| Westchester Environment | ||
| Summer 2007 | Download PDF Version | Volume 2007 No. 3 |
| The News Magazine of the Federated Conservationists of Westchester County | ||
Reminder...
FCWC welcomes articles for Westchester Environment from our member organizations. Please submit them to fcwc@fcwc.org, or call our editor, Carolyn Cunninghman at the FCWC offices, (914) 422-4053 during regular business hours.
SAVE THE DATE At a beautiful private home in We welcome volunteers to help work on the party. |
||
|
Need for County Land Use Authority By Cesare Manfredi As my first “president’s message column, I want to explore a topic raised at our recent federation meeting in May – implications of Home Rule. Westchester residents who lost their homes or belongings in the recent spring flood were victims not only of the weather but of a sometimes unhelpful State law. Perhaps you have noticed how nearby counties (Nassau and Suffolk, for example) intervene when local planning agencies fail to protect homeowners against dangerous land use decisions. Why not Westchester? Because State law prevents our County government, and only ours, from overriding what is called Home Rule. The result is that if community A approves a development that will hurt communities B and C, those victim communities are helpless. Here are some specific examples. Having been badly hurt by the flood, the City of Rye would like to stop development in the flood plain along Bowman Dam, but it appears that the Village of Rye Brook may give the developer final approval on a new project. Similarly, Larchmont and Mamaroneck have reason to suspect that decisions made in New Rochelle exacerbated the flooding in their communities. And flooding is not the only harm done by this lack of inter-municipal cooperation. When Yonkers (following the example of White Plains) okays 26-story buildings on the bank of the Hudson, it changes the skyline not only of the city, but influences decisions of up river communities as well. The communities that make these decisions do not have malicious intent; they are just following the terms dictated by the current law, which gives them every right to ignore their neighbors’ welfare. And, of course, the leaders of those communities have no reason to ask for a change. Only if there is a bottom-up organized effort to persuade the State legislature to act can we expect a change. FCWC made this point
this past year in a letter and meeting with the County asking
for more county involvement in the projects with
multiple municipal impacts such as on the county sewage treatment
plants. We ran into Home Rule. We must consider whether step one
is for the county’s environmental groups to form an alliance
that will educate the voters of Westchester that a change is in
order. FCWC, as the primary umbrella organization to which many
of these groups belong, is ready to take the lead. We will be in
touch to ask you to join us in this effort. Cesare Manfredi Elected New FCWC President By Staff At the June 5 annual meeting at Croton Point Park, Cesare Manfredi,
retired regional engineer for NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Region 3, was elected president of FCWC. Mr. Manfredi is chair
of the Westchester County Healthy Air Task Force, an associate
of the Westchester Soil and Water Conservation District, and member
of the Citizens Advisory Committee for the Long Island Sound Study.
Westchester Transportation Commissioner Lawrence Salley Other board changes include the retirement of Warren Ross, long
term FCWC board member and former president, and, also during the
2006-07 year, board members Bob Tritsch and Anne Gold. They will
be greatly missed and were thanked for their service to FCWC. On
behalf of the board, Mr. Manfredi also thanked outgoing president
Dr. Fox for his leadership during the year. For the second year FCWC’s Green Seal Awards were presented to three recipients: Westchester County Department of Transportation’s Commissioner Lawrence Salley; Metro-North Railroad, with Senior Vice President of Operations, George Walker accepting the award; and New York Power Authority (NYPA), President Timothy S. Carey accepting. Each recipient has undertaken recent beneficial actions to help improve Wetchester’s air quality and/or environmental sustainability. Mr. Manfredi introduced each of the honorees. With the strong support of the County Executive, Commissioner Salley has been instrumental in the conversion of the county buses to ultra low sulfur diesel fuel (ULSD). Westchester is also testing four hybrid-powered buses on its Bee Line bus system routes. He also oversaw the addition of 30 hybrid vehicles to the county fleet, which accounts for about 33 percent of the county’s 320 motor vehicles, excluding police and emergency vehicles. These hybrids save money on gas and have low emissions. In