SPRING 2007 Board of Directors DEAR RIVERKEEPER SUPPORTERS, George Hornig, Chair Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Vice Chair Last month, the New York Times published an article summarizing the Peggy Cullen, Secretary Dr. Howard A. Rubin, Treasurer Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s latest report on the likely Alex Matthiessen, President Doni Belau, Executive Committee effects a warming planet will have on ecosystems, food and water supply, Amanda Hearst, Executive Committee human health, and our fellow species (“Top Scientists Warn of Water John McEnroe, Executive Committee John Abplanalp Shortages and Disease Linked to Global Warming,” March 12, 2007). William Abranowicz John H. Adams The forecast is nothing short of apocalyptic, especially if we fail to Lorraine Bracco Binta Niambi Brown start substantially reducing our carbon emissions now. Based on what Ann Colley Hamilton Fish we know already, hundreds of millions of people, mostly in developing Robert Gabrielson Anne Hearst countries, could face water shortages by 2025 — well over a billion peo- Karen Kelly Klopp Michael Richter ple by 2050. Within just a couple of decades, tens of millions of people will be flooded out of their Dennis Rivera Ronald A. DeSilva, Emeritus homes each year. By 2080, hundreds of millions of people could face starvation. Arthur Glowka, Emeritus Henry Lewis Kinglsey, Emeritus By 2050, polar bears will be all but gone from the wild. (I will never be able to erase from my mem- Richard R. Knabel, Emeritus ory the harrowing image on the front page of the Times of an emaciated starving polar bear stranded Staff on a similarly emaciated iceberg.) In another recent IPCC report, scientists predict that climate change ALEX MATTHIESSEN Hudson Riverkeeper could wipe out approximately one-third of all species on earth by mid-century. & President

ROBERT F. K ENNEDY,JR. The grim news keeps getting grimmer and has now reached the point of being beyond our ability to Chief Prosecuting Attorney fully comprehend it. I have been an environmentalist my entire adult life and have always been able to ALLISON CHAMBERLAIN Development Associate more or less compartmentalize my understanding of how we are daily poisoning ourselves and the rest GWENDOLYN CHAMBERS Membership Communications Officer of the species with whom we share this beautiful planet. But global warming is different. In the past RENEE CHO year, the climate change issue has overtaken my ability to protect myself psychologically. The issue Program Associate

TARA D’ANDREA pervades my thinking and imbues me with a persistent and unshakeable sense of foreboding and Grants Manager dread. LEILA GOLDMARK Staff Attorney The idea that humans – the most sophisticated and creative species our universe may ever know – ROBERT GOLDSTEIN General Counsel/ have been knowingly destroying the only home we have, is profoundly distressing. I suspect we are Hudson River Program Director only just beginning to experience the psychological toll that the unfolding reality of what we’ve done ROSE MARIE GRANDE Administrative Assistant to ourselves will ultimately have on the human race. It is the unspoken and as yet unaddressed JOHN LIPSCOMB Boat Captain consequence of climate change. STELLA LIROSI Operations Manager I believe that we can and will rise to the challenge and work to apply the human spirit and ingenuity

PHILLIP MUSEGAAS necessary to arrest a continued buildup of carbon in the atmosphere and avoid the worse case scenarios Staff Attorney we face. We simply have no choice. Our physical and psychological welfare depends on our coming MARY BETH POSTMAN Executive Assistant to Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. together – as a state, as a country, as a global community – to solve this problem, and quickly. In fact,

LISA RAINWATER I predict that this issue will be what helps the people of this fractured nation overcome our differences Indian Point Campaign Director and unite to reclaim our integrity as a nation and our role as a world leader. LAURA SEDLAK Executive Assistant In this issue of Riverkeeper, we have reprinted from the Natural Resource Defense Council’s website BASIL SEGGOS Chief Investigator a Question and Answer piece which provides an excellent overview of the climate change issue from a VICTOR TAFUR Staff Attorney global perspective. Also courtesy of NRDC – a leader on the climate change issue – we have included

REBECCA TROUTMAN a summary of the things you can do to help reduce our carbon footprint, as well as a list of resources Staff Attorney you can use to learn more and get more involved. In the fall issue of Riverkeeper, our feature story KAREN TUMELTY Director of Development will focus on the impacts climate change likely will have on the northeast United States, particularly the TERESA WALSH Events Manager Hudson Valley and New York City region. BILL WEGNER Watershed Analyst One final note: Riverkeeper is not going to take on climate change as an issue. We have plenty to

SABRINA WELLS keep us busy protecting the region’s water resources and shutting down Indian Point. However, I firmly Watchdog Program Coordinator believe that every environmental group across the nation should do something to help this cause. For Riverkeeper, the best way we can help is to inspire and mobilize you, our members, to take action and KIM BARRON Graphic Designer to encourage everyone you know to do the same. This is the issue of the 21st century and beyond, and ©RIVERKEEPER 2007. READERS’ LETTERS & COMMENTS WELCOME. all of us need to do our part. Who better to lead than the highly sophisticated and energetic people we RIVERKEEPER IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK AND SERVICE MARK OF are lucky enough to call our members? RIVERKEEPER,INC.ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. — Alex Matthiessen, Hudson Riverkeeper & President

PRINTED ON 100% RECYCLED PAPER, NATURALLY 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 more than 300 environmental lawbreakers and has guided the establishment of 156 Waterkeeper programs across the nation and beyond. Riverkeeper is a registered trademark and service mark of Riverkeeper, Inc. All rights reserved. 2 Letter from The Hudson Riverkeeper. 4 Watershed News. Riverkeeper Investigates Quality of New York City Tap Water. Can New York City Continue to Avoid Filtering Its Water? Watershed Development Projects Update. 8 Spiritual Connections To Protect The River. 10 The Time Is Now: Global Climate Change And What We Can Do About It. How we respond to our energy needs will define our beautiful Hudson River and who we are as a people. 16 Indian Point Campaign. Entergy Considers Leak Remediation Amid Concerns Over Strontium-90 In Hudson River Fish. Entergy’s Remediation Woes. Debunking The Myth – Indian Point’s Nuclear Power Fails The “Green”Test. 20 Hudson River Program. The Human Cost of GE’s PCBs. Feeling the Heat: Thermal Pollution From Hudson River Power Plants May Exacerbate Climate Change. Tracking Polluters From The Air.The Tappan Zee Bridge: To Build or Not to Build. 27 Patrol Boat Log. 29 The Docket. Hotline Calls. 30 Member News. 35 Unsung Hero. Cover art: Global climate change already affects our environment with extreme weather, droughts, hotter temperatures, and melting glaciers, leaving polar bears and other creatures struggling to survive. 4 efforts toprotect Watershed news e ok City’sNew York is anupdateof drinking water Riverkeeper’s supply. watershed news

PHOTO COURTESY OF ISTOCKPHOTO.COM Riverkeeper Investigates remain pristine. the watersupplywillalways cannot blindlyassumethat NYC watersupply. Butwe need forcostlyfiltrationofthe questioned andopposedthe water quality, Riverkeeperhas is thebestmeansofsafeguarding watershed protection programs water supplyatitssource through Believing thatprotecting the B Y William Wegner supply. require filtrationofthewater ments thatwouldotherwise waivers fromfederalrequire- City ofNewYork hasreceived water qualitystandards,the continues tomeetallhealthand renowned. Becausethesupply drinking watersupplyisworld- The highqualityoftheNYC Drinking Water ReallySafe? IsOur THE QUESTION: years, theamountofpesticides another waterbody. Inrecent body onlytoberedepositedin from soilsoronewater- Biphenyls (PCBs)canvaporize emissions andPolychlorinated to receivingwaters.Vehicle fertilizer fromlawnsandfarms cides, andthephosphorusin also carriespesticides,herbi- streams orreservoirs.Runoff transports themtonearby road saltfromroadwaysand water scoursoil,gasolineand from theatmosphere.Storm- discharges ofwaste,andeven treatment planteffluent,illegal stormwater runoff,wastewater enter surfacewatersthrough found inthisbiofilm.They variety ofsourcesmaybe to thebiofilm. through thetunnel,thenadhere dissolved inthewaterpassing suspendedor nants whichare walls. Manyorganiccontami- sticky compoundonthetunnel organisms secreteaprotective microorganisms. Thesemicro- biofilm –anaggregationof oped asubstantiallayerof distribution systemhavedevel- water throughNewYork City’s the tunnelsthatcarrydrinking Contaminants fromawide Over thepasthundredyears, Quality of New York City Tap Water

