Revised 4/19/04

THE GOWANUS CANAL: PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION

Date: Thursday, June 10, 2004 Time: 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Location: College Student Center, Campus Road at East 27th Street Sponsor: Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation (GCCDC) Co-sponsors: Aquatic Research & Environmental Assessment Center (AREAC), Brooklyn College, CUNY United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), NY District

AGENDA

Registration, Breakfast: 8:00 - 9:00 a.m.

Morning Plenary Session: 9:00 - 11:40 a.m.

Lunch Period: 11:40 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Featured Luncheon Speaker, Dr. John Teal: 12:15 - 1:00 p.m.

Afternoon Plenary Session: 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Presentation of Student Research Awards: 5:00 - 5:15 p.m.

Wine & Cheese Reception: 5:15 - 6:00 p.m.

Poster and Exhibits Session: 10:00 - 6:00 p.m. , Gold Room. (Note: Presenters will be on hand to discuss posters and exhibits from 5:15 - 6 p.m.)

MORNING PLENARY SESSION

Opening Remarks

Welcome Joseph Messineo, Chairman of the Board, Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation Antonia Yuille-Williams, Consolidated Edison Co. The Honorable Marty Markowitz, President, Borough of Brooklyn Martin P. Schreibman, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Biology, Brooklyn College; Founding Director , AREAC Christoph M. Kimmich, President, Brooklyn College

Introduction of Sessions John C. Muir, Conference Chairman Session 1: Historical and Archaeological Perspectives

9:20 Moderator: Lynn Rakos, Archaeologist, USACE, NY District

9:25 - 9:45 Pre-Canal History John C. Muir

9:45 - 10:05 Urbanizing a Swamp: Commerce and Engineering of the Gowanus Canal ca. 1850-2000 Richard Hunter, Ph.D., Hunter Research, Inc. Charles H. Ashton, Hunter Research, Inc. Michael S. Raber, Ph.D., Raber Associates Lynn Rakos, US Army Corps of Engineers, NY District

10:05 - 10:15 Waterfront Views: The Gowanus Canal (Video Presentation) Dan Cauthorn, Backwater Films

10:15 – 10:35 BREAK, Coffee/Tea Exhibit Room Open

Session II: Biological Perspectives, Ecology and Environmental Sciences

10:35 Moderator: Pamela Lynch, Biologist, USACE, NY District

10:40 - 11:00 Preliminary Results of 2003 Benthic Invertebrate Sampling in the Gowanus Canal David J. Santillo, Ph.D., President, Northern Ecological Associates, Inc. (NEA) Mr. Keith Brewer, Biologist, NEA This discussion will characterize the existing biological benthic environment in order to identify the invertebrate species that inhabit and utilize the Gowanus Canal.

11:00 - 11:20 Gowanus Canal HTRW/Geotechnical Site Investigation John Berezniak, P.E., USACE, Baltimore District; Marty Goff, P.E.,USACE, New York District This presentation discusses the results of a Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste (HTRW) and geotechnical site investigation performed within the Gowanus Bay and Canal during April and May 2003. The objective of this site investigation was to characterize the geotechnical and chemical conditions of the sediments located within the Gowanus Bay and Canal. The data obtained in this investigation include engineering properties of the sediments; as well as, identifying the levels, types, and distribution of contamination. The field crew also assisted with the biological sampling of the canal. This was an opportunity to combine several varied sampling endeavors in one effort. The information gathered from this investigation may be used to identify the problems currently affecting the estuary and as a means to inventory conditions within the canal. Results may also be used in the formulation of an effective restoration alternative for the Gowanus Canal.

11:20 - 11:40 Sediment Decontamination for Waterfront Revitalization and Ecosystem Restoration Eric A. Stern, Regional Contaminated Sediment Program Manager, United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 2

11:45 - 1:00 LUNCH Exhibit Room Open, Poster Session

12:15 Introduction of Keynote Speaker by Dr. Martin P. Schreibman

12:15 – 1:00 Keynote Speaker: Dr. John Teal

Urban Wetlands Restoration: Principles, Permitting and Practical Solutions Dr. Teal will use examples from two salt water systems (Jamaica Bay and DelawareBay) and two urban rivers (the Los Angeles River that flows through Los Angeles County in California, and the Lower Fox River in Wisconsin). Dr. Teal will discuss benefits to the ecosystem and to the surrounding communities.

Dr. Teal is a renowned expert on wetland ecology and restoration. His doctoral thesis at Harvard, which examined the trophic relationships of a tiny cold spring in Massachusetts, was the start of a long and distinguished career. He joined the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in 1961 and has been Scientist Emeritus since 1995. He has participated in a number of classic studies of wetlands, and has worked with communities around the world to effect problem-solving strategies to clean up polluted waterways and wetlands, restore fresh and saltwater marshes, and construct wetlands for wastewater treatment. Since 1993 he has been involved with the Delaware Bay salt marsh restoration project, the largest wetland restoration program in the Northeast. Dr. Teal is the co-author of the classic book, Life and Death of the Salt Marsh. First published thirty-five years ago, this beautifully written and highly influential book has revealed the importance of Eastern seaboard marshland ecosystems to several generations of readers.

