DOCSLIB.ORG

Buffalo River Status Report

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Buffalo River Status Report DRAFT Buffalo River Remedial Action Plan 2008 Status Report Prepared By: Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper Table of Contents PAGE __________________________________________________________________ 1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..1 1.1 Location of Buffalo River Area Of Concern (AOC)…………………………………...1 1.2 Purpose of Status Report……………………………………………………………….1 2. Beneficial Uses & Impairment and Delisting Criteria & Restoration Targets……………4 3. Accomplishments Between 2002 – June 2008……………………………………………8 3.1 Water Quality…………………………………………………………………………..8 3.1.1 Major Accomplishments…………………………………………………………..8 3.1.1.1 Rotating Intensive Basin Studies (RIBS)…………………………………….8 3.1.1.2 Assessment of Phytoplankton and Eutrophication…………………………...9 3.1.1.3 Buffalo Sewer Authority LTCP……………………………………………...9 3.1.1.4 BRIC………………………………………………………………………...10 3.2 Contamination………………………………………………………………………...10 3.2.1 Major Accomplishments…………………………………………………………11 3.2.1.1 Upper Buffalo River Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study……………11 3.2.1.2 Great Lakes Legacy Act Project (Lower Buffalo River)…………………...11 3.2.1.3 BUI #7………………………………………………………………………11 3.2.1.4 NY State Superfund Sites…………………………………………………..12 3.2.1.5 VCP/BCP/ERP Sites………………………………………………………..13 3.2.2 Next Steps and Commitments……………………………………………………14 3.2.2.1 Contaminated Sediments……………………………………………………14 3.2.2.2 Inactive Hazardous Waste Sites…………………………………………….14 3.3 Fish, Wildlife, and Macroinvertebrates……………………………………………….15 3.3.1 Major Accomplishments…………………………………………………………15 3.3.1.1 Delisting Criteria Adopted………………………………………………….15 3.3.1.2 Rotating Intensive Basin Study (RIBS)…………………………………….16 3.3.1.3 Assessment of Potential Aquatic Habitat Restoration Sites………………..17 3.3.1.4 Fish Contaminant Study…………………………………………………….19 3.3.1.5 Herpetological Survey………………………………………………………20 3.3.1.6 Bird Population Survey……………………………………………………..20 3.3.1.7 Buffalo River Habitat Restoration Project………………………………….20 3.3.1.8 Buffalo River Urban Canoe Trail…………………………………………...22 3.3.1.9 Brownfield Opportunity Areas (BOA)……………………………………...22 3.3.1.10 Elk Street Revitalization and Planning………………………………….….24 3.3.1.11 Buffalo River Greenway Implementation…………………………………..24 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. Location of Buffalo River Area of Concern (AOC) The Buffalo River is located in the City of Buffalo, Erie County, in western New York State. The river flows from the east and discharges into Lake Erie at the head of the Niagara River. The Buffalo River Area of Concern (AOC) “impact area” extends from the mouth of the Buffalo River to the farthest point upstream at which the backwater condition exists during Lake Erie’s highest monthly average lake level. The impact area is 6.2 miles (10 km) in length and the AOC also includes the entire 1.4 mile (2.3 km) City Ship Canal, located adjacent to the river (Figure 1-1). 1.2. Purpose of Status Report As required for all Areas of Concern through the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, a combined Stage 1 and Stage 2 Remedial Action Plan (RAP) was completed and issued for the Buffalo River in November 1989. Between 1989 and 2002, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), as RAP Coordinator, tracked the progress within the Buffalo River AOC through a series of Status Reports. The objective of the RAP was to document the issues concerning the Buffalo River and a strategy to remediate/improve those issues. The main issues that affected the Buffalo River included: Water Quality, Contaminated Bottom Sediments, Inactive Hazardous Waste Sites, Municipal and Industrial Wastewater Facilities, Combined Sewer Overflows, and Fish and Wildlife Habitat. In October 2003, the USEPA Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) selected 1 Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper (formerly Friends of the Buffalo Niagara River) to coordinate the implementation of the Buffalo River Action Plan. Through the coordination of Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper and with the assistance of the Remedial Advisory Committee (RAC), NYSDEC, and other governmental and non-governmental agencies and organizations, the Buffalo River AOC has made significant progress towards delisting the AOC. Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper produced a Status Report in 2005 that documented this progress towards delisting between April 2002 and October 2005. This Draft Status Report document includes all progress and commitments that have been identified between 2002 and June 2008. The projects listed are neither excusive nor exhaustive, and a more thorough analysis of the AOC will be available later this year. Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, with assistance from the Remedial Advisory Committee (RAC), is in the process of revising and rewriting the entire Remedial Action Plan. The rewrite will not change the foundation of the original RAP, but will incorporate newly-developed data, research, investigations, and remedial progress into the status of Beneficial Use Impairments and the updated Remedial Strategy. All documents identified in this Draft Status Report, including the previous status reports and the original RAP, are available by contacting Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper. 2 Figure 1-1 Location of Buffalo River AOC 3 2. Beneficial Uses & Impairments and Delisting Criteria & Restoration Targets The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) lists “use impairments as “changes in the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Great Lakes System that create barriers to the use of the water resource.” These use impairments have become the template for determining the extent to which the river is degraded and for measuring progress toward its clean up. Once a “beneficial use” has been restored, it can be “delisted” using the IJC’s criteria as guidance. But more importantly, delisting criteria or targets are locally developed through a process of assessment and are always consensus-based. In December 2001, the US Policy Committee published “Restoring Great Lakes Areas of Concern – Delisting Principles and Guidelines.” These guidelines allow for the delisting of individual use impairments in the entire AOC under the following circumstances: • When locally derived delisting criteria have been met; • When the use impairment is due to natural rather than man-made causes; • When the use impairment is not limited geographically to the AOC, but rather is typical of regional conditions; • When the source of the use impairment is outside the boundaries of the AOC; or • When the beneficial use cannot be fully restored, even when all practical remedial actions have been implemented. Table 2-1 identifies the Beneficial Use Indicators (BUI), their status over time, and its likely cause. The 1989 RAP determined that eight BUIs were either “impaired” or “likely impaired.” Since that time, a thorough review of the BUIs has been conducted. Several changes 4 have been determined, including the change of “Degradation of Aesthetics” from not impaired to impaired and “Degradation of Zooplankton” from unknown to not impaired. Table 2-1 - Buffalo River AOC Beneficial Uses Impairment Indicator 1989 2005 Status 2008 Status Known of Likely Cause Status 1. Restrictions on Fish Impaired Impaired Impaired PCB’s and Chlordane & Wildlife in sediments. Consumption 2. Tainting of Fish & Likely Likely Likely Impaired PAHs in sediments. Wildlife Flavor Impaired Impaired 3. Degradation of Fish Likely Likely Impaired/Likely Low dissolved oxygen, & Wildlife Impaired Impaired Impaired* river channelization, Populations and contaminated sediments. *Fish Populations are Impaired while Wildlife Populations are Likely Impaired. 4. Fish Tumors and Impaired Impaired Impaired Sediments, navigational Other Deformities dredging. 5. Bird or Animal Likely Likely Likely Impaired PCBs, DDT, and Deformities or Impaired Impaired metabolites in sediments. Reproductive Problems 6. Degradation of Impaired Impaired Impaired Sediments, navigational Benthos dredging. 7. Restrictions on Impaired Impaired Impaired Various contaminants Dredging in sediments. 8. Eutrophication or Not Unknown Not Impaired Not Applicable. Undesirable Algae Impaired 9. Restrictions on Not Not Not Applicable Not Applicable. Drinking Water 5 Consumption or Impaired Applicable Taste and Odor Problems 10. Beach Closings Not Not Not Applicable Sediments, CSOs, and Impaired Applicable bacterial loading from upper watershed. 11. Degradation of Not Impaired Impaired Floatables, debris and Aesthetics Impaired foul odor from CSOs and upper watershed. 12. Added Costs to Not Not Impaired Not Impaired Not applicable. Agriculture and Impaired Industry 13. Degradation of Not Not Impaired Not Impaired Not applicable. Phytoplankton and Impaired for Zooplankton Zooplankton; Populations Unknown for Phytoplankton 14. Loss of Fish & Impaired Impaired Impaired Physical disturbance Wildlife Habitat such as bulk heading, dredging and steep slopes, and lack of suitable substrate. For Beneficial Uses that are considered “Impaired,” it is required that delisting criteria or targets be established. Once these targets are met, the BUI can then be considered “Not Impaired” and can be delisted. Table 2-2 describes the targets that have been established to date which need to be met in order to “delist” the beneficial uses of the Buffalo River. Like all US AOCs, the Buffalo River AOC is on track to finalize all of its delisting criteria and targets by December 2008. 6 Table 2-1 - Summary of Delisting Criteria/Restoration Targets BUI # Beneficial Use Status Delisting Criteria/Restoration Target(s) 1 Restriction on Impaired 1) There are no AOC-specific fish and wildlife Fish