applied throughout the United this may sound alarming, it is Many of the chemical pesticides that are present States has reached nearly one not necessarily an immediate billion tons per year. New York cause for concern. Because the in our waterways are hazardous to human health. State has experienced intense biofilm acts as a repository for pesticide application, particu- contaminants, concentrations PHASE II: Pesticides and distribution waters for pes- larly in the counties that com- will be greater in biofilm than and Herbicides ticides, the Department has not prise the East-of-Hudson in the water carrying these For the second phase of our always been forthcoming with watershed. For example, compounds. VOCs can have consumer water testing, early the results of its monitoring. In Westchester County reported long- or short-term human last fall we sampled Croton 2001, Riverkeeper received a the application of more than health effects. These range source tap water for pesticides copy of a DEP laboratory one million pounds of pesti- from headaches and nausea, and herbicides. This testing was report from an anonymous cides in 2003. to cancer, liver, kidney and staggered with the VOC testing source. It contained an analysis So, what is really in the nervous system damage. to allow enough travel time for of pesticides that are regulated biofilm? And, is our drinking Our first goal was to deter- the chemicals to reach the dis- under the Safe Drinking Water water really safe? Because mine whether any of the more tribution system in runoff from Act (SDWA). These pesticides Riverkeeper is concerned with prominent biofilm contami- lawns and gardens treated last were detected in the City water- the quality of tap water as well nants were reaching the City’s summer in the urbanized areas shed samples collected by the as the quality of the surface drinking water consumers. of Westchester and Putnam DEP on November 17, 1999. water supplies that travel to the During the summer, we received Counties. Many of the chemical Twelve of the water samples con- tap, the Watershed Team has sample bottles from New Jersey pesticides that are present in tained five pesticides in amounts been investigating the answers Analytical Laboratories and our waterways are hazardous to that exceeded the EPA’s MCL to these important questions. sampled tap water that was human health. Insecticide con- for drinking water supplies. delivered from both the East- stituents such as organophos- Then, pursuant to a Freedom of INVESTIGATION and West-of-Hudson reservoir phates have been linked to brain Information Law (FOIL) Phase I: Volatile Organic systems to residences in New and nervous system damage, request from Riverkeeper to the Compounds York City. respiratory paralysis, liver, kid- DEP for monitoring results of Last year, we began a prelimi- We are pleased to report that ney and adrenal pathology, and source and distribution water nary investigation to follow after screening the samples for even death. Children are espe- for pesticides, the DEP respond- up on a confidential report by 84 VOCs, the lab analysis cially susceptible to the effects of ed in writing that “no analyses New York City Department detected only two. Both of these pesticides in the environment, of SDWA pesticides were con- of Environmental Protection compounds were Disinfection and newborns can be more than ducted during the three month (DEP) chemists who identified Byproducts (DBPs) that are a hundred times more vulnerable period October 1999 through more than 1,000 organic con- created when the chlorine than adults to the effects of cer- December 1999 for either taminants in the City’s water added during the disinfection tain organophosphates. source or distribution water.” tunnel biofilm. From the process reacts with dissolved We were relieved to discover In December 2006 we filed report, we identified three organic carbon in the raw that the laboratory analysis of another FOIL request with the Volatile Organic Compounds water. The EPA has established our City tap water sample for DEP to review long-term depart- (VOCs) – benzene, Polycyclic an MCL for DBPs in drinking 11 common carbon-based pes- mental records of pesticide test- Aromatic Hydrocarbons water supplies to ensure that ticides and herbicides detected ing in order to scrutinize a (PAHs), and carbon tetrachlo- the water poses no short-term none of the compounds. These broader database for contami- ride – that were present in the or long-term health risks. results are encouraging. How- nation. biofilm samples in concentra- Fortunately, the tap water we ever, we believe that the DEP We are hopeful that our review tions much higher than the tested from both East- and could provide more detailed of this information will support Environmental Protection West-of-Hudson watersheds sampling data. our independent findings so that Agency’s (EPA) Maximum contained DBPs in concentra- The absolute extent of pesti- we can confirm that watershed Contaminant Level (MCL) for tions that were below the MCL. cide contamination of the City’s protection programs are keeping drinking water supplies. While watershed remains uncertain. our unfiltered drinking water While the DEP monitors source supplies safe for consumers. ■

5 Looking Ahead:

watershed news CAN NEW YORK CITY CONTINUE TO AVOID FILTERING ITS WATER?

BY Leila Goldmark mitted its Long-Term Water- The federal Safe Drinking shed Protection Program report Water Act requires operators to the EPA in late December of public drinking water sys- 2006, but the EPA had not yet tems to filter drinking water released draft language for the supplies. However, because 2007 FAD at the time of this water in the New York City writing. Nevertheless, we will system is high quality and be working to ensure that pri- meets existing federal and state ority items are addressed in the water quality standards, the FAD. A chief concern will be U.S. Environmental Protection securing adequate funding and Agency (EPA) allowed the City staff for the New York State to avoid building a multibillion Department of Health (NYS- dollar filtration plant for the DOH), which will assume “pri- Catskill/Delaware system in macy” from the EPA and take exchange for implementing a on the primary responsibility variety of protection programs for monitoring the City’s to protect source waters implementation of watershed throughout the NYC water- protection programs and shed. In 1997, the Filtration enforcing the FAD. In addition, Avoidance Determination we will continue to advocate (FAD) was issued along with for expansion of certain pro- the Watershed Memorandum tection programs to the East- of Agreement that laid out the of-Hudson Cross River and details of the protection pro- Croton Falls Reservoir basins grams required by the FAD. (which, at times, can feed into The first FAD was revised the Catskill/Delaware system);

and renewed in 2002, but is set permanent measures to control EWKIRK N to expire in April 2007. We turbidity in the Schoharie

anticipate that the FAD will be Reservoir and Esopus Creek; AROLYN C extended for another five-year a more aggressive land acquisi- period and this provides anoth- tion program that better uti- er opportunity for Riverkeeper lizes local land trusts; and a

to push for stronger protection stepped-up timetable for com- PHOTO COURTESY OF

programs and higher program pletion of overdue system ASHOKAN SPILLWAY IN THE CATSKILL WATERSHED. targets. Since mid-2006 the upgrades and repairs. Watershed Team has been A strong 2007 FAD can save diligently enforce the rules and 2007 Riverkeeper will issue an preparing for upcoming FAD the City and ratepayers billions regulations throughout the annual Report Card assessing negotiations, meeting with of dollars while protecting the watershed. the City’s compliance with the other environmental groups, environment and quality of life Riverkeeper believes that FAD. To check for the Report watershed stakeholders, and for watershed residents. River- watershed protection programs Card or learn more about the federal and state regulatory keeper will remain vigilant and and partnerships can protect FAD and watershed protection agencies. make sure that NYSDOH is a our drinking water supplies programs, please visit: The Department of Environ- diligent enforcer of the FAD, over the long term. To keep http://riverkeeper.org/ mental Protection (DEP) sub- just as we push the DEP to the City on track, starting in campaign.php/watershed. ■

6 WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS UPDATE by Leila Goldmark and William Wegner

BELLEAYRE RESORT AT CATSKILL PARK Maximum Daily Load determinations for phosphorus reduction In 2005, Riverkeeper and the Catskills Preservation Coalition in East-of-Hudson reservoirs, and likely site alterations. In light (CPC) achieved a great victory when a New York State Depart- of these changes, Riverkeeper successfully petitioned the lead ment of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Administrative Law agency (formerly the Kent Town Board and now the New York Judge (ALJ) issued a ruling that 12 issues concerning the City Department of Environmental Protection) to require the Belleayre development proposal required additional inquiry developer to prepare an SEIS to address potential impacts and would be examined in full adjudicatory proceedings. Last under the current regulatory constraints. The SEIS was released year, the CPC defended our victory against the developer’s in January and was under review by Riverkeeper at the time appeal of all the issues. In a last-hour ruling on December 27, this update went to press. 2006, the DEC Deputy Commissioner issued a decision on the appeal, overruling the ALJ on six issues but holding six other PATTERSON CROSSING issues over for adjudication. While significant issues concerning As currently proposed, the Patterson Crossing development water quality and supply will move forward, the CPC will move encompasses some 90.5 acres of undeveloped, variable-grade to reargue several other issues involving cumulative growth and forest and meadowland within both the Towns of Patterson and forest preserve impacts. In the meantime, the CPC will continue Kent. Proposed construction includes a variety of commercial ongoing settlement discussions with the developer. We will con- retail buildings totaling nearly a half-million square feet, sever- tinue to fight for an alternative project like that proposed by U.S. al thousand parking spaces and a series of septic tanks leading Representative Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) – an alternative that per- to a nearly nine-acre disposal field. Because of its enormous manently protects the pristine eastern parcel while allowing a sig- size, Riverkeeper believes that runoff from the site will threaten nificantly down-sized project to proceed on the western parcel. the utility and viability of adjacent wetland areas and water- Such an alternative will safeguard the environment while bring- courses which ultimately drain to both the Middle Branch and ing appropriate economic development to the Catskills region. East Branch Reservoirs. In September, we outlined our con- cerns in comments on the Draft Environmental Impact MEADOWS AT DEANS CORNERS Statement (DEIS). We will continue to oppose the scale and Riverkeeper achieved a hard-fought victory in its long-standing configuration of the project throughout the review process. battle to have additional information included in the environ- mental review of the proposed Meadows at Deans Corners GRANITE POINTE project. Having lost our case before the State Supreme Court, In 2002, preliminary approvals were granted for the proposed we were elated when the Appellate Division found in our favor Granite Pointe project, a 29-acre housing subdivision located on appeal, ruling that the Southeast Planning Board had failed on a forested peninsula jutting into the Amawalk Reservoir in to take a “hard look” at impacts arising from changed circum- the Town of Somers. Because of its relatively small size, stances since the State Environmental Quality Review Act Riverkeeper had not participated in the initial SEQRA review (SEQRA) review process started over 14 years ago. Requests by process for this project. However in 2003, Somers residents the developer and planning board to the Appellate Division for presented us with new information regarding possible lead leave to appeal to New York’s highest court were denied. contamination on the site due to its former use as a skeet- Riverkeeper is confident that this request will again be denied shooting range. With Riverkeeper's help, the Somers Planning by the New York Court of Appeals and that the Appellate Board was persuaded to rescind approvals and reopen the Division’s order to prepare a Supplemental Environmental SEQRA process. The project applicant was required to conduct Impact Statement (SEIS) will stand. additional on-site testing and, when lead contamination was found, present a remediation plan in a draft SEIS. In late 2006, KENT MANOR Riverkeeper submitted comments on the draft SEIS, which con- The project sponsor for a proposed 318-unit condominium tained inadequate data gathered from poor sampling locations development on 106 acres in the Town of Kent completed a and methodology, and failed to examine possible contamina- Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the project in tion of adjacent DEP-owned land. The DEP conducted its own 1987, but did not seek final approval for the project until 2005. testing and found significant contamination that also will have In the 18 years since this environmental review began, numer- to be removed from town property. Riverkeeper will continue ous regulatory and other changed circumstances have to advocate for permanent preservation of the Granite Pointe occurred, including the Watershed Rules and Regulations insti- site, particularly purchase by the DEP so that fully-coordinated tuted as part of the 1997 Memorandum of Agreement, Total remediation of both parcels can proceed. ■