AFTERNOON PLENARY SESSION

Session III: Urban Canals: Current Research and Lessons Learned

1:00 Moderator: Joseph Porrovecchio, Regional Director, Ports, Harbors & Waterways, Shaw Environmental & Infrastructure, Inc.

1:05 - 1:25 Gowanus Data Gap Report Presentation (Chemical, Biological, Water Quality) Thomas C. Gulbransen, Regional Manager, Battelle

1:25 - 1:45 NYCDEP Waterbody and Watershed Planning Approaches, including details on the Gowanus Canal William E. McMillan, Jr., P.E., Senior Project Manager, HydroQual, Inc. NYCDEP Use & Standards Attainment (USA) Project The New York City Department of Environmental Protection is conducting a Use and Standards Attainment Project as part of its continuing efforts to maintain and improve water quality in New York Harbor. A waterbody/watershed assessment of Gowanus Canal is being conducted to perform an integrated evaluation of the interdependent factors affecting current and potential waterbody uses. Physical, chemical and biological assessments have been performed during the evaluation and engineering planning has identified actions to be taken to improve water quality conditions to a level that can be reasonably attained. The assessment and findings will be described.

1:45 - 2:05 Use of Historical Maps for Ecosystem Restoration in the NYC Metropolitan Region Al McCullough, Biologist, Environmental Concern Chastity Miller, Program Manager, BVA, Inc.

Session IV: Fostering Planning, Design and Citizen Involvement

2:05 Moderator: Alicia Moore, Parks and Open Space Specialist, Office of the Brooklyn Borough President

2:10 - 2:30 Regional Waterfront Initiatives: What Can We Learn and How Do the Lessons Apply to the Gowanus Canal? Mark Caserta, NYC Policy & Advocacy Director/Waterfront Park Coalition Director, NYLCV/NYLCV Education Fund In seeking to restore the Gowanus Canal, it is important that we take a step back and look at the waterfront revitalization efforts underway throughout the New York metropolitan region. New York City and New Jersey’s Hudson River shore have experienced a revolution in waterfront development over the past 10 years. What models did local communities and government entities use to develop and fund these projects? Have these models been successful and can they be applied to the Gowanus Canal?

2:30 - 2:50 Water and the City: Design Strategies Franco Montalto, Ph.D. Civil/Environmental Engineer, eDesign Dynamics, LLC This talk will discuss the potential for lot level stormwater management as a means of controlling combined sewer discharge in urban areas in general, and in the Gowanus Canal in particular. The discussion will include a brief background on the combined stormwater problem in New York City, along with a description of several lot level stormwater management techniques that show potential for the Gowanus Canal Watershed.

2:50 – 3:10 BREAK, Coffee/Tea

Session V: Planning for the Future

3:15 Moderator: Martin P. Schreibman, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Biology, Brooklyn College, Founding Director of Aquatic Research and Environmental Assessment Center (AREAC), Brooklyn, College, CUNY

3:15 - 3:35 Studies on Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) Restoration in Jamaica Bay: a Model for the Gowanus Canal Chester B. Zarnoch, Doctoral Candidate, AREAC, Brooklyn College, CUNY My presentation will review the history of oysters in New York City waters and will discuss current research efforts to determine the potential for oyster restoration in Jamaica Bay. The application of this model research program to the Gowanus Canal will be discussed.

3:35 - 3:55 Faunal Studies as a Guide Towards Restoration of the Bronx River Joseph W. Rachlin, FLS, Director, Laboratory for Marine and Estuarine Research (La MER), Lehman College, CUNY As a result of the coordinated efforts of several local NGOs under the coordination of the Bronx River Alliance, funding became available to advance the agenda of restoration of the Bronx River, its shoreline and watercourse within the Borough of the Bronx. As part of this endeavor, Lehman College's La MER has been studying the fauna of the river, both freshwater sections and its estuarine portion since 2000. The results of this study, coupled with habitat restoration and the Bronx River Greenway Project, have created a model for the incorporation of the Bronx River as an educational and recreational resource for the borough and its inclusion in the Waterfront Task Force Report.