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Buffalo River Restoration Project and the Path to Success in Planning Multi-Level
    The Buffalo River Restoration Project and the Path to Success in Planning Multi-Level Environmental Remediation Efforts Steve McLinden Environmental Advocacy, SUNY Buffalo Law School December 14, 2011 McLinden, 2 ABSTRACT The Buffalo River Restoration Project is a comprehensive, multi-entity pollution cleanup effort in downtown Buffalo, New York and on Lake Erie’s Harbor. The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the Great Lakes Legacy Act were established in the last quarter-century to aid in reversing much of the industrial degradation that fills the history of Great Lakes (or now some “Rust Belt”) cities. For the Buffalo River, this means removal of contaminated sediment that has covered the riverbed and floor of the harbor for more than a century and a rejuvenation of aquatic and plant life in the impact area. Federal programs like GLRI enable federal agencies, New York State, and non-profit organizations to work together in cleaning up polluted locations around the United States’ side of the Great Lakes pursuant to an agreement with Canada. This environmental remediation should be inspiring, assuming it results in the restoration of a natural, vibrant habitat in and around the aquatic ecosystem on Erie Harbor. The greatest measurable success the BRRP could achieve would be the eventual delisting of the Buffalo River area from USEPA’s Great Lakes Area of Concern. Environmental advocates should hope that the Restoration Project, as its utility and health as a natural ecosystem restore itself post-pollution cleanup. In order for the BRRP to be a success story in the narrative of all of North American environmental remediation work, efforts of these programs must carry on through the 21st century, regardless of political obstacles threatening the efficacy of governmental environmental stewardship.
    [Show full text]
  • Buffalo Harbor Brownfield Opportunity Area
    BUFFALO HARBOR BROWNFIELD OPPORTUNITY AREA NOMINATION DOCUMENT JULY 2014 WORKING DRAFT (MAPS/GRAPHICS INCOMPLETE) This document was prepared for the City of Buffalo and the New York State Department of State with state funds provided through the Brownfield Opportunity Areas Program. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Project Description ……………………………………………….……… 1 2. Community Participation …………………………………………..……. 5 3. Analysis ………………………………………………………………….. 9 4. Inventory …………………………………………………….…………… 22 5. Alternative Scenarios Exercise …………………………………….…….. 75 6. Land Use Plan …..……..……………………..………………..…….…… 86 Appendix A: Place Type Definitions …………….……..……..…………. 90 MAPS 1. Boundaries 17. Existing Land Use 2. Soils 18. Land Ownership 3. Topography 19. Large Parcels 4. Wetlands and Flood Hazard Areas 20. Key Buildings 5. Water Infrastructure 21. Major Facilities 6. Sewer Infrastructure 22. Underutilized Sites 7. Pedestrian/Bicycle Infrastructure 23. Potential Brownfields 8. Public Transportation Infrastructure 24. Strategic Sites 9. Road Infrastructure 25. North Scenario 1 10. Rail Infrastructure 26. North Scenario 2 11. Navigable Waterways 27. North Scenario 3 12. Parks and Open Space 28. South Scenario 1 13. Trails 29. South Scenario 2 14. Water Access 30. South Scenario 3 15. Archeological / Historical Resources 31. Proposed Place Types 16. Existing Zoning 1 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 1 1.1 OVERVIEW The City of Buffalo was awarded New York State Department of State funding to establish a Buffalo Harbor Brownfield Opportunity Area. This funding allows recipients to plan for the revitalization of underutilized, vacant, and brownfield sites by establishing a vision for their redevelopment, and strategies to return the sites to productive use. The 1,045-acre Buffalo Harbor BOA includes the Inner and Outer Harbors and a portion of the city’s Central Business District.