7 Spiritual Connections to Protect the River

BY LISA RAINWATER

“Children in New York City are unable to see the stars in the sky at night due to light pollution. This disallows them from connecting with the greater universe.” – Rabbi Lawrence Troster, Director, Fellowship Program, GreenFaith

hen I traveled back our attention on light pollu- be part of a community, to have denounced global warming as to Wisconsin for tion. There are many dedicated a place to swim again someday, a threat to our way of life. Wthe holidays and groups working on this issue. to stop being the joke of the Now, leaders in the Evangelical slept in my father’s home set- Our focus is the Hudson River nation, to keep people healthy movement are speaking out tled within a forest, I realized and its watershed. But be that from pollutants. about the perils our planet is perhaps for the first time just as it may, Rabbi Troster is on “Because we are stewards of facing, and will continue to how profound Rabbi Lawrence to something. Seeing the night God’s creation” is an answer face, if we don’t act quickly to Troster’s statement was. A city sky alit in all its beauty reminds that is prominent among many change our behaviors and dweller myself, it had always you that you are part of a residents living along the River become “true stewards” of the troubled me that more often greater cosmos – and that that and has most recently made a Earth. than not I could barely locate cosmos is part of you. It is this strong presence in discussions Vice President Al Gore’s the moon, let alone witness the deep connection with the uni- and action plans for religious documentary An Inconvenient pinpricked night sky that is our verse as a whole that is starting and spiritual communities in Truth has played a large role universe. Seeing the beautiful to shake things up across the the Hudson Valley. in this shift. In the summer of velvet horizon, with all its con- country, and if we’re lucky, in The United States is entering 2006, the national organization stellations and brilliant lights Washington politics as well. a monumental paradigm shift Interfaith Power & Light spear- shimmering across the farm- When you ask someone why in terms of who is taking the headed The Regeneration Project lands, I realized just what many they want to help protect the lead in protecting the environ- (www.theregenerationproject.org) of us living next to urban centers Hudson River, you’ll get a ment, addressing global warm- to bring the film to religious are missing from our daily lives: kaleidoscope of answers: to ing, and changing our and spiritual communities. a greater connection to the preserve our heritage, to bring damaging lifestyles into sus- With an original goal of 1,500 universe. the fish back, to have something tainable living. A couple of congregations in twenty states, Riverkeeper doesn’t focus to hand over to our children, to years ago, Evangelicals the group far exceeded their

8 target: over 500,000 people in project is a place-based initia- work already being done in Rev. Ackerman was pleased over 4,000 congregations in all tive that focuses on the sacred- centers of worship and the cor- with the attendance and the fifty states saw An Inconvenient ness of the Hudson River responding work of Hudson commitments she received from Truth. In January 2007, an al- estuary system with the goal of Valley environmental groups. several attendees. “As we join liance of twenty-eight Christian bringing together diverse reli- The first of the series was together to face our environ- evangelical and scientific lead- gious and environmental lead- held at the Institute in early mental crisis, we are seeing ers stood together at a news ers with their communities in a December before a diverse how shared contemplation and conference urging President unified coalition to work on audience representing spiritual exploration of the deeper val- Bush and Congress to adopt behalf of the River. leaders from the Jewish, ues we hold in common can “fundamental changes in val- The first year of the project Christian, Buddhist, American lead to a broad-based move- ues, lifestyles, and public poli- was to get the Hudson Valley Indian, and Baha’i faiths. ment to bring about urgently cies required to address these talking about issues important Speakers such as Sister Nancy needed change in the world. worsening problems [climate to the restoration and preserva- Erts of Mariandale Center in The Hudson River Project net- change] before it is too late.” tion of the Hudson River Ossining, Candace Downing of work deepens our connection While this nationwide move Valley. It was a great success, the Baha’i faith, and Rev. Frank to one another, and shows how was slowly making its way with thousands of religious Geer of St. Philip’s Church in our beliefs can transform across the states, a shift had and environmental community Garrison shared experiences human behaviors and lead to already begun in the Hudson members attending twelve from their respective faith- more positive outcomes for the Valley. Just as the environmen- conversations based on the based communities and offered earth community.” tal movement was born in the Department of Environmental suggestions on how their initia- Throughout the year, citizens Hudson Valley during the 1960s, Conservation’s Hudson River tives could be replicated will be bringing this Statement a new movement was breaking Estuary Program’s Action throughout the Valley. to their centers of worship, over the waves of the Hudson Agenda. Representing the environ- working to get their synagogues, River. For almost two years, a Out of these conversations a mental community, I shared congregations, mosques, and groundbreaking partnership Statement of Shared Values and with attendees Riverkeeper’s temples to sign onto the State- between environmental and Committed Actions was devel- Reenergize New York Campaign ment and to commit to taking spiritual communities has been oped. It is a living document and presented hands-on actions action to repair, restore, and fostered in large part due to the that is being distributed to that spiritual and religious protect our environment. tremendous efforts put forth by religious and environmental leaders could take back to their If you would like to get the Garrison Institute and the communities throughout the houses of worship the follow- involved, please contact Rev. Patricia Ackerman, Director Hudson Valley for sign-on. ing week. Riverkeeper or the Garrison of the Hudson River Project. In conjunction with these The excitement and fervor in Institute. Materials are posted Over the last two years, citizen actions, the Garrison the room over the various pre- on our website at Riverkeeper has been active in Institute is developing a series sentations that took place were www.riverkeeper.org ■ the Hudson River Project. The of workshops that highlight the felt amongst all attending.

9 THE TIME IS NOW: GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE AND WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT

The reality of global climate change is now beyond dispute. Even Exxon Mobil, the world's number one environmental polluter, has conceded it’s happening (though not surprisingly the company is still trying to delay a meaningful American response). This is the greatest challenge that our generation, or any other, has ever faced. If we don’t confront climate change aggressively by committing ourselves to steep reductions in carbon emissions over the next 20 years and beyond, our children and future generations will pay dearly. If we stay on our current collision course, they will inherit a society and planet that is unrecognizable. >>

10 If we hope to make a significant dent in what now – with creepily warm weather and an increase in violent storms — feels inevitable, we will all have to do our part, by turning up the thermostat in the summer (and down in the winter), driving fewer miles, buying more fuel-efficient cars and appliances, making public transportation a routine part of our lives, and relying increasingly on goods produced locally. But the most important thing you can do to stop global warming is support the imposition of a federal tax on all forms of carbon emissions. (This is a far more effective and serious approach to reducing emissions than adopting a cap-and-trade program which will take too long to attain significant emission reductions and which many corporations will invariably figure out ways to skirt. The negative economic effects of a carbon tax can be offset by reducing or eliminating taxes on corporate profits, labor and other “public goods.”) While Riverkeeper is not going to shift our focus away from clean water protection to become a climate change group, we feel strongly that all environmental groups must do something to help mobilize Americans into taking action on this urgent issue. For it is quite simply the issue that affects all others. We figure the best way to do that is to make sure our members – among the most informed and active of any environmental group in the country – are equipped with the basics of what climate change is, what you can do about it, and where you can go to learn more. In this issue of Riverkeeper, we present Part One of a two-part series which provides our readers with a basic overview of the issue – what it is, what causes it, and what its worldwide effects might be. We also outline key steps needed to combat it as well as a list of groups and resources you can contact to get more involved. In our fall issue, we will present Part Two which will focus on the best estimates of how climate change will affect New York’s environment and citizens. As bleak as things seem to be given the specter of a warming planet, the good news is that we know what we need to do to stop it and we have the technology and policy prescriptions to do it. Now all we need is the will to act. While global climate change is no doubt the issue that will most govern our behavior in the 21st century (if we’re lucky), protect- ing the availability and cleanliness of our drinking water is probably the second greatest environmental challenge we face worldwide. Riverkeeper will continue to be a model of water protection here in the United States and abroad and will strive harder still to come up with new ways to make sure that access to safe clean drinking water is affirmed as a basic human right. We are very grateful to our friends at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) for allowing us to reprint the valuable information below from their website. — Alex Matthiessen

