Comment EI-16632
Received or sent (printed as 4/1/2009)
An Environmental Impact Statement re. the 6th Street Harsimus Stem Embankment is essential for the wellbeing of the surrounding community, comprising two Federal Historic Districts. Abandonment, which will lead directly to demolition, will have severe adverse effects: The release of dust and with it untold contaminents brought about by demolition of this enormous rock structure in an area where asthma in children is already high alone demands analysis and review. The embankment is at least half a city block deep and some six sidestreet (i.e., long) blocks in length. The dust, noise, and vibrations will clearly have an adverse impact on the 2 historic districts, consisting of fragile,19th-century brick rowhouses, on either side of it. In addition, the Embankment currently has a beneficial effect both in flood control, its half-mile of fill absorbing stormwater in a serious flood plain, and as a habitat for local species of wildlife and a corridor for migratory birds and, famously, the Monarch butterfly; it is an essential part of the ecosystem corridor joining the Hudson to the Hackensack. Historically, it is an irreplaceable cultural monument to the railroads, and abandonment and demolition preclude its possible future use as a combined light rail linking Secaucus to the waterfront and a passive natural park in a city famous/infamous for having the least per-capita greenspace in the state and arguably in the country. Conrail's development partner failed to submit an environmental sampling study, which speaks to Conrail's neglect of the site for decades and its ongoing bad faith in now seeking demolition permits. As we understand it, a federal agency acting in good faith seeks to enforce federal laws in the name of environmental justice and to protect local communities. We trust that you will do this and at the very least require an Environmental Impact Statement. Thank you for your much-needed help and attention to this. Sincerely, Claire and Robert Perrault
Submitted by: Claire & Robert Perrault · Jersey City, N.J.
The Board publishes this comment in its environmental-comment table for this proceeding. It is quoted here as printed; nothing is inferred from it, and it states the commenter's own position in their own words, not this record's.
Permanent address docketyard.org/d/AB-167/sub/1189X/comment/EI-16632 · back to the docket sheet