On the Alert

• Giving Notice: This fall, several New York counties are considering adoption of the Pesticide Neighbor Notification Law. The Rockland County Legislature will hold its first public hearing on the law on Thursday, Sept. 20, at 8:00PM in New City. The Onondaga County Legislature will be taking a key vote on Monday, October 1 at 2:30PM in Syracuse after over a year of heated debate. And in Rennselaer County, a legislative study group has just completed a six-month review, with a possible vote to follow. If you live in one of these counties, call your county legislator and the county executive and urge them to support the Pesticide Neighbor Notification Law. Parents across the state can also now register for advance notice of pesticide use in their children’s schools. For more information, contact Audrey Thier at Environmental Advocates, 518-462-5526, or Laura Haight at the New York Public Interest Research Group, 518-436-0876, or visit: www.nypirg.org.

• Overexposed: Eastman Kodak, located in Rochester, announced in June that total on-site emissions of dioxin, a known human carcinogen, amounted to five grams in 2000. That is 25,000 times the Environmental Protection Agency’s "acceptable" annual dose of the toxic chemical for every Monroe County citizen. Write to Daniel A. Carp, CEO Eastman Kodak, 343 State St., Rochester, NY 14650. Urge him to phase out incineration and implement alternative technologies. Tell him that Kodak needs to eliminate all dioxin emissions. Citizens’ Environmental Coalition (CEC) is planning a teach-in on October 20 . Contact CEC at 716-885-6848 or cecwny@buffnet.net.

• Fleet Afoot:Governors Island, no longer needed by the Coast Guard, could easily be sold to a private developer. Last year, Governor Pataki and Mayor Giuliani came up with a plan to save the Island for the public, protecting its historic structures and creating new parks, but Congress has directed that it be sold to the highest bidder. To demonstrate the urgency of action, the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance and other groups are staging a massive boat flotilla in NY Harbor, Sept. 16 at 11:00AM. Demonstrators will also go ashore on the Island to plant banners and raise flags reflecting a resolve to take back Governors Island. Boats, artists and volunteers are needed. Contact Carter Craft at 800-364-9943, or visit: www.waterwire.net.

• CARA Mía: Guaranteed long-term funding for conservation is back on the agenda in Congress. H.R.701, the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA), would automatically invest revenues from oil and gas leases on the Outer Continental Shelf into an assortment of local, state, and federal conservation programs. CARA would provide over $3 billion annually until 2015, including an estimated $100 million for New York State, to protect valuable natural and cultural resources. CARA passed the House Resources Committee in July, but no floor voteb has been scheduled. The Senate version, S.1328, was introduced in August. Urge your Congressmembers to support passage of CARA this year. For more information, call the National Wildlife Federation, 202-797-6840, or visit: www.nwf.org.

For Your Information

West to the Web: Cornell University’s Environmental Risk Analysis Program has launched a West Nile Virus website, with news and links to an extensive list of resources and educational materials. Visit www.cfe.cornell.edu/erap/wnv. The Program has also set up a listserve for communication and discussion about the West Nile Virus. To subscribe, send an email request to: envrisk@cornell.edu.

Beach Bummer: The Natural Resource Defense Council’s 11th annual survey of water-quality monitoring and public notification programs at the nation’s beaches found that closures and swimmer advisories nearly doubled between 1999 and 2000. This reflects better monitoring and reporting, but also points to major water pollution problems. Although some states experienced heavy rainfall, prompting additional closings and advisories, most of the increase followed improved monitoring, better testing standards for bacteria and other pathogens and more complete reporting. Testing the Waters: A Guide to Beach Water Quality at Vacation Beaches can be found at www.nrdc.org.

Money for Something: The Long Island Sound Study, conducted under the US Environmental Protection Agency’s National Estuary Program, is again making grants of up to $5,000 available for education projects, programs or publications. Non-profit organizations, local governments or public agencies, private businesses, educational institutions and classroom teachers can obtain a grant application packet by visiting www.epa.gov/region01/eco/lis, or by contacting Kimberly Zimmer at 631-632-9216 or kszl@cornell.edu. Proposals must be postmarked by September 28. Grant-writing workshops will be held on September 10 and 11 to guide applicants through the process.

Hands Up: Through Women’s Hands V, an annual fundraising event for the Regional Farm and Food Project (RFFP), is scheduled for 6:00PM on September 24 at Birch Hill in Schodack, just 10 minutes east of Albany. This elegant dinner will feature foods grown, raised, and artfully prepared by women farmers, food producers and chefs of this upstate region. To purchase tickets, contact RFFP at 518-427-6537, or Kane & Lekakis at 518-427-5815. The cost is $40 per ticket. Space is limited.