Excerpted from www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/

What is Global Warming? Global warming is caused by carbon dioxide and other air pollu- tion that is collecting in the atmosphere like a thickening blanket, trapping the sun’s heat and causing the planet to warm up. Coal- burning power plants are the largest U.S. source of carbon dioxide pollution — they produce 2.5 billion tons every year. Automobiles, the second largest source, create nearly 1.5 billion tons of CO2 annually. Although local temperatures fluctuate naturally, over the past 50 years the average global temperature has increased at the fastest rate in recorded history. And experts think the trend is accelerat- ing: the 10 hottest years on record have all occurred since 1990. Scientists say that unless we curb global warming emissions, aver- age U.S. temperatures could be 3 to 9 degrees higher by the end of the century. >> In what scientists regard as an alarming sign of

How Global Warming Affects Our Lives events to come, the area of the Arctic’s perennial polar ice Global warming is already causing damage in many parts of the cap is declining at the rate of 9 percent per decade. United States. In 2002, Colorado, Arizona and Oregon endured their worst wildfire seasons ever. The same year, drought created in some areas of the Cascade Range in Oregon and Washington. severe dust storms in Montana, Colorado and Kansas, and floods Of course, the impacts of global warming are not limited to the caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage in Texas, United States. In 2003, extreme heat waves caused more than Montana and North Dakota. Since the early 1950s, snow accumu- 20,000 deaths in Europe and more than 1,500 deaths in India. lation has declined 60 percent and winter seasons have shortened (continued on page 12) 11 In February 2004, consult- ants to the Pentagon released a report laying out the possible impacts of abrupt climate change on national security. In a worst-case scenario, the study concluded, global warming could make large areas of the world uninhabitable and cause massive food and water short- ages, sparking widespread migrations and war. While this prospect remains highly speculative, many of global warming’s effects are already being observed — and felt. And the idea that such extreme change is possible underscores the urgent need to start cutting global warming pollution.

Who’s Responsible for Global Warming? The United States is the largest source of global warming. >> Though Americans make up Coal-burning plants, like the Danskammer Power Plant in Newburgh, NY, are the largest just 4 percent of the world’s source of carbon dioxide pollution in the U.S., generating 2.5 billion tons of CO2 each year. population, we produce 25 per- cent of the carbon dioxide pol- lution from fossil-fuel burning And in what scientists regard What Kind of Future Does tures will fuel more intense — by far the largest share of as an alarming sign of events to A Hotter Planet Hold? hurricanes in the southeast- any country. In fact, the United come, the area of the Arctic’s Global warming is a complex ern Atlantic and Gulf coasts. States emits more carbon diox- perennial polar ice cap is phenomenon, and its full-scale ■ Forests, farms and cities will ide than China, India and Japan, declining at the rate of 9 per- impacts are hard to predict far face troublesome new pests combined. Clearly America cent per decade. in advance. But each year sci- and more mosquito-borne ought to take a leadership role Global warming doesn’t cre- entists learn more about how diseases. in solving the problem. And as ate hurricanes, but it does global warming is affecting the ■ Disruption of habitats such the world’s top developer of make them stronger and more planet, and many agree that as coral reefs and alpine new technologies, we are well dangerous. Because the ocean certain consequences are likely meadows could drive many positioned to do so — we is getting warmer, tropical to occur if current trends con- plant and animal species to already have the know-how. storms can pick up more energy tinue. Among these: extinction. and become more powerful. So ■ Melting glaciers, early Solutions Exist global warming could turn, snowmelt and severe Recently, researchers — and Technologies exist today to say, a category 3 storm into a droughts will cause more even the U.S. Defense Depart- make cars that run cleaner and much more dangerous category dramatic water shortages in ment — have investigated the burn less gas, modernize power 4 storm. In fact, scientists have the American West. possibility of abrupt climate plants and generate electricity found that the destructive ■ Rising sea levels will lead to change, in which gradual glob- from nonpolluting sources, and potential of hurricanes has coastal flooding on the al warming triggers a sudden cut our electricity use through greatly increased along with Eastern seaboard, in Florida, shift in the earth’s climate, energy efficiency. The challenge ocean temperature over the and in other areas, such as causing parts of the world to is to be sure these solutions are past 35 years. the Gulf of Mexico. dramatically heat up or cool put to use. ■ Warmer sea surface tempera- down in the span of a few years. We can cut global warming 12 pollution by reducing pollution the corporate and political will weaken it when, in January pledged to compel power com- from vehicles and power plants. to put them into widespread 2004, a federal court sided panies to provide 25 percent of Right away, we should put use does not. Many companies with an NRDC-led coalition the state’s electricity from existing technologies for build- in the automobile and energy and reversed the administra- renewable sources by 2013. ing cleaner cars and more mod- industries put pressure on the tion’s rollback. There are many simple steps ern electricity generators into White House and Congress to you can take right now to cut widespread use. We can increase halt or delay new laws or regu- What Can We All Do? global warming pollution. our reliance on renewable ener- lations — or even to stop First, we must use more effi- Make conserving energy a part gy sources such as wind, sun enforcing existing rules — cient appliances and equip- of your daily routine. Each and geothermal. And we can that would drive such changes. ment in our homes and offices time you choose a compact manufacture more efficient From requiring catalytic con- to reduce our electricity needs. fluorescent light bulb over an appliances and conserve energy. verters to improving gas We can also phase out the incandescent bulb, for exam- Cost-effective technologies to mileage, car companies have decades-old, coal-burning ple, you’ll lower your energy reduce global warming pollu- fought even the smallest mea- power plants that generate bill and keep nearly 700 tion from cars and light trucks sure to protect public health most of our electricity and pounds of carbon dioxide out of all sizes are available now. and the environment. If replace them with cleaner of the air over the bulb’s life- There is no reason to wait and progress is to be made, the plants. And we can increase time. By opting for a refrigera- hope that hydrogen fuel cell American people will have to our use of renewable energy tor with the Energy Star label vehicles will solve the problem demand it. sources such as wind and sun. — indicating it uses at least 15 in the future. Hybrid gas-elec- The Bush Administration has Some states are moving in this percent less energy than the tric engines can cut global supported only voluntary direction: California has federal requirement — over a warming pollution by one-third reduction programs, but these required its largest utilities to less energy-efficient model, you or more today; hybrid sedans, have failed to stop the growth get 20 percent of their electric- can reduce carbon dioxide pol- SUVs and trucks from several of emissions. Even leaders of ity from renewable sources by lution by nearly a ton in total.■ automakers are already on the major corporations, including 2017, and New York has market. companies such as DuPont, But automakers should be Alcoa and General Electric, If you would like to learn more about global warming and what doing a lot more. They’ve used agree that it’s time for the fed- you can do about it, here are some useful links. a legal loophole to make SUVs eral government to create far less fuel-efficient than they strong laws to cut global ■ Natural Resources Defense Council is an environmental could be; the popularity of warming pollution. Public and action organization that uses law, science and activism to these vehicles has generated a political support for solutions protect the environment. www.nrdc.org 20 percent increase in trans- has never been stronger. ■ The Stop Global Warming Virtual March, founded by Laurie portation-related carbon diox- Congress is now considering David (producer of An Inconvenient Truth), is an online non- ide pollution since the early fresh proposals to cap emis- partisan grassroots movement designed to force the United 1990s. Closing this loophole sions of carbon dioxide and States to deal with global warming. and requiring SUVs, minivans other heat-trapping pollutants www.stopglobalwarming.org and pick-up trucks to be as from America’s largest sources: ■ An Inconvenient Truth is the website for Al Gore’s Academy efficient as cars would cut 120 power plants, industrial facili- Award-winning film about global warming and the science million tons of carbon dioxide ties and transportation fuels. behind it. www.climatecrisis.net pollution a year by 2010. If Stricter efficiency require- ■ The Union of Concerned Scientists is a science-based non- automakers used the technolo- ments for electric appliances profit organization working for a healthy environment and gy they have right now to raise will also help reduce pollution. safer world. Their Climate Choices website specifically fuel economy standards for One example is the 30 percent addresses climate change in the Northeast and California. new cars and light trucks to a tighter standard now in place http://www.ucsusa.org combined 40 m.p.g., carbon for home central air condition- www.climatechoices.org dioxide pollution would even- ers and heat pumps, a Clinton- tually drop by more than 650 era achievement that will ■ The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Change million tons per year as these prevent the emission of 51 mil- site offers comprehensive information on climate change and vehicles replaced older models. lion metric tons of carbon — steps you can take to help. the equivalent of taking 34 mil- http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/index.html Why Isn’t More Being Done lion cars off the road for one ■ The Sierra Club’s Global Warming and Clean Energy site to Stop Global Warming? year. The new rule survived a offers solutions to global warming. http://www.toowarm.org While the technologies exist, Bush administration effort to 13 PUT THIS FOUR-POINT PLAN INTO ACTION AND WE CAN DRASTICALLY CUT GLOBAL WARMING POLLUTION

