Bronx Council for Environmental Quality

For the past several months, we have been immersed in an historic water quality fight:  the NYS DEC proposal to reclassify the Harlem River as fishable and swimmable without improving water quality.  We are aghast at this illogic and its solution:  close the Harlem River for 36 hours after it rains so we don’t have to worry about Combined Sewer Overflow.

Below is a letter issued to NYS DEC by the Pace Environmental Law Center on behalf of a coalition of environmental groups, of which BCEQ is one.

BCEQ also submitted its own letter and the approach is different.  The letter confronts NYS DEC with all that we have done for the river and all it has NOT done.  Take it all in.  Principle research and drafting was done by Water Committee chair Karen with additions by Chauncy, Dart, and Robert.

Similar water reclassifications may be coming for Bronx River, Hutch, and East River/LI Sound.

Media points are below as well.