addition to these clean air achievements, FCWC appreciates Commissioner Salley’s support over years for the environmental management system at the Westchester County Airport. Metro-North, and its president Peter Cannito, received its award for completing a switch in January to ULSD fuel in the diesel engine locomotives used in the non-electrified portion of its railroad system. This switch will remove tons of particulates and other emissions from our air, stated Mr. Walker. By using ULSD, the railroad’s sulfur emissions will be reduced by about 95%. Sulfur contributes to acid rain, which destroys forests, kills fish and corrodes buildings throughout the northeastern United States. “By completing the switch in January, five years before the deadline set by Congress, Metro-North will keep 50 tons of particulates out of the air that would have been released if we had waited to make the switch in 2012 as required,” Walker noted. FCWC gave its award also to NYPA, and its president Timothy Carey, for its leadership by investing in their Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standard building at 123 Main Street in White Plains. It is the first existing building (EB) in New York State to achieve LEED Gold-EB standards and among only 19 such Gold facilities, new or existing, in the country. LEED ranking comes from the U.S. Green Building Council, which attests to the environmental sustainability and status of a “green” building. The Gold designation signifies that a building meets the rigorous LEED performance standards for five key areas: sustainable site development, energy efficiency, water savings, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. The NYPA effort was spearheaded by its president Tim Carey, who said, “LEED-certified buildings enhance occupants’ health and productivity, help conserve the Earth’s resources and reduce carbon emissions that are melting the Arctic ice cap and warming the planet. The measures we undertook to achieve the LEED recognition are centered on the belief that government should lead by example in matters of overriding importance such as the environment and energy security.” FCWC applauds all the honorees for their leadership in setting a sustainable business standard and for working to improve our Westchester environment at this crucial time. FCWC members and friends enjoyed a light supper in the twilight
while overlooking the Hudson River at Senasqua Lodge on Croton
Point. FCWC thanks the Westchester County Parks Department and
Commissioner Joe Stout, and Park superintendent Tino Martin, for
providing the beautiful location for our annual meeting. |
Remarks by Outgoing President Dr. Herbert Fox From the Annual Meeting First let me say what an honor it has been for me to serve as FCWC’s President this past year. We are a vital organization doing important and critical work in these difficult times for the global environment — from our schools, training young people to understand how to be active in environmental issues, to educating industry on what it is they need do in the near and long term future. I know it is a long standing FCWC tradition to serve at least two terms, but the press of research activities at New York Institute of Technology precludes my second year. I will be undertaking two large scale projects: The first will be simulation studies as the Israel bus community looks to hybrid vehicles to replace their older diesel fleet. The second is a major project for the United States Department of Defense and its allies in developing new, unique, and innovative propulsion techniques for unmanned aerial vehicles. I do plan to remain active with FCWC and will continue on the Board and program committee. For the latter I hope to assist us in developing new sources of funding and foundation grants. Good luck to Cesare and the incoming officers. Market Forces Drive Sustainable Practices By Adiel Gavish Over fifty business
professionals, concerned citizens, and non governmental organization
(NGO) leaders gathered to hear sustainability
expert Bob Willard speak at FCWC’s seminar “The Business
Case for Sustainability” on Thursday, June 7. In his address Bob Willard likened the current mega environmental issues to the sudden and devastating perfect storm that occurred in 1991. The climate crisis and the energy crisis are major issues that are starting to synergize like a storm, feeding on each other’s energy so much that various stakeholders are now paying attention. Mr. Willard explained, “Awakened consumers and concerned institutional investors are pressuring companies to be more responsible about their environmental and social impacts. Consumers and investors have added their voices to the previously lonely solos of NGOs and concerned scientists to form a chorus of demanding stakeholders who cannot be silenced.”