    [Show full text]
  • Know Your Backyard: Creek Corridor Conservation in the Town of West Seneca
    Know Your Backyard Creek Corridor Conservation in the Town of West Seneca Technical Advisory Group Bird Studies Canada: Ryan Archer, wetlands assessment Buffalo Niagara RIVERKEEPER®: Margaret Wooster, Project Director Jill Jedlicka, Director of Ecological Programs Maureen Mayer, Engineer Katherine Winkler, Watershed Analyst and Editor Buffalo Ornithological Society: Mike Hamilton, bird surveys Ducks Unlimited: George Rockey, general habitat Erie Community College: Lisa Matthies, GIS specialist Erie County Federation of Sportsmen: Chuck Godfrey, habitat Erie County Soil & Water Conservation District: Mark Gaston, hydrology ERIE Program (Ecosystem Restoration through Interdisciplinary Exchange) SUNY Buffalo: David Blersch, Director Graduate students: Stacey Blersch, Bernie Clabeaux, Nate Drag, Robert Earle, Michael Habberfield, Shannon Seneca Penn Dixie Paleontological Center (Hamburg NY): Jerold Bastedo, Director (assistance with Section 3) Tifft Nature Preserve: David Spiering, ecologist USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service: John Whitney, soils and habitat analysis West Seneca Commission for the Conservation of the Environment: Evelyn Hicks and Richard Rutkowski Special thanks to the Town of West Seneca for their ongoing stewardship of the Buffalo River Watershed. Know Your Backyard: Creek Corridor Conservation in the Town of West Seneca Prepared for: The Buffalo River Watershed Restoration Project by: Margaret Wooster March, 2010 With grant support from: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Grant # 2008-0063-009 The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the U.S. Government or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Contents Page Number 1. Summary………………………………………………………..1 2. The Great Lakes, Buffalo River, and Town of West Seneca.….2 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Vision & Implementation Plan
    Buffalo River Greenway Vision & Implementation Plan Implementation Guidelines for the Buffalo River, Cayuga Creek, Buffalo Creek and Cazenovia Creek within the City of Buffalo and Towns of Cheektowaga and West Seneca. Prepared For: Buffalo Niagara RIVERKEEPER® Prepared By: Lynn Mason, ASLA With Assistance From: Julie Barrett O’Neill Jill Spisiak Jedlicka Lynda Schneekloth May 2006 II TABLE OF CONTENTS FIGURE LIST pg. IV INVOLVED AGENCIES pg. VI EXECUTIVE SUMMARY pg. VII I. GREENWAY VISION pg. 1 1. Greenway Benefits pg. 3 2. Buffalo River Greenway Project Area pg. 8 II. GREENWAY PLANNING HISTORY pg. 15 1. Recent Projects pg. 17 2. Recent Planning Projects pg. 28 III. EXISTING GREENWAY RESOURCES pg. 29 1. Parks & Parkways pg. 31 2. Conservation Areas pg. 37 3. Bike/Hike Trails pg. 38 4. Boat Launches and Marinas pg. 41 5. Fishing Access and Hot Spots pg. 41 6. Urban Canoe Trail and Launches pg. 42 7. Heritage Interpretation Areas pg. 44 IV. PROPOSED NEW GREENWAY ELEMENTS pg. 47 1. Introduction pg. 49 2. Buffalo River Trail Segments pg. 56 3. Site Specific Opportunities pg. 58 V. IMPLEMENTATION pg. 95 1. Introduction pg. 97 2. Implementation Strategies pg. 106 3. Leveraging Resources and Identifying Funding pg. 108 4. Legislative Action pg. 110 5. Education and Encouragement pg. 110 6. Operations and Maintenance pg. 111 7. Trail Development pg. 112 8. Design Guidelines pg. 181 APPENDIX/ BACKGROUND INFORMATION pg. 189 A. Existing Greenway Resources pg. 191 B. Prohibited Uses pg. 209 C. Phytoremediation pg. 213 D. Buffalo River Paper Streets: A Status Report pg. 215 REFERENCES pg.
