On the Alert

•Take 5: New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) plans to issue new air pollution permits for facilities across the state early in 2002. These permits— referred to as Title V permits or operating permits—are meant to consolidate all the pollution control requirements for a facility into one document that is understandable, updated, and enforceable. Environmental Advocates of New York (EANY) is urging community and environmental groups to get involved. If your group plans to review and submit comments on the draft permits for any of these facilities, or to find out if a facility is likely to be permitted in your region, contact Ericka Small at esmall@eany.org.

• Disappearing Act: One of the less-noticed impacts of September 11 has been a clampdown on sources of information about environmental and workplace hazards. Maps and databases that inform communities about risks in their communities are being quietly removed from the public arena for the ostensible reason that they would provide information useful to terrorists. But the hazards do not disappear because the information does; it is the hazards that must be eliminated, not our awareness of them. Even though the industries required to file public reports have been arguing that secrecy is needed for safety even prior to last fall’s tragedy, it is the public’s awareness of these hazards that has actually led to dramatic decreases in the amount of hazardous materials used by industry. For a rundown of the information that is now being denied, and appropriate actions you can take, visit: www.ombwatch.org.

• Hazard Pay: The state Superfund has run out of money to clean up some of New York’s most significant hazardous waste sites — which number in the hundreds. EANY is urging the Legislature and the Governor to come up with a plan that would get the job done within the next ten years. EANY also supports the inclusion of brownfields policy reform as part of a Superfund reauthorization. Contaminated brownfields sites aren’t dirty enough to make the Superfund list, but nevertheless blight communities and discourage new development. Contact your state Senator and Assemblymember. Ask them to support Superfund refinancing— A.3609 (Grannis)/S.3338 (LaValle). Tell them NYS also needs a comprehensive cleanup program that includes brownfields—A.7498 (Lopez, Schimminger)/S.4788 (Marcellino). For more information, call Val Washington, 518-462-5526 ext. 228 or visit: www.eany.org.

• Setting Standards: Instead of drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the US should be looking at ways to reduce its dependency on foreign oil. New York can help by doing what 12 other states have already done: enact a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). An RPS requires each retail electricity supplier to use renewable energy sources to meet a small percentage of the total power sold to homes and businesses. Contact your Assemblymember and urge them to support A.7799 (Englebright). Urge your Senator to support S.4656 (Marcellino). Email Anne Reynolds at areynolds@eany.org, or call 518-462-5526 ext. 238 for more information.

For Your Information

Justice in Time: In January, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Environmental Justice Advisory Group submitted its recommendations for creating an effective environmental justice program. DEC will accept written comments on the report, Recommendations for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Environmental Justice Program, until February 22 and will host a series of public meetings on the report. Comments can be sent to: NYS DEC, Office of Environmental Justice, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-1500; fax, 518-402-9018; or email ej@gw.dec.state.ny.us. The meetings are scheduled for 2/11 (Rochester), 2/15 (Syracuse), and 2/19 (Manhattan). For a copy of the report, visit: www.dec.state.ny.us/website/ej/index.html, or call 518-402-8556.

Positive Energy: Community and environmental organizations from across New York have come together to work on reforming power plant siting, cleaning-up polluting power plants and promoting renewable energy, like wind and solar. The New York State Sustainable Energy Campaign is working towards a cleaner and greener energy future for New York. For additional information or to join, contact Anne Reynolds at areynolds@eany.org or 518-462-5526 ext 238.

State of the States: Defenders of Wildlife and the Natural Resources Defense Council have teamed up to start a new national project. The State Environmental Resource Center (SERC) will highlight the best in state legislation to help legislators implement a pro-environment agenda. SERC will also act as an information clearinghouse of state environmental legislation. SERC’s Website, www.serconline.org, includes coverage of state-level news and alerts on anti-environmental legislation from other states. If your organization has cutting-edge policy that SERC can share, or if you are interested in recent developments, call 608-252-9800 or email: info@serconline.org.

Sudden Impact: On January 25, the draft environmental impact statement for the mega-resort proposed for the Belleayre area of the Catskills was submitted to the DEC, the lead agency in the project review. For more information, contact DEC Coordinator Alec Ciesluk at 845-256-3014 or visit the Catskill Heritage Alliance’s Website at www.catskillheritage.org.