A grassroots groundswell of consumers, stockholders, institutional investors and economists such as Nicholas Stern of the World Bank are prompting businesses to adopt sustainability principles. As a result, “Corporations have to respond to these market forces and the smart ones will clean up.” This momentum is the main driving factor for business professionals to integrate sustainable practices as a competitive business strategy. Mr. Willard also focused on how advocates should approach business professionals with a sustainable development message. Rather than a barrage of new jargon such as “Triple Bottom Line”, “Sustainability”, “Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)”, etc., environmentalists should use terminology to describe concepts that all fit under the same roof: asset management. Sustainable businesses value their financial, manufactured, natural, human and social capital alike. They recognize the value of each, rather than measuring growth based upon economic success alone. “CSR is morphing from optional, marginalized philanthropy to mainstream strategic corporate practice; from a feel-good factor into a fundamental risk-management factor; from charity to enlightened self-interest; and from being fashionable to being a strategic business imperative. “Sustainability” is becoming synonymous with “high performance,” Mr. Willard explained. Newly elected FCWC president Cesare Manfredi stated, “FCWC is planning a series of Global Climate Change seminars for the business community. We continue to work with environmental and government leaders in Westchester on the need to pursue “sustainability” as a major, immediate goal.” Adiel Gavish is the Program Director for FCWC. South County Organizations Share Their Concerns and Note Changes By Staff Eleven of the south county member organizations in FCWC’s coalition met at the end of May at Rye Nature Center to bring each other and FCWC up-to-date on their activities, changes in their programs, and current concerns about southern Westchester environmental issues. As much of the south county had been affected by the serious flooding problems in April, flooding as a topic was raised by several groups, including Sheldrake Environmental Center, in terms of the need for intermunicipal solutions to the problem. (The need for inter-municipal and regional action was also an urgent issue for the north county groups at their earlier meeting in relation to sewage, and stormwater issues.) The discussion turned to the environmental benefits, if Westchester County, as the only New York State county without real land use authority, had such authority to assist municipalities in cross-border problems. Long time FCWC board member Warren Ross argued persuasively that it would be beneficial. (See President’s Message also on page 2.) Other topics shared included the “greening” of several of the organization’s facilities and sponsoring meetings and programs on ideas for more sustainable communities. Several of the nature center directors spoke of changing and expanding their traditional roles, including Greenburgh Nature Center, which is working to convert issues into action to enjoy nature centers more, Teatown, which is looking to become more of a “bio-regional nature organization”, and Rye Nature Center, which is looking for more collaborative efforts. Several groups are deeply involved in removing invasive vines, working for increased open space in their communities and others are re-emphasizing recycling efforts, and reducing use of plastic bags. Many of these groups have their own websites where you can find more on their current issues and activities, while FCWC lists some in our monthly Listserve and in the Westchester Environment. Organizations present:
|
|
[ Top ]
|
||
| Yonkers Waterfront - Scenic Hudson At the Helm By Terry Joshi Scenic Hudson has taken a lead position in developing a creative, thoughtful plan for reasonably scaled redevelopment of the brownfields, industrial sites, private property and under-used city property that currently make up the 4.5 miles of Yonkers’ Hudson River waterfront. This magnificent stretch of Hudson River frontage, which runs between the Bronx and Hastings borders, is currently being considered by the city administration as a site for as many as thirty high-rise condominiums west of the Metro-North train tracks. Scenic Hudson has been working diligently to design an alternative plan which would better serve the Yonkers community and protect the River’s edge from egregious overdevelopment. Current thoughts include low-rise residential buildings no more than eight stories in height that are “stepped back” to preserve views and a sense of spaciousness along the public areas by the water’s edge; “nodes” of mixed- use retail, restaurants, and small commercial development along the length of the waterfront; and the preservation of at least thirty percent of the redevelopment area for open space that could include recreational activities for the public ranging from a childrens’ carousel to ballfields, passive parkland and an esplanade along the River Scenic Hudson has held individual meetings with each of the Yonkers City Council members, a series of meetings with residents’ associations, civic organizations like Park Hill, and sessions with the developers over the last several months. Much of the reaction to their alternative plan has been positive. What the city will eventually opt to do remains to be seen. Terry Joshi is a vice-chair of the Park Hill Land Conservancy, an FCWC member organization. The Community Preservation Act Will Benefit Communities By Jan Blaire New York State loses an average of 174 acres each day to development. With the increase in development comes flooding, loss of wetlands, forests, and habitat for wildlife, plus an increase in the demand for clean water, and an increase in wastewater. The Hudson Valley Community Preservation Act would authorize our municipalities to impose a real estate transfer fee of up to 2 percent on the sale of homes priced above the municipality’s median. This fee would only affect the buyer. The fund created would be used by municipalities to acquire open space and protect resources. Before creating such a fund, towns choosing this option would have to complete a local community preservation project plan, pass local legislation, and hold a local voter referendum. Open space is not just important for our property values and because it results in lower taxes than residential development, it is important to our health and safety. The devastating flooding in Westchester will only increase and our drinking water will continue to degrade unless we balance development with open space preservation. FCWC strongly supports two bills that are before the Senate (S.5125 (Leibell) and Assembly(A.7849 (Bradley) and urges your support. Jan Blaire is an FCWC board member. |