We have solutions in hand right now to drastically cut global making ethanol from farm wastes or energy crops could compete warming pollution. Act now — put clean, innovative energy with oil on a very large scale in addition to providing extra technologies to use, and enact policies to encourage their rapid, income for farmers. By 2050, renewable energy and biofuels widespread adoption — and we can stop global warming in its could meet a significant chunk of our energy needs. tracks. Instead of nearly doubling U.S. global warming pollution by 2050, we can cut it by more than half using today’s technol- STEP 4: Return Carbon to the Ground ogy. And with the proper incentives in place, even more innova- Coal is the most carbon-intense of fossil fuels. Reducing use of tive solutions will emerge along the way, leading to even bigger coal through energy efficiency and renewable energy technolo- reductions. gies will be the cornerstones of the solution to global warming, This four-point plan is how we get started. but the plain truth is that hundreds of new coal-fired power plants will probably be constructed around the world in coming STEP 1: Boost Energy Efficiency. years. Coal generates more than half of the electricity we use The cheapest and fastest way to cut global warming pollution is today, and it is in plentiful supply in such countries as China, to make things that use electricity — like appliances, industrial India and the United States. equipment and buildings — more energy-efficient. We know this A critical choice remains. Power plants have a long life span works — most of us have bought an Energy Star appliance or — build the new coal plants with dirty, 19th-century technolo- two, and have seen firsthand how much money and energy they gies and we lock ourselves into high levels of global warming can save. But there’s still much room for improvement, and we pollution for decades. We can instead choose a 21st-century must continue to push for products that waste less energy. alternative: Using existing technologies — each in commercial Likewise, “green building” design and construction can dramat- operation today — we can convert coal into a clean-burning gas ically reduce the enormous amounts of energy that buildings and capture and dispose of the carbon dioxide deep underground, consume in heating, cooling, lighting and water use. dramatically reducing air pollution from this dirtiest of fuels. If the United States doesn’t invest in this technology, neither will STEP 2: Better Cars and Smart Growth China, India and other countries with large coal supplies. Our gasoline-burning cars are the second largest source of U.S. global warming pollution. But Americans will put more than The Tipping Point 300 million new cars on the road over the next 20 years — if The time to put global warming solutions into place is now. these cars are the best, most efficient vehicles Detroit can make, We can’t wait any longer. Scientists say we need to turn the we’ll take a big step toward solving global warming. corner on global warming within 10 years to prevent very dan- Using hybrid engines and other ready-to-go technologies in gerous impacts from becoming inevitable. Each year that passes today’s cars could nearly double the mileage they’d get from a without tackling global warming head-on makes the problem gallon of gas, saving a lot of money at the pump. By 2050, fuel- more difficult and expensive to solve. cell technologies and other advancements could boost efficiency But at the same time, global warming has finally gotten our to 54 miles per gallon. attention — Americans are increasingly aware that a warming We can curb our appetite for oil even further by adopting climate is a real threat to our way of life, and that we have a “smart growth” principles in our cities and towns, encouraging choice about how bad it will get. developers to build compact, walkable communities that allow The choice lies here: $16 trillion dollars will be invested in people to spend less time behind the wheel. energy development over the next two decades. Will it be poured into polluting, obsolescent technologies that will bring STEP 3: Biofuels and Renewable Energy on the worst of global warming? Or will these investments be Business-friendly, cost-competitive and ready to meet a signifi- shifted into advanced, low-polluting technologies that will cant portion of America’s energy needs, renewable energy has create the new energy economy that’s needed to shut down gone mainstream. Wind power is the fastest growing form of global warming? electricity generation in the United States, expanding at an aver- It’s up to all of us to increase the heat on our elected officials: age annual rate of more than 20 percent. Solar energy employs we need the right policies — and we need them now — to more than 20,000 Americans in high-tech, high-paying jobs. ensure that the technologies described here are deployed on the And clean-burning biofuels made from plants show great prom- scale and timeframe that is needed to achieve deep reductions in ise as a replacement for gasoline — ethanol producers already global warming pollution by mid-century. make 4 billion gallons of fuel a year, and new methods for It Can Be Done!

14 What We Do and How You Can Help

Founded in 1966 by fishermen and community Ways to Contribute Gifts of Stock members to confront polluters for control of By joining Riverkeeper you become part of a Gifts of appreciated securities are an effective the Hudson River, Riverkeeper has investigat- community of people fighting to protect the way to help Riverkeeper and realize significant ed and successfully prosecuted more than Hudson River from pollution and harmful tax advantages at the same time. To find out three hundred environmental lawbreakers and development. Membership benefits are more about contributing stock, contact is credited with having led the battle to offered at varying levels. Donors under $500 Riverkeeper’s Director of Development, restore the Hudson River and to save New receive a Riverkeeper bumper sticker, a sub- Karen Tumelty, at 914-478-4501, ext. 238. York City’s drinking water supply. Today, the scription to the Riverkeeper semiannual Hudson River is the only major estuary on the newsletter and invitations to select member Charitable Estate Planning Atlantic coast of the United States that still events. In addition to the above, Atlantic If you wish to ensure the protection of the retains spawning stocks of all its native fish Sturgeon members ($500-$999) receive name Hudson for future generations, consider species. Riverkeeper has helped to establish recognition in the Riverkeeper newsletter and remembering Riverkeeper in your will. The globally recognized standards for waterway a DVD copy of Swim for the River, a 2006 doc- proper designation is: and watershed protection and serves as umentary chronicling the first swim of the model and mentor for the growing entire length of the Hudson River. Hudson “To Riverkeeper, Inc., a not-for-profit, tax Waterkeeper movement that includes more River Stewards ($1,000-$4,999) receive a exempt organization incorporated by the laws than 156 Keeper programs across the country. Riverkeeper picnic blanket. Hudson River of the state of New York in 1983, having as its Please visit our website at www.riverkeeper.org. Falcons ($5,000-$9,999) receive a copy of address 828 South Broadway, Tarrytown, New Hudson River Journey, Images from Lake Tear York 10591-6602. I hereby give and bequeath How We Operate of the Clouds to New York Harbor, with the ______to be used for Riverkeeper’s Through citizen complaints and our own introduction written by Alex Matthiessen, general purposes.” Hudson Riverkeeper and President. investigations, we root out polluters and other For additional information about planned threats to the Hudson and New York City giving opportunities, contact Riverkeeper’s When making cash contributions, check to see watershed. We rely on Pace University Law Director of Development, Karen Tumelty, if your company matches charitable contribu- School’s Environmental Litigation Clinic to at 914-478-4501, ext. 238. help bring them to justice. With Robert F. tions by employees. It could double your gift Kennedy, Jr. and Karl S. Coplan at the helm, to Riverkeeper. For more information about 10 students work as attorneys each semester contributing to Riverkeeper, please contact How to Join bringing lawsuits against polluters. The stu- Allison Chamberlain in the Development To join Riverkeeper, simply fill out the form dents receive special permission from New Office at 914-478-4501, ext. 232. below and mail it along with your contribution York State to practice and provide Riverkeeper to: Riverkeeper, 828 South Broadway, with the equivalent of as much as $1 million Tarrytown, NY 10591-6602. Please check the in legal services each year. appropriate box and fill in the amount below or log on to our website at www.riverkeeper.org.