    [Show full text]
  • The Buffalo River Restoration Project Frequently Asked Questions
    The Buffalo River Restoration Project Frequently Asked Questions The Buffalo River Restoration Partnership is a public-private collaborative effort to clean up sediment in the Buffalo River. Although discharges of toxic chemicals to the Great Lakes have greatly decreased in the past 30 years, contamination remains in Buffalo River. The river bottom is contaminated with PCBs, PAHs (polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons), and metals. The Buffalo River Restoration Part- nership includes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Great Lakes National Program Office, the USEPA Region 2, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Erie County, the City of Buffalo, Honeywell, and Buffalo Niagara RIVERKEEPER. This cleanup is part of a larger strategy to keep contaminants out of not only Buffalo River, but also the Lake Erie food chain. What is the timeframe of the cleanup? The dredging of the river is planned to occur in two phases. Phase I dredging is fully funded and began in August 2011 and will continue through November 2011. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is taking the lead on the dredging of the federal navigation channel (or center of the river) in 2011, which is being funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Phase II of the project is under remedial design, with a proposed start date in 2012. Phase II is the cleanup of contaminated sediments outside of the navigational channel, including side slopes. Phase II dredging will be lead by the U.S. Environ- mental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office under the Great Lakes Legacy Act and take approximately two years (through 2013), which will include habitat restoration.
    [Show full text]
  • Water Resources of the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Genesee and Orleans Counties, New York, 2009–2010
    Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Water Resources of the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Genesee and Orleans Counties, New York, 2009–2010 Scientific Investigations Report 2012–5027 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Cover. All photos from the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge photo archives. Upper Left - Cayuga Marsh overlook at NY-Route 77, autumn scene. Right - Ice fog (hoar frost) view of wetland behind Iroquois Refuge office building along Casey Road, midwinter. Lower left - Oak Orchard Creek looking downstream from Knowlesville Road, on the eastern side of the Refuge, early autumn. Water Resources of the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Genesee and Orleans Counties, New York, 2009–2010 By William M. Kappel and Matthew B. Jennings Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Scientific Investigations Report 2012–5027 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior KEN SALAZAR, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Marcia K. McNutt, Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2012 For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment, visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1–888–ASK–USGS. For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod To order this and other USGS information products, visit http://store.usgs.gov Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Buffalo River Wildlife Survey Report Body
    FINAL 2012 Terrestrial Vertebrate Wildlife Survey of the Lower Buffalo River March 15, 2013 A Wildlife Survey of the Lower Buffalo River Area of Concern, Buffalo, Erie County, New York Prepared For: Buffalo-Niagara Riverkeeper 1250 Niagara St., Buffalo, NY 14213 Prepared By: Applied Ecological Services, Inc. 10 Balligomingo Road, 3rd Floor Conshohocken, PA 19428 and Conservation Connects P.O. Box 358, Alexander, NY 14005 1 FINAL 2012 Terrestrial Vertebrate Wildlife Survey of the Lower Buffalo River March 15, 2013 Table of Contents 1. Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 5 1.1 Project Background …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 5 1.2 Project Area …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6 1.3 Quality Assurance Project Plan ...…………………………………………………………………………….. 6 2. Methods and Materials …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 7 2.1 Survey Methodology ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 7 Habitat ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7 Avifauna ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 8 Herpetofauna ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 8 Mammals ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 8 General ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 9 2.2 Materials …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 11 3. Results ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 11 3.1 Habitat Characterization ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 11 a. Old Field …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 13 b. Forests/Woodlands ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 15 c. Wetlands ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
    [Show full text]
  • Buffalo River Corridor Brownfield Opportunity Area
