Rockland Water

The Rockland County Coalition for Sustainable Water

Date:

June 25, 2009
Subject:

United Water – New York Proposed Desalination -
Filtration Plant on the Hudson River at Haverstraw Bay
Re:

SDEC #3-3922-00217
Lead Agency:

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation


The Rockland Coalition for Sustainable Water is an
unincorporated community coalition that has compiled
this list of scoping comments and reports submitted to
the Lead Agency, in response to the DEC Draft
Scoping Document.

Information is provided for public information only.
Official documents are on file with the lead agency.

For more information:
RocklandWater@gmail.com
845-429-2020
Contact: RocklandWater@gmail.com

 

 

Table of Contents:

Scoping comments submitted by the following individuals and organizations:

Page Author

Affiliation
3. Stuart Braman, Ph.D. Geographer
6. Janet Burnet Resident, Village of Suffern, NY *
10. Janet Burnet Ramapo River Watershed Intermunicipal Council *
14. Michael Castelluccio Preserve Ramapo, Inc. *
16. Bob Dillon Rockland Residents Against Flooding Tomorrow
Rockland RAFT *
50. Manna Jo Greene Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc.
54. Simon Gruber Environmental Planner
57. Wenonah Hauter Food & Water Watch *
66. Klaus H. Jacob, Ph.D Geophysicist
72. Dorice Madronero Resident, Village of Suffern, NY *
76. K. C. (Chad) Murdock, Ph.D. Medicinal Research Chemist *
80. K. C. (Chad) Murdock, Ph.D Medicinal Research Chemist *
82. George Potanovic, Jr. Stony Point Action Committee for the
Environment – SPACE, Inc. *
88. George Potanovic, Jr. Stony Point Action Committee for the
Environment – SPACE, Inc. *
92. Linda Rauer Resident of Valley Cottage, NY
93. Peter Rostenberg, MD Family physician; former public health official *
95. Martyn Ryan Rockland County Sierra Club *
99. Lawrence E. Soehnel, Jr. Resident, Tappan, NY *
100. Alexis Starke Resident, Village of Piermont, NY *
107. Ned Sullivan Scenic Hudson, Inc.
111. Rebecca Troutman, Esq Riverkeeper, Inc.
121. Matthew Wallach Citizens Campaign for the Environment *
127. Patsy Wooters Torne Valley Preservation Association *
129. Patsy Wooters Torne Valley Preservation Association *
Download Entire Scoping Report - 129 pages
  * member of the Rockland Coaliton for Sustainable Water
 

 

Rockland Water Coalition Requests Longer Public Review Period and Utility Funding for Environmental and Economic Review of Proposed Desalination Plant

On Wednesday, January 18, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation - Region 3 accepted United Water's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed Haverstraw Water Supply Project, the desalination plant, as complete. This does not indicate the DEC's approval of United Water's plan, only that the proposal now, after 2 1/2 years of preparation, provides the information required for the public to now begin its review.

On January 17, the Rockland Coalition for Sustainable Water made three requests of NYSDEC Region 3 in connection with the environmental review for the Haverstraw Water Supply Project, the desalination plant that has been proposed to increase Rockland's water supply. Region 3 is the lead agency in this environmental review.

The Coalition has requested a six-month public comment period for the newly complete Draft Environmental Impact Statement. This would give experts and citizens adequate time to review the extensive document. Given the complexity of this project, the Coalition believes it is not possible to do the independent analysis of the data needed for a proper assessment of this application in an abbreviated period of time.

The Coalition has also requested that the DEC direct United Water to commit intervenor funding for municipalities and citizen groups to pay for independent expert review of the proposal. Precedent for this action was set with the NY Marine Rail solid waste transfer station in the Bronx, like the Haverstraw Water Supply Project, a project with regional significance. It is also required practice during the proposed siting of any electrical public utility that funds be made available by the applicant to enable municipalities and other local parties to participate in all phases of the administrative review.

The Coalition has asked that multiple public hearings be held to accommodate participation in different locales.

At this time the public hearing is set for February 28 in Haverstraw Town Hall at 2pm and 6pm.

March 19 is the deadline for written comments on the DEIS to be submitted to the NYSDEC.
DEC Region 3 is considering the Coalition's requests, as it will all requests. Though intervenor funds are not required by law, the DEC can make a strong recommendation to UW to provide funding to meet this request.

The DEIS is available at:

http://haverstrawwatersupplyproject.com/draft-environmental-impact-statement-deis.html

Or download it here


For additional information on Hudson River desalination go to the Rockland Water Coalition web site: http://sustainablerockland.org/.
To have your e-mail added to receive future updates, please e-mail: RocklandWater@gmail.com with the subject: Rockland Water List.

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This picture shows just how close Indian Point (and the radioactive wastewater that comes out of it) is to the proposed intake pipes for the desalination plant proposed for Haverstraw.

I'd feel a little better if the river flowed the other way . . .