3:55 - 4:15 Study and Restoration of Jamaica Bay John T. Tanacredi, Ph.D., Chairman, Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, Dowling College The Jamaica Bay ecosystem is a significant portion of the Hudson-Raritan River Estuary, located within one of the most populated urban regions in the world. This presentation will discuss the biological and ecological data collection methodologies required to monitor and assess the ecological health of an estuarine/coastal system, influenced and stressed by a myriad of environmental and anthropogenic factors. Restoration of this ecosystem has been of considerable interest over the last 25 years. However, several myths regarding the degradation levels need to be dispelled before actual restorative functions can be allowed to occur naturally. I will discuss the impacts on the Jamaica Bay ecosystem, the potential causative agents of these impacts and suggested strategies for restoring natural systems processes.

4:15 - 4:35 Mega-Impacts on Regional Estuary Economics Professor Ronald G. Hellman, Director, Americas Center on Science and Society (ACSS); Co-Chair, Inter-American Comparative Ecosystems and Regional Economics (IACERE); Co-Chair, Department of Sociology, CUNY Graduate Center IACERE conducts multi-science and multinational term research on the natural and social dimensions of comparative estuaries, concentrating on the U.S., Chile and Mexico. IACERE is developing a model to determine the significance of mega-impacts on the regional economics of three estuarine ecosystems: the Reloncavi-Chilean Estuary in southern Chile, the Laguna Madre Estuary Ecosystems on the eastern coast of Gulf of Mexico, and the Tri-State Interconnected Estuary Ecosystems in the New York Bight. Mega-changes such as war, infrastructure, and domestic political shock will be discussed in a comparative context for regional economics that are ecologically shaped by their respective estuary/coastal ecosystems. Special focus will be given to how our research model will assess the shock factor in terms of the multiple use of comparative systems.

4:40 – 5:00 SUMMARY OF DAY William Kornblum, Ph.D., Chair, Center for Urban Research, Graduate Center, CUNY

5:00 – 5:15 PRESENTATION OF STUDENT RESEARCH AWARDS Jeanne DiLascio, Executive Director, Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation

5:15 – 6:00 WINE & CHEESE RECEPTION, Gold Room

5:15 – 6:00 POSTER & EXHIBIT SESSION, discussions available CONFERENCE LOCATION: Brooklyn College Student Center, Campus Road at East 27th Street (1-1/2 blocks west of the junction of Flatbush and Nostrand Avenues)

Brooklyn College is located one block from the intersection of Flatbush and Avenue H, near the junction of Flatbush and Nostrand Avenues.

BY CAR:

From Queens or Long Island, take the Belt Parkway West to Exit 11n, Flatbush Avenue north. Follow Flatbush Avenue north to Avenue H, make a left.

From Manhattan, take the , Brooklyn Bridge or Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the B.Q.E. to the Prospect Expressway, which becomes Ocean Parkway. Turn left on Foster Avenue to Bedford Avenue; turn right on Bedford Avenue to college.

BY SUBWAY:

IRT 2 or 5 train to Flatbush Avenue station. (During non rush hours, when the 5 train does not run to Flatbush Avenue, transfer at Franklin Avenue to the 2 train to Flatbush Avenue).

IND D train to Avenue J station; transfer to the B6 or B11 bus to Bedford Avenue and Campus Road.

BY BUS:

The following buses stop at the junction of Flatbush and Nostrand Avenues, one block from Brooklyn College: B41, B44, B6, B11, Q35 (Green Line bus).

The following buses stop at Bedford Avenue and Campus Road, in front of Brooklyn College: B11, B6.

The Gowanus Canal Community Development Corp proudly announces in cooperation with AREAC and USACE th the June 10 2004 CONFERENCE ENTITLED:

The Gowanus Canal: Perspectives on Urban Environmental Restoration

Located at the Aquatic Research and Environmental Assessment Center (AREAC) of Brooklyn College, NY

EXHIBITOR REGISTRATION - fill out and send in your -

EXHIBITORS NAME (as will appear on badge):

COMPANY NAME / SERVICE BRANCH: ADDRESS: CITY: STATE: ZIP: PHONE: FAX: E-MAIL/ WEBSITE

EXHIBITOR PACKAGE** Gold - $1,200: One premium 8’ x 10’ exhibit space in the Maroon Room and an ad in conference program Silver - $800: One select 8’ x 10’ exhibit space in the Maroon Room Bronze - $500: One select 6’ x 8’ exhibit space in the Maroon Room Note: All booths include a table, electric outlet. **Limited Space Available. All proceeds support Student Research Awards presented at the Conference. Your generous contribution of $300 in addition to the Exhibit Package will be duly announced at the conference and in conference proceedings. Contribution - $300:

A minimum 50% deposit is required with reservation. Reserved exhibit spaces will be reassigned if full payment is due by April 29th, 2004. There will be no refunds for cancellations.

PAYMENT Send your Exhibit Registration Form and tax deductible check payable to Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation 515 Court Street Brooklyn, NY 11231 VISIT US ONLINE AT: WWW.gowanus.ORG

EXHIBIT Coordinator: email [email protected] Joe Porrovecchio, Shaw Environmental & Infrastructure