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Special Report: Hudson River Fish in PERIL

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Special Report: Hudson River Fish in PERIL Spring 2008 Defending the Hudson. Protecting Our Communities. Special Report: Hudson River Fish in PERIL I Investigating the Decline of Our Fish I Land Acquisition in the Watershed: An Update I Riverkeeper’s Legislative & Policy Agenda for 2008 Board of Directors RAMONA CEARLEY DEAR FRIENDS, George Hornig Assistant to Policy and Chair Enforcement Program The story of the Hudson is the story of a majestic river that Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. TARA D’ANDREA Vice Chair was ravaged and pillaged for nearly two centuries before Grants Manager Peggy Cullen being rescued by a community of determined citizens – citi- Secretary LEILA GOLDMARK Staff Attorney/ Dr. Howard A. Rubin zens who understood the role the river plays in the life of the Treasurer Watershed Program Director valley and stepped up to defend her against all despoilers. Alex Matthiessen President ROBERT GOLDSTEIN This citizens’ “uprising” took hold in the mid-1960s, initial- Doni Belau General Counsel/ Executive Committee Director of Enforcement ly to stop Con Edison’s proposed hydroelectric facility on Ann Colley Programs Storm King Mountain in the heart of the Hudson Highlands. Executive Committee ROSE MARIE GRANDE Amanda Hearst Administrative Assistant The epic “Storm King” victory, led by Scenic Hudson and Riverkeeper, is credited with Executive Committee JENNIFER KAHAN sparking the modern environmental movement and helping spur Congress to enact a spate of John Abplanalp Staff Attorney/ William Abranowicz Policy Analyst environmental laws to protect our air, water and open space. John H. Adams JOHN LIPSCOMB The river has made a dramatic comeback since those days and is viewed around the globe Jed Alpert Boat Captain as a model for river restoration. Water quality in the Hudson has improved significantly – Lorraine Bracco STELLA LIROSI Binta Niambi Brown Operations Director thanks to the Clean Water Act and investments in sewage treatment infrastructure – and Hamilton Fish HEARTIE LOOK fish like the striped bass have rebounded after reaching dangerously low numbers in the Robert Gabrielson Volunteer Coordinator Anne Hearst McInerney early 1970s. CRAIG MICHAELS Karen Kelly Klopp Investigator But as years pass, the progress we’ve made is starting to unravel. Sewage treatment facili- David Kowitz PHILLIP MUSEGAAS ties and our sewage delivery infrastructure – now over 30 to 40 years old – are starting to John McEnroe Staff Attorney/ Jeff Resnick Policy Analyst fail, sending raw sewage into the river at an increasing rate. At the same time, an estimated Michael Richter PAMELA PINTO seventeen thousand new homes are planned for the Hudson River waterfront, which will Dennis Rivera Assistant to the President add to an already overburdened system. While it is still safe to swim in the Hudson on most Ronald A. DeSilva, MARY BETH POSTMAN Emeritus Executive Assistant to days, along most stretches of the river, public concern over water quality is growing. Arthur Glowka, Emeritus Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Henry Lewis Kingsley, Despite good news regarding population numbers for striped bass, bluefish and the lesser LISA RAINWATER Emeritus Policy Director known spottail shiner, a new Riverkeeper study shows that most of the Hudson’s signature Richard R. Knabel, Emeritus BASIL SEGGOS fish species are in various states of long-term decline. Hudson River Program Staff Director None are in deeper trouble than the American shad, a legendary fish whose numbers have ALEX MATTHIESSEN JAY SIMPSON dropped precipitously over the last 20 years. In the late 1980s, the spring run of American Hudson Riverkeeper & Staff Attorney President shad was an estimated four million fish; by the late ’90s, it had fallen to a mere 400,000 – a JENNIFER SOTOLONGO ROBERT F. K ENNEDY,JR. Development/Operations distressing 90% drop. Chief Prosecuting Attorney Assistant The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has imposed an TRACY BROWN VICTOR TAFUR Communications Director Senior Attorney emergency restriction on the Hudson’s commercial fishery – forcing the few fishermen who ALLISON CHAMBERLAIN REBECCA TROUTMAN are left to cut their annual take by 60 percent. While we support the measure, the state Donor Services Manager Staff Attorney GWENDOLYN CHAMBERS JOSH VERLEUN must go much further in addressing the problem – starting with using its membership in the Communications Producer Investigator/Staff Attorney Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to press for restrictions or outright bans on RENEE CHO TERESA WALSH Communications Events Manager off-shore shad fishing – whether taken directly or as “bycatch” in other fisheries. Coordinator BILL WEGNER Unfortunately, our state government, despite clear warning signs, has once again waited Staff Scientist until an environmental problem becomes a crisis before taking decisive action. But it’s not too late to rescue the shad – along with the other species like white perch, river herring, and American eel – so long as we are all willing to step up and take such action now. ©RIVERKEEPER 2008. READERS’ LETTERS & COMMENTS WELCOME. Riverkeeper has launched a new campaign not just to rescue the Hudson’s signature fish, RIVERKEEPER IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK AND SERVICE MARK OF RIVERKEEPER,INC.ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. but to restore the integrity of the very ecosystem on which they depend. As with all our campaigns, we are counting on you and our other members to help us apply pressure on policy makers to adopt an aggressive Hudson River fish recovery plan. Thanks, in advance, for joining and supporting our efforts. PRINTED ON 100% RECYCLED PAPER, NATURALLY — Alex Matthiessen, Hudson Riverkeeper & President Riverkeeper is the official publication of Riverkeeper, Inc., an independent, member-supported environmental organization. Founded in 1966 by fishermen and community members to confront polluters for control of the Hudson River, Riverkeeper has investigated and successfully prosecuted hundreds of environmental lawbreakers and has guided the establishment of 177 Waterkeeper programs around the world. Riverkeeper is a registered trademark and service mark of Riverkeeper, Inc. All rights reserved. 2 Letter from The Hudson Riverkeeper. 4 Hudson River Program. Riverkeeper Envisions Hudson River Preserve. Raw SewageTroubles Capitol Region. Funds Awarded for Brownfields Planning. Some Progress on PCB Cleanup. A Greener NewYork City Makes for a Cleaner Harbor.The R. Ian Fletcher and its Captain. 8 Patrol Boat Log. 11 Special Report: Hudson River Fish in Peril. 16 Watershed News. NewYork City Renews Land Acquisition Efforts in the Catskill/ Delaware Watershed. Development Projects Update. The Docket. Hotline Calls. 22 Government Affairs. Clean Water and Healthy Communities. Restoring the Clean Water Act. 26 Hudson Reflections. Our Shared Nature. ATransformational Ecology Compact for the Hudson. 28 Indian Point Campaign. Riverkeeper Begins Legal Battle to Stop Indian Point Relicensing.The Fiasco Continues: IP Replacement Sirens Face Mounting Problems. 31 Member News. Celebrating the River. Halloween Fun for Riverkeeper Supporters. Welcoming the Next Generation of Environmentalists. Dinner With a Message. Riverkeeper Welcomes New Board Members. Riverkeeper Adds “Volunteer Coordinator” Thanks to Donors. Spotlight On. 35 Riverkeeper Kids Section. 39 Unsung Heroes. Cover art © Kim Barron, 2008 hudson river program Riverkeeper Envisions Hudson River Preserve The Hudson River BY JOHN LIPSCOMB & By the 1960s, the Hudson will gobble up every remaining program team serves as the public's investigator, ALEX MATTHIESSEN River was so contaminated by parcel of undeveloped land scientist, lawyer, lobbyist o commemorate the upcom- the profligate dumping of they can. According to Scenic and public relations agent Ting 400th anniversary of chemical pollutants and Hudson, over 17,000 new for the Hudson River and its tributaries Henry Hudson’s voyage up the untreated human sewage that it housing units are planned for Hudson River, Riverkeeper has was often designated as an the waterfront from Yonkers to proposed that the state of New “industrial waste conveyance.” Albany. York create the Hudson River Riverkeeper was launched in If we do not act quickly to State Park and Preserve. 1966 by local citizens deter- protect the remaining undevel- When Henry Hudson arrived mined to reclaim and return oped stretches of shoreline, in 1609, the Hudson River and the Hudson to the public, its soon there will be nothing left its valley teemed with life. rightful owner. to preserve. While numerous That any of it remains today is Ironically, our success in existing parks dot the Hudson a credit to the ardent environ- cleaning up the river has corridor already, they tend to mentalists and visionary politi- renewed interest among a new be small and isolated. These cal and philanthropic leaders generation of profit-seekers parks are not managed in a who set aside land before it who wish to exploit the river coordinated fashion that looks could be developed to establish for their own gain. With the at the Hudson River Estuary as places like Adirondack State industries that once clogged the the wonderfully complex and Park, Catskill Mountain Pre- shoreline gone, the gold rush rich ecosystem it is. If we hope serve, Bear Mountain State Park, to redevelop the waterfront is to preserve the rich biodiversity and Palisades Interstate Park. on. Left unchecked, developers and human use of the Hudson, 4 Raw Sewage Troubles Capitol Region BY REBECCA TROUTMAN ombined sewage overflows 2007 (CSOs) aren’t just a prob- SHFORD C A lem in New York City – they’re ILES G a plague on the Hudson River. In the Capitol District area, there are 92 CSOs in Albany, HOTO COURTESY Cohoes, Watervliet and Green P Island. By discharging raw sewage during storms, these CSOs and the area’s aging sewer plants have prevented safe swimming in the Hudson for decades. As in New York City, ALBANY,NEW YORK Riverkeeper is advocating for the adoption of green infra- problem. In December 2007, York set a goal for a swimma- structure solutions to CSOs Riverkeeper submitted com- ble upper Hudson River by and aging sewer systems in the ments to the agency urging 2009. The adoption of stricter LACKWOOD Capitol District.
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