❍ Blue Crab ...... under $100 ❍ Please sign me up for ❍ Striped Bass...... $100 – 249 Riverkeeper’s Activist Listserv. ❍ American Shad ...... $250 – 499 I want to be notified by e-mail ❍ Atlantic Sturgeon ...... $500 – 999 about public hearings, letter- writing campaigns and other ❍ Hudson River Steward ...... $1,000 – 4,999 activist events. My e-mail ❍ Hudson River Falcon ...... $5,000 – 9,999 addresses are included below. ❍ Enclosed is my check or credit card authorization for $______❍ I would like to charge my contribution on my: ❍ VISA ❍ MC ❍ AMEX Exp. Date___/___/___

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Telephone Business Telephone e-mail Business e-mail 15 campaignI NDIAN POINT

Entergy Considers Leak Remediation Amid Concerns Over Strontium-90 in Hudson River Fish

Riverkeeper was wrong about approach despite the fact that the environmental threat posed strontium-90 mimics calcium by the leaks. The sample when ingested, thereby concen- results, released in mid-January trating in the bones of fish and 2007, suggested just the oppo- the shells of crabs, clams and site, showing detectable levels mussels. of strontium-90 in blue crabs The samples were analyzed and perch. on December 15, 2006 by Entergy biologists ventured AREVA labs. On January 15, onto the Hudson on August 6, 2006 the Journal News report- 2006 to collect fish samples as ed that four of the samples had part of their environmental detectable levels of strontium- monitoring program. For the 90 in their flesh. According to first time since the 1980s, these the Westchester County fish would be analyzed for Department of Health, the strontium-90 as well as under- mean background level of go the usual test for tritium strontium-90 in fish is about and cesium. The Nuclear 10 picocuries per kilogram Regulatory Commission (NRC) (pc/kg). Three of the samples had discontinued its require- with detectable strontium-90 ment that nuclear plants test were taken at the control loca- for strontium-90 in the envi- tion near Newburgh. The ronment in the 1980s, citing amount of strontium-90 ranged BY PHILLIP MUSEGAAS concerns with New York’s “inconsistent results” and from 13.6 pc/kg to 24.5 pc/kg. ugust 2006 turned out to Department of Environmental “extremely complex analysis.” The highest amount was Abe a time of high expec- Conservation (DEC) regarding However, the agency continues detected in a perch collected at tations and disappointing whether the company had test- to allow liquid discharges of the control site. A perch taken results for Entergy in their con- ed the groundwater for other strontium-90 from operating near Indian Point also reported tinuing struggle to resolve the non-radioactive pollutants, reactors into the environment 18 pc/kg. leaking spent fuel pool crisis at including Polychlorinated under their current regulations. Entergy and the NRC the Indian Point nuclear power Biphenyls (PCBs), before being The fish samples were taken in responded by assuring the pub- plant, located twenty-five miles allowed to dump the water two locations, half near Indian lic that the source of the stron- north of New York City on the back into the Hudson. Their Point and half in a control loca- tium-90 is global fallout from Hudson River. On the one initial test of a remediation tion near Newburgh, thirty miles Cold War atomic weapons hand, Entergy unveiled its plan well was also a failure, casting north of Indian Point. Sample tests, and does not pose an to begin cleaning up the con- doubt on the feasibility of their species included perch, sunfish, environmental or public health taminated groundwater by remediation plan (See “Entergy’s blue crabs, striped bass, catfish concern. While it is true that a January 2007, no doubt hop- Remediation Woes,” facing and American eel. Only the “edi- number of radioactive isotopes, ing the remediation would be page). That same week in ble portions” of the fish were including strontium-90 and well underway by the time the August, Entergy collected fish analyzed for strontium-90, pur- cesium-137, were dispersed battle over the plant’s relicens- samples from the Hudson suant to NRC regulations that into the environment during ing commenced in March 2007. River to be tested for stron- focus on the health risks of such tests, global levels of radi- They promptly encountered tium-90, no doubt hoping the humans ingesting contaminated ation from this source have delays after Riverkeeper raised results would show that fish. The NRC persists in this shown a steady decline as the

16 ENTERGY’S REMEDIATION WOES n August 2, Entergy informed the Nuclear Regulatory OCommission (NRC) of its plan to test a groundwater remedia- radioactive isotopes continue to It has been nearly six months tion well, RW-1, installed next to the Indian Point 2 (IP2) spent fuel degrade. since Entergy unveiled its reme- pool in the area showing the highest levels of tritium contamination. Entergy’s attempt to blame diation plan and began collect- these recent findings entirely on ing fish samples and nearly The plan was to draw out the tritium-contaminated water from under global fallout is misleading and eighteen months since the leaks IP2, dilute it and discharge it back into the Hudson, without drawing dangerous, because it suggests were discovered. Despite all the more toxic strontium-90 and cesium-137 from the IP1 leak over to that the liquid radioactive dis- this time and millions of dol- IP2.The test was a failure in this regard, based on groundwater sam- charges from Indian Point over lars spent on digging wells, ples taken from the RW-1 well in November that showed extremely the past thirty years have had conducting hydrological sur- high levels of cesium-137 for the first time. NRC officials recently con- no effect on the Hudson River. veys and going on fishing expe- They are basing this conclusion ditions, neither Entergy nor the firmed to Riverkeeper that the pump test probably drew the cesium on a sample of twelve fish from NRC seem any closer to resolv- from the IP1 leak plume, causing the contamination to spread into the Hudson, taken twenty ing this problem. On the con- new areas under IP2.They also believe the cross-contamination is years after testing for stron- trary, each new season brings temporary, although another pump test will now have to be conduct- tium-90 was discontinued. new information that confuses ed at a lower flow rate to confirm this. It is unclear what Entergy will Clearly the number and fre- rather than clarifies the picture propose as a solution if they cannot find a way to avoid increasing quency of samples need to be of what is really going on at the spread of the groundwater contamination. increased, split with independ- Indian Point. One thing is ent laboratories, and carefully known: there is a history of Entergy was also unclear about how the company would address analyzed. The bones of the fish poor maintenance and shoddy the possibility that other nonradioactive pollutants might be pres- and the shells of crabs and management, compounded by ent in the groundwater, and could be inadvertently discharged into clams should also be tested so weak oversight from the NRC the Hudson if their presence was unknown. In particular, Polychlor- that the full extent of environ- that began under Con Ed’s inated Biphenyls (PCBs) are known to be present in the IP1 reactor mental uptake is revealed. The ownership and continues under and spent fuel pools. Low levels of PCBs were recently discovered in concern here goes well beyond Entergy’s. Toxic pollution is short-term fears over whether leaching into the Hudson River an abandoned underground sump drain for IP1 as well, raising con- to eat fish caught in the Hudson. ecosystem, potentially causing cerns that they had bypassed the treatment system and were leak- We all need to know whether long-term environmental ing into the environment. Presently there have been no ground- strontium-90 poses a risk to degradation that has yet to be water samples showing the presence of PCBs. New wells dug along the health or reproductive fully assessed. And all this as the riverfront will be sampled in the next few months in addition to capabilities of these Hudson Entergy applies for a twenty- existing wells around IP1. The discharge of any PCBs is specifically River species. While Indian year license renewal from the prohibited under Indian Point’s State Pollution Discharge Elimina- Point may be only one of sever- NRC. Why continue to live al potential sources of the with this risk and this environ- tion System permit (SPDES). strontium-90 in the Hudson, it mental degradation? River- Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) officials have is the only one still actively dis- keeper has a plan to prevent informed Riverkeeper that any discharge of groundwater through charging this toxic pollution relicensing and build a safe the plant’s state-permitted outfall on the Hudson must comply with into the Hudson today. We energy future for the Hudson the SPDES permit before being allowed to proceed. DEC has cannot afford to wait until Valley. To see how you can instructed Entergy to conduct a full range of sampling for nonra- Entergy gets around to drain- help, please visit our website dioactive pollutants, so that any found, including PCBs, are removed ing the Indian Point 1 (IP1) at www.riverkeeper.org. ■ pool in 2008 and removing the from the groundwater before it’s discharged. Riverkeeper will close- waste. ly monitor both the remediation and the PCB testing to ensure that

no additional pollution is added to the Hudson from this plant. ■

17 campaignI NDIAN POINT

Debunking the Myth – of CO2 per year in the U.S. alone. al uranium reserves exist in The Nuclear Energy Institute, poorer ores which will require Indian Point's Nuclear Power a policy organization for the more fossil fuel-produced energy Fails the “Green”Test nuclear industry, cites several to mine and process. life cycle analyses on its web- A recent life cycle study con- BY RENEE CHO storage – requires an enormous site that claim emissions from ducted by scientists Jan Willem ith the world’s atten- amount of energy. So just how nuclear energy are among the Storm van Leeuwen and Philip Wtion focused on global clean and green is Indian Point? lowest of any type of energy Smith determined that nuclear warming, nuclear production. But the German energy produces 30 percent of

energy enthusiasts and even Life Cycle Analysis Oko Institute’s ten-year life cycle the total C02 emission of a gas- some environmentalists are To answer this question, it’s analysis found that nuclear burning plant, but only when pronouncing that nuclear ener- necessary to compare emis- power produces significantly the uranium has been extract-

gy is the silver bullet. But sions from nuclear energy to more C02 than renewables ed from rich soft ores. When nuclear energy only accounts those of other energy sources (hydro, wind or solar) and poorer ores are used, nuclear for 2.5 percent of the world’s and to take into consideration wood- or gas-cogeneration sys- energy produces proportion-

electricity needs and cannot all aspects of what each one tems (where heat produced by ately more C02, and if lean replace the energy needs of our needs to produce energy. Most electricity production is utilized ores are used with .01 percent transportation sector which of the energy necessary for instead of wasted). Moreover, or less of uranium, actually