Reducing Our Carbon Footprint With Rail By Dr. Herbert Fox At a recent board meeting FCWC voted unanimously to support the Commuter Rail (CRT) option in the on-going state study of the Tappan Zee Bridge/ I-287 Corridor. The rail being considered could run from Stewart International Airport in Orange County on the existing Port Jervis Line, through Rockland and Westchester County on east/west rail joining the New Haven Line at Port Chester to connect on to Stamford. It would connect the five existing north/south rail lines as well as four states, creating a state of the art, regional rail network. The state study’s original goal was to address the growing congestion on the corridor and need for a replacement Tappan Zee Bridge. However, an even more critical issue has come to the fore – the need to reduce our carbon footprint in order to slow global warming (GW). Since a significant portion of greenhouse gases (GHG), the presumed cause of global warming, are produced by vehicular travel, rail travel continually surfaces as a solution to controlling GHG, hence the now-crucial need to select the alternative that will reduce carbon emissions. FCWC is currently alone among its environmental colleagues in supporting the rail alternative. Environmental groups are not known for supporting construction projects, particularly one of this magnitude. But these traditional outlooks must be reconsidered in the face of the dire forecasts if our car-dependent culture remains unchallenged. We are at a true crossroads in the metro region, and indeed, the entire country. This last year, the reality of climate change, soaring gas, heating prices, and extreme weather, changed the public discourse dramatically, and it should change the way we plan for the future. This is our last chance to solve congestion in the I-287 corridor and at the same time begin to reduce greenhouse gases. Thus the urgency of getting it right is now multiplied by the need to create an alternative to driving. That alternative is rail, the regional solution to our disconnected north/south rail lines. Rail can provide a reliable alternative to more and more unreliable car travel. In the mid-90s FCWC successfully led the opposition to a high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane on I-287. Thus we question what seems to be support for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) alternative. Scrape away the bells and whistles of the BRT and you have the latest version of the HOV, discredited by the Federal Highway Administration in 1998. To opt for the clearly less expensive BRT alternative is to build in obsolescence, banking on a local solution to a regional lack of connectivity, guaranteeing failure. Flexibility is not a virtue in a regional facility. That is what buses and shuttles are for. If we attempt to build an alternative that will be both local and regional we will fail at both. How to pay for an east/west rail? Partners must be found. One possibility for partnership are the express package carriers at Stewart Airport, natural partners and a source of possible significant financial support. Further, stations along the route can all be privatized. Transit-oriented development has proven to be a successful strategy across the country and is well illustrated in Westchester in cities like Yonkers where development hovers around the train. This is the last opportunity to unify the region through a replacement Tappan Zee Bridge, and an east/west connecting rail, crucial for our ability to survive a very uncertain future. We have no time to lose. Dr. Herbert Fox is a board member and former FCWC president. |
|
[ Top ]
|
||
Noise Legislation to Quiet Westchester County Airport By Carolyn Cunningham In May, Congresswoman Nita Lowey, joined by Congressmen Hall,
Engel, and Shays introduced federal legislation that would allow
Westchester County to impose mandatory restrictions limiting the
hours of operation at Westchester County Airport. The restrictions
would protect the Local mandatory airport curfew restrictions are generally prohibited under federal law, but have long been advocated for Westchester County Airport by FCWC, other environmental groups, and the airport’s neighbors. WCA itself has used moral suasion to attempt to get its based and transient aircraft to respect the voluntary curfew that has long been in effect between 12:00 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. But as daytime slots for flights have been filled, operations during this voluntary curfew period have continued to increase. In the month of April 2007, these operations averaged 16.7 per night, up from 11.8 in 2006. Airport operators attributed the increase to overflow traffic from the closure of Teterboro Airport due to flooding from the Nor’easter in mid April, but previous months’ nighttime totals have been nearly as high. The proposed bill would exempt an airport from the restrictions prohibiting a curfew, if the airport had done the following: previously had such curfew restrictions that were disallowed by a court before 1985; had, without interruption since 1985, maintained a policy of encouraging voluntary limitation of the hours of operation, had since 1985 imposed restrictions limiting the capacity of the airport terminal, and had developed and implemented an environmental management system that is certified to the International Standards Organizatin (ISO) 14001 Environmental Management System Standard. FCWC thanks Congresswoman Lowey, and Congressmen Hall, Engel,
and Shays for their efforts in this important area of airport noise
impacts and will work with them to support their efforts.
|
Saturday, June 23 Wednesday, June 27 Friday, July 6 Saturday, July 7 Wednesday, July 21 Saturday, August 4 Sunday, August 19, 2007 Sunday, August 26 |
|
|
| ||
| Visitors | ||
About Newspaper Issues Directory Calendar Members Join Contact Back