Tell NYS DEC: Make Newtown Creek swimmable by cutting sewage pollution

NewtownCanoe-crLRae-1500 Newtown Creek, which runs between Brooklyn and Queens, is one of New York City’s most polluted waterways, and every time it rains, combined sewer overflows (CSOs) send a mix of polluted stormwater and raw sewage into it. Right now, the State is deciding what goals the Creek’s water quality should be held to for decades to come.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) has proposed goals for pollution control and recreation that fall short of the mark. Riverkeeper supports a stronger standard: water that is safe for swimming.

The NYS DEC should set the goal as safe for swimming, require the City to complete further CSO reduction projects, and set a clear, enforceable process for reviewing when more improvements become attainable.

You can send the letter below as-is, or add your perspective to increase its impact.

Who You're Contacting

Commissioner Lefton

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Your message

Subject

Salutation

Dear [Decision Maker]:

Body

I am writing to comment on the NYS DEC’s proposed reclassification of Newtown Creek and the supporting Use Attainability Analysis (UAA). I urge the NYS DEC to set the Creek’s goal as safe for swimming, and to require New York City to implement additional combined sewer overflow (CSO) reduction projects beyond the Newtown Creek Long-Term Control Plan.

The UAA clearly identifies a $1.6 billion proposal to capture 100% CSO from the 4 biggest outfalls on the Creek, eliminating all sewage from the upper half of the waterway. This is the kind of investment in clean water that our communities deserve. But rather than moving forward with this proposal, the City makes several flawed arguments to make the case that no further sewage reduction should be done.

The UAA’s environmental justice analysis assumes communities would prefer endless sewage discharges to impositions of construction and clean water infrastructure, but these same neighborhoods have called for substantial CSO investment for decades. Further, the UAA is too quick to conclude that even with additional reductions, swimming cannot be achieved in the Creek. Navigation hazards in some segments do not mean primary contact recreation is unattainable throughout the entire waterbody. And the UAA also takes too narrow a view of how people get in the water. Swimming is not limited to beaches or wading from the shore, and people can enter from boats, docks, ladders and other access points.

A UAA cannot justify a permanent relaxation of water quality standards. Please help protect Newtown Creek by setting a higher standard, continuing to reduce sewage overflows into the Creek, and committing to the original goals of the 1972 Clean Water Act. Newtown Creek’s neighbors have waited long enough for a cleaner creek. Thank you for considering my comments.

[Your name]
[Your email address]

Contact information

Email Communications Opt-In

Phone Communications Opt-In

Tell NYS DEC: Make Newtown Creek swimmable by cutting sewage pollution

Who You're Contacting

Commissioner Lefton

Your message

Contact information

Explore

Connect

Support us

Search