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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Dara Ilowski, New York Staff Attorney at Save the Sound, on Rikers Island Redevelopment
3:56:57
ยท
150 sec
Dara Ilowski, representing Save the Sound, urges the committee to allocate $3 million in the DEP budget for master planning to redevelop Rikers Island for sustainability and resilience. She emphasizes the potential for a state-of-the-art wastewater facility on Rikers to replace outdated facilities and improve water quality in the Upper East River.
- The proposed facility would replace four outdated facilities currently operating along the East River, which contribute to environmental burdens in surrounding communities.
- Current water quality in the Upper East River is poor, with regular combined sewer overflow problems and failing grades for overall health.
- The redevelopment of Rikers Island is seen as a crucial opportunity to address water quality issues and meet future environmental goals.
Dara Ilowski
3:56:57
Oh, sorry.
3:56:58
I think you're on.
3:56:59
Okay.
3:57:00
Think I'm on.
3:57:02
Good afternoon.
3:57:03
My name is Dara Ilowski.
3:57:05
You're very close on the pronunciation.
3:57:07
Well done.
3:57:08
And I'm the New York staff attorney at Save the Sound.
3:57:11
Save the Sound is a nonprofit organization that works to improve and protect the environment of the entire Long Island Sound region, including the Upper East River.
3:57:19
Save The Sound, as endorsers of the renewable Rikers campaign, urges this committee to recommend $3,000,000 in the DEP budget to begin the master planning effort outlined in intro October to redevelop Rikers Island for sustainability and resilience.
3:57:34
We thank council member nurse and co sponsors including my representative council member Chi Osei for this important bill.
3:57:42
The future for Rikers Island envisioned by the renewable Rikers campaign would be a game changer for the city in many ways but I'm gonna focus on water quality today.
3:57:50
As explained in DEP's feasibility study, a state of the art wastewater resource recovery facility sorry, sounds like did this go off?
3:57:58
Never mind.
3:58:00
A state of the art wastewater resource recovery facility on Rikers Island would replace four outdated facilities currently operating along and discharging into that Breezed River.
3:58:10
These existing facilities are not adequate to help the city meet our current or future water quality goals and continued reliance on them contributes to environmental burdens disproportionately forced on the environmental justice communities surrounding them and destroys the recreation and economic potential of city waters.
3:58:27
Much of the Upper East River and its bays and tributaries are impaired, including for fecal coliforms and dissolved oxygen.
3:58:35
Combined sewer overflows are a regular problem with water body advisories active for the East River west of the Whitestone Bridge just yesterday, just as one example.
3:58:44
And based on annual water quality data reporting by Save the Sound, the Western Narrows, include the Upper East River, has earned an f grade for overall health every year since 02/2008.
3:58:54
With climate change further stressing these already strained systems and new regulations forthcoming to address the most up to date water quality science, these nearly 100 year old facilities do not have the technology or capacity to meet the moment.
3:59:07
A major change is needed and the city has a rare opportunity here on Rikers Island.
3:59:11
At this point, the city is at risk of that opportunity slipping away absent a clear plan to get us there.
3:59:17
Developing this master plan for the future of Rikers Island is an essential step toward a healthier environment for all New Yorkers, and I urge this committee to pursue the $3,000,000 necessary for that planning.
3:59:26
Thank you.