Activists' Corner

Reservoir Watchdogs: Citizens for Byram Lake Reservoir (CBLR) has been working to inform residents of northern Westchester about the danger to their environment inherent in the development of the Seven Springs Golf Course. Plans for this golf course submitted by the developer, Donald Trump, call for the application of significant amounts of 19 different pesticides, the destruction of more than 5,000 trees and extensive blasting of rock formations on this 213 acre property. The Seven Springs property borders on Byram Lake Reservoir, the primary source of water for Mount Kisco and many residents of New Castle and Bedford. CBLR’s first step is to petition the Department of Environmental Conservation for a public hearing on the SPDES permit application. Contact CBLR at P. O. Box 846, Mount Kisco, NY 10549, or email cblr@worldnet.att.net. Visit:www.citizensforbyramlakereservoir.org.

September

6-9: The Century of the Environment: Resurgence Comes to America. Jane Goodall, Anita Roddick, Lester Brown, and more. The Omega Institute, Rhinebeck. Call800-944-1001.

11: Who’s Doing What in the New York Harbor. Part of the Hudson River Environmental Society’s ongoing conference series. 9:00AM-4:30PM. Consolidated Edison Auditorium, #4 Irving Place at 12th St., NYC. Call 518-861-8020.

13: Reservoir Dos & Don’ts: Will Our Drinking Water System Survive Another 100+ Years?, forum part of the NYC Conservation Challenge presented by the NY Conservation Fund and the Columbia Earth Institute. Columbia University, Buell Hall/Maison Francaise, 116th St. & Broadway, NYC. 7:00PM-9:00PM. Free. Call212-361-6350.

15: 15th Annual International Coastal Cleanup, organized in New York by the AmericanLittoral Society.Jointhousandsof volunteers and help clean up the state’s coastal areas. Call 800-449-0790.

16: Flotilla in NY Harbor to reclaim Governor’s Island, sponsored by September Save the Date! November 12: The 2001 Advocate Awards, Environmental Advocates’ annual gala. This year’s Advocate Award winners are Ashok Gupta, Cara Lee and James T.B. Tripp. Join us for a great party at Laura Belle in NYC. More details to follow. Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance. NY Harbor, NYC. 11:00AM. Call Carter Craft at 800-364- 9943. (See On the Alert.)

20: Rockland County Pesticide Neighbor Notification Hearing. County Office Building, 11 New Hempstead Road, New City. 8:00PM. To sign up in advance to speak, or to leave amessage for your county legislator, call the Clerk of the County Legislature at 845-638-5100. Call the New York Public Interest Research Group at 518-436-0876 for info. (See On the Alert.)

22: Country Gala at the Farm. Support the Albany County Land Conservancy’s campaign to preserve Indian Ladder Farms as a working orchardand openspace.6:00PM-9:00PM.$100 per person. Call 518-436-6346 or visit: www.albanylandtrust.org.

22: Go Fish! Catch and release fishing while learning about marine life in the Hudson River, sponsored by Battery Park City Parks Conservancy. Robert F. Wagner, Jr. Park, Battery Park City. 10:00AM-2:00PM. Free. Call 212-267-9700.

22-23: Hudson River Valley Ramble, sponsored by the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area and the Hudson River Valley Greenway. A weekend trails festival of 92 guided and interpreted hikes, walks, kayaking and biking events. Call 800-453-6665.

24: Through Women’s Hands V, sponsored by the Regional Farm and Food Project. Birch Hill, Schodack. 6:00PM. Call 518-427-6537.(See FYI.)

29: Urban Earth Festival.SponsoredbyUrban Earth. RiverfrontPark,Troy.11:00AM-5:00PM. Contact ChrisCarneyatccarney@alum.rpi.edu.

30: Environmental Festival, sponsored by GAIA. Live music, speakers, vendors, a children’s section, activities, and information booths. SUNY New Paltz. 1:00PM-9:00PM. Email Jamie at earthypeace@yahoo.com.

October

2-3: NYS Waterfront Rediscovery Conference: Quality Coasts, Quality Communities, sponsored by the NY Department of State. EmpireState PlazaConventionCenter,Albany. Fees vary. Call Nancy Kunz at 518-474-6000.

5: 8th Annual NYS Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Conference, sponsored by the NYS Department of Health and the Montefiore Medical Center Lead Poisoning Prevention Program. SUNY Purchase. Call Nancy Redkey at 718-920-5016.

Save the Date!

November 12: The 2001 Advocate Awards, Environmental Advocates' annual gala. This year's Advocate Award winners are Ashok Gupta, dara Lee and James T.B. Tripp. Join us for a great party at Laura Belle in NYC. More details to follow.