    BUFFALO RIVER CORRIDOR BROWNFIELD OPPORTUNITY AREA NOMINATION DOCUMENT JULY 2014 WORKING DRAFT (MAPS/GRAPHICS INCOMPLETE) This document was prepared for the City of Buffalo and the New York State Department of State with state funds provided through the Brownfield Opportunity Areas Program. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Project Description ……………………………………………………… 1 2. Community Participation ………………………………………………. 5 3. Analysis ………………………………………………………..……….. 9 4. Inventory ……………………………………………………..………… 21 5. Alternative Scenarios Exercise …………………..…….……..………... 81 6. Land Use Plan ………………………………………………………….. 88 Appendix A: Place Type Definitions …………………..……..………... 91 MAPS 1. Boundaries 16. Water Access 2. Soils 17. Archeological / Historical Resources 3. Topography 18. Existing Zoning 4. Wetlands and Flood Hazard Areas 19. Existing Land Use 5. Electric Infrastructure 20. Land Ownership 6. Water Infrastructure 21. Large Parcels 7. Sewer Infrastructure 22. Key Buildings 8. Green Infrastructure 23. Major Facilities 9. Pedestrian/Bicycle Infrastructure 24. Abandoned Structures 10. Public Transportation Infrastructure 25. Vacant Sites 11. Road Infrastructure 26. Potential Brownfields 12. Rail Infrastructure 27. Scenario 1 13. Navigable Waterways 28. Scenario 2 14. Parks and Open Space 29. Scenario 3 15. Trails 30. Proposed Place Types 1 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 1 1.1 OVERVIEW The City of Buffalo was awarded New York State Department of State funding to establish a Buffalo River Corridor Brownfield Opportunity Area. This funding allows recipients to plan for the revitalization of underutilized, vacant, and brownfield sites by establishing a vision for their redevelopment, and strategies to return the sites to productive use. The BOA covers 1,052 acres – over 1.5 square miles – to the southeast of downtown. It contains a large number of brownfields and abandoned parcels; a legacy from the industries that were once located along the Buffalo River.
    [Show full text]
  • Buffalo and Niagara River Habitat Inventory and Assessment
    Buffalo and Niagara Rivers Habitat Assessment and Conservation Framework Prepared for: Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper 1250 Niagara Street Buffalo, New York 14213 www.bnriverkeeper.org Prepared by: Margaret Wooster: Project Director and Writer: Lisa Matthies: GIS Specialist: November 2008 Technical Advisory Group Barry Boyer, Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper Valerie Cromie, Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority/Niagara River RAP Mark Filipski, NYS Dept.of Environmental Conservation, Niagara River RAP Patti Fischer, Tuscarora Environmental Program Paul Fuhrmann, riparian restoration specialist Chuck Godfrey, Erie County Federation of Sportsmen Michael Hamilton, Buffalo Ornithological Society Evelyn Hicks, West Seneca Commission for Conservation of the Environment Bill Hudson, Buffalo Audubon Society Kim Irvine, Buffalo State, Department of Geography and Planning Jill Jedlicka, Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, Buffalo River RAP Coordinator Paul McKeown, NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation, fisheries biologist Michael Wilkinson, NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation, fisheries biologist Neil Patterson, Jr., Tuscarora Environmental Program Mary Perrelli, Buffalo State, Department of Geography and Planning Chris Renschler, State University of NY at Buffalo, Dept. of Geography/GIS Rene Rickard, Tuscarora Environmental Program Ken Roblee, NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation, wildlife biologist Byron Rupp, US Army Corps of Engineers Lynda Schneekloth, Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper David Spiering, Tifft Nature Preserve Patricia Szarpa, Western New
    [Show full text]
  • Canalside MGPP Public Hearing Set For
    LEGAL NOTICE NEW YORK STATE URBAN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION D/B/A EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT AND ERIE CANAL HARBOR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO BE HELD TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2013, PURSUANT TO SECTION 16 OF THE NEW YORK STATE URBAN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ACT IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED CANALSIDE PROJECT PLEASE TAKE NOTICE, that the New York State Urban Development Corporation, d/b/a Empire State Development (the “Corporation”), pursuant to Section 16(2) of the New York State Urban Development Corporation Act (Chapter 174, Section 1, Laws of 1968, as amended)(the “Act”) has adopted a Modified General Project Plan (the “Plan”) for the Canalside Project (the “Project”). The Project area is generally bounded on the north by Upper Terrace, Exchange Street and Perry Boulevard; on the east by Washington Street and Seymour H. Knox III Plaza; on the south by Perry Street and the Buffalo River; and, on the west by Erie Street, Marine Drive and Pearl and Commercial Streets. ESD and the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation (“ECHDC”), a subsidiary of the Corporation, are undertaking the Project. The Project would comprise approximately $459.7 million in public/private investment consisting of over 1 million square feet, at full build out, of commercial (retail, lodging, office), cultural and residential space that would be designed to emphasize downtown Buffalo’s connection to the Lake Erie waterfront through the construction of a network of interpretive water elements evoking the character and vibrancy of the historic canals that once crossed the area. The proposed Project will provide various year-round offerings and experiences including restaurant, entertainment venues, retail outlets, cultural attractions, vast public spaces and increased access to the Buffalo River.
