CB8 rejects DEP plan to keep reservoir’s northern basin empty
BY JASON COHEN
Members of the Community
Board 8 Environment
& Sanitation Committee are
are concerned that an NYC
Department of Environmental
Protection decision will
impact the ambience of the
borough’s landmarked reservoir.
In October, the DEP sent a
letter claiming that leaving
the north basin of the Jerome
Park Reservoir empty didn’t
require an environmental impact
study.
On Wednesday, November
20, the committee rejected the
DEP’s modifi ed negative letter
of declaration regarding the
reservoir.
DEP announced the start
of a $15 million project to rehabilitate
new, lower fencing and upgrade
security infrastructure
at the reservoir in January
2018.
Work on the project began
late in 2018, will continue
through 2021 and will help to
ensure the long-term reliability
of the city’s Croton water
supply system.
However, in June, DEP
representatives told the com-
CB8 Environment and Sanitation Committee chair Robert Fanuzzi speaks at a meeting on November 20.
Schneps Media/ Jason Cohen
mittee that the project would
require the northern basin to
remain permanently empty,
so that it can be used as an
emergency storage basin for
treated water discharge from
the Croton Water Treatment
Plant.
The board didn’t agree
with this assertion and passed
a resolution stating the absence
of water threatens the
historic, scenic, and aesthetic
value of the Jerome Park Reservoir
and constitutes a potential
environmental study.
According to Anne Marie
Garti, a co–founder of the Jerome
Park Conservancy, the
relationship between the DEP
and the community has been
strenuous. The reservoir was
listed on the National Register
of Historic Places in 2000.
She pointed out that the DEP
is mandated by law to conduct
an environmental study and
its proposed changes to more
than 30 acres of open space is
contrary to the Croton Water
Treatment Plant and Final
Environmental Impact Statement
and all documentation
received by CB8 and the State
Historic Preservation Offi ce
prior to 2019.
Also, before gaining approval
from the SPHO and
CB8, DEP failed to inform
gatehouses, install
them that it intended to keep
the north basin empty.
“There are laws that agencies
have to comply with,” she
said to the Bronx Times. “The
DEP is not doing from our perspective
what it is legally obligated
to do.”
Garti, who is a lawyer, said
she is ready for a fi ght in court
if needed. She said there is no
issue with them trying to fi x
the eastern wall, but reiterated,
that it is necessary to do
an environmental study.
“They’re attempting to circumvent
by saying that there
wouldn’t be signifi cant impact,”
Garti explained. “They
opened themselves up to a legal
challenge.”
Committee chair Robert
Fanuzzi shares her concerns.
“The community board
doesn’t understand why there
have been so many diffi culties
with the eastern wall and keeping
the basin empty,” Fanuzzi
said. “We don’t see the connection
and the city agencies
are being mislead. We believe
there is an impact by keeping
it dry. We don’t agree with the
negative declaration.”
He said the hope is the
members of the DEP will attend
the next meeting.
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