Protecting Water Quality

FoBP has been busy around the region lately, advancing the issues of clean water and access to our waterways in a number of important forums. We attended two invitation only events with profound implications for our water quality.


We represented Bronx Council on Environmental Quality at the Pace University Law School NYS Water Policy Conference where we able to question Kit Kennedy of the NYS Attorney General's Office about the need to ban gas drilling in the State, and the navigability of the Bronx Kill.
On September 30th we testified at the NYS Senate Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation Chaired by Senator Antoine M. Thompson with local Senator Bill Perkins in attendance. We made several recommendations to ease the regulatory process for mollusk and wetlands habitat restoration, the need for budget increases to the NYSDEC EJ grants program and for greater equity in the NYSEPF allocation. Mostly, we pressed for a total ban on the dangerous gas drilling that is proposed in New York State. Learn more here:



http://www.shaleshock.org/

Harlem River Conference

The Bronx Council for Environmental Quality (BCEQ) is sponsoring the 8th Annual Water Conference on Wednesday, March 18, 2009 from 3 to 7 p.m. at Manhattan College, Leo Engineering Building at 3825 Corlear Avenue, just north of 238th Street in the Bronx.

This year’s conference will focus on Strengthening Watershed Stakeholders to form a Harlem River Working Group to work toward re-storing the Harlem River, re-connecting the waterfront with the public, and to re-creating a healthy water edge. Breakout groups will organize around: Greenway and Access and On-Water Activities, Education and Ecology, and Outreach and Advocacy.


This is the BCEQ 38th Annual Meeting complimented with the 8th Annual Water Conference. The program will include Presentations, Breakout Sessions, Displays, Refreshments, and Networking. The public is invited to attend this free event. Co-sponsors include: Bronx Borough President's Office, Manhattan College, and others TBA. Corporate sponsor: Con Ed

RSVP: harlemriver@bceq.org
or Contact us at FoBP to volunteer at our table!

The historic photo of the Harlem River is made right where the Riverpark Towers are today where the Urban Divers Eco Center is located. Walter F. Matystik, Asst. Provost at Manhattan College dug it up. Raeford Dwyer is the incredible graphic artist and Friend of Brook Park who worked with the archived image from the Library of Congress to give it a contemporary embrace of diversity and inclusive flavor. See his work at: Raeford's website!

All Things Parks and Environmental

If you are in NYC, please attend....

You can ask/tell the Bronx parks Commissioner as a Friend of Brook Park!

*Move forward with the community design for Brook Park, with the underground
brook, labyrinth, fruit trees and outdoor classroom

*Move forward the south bronx waterfront park on the Harlem River


(Thank Helen Foster for helping to stop the randall's island waterpark)

__________________________________________________________
You are invited to an evening of. All Things Parks and Environmental

Weds, Nov. 14th 6 - 9 PM

Vladeck Hall of historic Amalgamated Housing Cooperative

74 Van Cortlandt Park South, Hillman Avenue Entrance

Appetizers, Finger Food, and Refreshments will be served

Three prominent Bronx Environmentalists as our Guest Speakers :

a.. Bronx Parks Commissioner Hector M. Aponte
a.. Council Member Helen D. Foster, 16 CD (Parks Chair)
a.. Assemblyman Jeffrey M. Dinowitz, 81 AD
Co-sponsored with the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park
For more information, directions or to RSVP, please e-mail:
Karen.Argenti@bceq.org or Christina@vancortlandt.org or call (718)
601-1460