    [Show full text]
  • 2. Erie Canal
    ERIE CANAL The largest of the four canals that make up the NYS Canal System, the Erie Canal was built between 1817 and 1825 and traversed 363 miles from Albany to Buffalo. It was the longest artificial waterway and the greatest public works project in North America. The canal put New York on the map as the Empire State—the leader in population, industry, and economic strength. It transformed New York City into the nation’s principal seaport and opened the interior of North America to settlement. Equally important, the Erie Canal became a central element forging our national identity. Built with a combination of vision, determination, ingenuity, and hard work, the Erie Canal solidified these central elements of our American character. It’s here you’ll find engineering marvels, historic vessels and canal sites, and lively Main Streets, along with great recreational opportunities and hundreds of festivals and events. As you travel, you’ll discover that each region has its own distinctive flavor. Visit more than one, or go “end to end” to enjoy it all. MORE INFORMATION about exploring the canal and its history as well as supporting the preservation and heritage initiatives along the water, is available at ericanalway.org. MORE INFORMATION about navigating the canal system, can be found at canals.ny.gov. 28 NEW YORK STATE CANALWAY WATER TRAIL GUIDEBOOK | eriecanalway.org Erie Canal–Buffalo BUFFALO Commercial Slip, Canalside, Buffalo Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation Explore New York’s second-largest city, one for self-propelled vessels, shifted the point of that was transformed when the Erie Canal entry from Buffalo to Tonawanda, about 14 opened in 1825.
    [Show full text]
  • Buffalo River Tainting of Fish & Wildlife Flavor BUI Removal Package
    UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GREAT LAKES NATIONAL PROGRAM OFFICE 77 WEST JACKSON BOULEVARD CHICAGO, IL 60604-3590 Mr. Donald Zelazny Great Lakes Programs Coordinator New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 270 Michigan Avenue Buffalo, New York 14203-2915 Dear Mr. Zelazny: Thank you for your June 12, 2020 request to remove the “Tainting of Fish and Wildlife Flavor” Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) at the Buffalo River Area of Concern (AOC), Buffalo, New York. As you know, we share your desire to restore all the Great Lakes AOCs and to formally delist them. Based upon a review of your submittal and supporting data, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hereby approves your request to remove this BUI from the Buffalo River AOC. EPA will notify the International Joint Commission of this significant positive environmental change at this AOC. We congratulate you and your staff as well as the many federal, state, and local partners who have been instrumental in achieving this environmental improvement. Removal of this BUI will benefit not only the people who live and work in the AOC, but all the residents of New York and the Great Lakes basin as well. We look forward to the continuation of this productive relationship with your agency, the Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, Erie County, and the rest of the Buffalo River Remedial Advisory Committee as we work together to delist this AOC in the years to come. If you have any further questions, please contact me at (312) 353-8320 or your staff can contact Leah Medley at (312) 886-1307.
    [Show full text]