Comment EI-17269
Received or sent (printed as 4/7/2009)
To whom it may concern: My name is Kevin Sirk. I'm a new resident of Jersey City and I live directly across the street of the Embankment (~30-40 feet away). I became aware of the proposed demolition and redevelopment of this open space and I urge the STB to authorize a full Environmental Impact Statement assessment of this site. Since I live right across the street, I am extremely concerned that the removal of the hundreds of 1 ton stones will cause significant damage to the foundation of my condo building and to those belonging to other residents. In addition, all the streets surrounding the embankment are residential, so the increased truck traffic would cause the local traffic to grind to a halt for months on end. Plus the physical wear and tear on the streets could result in increased car repairs for many of the residents, including myself. I did my Ph.D. work (Carnegie Mellon University, Chemical Engineering Class of 2007) exploring novel ways of remediating contaminated groundwater, so I am well aware of the potential impact demolishing the Embankment can have on the environment. Since this was once a rail line, I'm sure many contaminants from heavy metals to liquids (oil, fuel, DNAPL, LNAPL, etc.) were once transported on this line and could have spilled onto the ground and permeated through the soil. Given the number of decades the train line was in service, it's prudent that someone accurately assesses the soil and groundwater for contaminants. Likewise, any excavation work would introduce dust into the local air and if those contaminants were to become airborne, they could have serious adverse health impacts on all of the residents and the wildlife. Finally, this space is unique to the culture and history of Jersey City. Many of the residents I have spoken to would prefer to see this open space converted into a park for everyone to enjoy rather than several new high rise developments. The park would enhance the sense of community and be a great addition to the neighborhood. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Sincerely, Kevin M. Sirk
Submitted by: Kevin M. Sirk · Jersey City, NJ
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-17269 · back to the docket sheet