's electrification goals.
1:42:58
We are in active conversation with DCAS about a new site.
1:43:02
We hope to secure the new site in the coming months.
1:43:05
It would start as a licensing, phase moving towards a long term lease in the near future.
Selvena Brooks-Powers
1:43:11
So the plan is to keep it there?
Paul Ochoa
1:43:13
No.
1:43:13
No.
1:43:14
We're gonna we're looking for a new site.
Gale A. Brewer
1:43:15
You're looking for
Selvena Brooks-Powers
1:43:15
a new site.
Paul Ochoa
1:43:16
Just not the old site because the old site's being repurposed for the wind turbine project.
Selvena Brooks-Powers
1:43:19
And does DOT employ dust mitigation efforts to lessen the negative effects on the local communities?
Paul Ochoa
1:43:25
Yeah.
1:43:25
I mentioned the irrigation system.
1:43:26
In fact, we're gonna have automated sprinklers coming in in the next month or so.
Selvena Brooks-Powers
1:43:30
So you haven't done it yet?
1:43:31
You're preparing?
Paul Ochoa
1:43:32
We're doing both.
1:43:33
We're doing we're using water trucks, just water down the piles.
1:43:36
We're lowering the piles, but also we're gonna have an automated irrigation system that we placed an order about, a few months back, and we should get it in the next month or so.