produces 25 percent of U.S. building and operating nuclear cogeneration systems and renew- emits more C02 than if the carbon dioxide emissions, the power plants—from mining, ables are three to four times same amount of electricity main greenhouse gas responsi- refining and enriching uranium cheaper than nuclear energy. had been produced by burning ble for global warming. fuel, conditioning radioactive The World Information fossil fuels directly. In other Indian Point’s website boasts waste so that it can be stored, Service on Energy (WISE) and words, a dramatic increase of that “nuclear is a clean energy to safely transporting and Nuclear Information and new nuclear power plants here source.” While it’s true that, sequestering the radioactive Resource Service (NIRS) predict and abroad and the subsequent unlike other types of power waste, and to finally decom- an impending shortage of urani- need to mine deeper for urani-

plants, nuclear reactors do not missioning and dismantling the um from rich ore (where the um could, in fact, increase CO2

emit carbon dioxide (C02), the plant – comes from C02-pro- percentage of uranium in the ore emissions due to the finite life cycle of generating nuclear ducing fossil fuel-burning is 1 percent or higher), especially uranium resources available. power – from mining to refin- plants. Coal burning plants if nuclear energy production is Moreover, since safely and ing to transportation to produce over 2.5 billion tons expanded. The majority of glob- permanently storing radioac- tive waste has not yet been accomplished, these life cycle studies have probably underes- timated the amount of fossil fuel-generated energy this com- plex process will require. They have also neglected to factor in the amount of energy that would be needed to transport nuclear waste from all over to a permanent repository.

How Clean Are Other Aspects of Nuclear Energy? Uranium mining techniques are 1500 TONS OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE ARE CURRENTLY STORED AT INDIAN POINT AND IF IT’S GRANTED A 20-YEAR LICENSE EXTENSION, 1000 MORE TONS WILL REMAIN ON-SITE INDEFINITELY.PHOTO BY GILES ASHFORD. similar to those used for coal mining which rip open moun-

18 tains and leave behind scarred 75,000 metric tons of radioac- has not discovered the source uranium supplies will be and polluted landscapes. They tive waste that will remain of the IP2 leak or been able to exhausted sometime between also contaminate the land and deadly for hundreds of thou- stem the IP1 leak, and recently 2026 and 2070.” Moreover, water with hazardous radioac- sands of years. The enormous strontium-90 was discovered in the danger in advancing tive uranium tailings. Most problem of what to do with Hudson River fish. nuclear energy as the solution uranium reserves in the United this waste still has not been Though on-site storage of to global warming is that the States are located on Native solved. A permanent storage radioactive waste was never nuclear industry will be over- American lands where uranium site is planned at Yucca meant to be permanent, Indian subsidized while more promis- mining has caused environ- Mountain in Nevada where Point is currently building a ing sources of renewable mental and public health the waste will be buried deep dry cask storage system to energy are under-funded, and problems for decades. underground and theoretically store spent fuel rods above underdeveloped. Nuclear plants run on remain undisturbed by earth- ground on concrete pads that There are currently 442 enriched uranium. The enrich- quakes or underground water is designed to contain the nuclear reactors worldwide. ment process is fueled by fossil for eons. But the Environmental waste for up to 100 years. John Holdren, director of the fuel plants which create C02 Protection Agency has already Woods Hole Research Center and air pollution. A January acknowledged that radioactivi- Our Energy Future and president of the American 2007 report commissioned by ty will leak and is planning an A new nuclear plant has not Association for the Advance- Greenpeace International and 11-mile “controlled area” buffer been licensed in the US since ment of Science, suggested that the European Renewable around the burial site. The con- 1978, after the Three Mile we would need another 3,000 Energy Council (EREC) states troversial Yucca Mountain plan Island accident. And without plants for nuclear power to that 80 percent of the total has met with delays and legal government assistance (from provide one-third of the world’s volume of uranium from the challenges and though sched- 1974-2005, the federal govern- expected energy needs by enrichment process ends up as uled to open in 2017, many ment spent almost $145 billion 2100. If we build more nuclear radioactive tailings. experts believe that political, on nuclear research and devel- power plants and grant license According to the Union of social, and environmental opment), the nuclear industry extensions to aging plants like Concerned Scientists, every obstacles will prevent the site has never been economically Indian Point, we will also unit of electricity produced from ever opening. competitive with coal and nat- increase the potential for acci- using nuclear power also cre- In the meantime, highly ural gas. However in 2002, the dents, acts of terrorism, and ates about two units of waste radioactive waste is being Energy Department launched the spread of nuclear weapons. heat which are usually released stored on-site in spent fuel its “Nuclear Power 2010 The bottom line is that into water and can alter the pools at each nuclear plant. Program” which will use gov- Indian Point’s nuclear power is balance of the water body’s 1500 tons of waste are cur- ernment (i.e. taxpayer) and neither clean nor green, and ecosystem. Each day, Indian rently stored at Indian Point; industry money to subsidize the process needed to create Point withdraws 2.5 billion and should the plant receive a the development of new fuel from uranium for its reac- gallons of water from the twenty-year license extension, nuclear power plants which tors is energy-intensive and Hudson (nearly twice the an additional 1000 tons would some hope will blossom into creates greenhouse gases such amount of drinking water be generated and remain on- a “Nuclear Renaissance.” as carbon dioxide. It would be consumed daily by all of New site at Indian Point indefinitely. Even if we ignore the many far wiser for New York State York City) and releases it back In August 2005, it was dis- aspects of nuclear production to start investing in truly clean into the river at up to 110˚ F covered that Indian Point 2’s that are neither clean nor green and green energy production – a 34 degree increase of the (IP2) spent fuel pool was leak- including its intractable radio- such as wind, solar, and biofu- River’s normal temperature. ing tritium into the groundwa- active waste problem, nuclear els, while offering incentives to (See “Feeling the Heat,” on ter and Hudson River; and by energy is not a sustainable encourage Smart Energy use by page 23.) spring of 2006, Entergy, Indian energy source. The Greenpeace/ consumers which would drasti- The Union of Concerned Point’s owner, admitted that EREC report states, “In the cally reduce our contributions Scientists projects that by Indian Point 1’s (IP1) reactor light of various scenarios for to global warming. ■ 2015, American nuclear was leaking strontium-90 into the worldwide development of reactors will have produced the river as well. Entergy still nuclear power, it is likely that

19 programHUDSON RIVER

THE HUMAN COST OF GE’S PCBS

BY RENEE CHO the Hudson River, but the New invited to learn from Fort ort Edward, New York, a York State Attorney General’s Edward residents how PCBs Fgray industrial town on office attests that GE did not and other contaminants the upper Hudson River, have any permit to discharge dumped by GE have affected was once known for its role in PCBs into the Hudson River their lives. GE’s toxic legacy the French and Indian War and until 1975. By then, the major- includes poisons that have con- the American Revolution. Today ity of the dumping had already taminated the earth under their it is ground zero for one of the occurred. homes, their drinking water, biggest environmental debacles PCBs made their way up the their air, their health, and their since Love Canal: 60 years of food chain and destroyed the prospects for the future. dumping of Polychlorinated Hudson’s once thriving fishing Biphenyls (PCBs) into the industry. In 1984, the 200-mile The Williams Family Hudson River by the General stretch of the PCB-contaminat- Dick Williams, age 71, has Electric Company (GE). PCBs, ed Hudson below the GE lived in Fort Edward all his life. organic pollutants listed by the plants at Fort Edward and As a child, his wife Tammy, 42, United States Environmental nearby Hudson Falls became swam, fished and bull-frogged Protection Agency (EPA) as the EPA’s largest Superfund in the Hudson. Back then, the probable human carcinogens site. Despite over $100 million public wasn’t aware that GE that have been linked to nerv- dollars spent to avoid responsi- had been dumping PCBs into ABOVE:DICK AND TAMMY WILLIAMS. BELOW:DESPITE SPENDING $100 MILLION ous, reproductive, endocrine, bility for its destruction of the the river for a generation. Today, DOLLARS TO DELAY THE CLEANUP OF THE and immune system damage, Hudson, GE is being forced to Dick and Tammy are trying to HUDSON RIVER, GE IS BEING FORCED TO BEGIN DREDGING THE TOXIC SEDIMENT IN persist in the environment – and begin dredging the toxic sedi- sell their once successful dairy 2009. the human body—indefinitely. ment in 2009. The cost to the farm on Stevens Lane because people of Fort Edward and it is sitting on land contaminat- The “pollution easement” on The Persistence of PCBs Hudson Falls of GE’s toxic ed by PCBs. the Williams’s property has From 1947 through 1975, GE legacy and unconscionable It wasn’t until the early 1980s made the farm virtually impos- used PCBs as insulating agents delay is incalculable. that the general population sible to sell. Tammy sighed, in the manufacture of electrical Dick and Tammy Williams began to understand the danger “We’ll probably have it forever.” equipment. During that period, hosted staff from Riverkeeper’s of PCBs. Seven families in Fort GE dumped the vast majority Hudson River Program in Edward, mostly on Stevens A Toxic Brew of 1.3 million pounds of it into November 2006 when we were Lane, sued GE for contamina- In addition to PCBs, the plants tion of their homes, their water used toxic cleaning solvents and air, and for health effects. such as Trichloroethylene In 1989, GE agreed to settle (TCE, a probable carcinogen), with these families, offering benzene (a known carcinogen), them a compensation package kerosene, and gasoline to wash and forbidding them from ever down work areas. Over decades disclosing its terms. In exchange, of use, this noxious chemical GE was granted a permanent cocktail leached into the ground ELLS