Activists' Corner

Mighty Mousketeers: In March 1999, Environmental Defense launched an online activism site which now boasts 70 organizational partners and 800,000 email activists. The Action Network (www.actionnetwork.org) brings together a wide array of environmental and activist groups from around the world, allowing users to influence policymakers with the click of a mouse.
   Activists can sign up with one or more of the Action Network’s partners, including Environmental Advocates of New York, which became a partner in January (www.actionnetwork.org/eany/home.html). By replying to email alerts, users are able to send free faxes and emails to decision-makers on key issues when they need to hear from citizens most.
   For more information, or to find out how your group can become an Action Network partner, visit: www.actionnetwork.org or contact Warren Moon at wmoon@environmentaldefense.org.

February

3: Victims of Sprawl, a forum sponsored by the Population and Sustainability Committee of the Sierra Club - Rochester. First Unitarian Church, 220 S. Winton Rd. (I-490), Rochester. 1:00PM-3:00PM. Call Hal Bauer at 585-335-2623.

4: Environmental Impacts of Population and Resource Consumption, a town hall meeting cosponsored by Environmental Advocates of NY, National Wildlife Federation, Center for Environment and Population, Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood, SUNY Albany Women’s Studies Dept. and Campus Action. Campus Center Assembly Hall, SUNY Albany. 7:30PM-9:30PM. Contact Julie Starr, jstarr@nwf.org or 802-229-0650.

4: Human Genetics, Environment, and Communities of Color: Ethical and Social Implications, sponsored by West Harlem Environmental Action. Columbia University, Lerner Hall, 116th St., and Broadway. 9:00AM-5:30PM. Call 212-961-1000 ext. 333. Visit: www.weact.org/conference.

5: Public hearing on the Draft NYS Energy Plan. Long Island Marriot, 101 James Doolittle Blvd., Uniondale. Sessions at 10:00AM and 2:00PM. Other hearings: 2/7- Watertown; 2/26-Manhattan; 2/27-Brooklyn; 3/5- Albany. For a copy of the Draft Energy Plan visit: www.nyserda.org or call 1-866-NYSERDA.

6: Safe Farms, Safe Food, Safe Futures, a community dialogue on farm and food safety issues presented by the Mohawk Valley Library Association. Sharon Springs Central School, Route 20, Sharon Springs (sponsored by Sharon Springs Free Library). 7:00PM. Call 518-284-3126.

6: Reclaiming the High Line, opening reception for ongoing exhibition that is the culmination of a 12-month study of the High Line and its redevelopment potential. Sponsored by the Design Trust for Public Space, with Friends of the High Line. Municipal Art Society, 457 Madison Ave. at 51st St., Manhattan. 6:00PM-8:00PM. Show runs until March 5. Call 212-606-3720.

10: Open House for volunteers at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, Brooklyn. The Prospect Park Alliance will be recruiting and training volunteer guides for a variety of positions at the country’s first urban Audubon Center. 1:00PM-4:00PM. Call 718-965-6929.

11: Public meeting on NYS Department of Environmental Conservation’s environmental justice report (see FYI). City Hall City Council Chamber (Room 302A), 30 Church St., Rochester. 6:00PM-9:00PM. Also: 2/15, The Westcott Community Center, 826 Euclid Ave., Syracuse. 4:00PM-7:00PM; 2/19, 26 Federal Plaza, Federal Conf. Center, Room A, 6th Fl., Manhattan. 4:00 PM-7:00PM.

15-18: 5th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count, sponsored by the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Participate by visiting www.birdsource.org .

28: Public hearing on Shaker Mountain Wild Forest Unit Management Plan, sponsored by NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. Northville Central School. 6:00PM-9:00PM. Contact Dave Gibson, Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks, at 518-377-1452 or protectadks@global2000.net.

March

3: Population and Sustainability, a forum sponsored by the Population and Sustainability Committee of the Sierra Club - Rochester. Room 110, First Unitarian Church, 220 S. Winton Rd. (I-490). 1:00PM-3:00PM. Call Hal Bauer at 585-335-2623.

7-8: Sustaining Seascapes: The Science and Policy of Marine Resource Management, the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation’s Seventh Annual Biodiversity Symposium. American Museum of Natural History, NYC. $100 Non-members; $80 Members/Seniors; $50 Students (by 2/26). Call 212-769-5200.

SAVE THE DATE! Monday, April 22nd - Earth Day Lobby Day 2002. Albany.