Comment EI-17114
Received or sent (printed as 4/6/2009)
I am writing in response to a request that is before you regarding the Harsimus Branch Embankment. It is my understanding that you are considering a request to allow for the abandonment, demolition and subsequent development of the Embankment, a feature of long standing within Jersey City, New Jersey. As a former resident of the State of New Jersey and a frequent traveler through the area, I was stunned to hear that your agency was contemplating allowing for the abandonment of this feature and its consequent demolition and development by a third party that has no interest in maintaining the historical context of the community within which it is located nor using it as a vital resource as the community works hard to enhance itself. It is difficult to believe that you are prepared to make a decision regarding this critical issue without the benefit of an Environmental Impact Statement to fully assess the impacts of the decision before you on the quality of the human environment. As the lead federal agency tasked with making the final decision regarding the future of the embankment, it appears to me that the only decision you can make is that the change in use that will ensue if the embankment is abandoned by Conrail and subsequently demolished and developed without the full support of the local community is that the action will have a significant adverse impact on the quality of the human environment. As an environmental professional who has been deeply involved in the development of transportation and water supply infrastructure for almost 30 years, I am well of aware of the balancing act that is made as an agency weighs the costs and benefits of its decisions. In this new and exciting Green Infrastruture Environment I am requesting that you fully assess the impacts of this decision on the quality of the human environment via the preparation of an EIS. Based upon the information I have been provided to date it appears clear to me that you have not been provided with the information necessary to fully evaluate the proposal and complete the full public interest review. I look forward to having the opportunity to provide you with comments on that document. Thank you for considering my comments.
Submitted by: Jacqueline Winkler · Philadelphia, Pa., Pennsylvania
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-17114 · back to the docket sheet