noiseasylum
Click for background information. Click for a report on the January meeting.
Read Janis Kelly's statement to the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission in January.
Read Neil Zusman's statement to the Ithaca Landmarks Commission in February.
Starting in October 2008, and continuing on for the next 2 years from 7:30am to 5:30pm, the city block bounded by Court, Albany, Esty and Plain Streets will undergo extensive environmental cleanup. These efforts include:
- installation of 54-foot-long sheet piling by vibrating hammer which will take approximately 80 working days (4 months)
- excavation of up to 18 feet of contaminated soil and water which will be trucked out
- a structure over the work area with an associated air handling/treatment facility
- follow-up to Sept. 18 meeting from Bill Ottaway of the NYS DEC.
What are the impacts?
- increased levels of noise and vibration as a result of the vibrating hammer
- increased truck traffic and volume
- increased levels of noise as a result of air and water handling equipment, and soil removal equipment
- increased emissions from truck volume, handling equipment and excavation vapors and odors
"I have to be honest with you, it is a noisy operation," said Gardiner Cross, an engineering geologist with the DEC. "But I also have to be honest with you, the technology to reduce that noise is extremely limited."
(Ithaca Journal, 9/19/08. Krisy Gashler, Officials warn of loud noise during NYSEG coal tar remediation.)
What do we want?
- clear, understandable and redily available information as to the remediation process. Keyspan Energy's Staten Island MGP site's plan included a significant noise monitoring plan.
- clear, honest and concise information from ICSD to understand the impacts on our children - on their educational, environmental and mental experience during this process. (see ICSD Questions)
- information and participation in the process to encourage the removal of the Markles Flats Building so that remediation can be more effective and complete
Our Questions, notes and thoughts:
- What plans has the ICSD made for the BJM kids?
NYSEG said they were working with ICSD at a recent public meeting.
- Why did the Board of Education let NYSEG lose its lawsuit against the Landmarks Commission of Ithaca in 2005?
- If they want to see the building come down so that Phase 2 cleanup can proceed, then why, as owners of the building, didn’t they work with NYSEG to achieve this common goal?
Our Concerns:
Safety of 500 children attending 2 schools across the street.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is in charge of the site, not our children, their teachers and staff. There is a disconnect between the City of Ithaca, the DEC and the Board of Education.
The cranes are in place on October 23.
You can read their fact sheet here. You can read about our health concerns here.
80 days of noise and vibration from pile driving. Normal school activities will be disrupted. Why has it taken this long to establish a school plan?
Take down the Markles Flats Gas Manufacturing Plant before it is too late!
- We want this site cleaned up! The Building is owned by the Ithaca City School District.
- A 2005 lawsuit by NYSEG against the City to destroy this building was lost.
USEFUL CONTACTS (Please add those you find)
Eric Rosario, Ithaca Common Council, Alderperson for the 2nd Ward,
Bill Ottaway, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
- Address: Division of Environmental Remediation - Bureau C, 625 Broadway,Albany, NY 12233
Krista Anders, Health Department engineer
URS Corporation - This is the company who is doing the remediation
Scott Perez, Ithaca City School District Board of Education BJM Liaison
Cynthia Brock, President of BJM PTA
Joseph M. Simone, PE
Manager Environmental Compliance, Team NY
NYSEG
PO Box 5224
18 Link Drive
Binghamton, NY 13902 (packages use 13904)
JMSimone@nyseg.com
607-762-7498 (fax 607-762-8451)
cell 607-427-7498
Jutta Dotterweich
Coal Tar Advisory Committee
106 Washington Street
Ithaca, New York 14850
607-272-1239
jd81@cornell.edu
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