W “pollution easement” tied to beneath both the Fort Edward each of the seven properties pre- and Hudson Falls GE plants. ABRINA S venting the owners and any In 2000, the New York State future owners from ever suing Department of Environmental GE for property damage based Conservation (DEC) issued its on contamination that occurred Record of Decision (ROD) PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE HUDSON FALLS PLANT AT BAKERS FALLS, JUST UPRIVER FROM FORT EDWARD. prior to the easement’s date. which established how a land-

20 based cleanup at the Fort hidden this from her. Stewart Edward plant and its discharge was told that the easement pipe into the Hudson River prevents her from ever being would proceed. It estimated able to sue GE. “I’m stuck, that 144,000 gallons of PCBs because I could never sell the and other toxins had collected house to another family and under the parking lot of the have them go through what we plant, and created a toxic plume did,” she said. over 500 feet wide. GE began pumping toxins from wells near “I Don't Like the Smell of It” the parking lot in 2003. Despite The 350 families living in Fort TAMMY STEWART’S HOUSE FACES THE FORT EDWARD GE PLANT PARKING LOT. three years of active remedia- Edward’s northern township tion, Kevin Farrar, a DEC engi- used to drink water from their treats approximately 215 million 1970. According to a sworn neering geologist, noted that, as own wells, but in December gallons of contaminated water statement he made in 2001 of November 2006, 131,444 1982, the New York State yearly, and in 1989, it was esti- before he died of multiple can- gallons of PCBs still remained Department of Health (DOH) mated that the cleanup would cers, GE contracted with underground. discovered that their aquifer was take 200 years or more to com- Defiance to haul away its Just opposite GE’s parking heavily contaminated. The town plete. Ray Lacque, the water PCB/waste oil mixture for over lot, Tammy Stewart’s house financed a $1 million 21-year superintendent for the Village of ten years. The toxic waste was sports the sign, “GE Would U bond, creating a new water dis- Fort Edward for 27 years, brought to Defiance, combined Live Here?” The 45-year-old trict and assessing the 350 fami- explained that the air stripper is with heavier oil, then sprayed Stewart confessed that when lies in order to pay for it. These maintained constantly, but has on dirt roads in Warren, Wash- she moved there with her three families, who had once enjoyed not been updated. “We monitor ington and Saratoga Counties children in 2000, she hadn’t free water, were assessed an the water going into and coming to keep dust from flying. given much thought to PCBs or additional $1 million in interest out of the air stripper for TCE Eventually the roads were other toxins. But in February on the bond plus regular water every month,” he said. In 1994, paved over, but in his state- 2005, she received notice of bills. however, EPA waived its own ment LeFebvre said, “PCB con- testing for TCE contamination The Village of Fort Edward, cleanup standards for treatment tamination is more widespread in her area. “Living right across a separate municipality, used to of this groundwater plume than the public realizes; and no from GE, the hair stood up on draw its water from the town of because they claimed they were doubt it affects both the water the back of my neck,” she Moreau on the west side of the impossible to attain. As a result, table and our homes and yards.” recalled. The soil on Stewart’s Hudson. But in the early 1980s, in the last Five-Year Review of property was found to be con- a groundwater plume of toxins the Moreau cleanup in 2003, The Vapors They Breathe taminated with PCBs, but lev- 4,800 feet long and 2,000 feet the EPA declared that “The In December of 2005, GE els were within the “acceptable wide (the equivalent of 167 groundwater contamination at engineers discovered TCE range.” Stewart said, “We did- football fields) was discovered the GE Moreau site is under vapors emanating from the n’t go into our backyard for flowing through that water sup- control.” Richard Fuller, a resi- ground water and soil and almost a year.” ply from an old dump where dent since 1984, said, “The penetrating buildings in Fort It was then that Stewart dis- GE had disposed of toxic waste. water’s supposed to be okay, but Edward. Monitors determined covered that her house had GE contained and sealed the site, I don’t like the smell of it.” that the vapors were coming belonged to one of the seven established treatment systems There are likely other areas from a traveling plume of con- families who settled with GE in and installed an air stripper (like where the drinking water is taminants moving south and 1989, and that it carried a per- a giant sprinkler) to expel TCE also contaminated. Robert west of the GE plant. GE ar- manent “pollution easement.” vapors from Reardon Brook LeFebvre was a superintendent ranged with some owners of the An archaic system of recording which fed into the Village’s pub- at the Defiance Asphalt plant TCE-contaminated homes to easements in Fort Edward had lic water supply. The equipment in Fort Edward from 1960 to install Sub-Slab Depressurization

21 programHUDSON RIVER

Systems (SSDS) which seal the cancer occurrence, the results shows a clear correlation foundation, then suck the dan- were deemed inconclusive. between PCB exposure and WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE gerous vapors up and out of Prevost believes the results were poor memory, thyroid function Riverkeeper has been involved the house. But of the 125-140 diluted because the study cov- and lower IQ. with the battle to force GE to homes that are eligible for the ered such a large area, parts of Carpenter has also studied clean up the PCBs in the Hud- SSDS, only about a third have which had no contamination. hospitalization rates for vari- son since 1970 when PCBs installed them. Nevertheless, the DOH’s ous diseases in Hudson River were first discovered in Tammy Stewart explained, Cancer Registry does show communities that have PCB Hudson River fish. Today, “Some people refused to have colorectal cancer rates for Fort waste sites. He concluded, Riverkeeper is pressing the their homes tested because they Edward and Hudson Falls 15 “Individuals in communities federal government, i.e., the just don’t want to know. to 49 percent higher than along the Hudson, including EPA, to designate Fort Edward Others don’t want to get the expected, and lung and bronchus the people of Fort Edward and and Hudson Falls as stand- SSDS because they think they cancer statistics 50 to 100 Hudson Falls, are more fre- alone Superfund Sites on its then won’t be able to sell their percent above normal. quently hospitalized for heart National Priority List. Although homes.” A number of residents The anecdotal evidence is disease, stroke, high blood the Hudson River dredging expressed doubts because there also difficult to ignore. Jo Anne pressure, bronchitis, acute res- cleanup is a federal Superfund is no government oversight of Fuller, an amateur historian piratory infections, and diabetes site, the land-based sites have the SSDS program run by a GE who moved to Fort Edward in than are people both from com- been overseen only by the subcontractor. They want the 1980, noted, “Recently, so munities without waste sites, understaffed and under-fund- DOH to take over administra- many friends and neighbors and from communities that ed Pataki DEC. The benefits of tion of the program to ensure ages 35 to 50—people who have hazardous waste sites federal oversight would be that the SSDS are properly fit- grew up in Fort Edward and without PCBs.” Prevost himself considerable: epidemiological ted for each home and correct- swam in the river—have been suffered a stroke in 2004. studies, remediation of water ly installed and maintained. hit with breast and testicular The DOH is currently con- and soil gas plumes, examina- cancer and leukemia.” In 1984, ducting yet another health tion of devalued property and Many Cancers – Few Studies when Fuller’s 17-year-old study on PCBs in Fort Edward tax burdens, federal funding Lieutenant Colonel Dennis daughter was on the Fort and Hudson Falls, but no epi- for the cleanup and coordina- Prevost, age 57, a retired Army Edward/Hudson Falls track demiological study has ever tion with the upcoming dredg- officer and vice president of team, five girls on the team been done on the children of ing, and ultimately, a full the community group Hudson were diagnosed with leukemia Fort Edward and Hudson Falls. reckoning of GE’s toxic legacy. River C.A.R.E, moved to during the academic year. Riverkeeper is also offering Putnam Avenue in Fort The Hudson Falls Central More Contamination Remains the residents support in their Edward in 1956. He described School District of approxi- There are many “orphan” efforts to obtain grants for an alarming number of health mately 2300 students ranks land-based contaminated sites community revitalization and anomalies among the 27 fami- highest in Washington County around Fort Edward and legal advice on ways to lies that lived on the street: his for learning disabilities, emo- Hudson Falls which have not redress damages. brother died of brain cancer at tional disturbances, autism, been officially recognized. The people of Fort Edward age 46, his college roommate and mental retardation, These include three landfills, and Hudson Falls have already died of brain cancer, a young according to The New York the old Defiance Asphalt plant, suffered grave environmental woman in her 20’s died of State Education Department’s sites where contaminated sedi- injustice, and because their brain cancer, and the woman Special Education statistics for ment from the dredging of the situation has never received next door now suffers from 2003-2005. These figures echo Champlain Canal was deposit- the kind of all-encompassing pituitary cancer. research done by Dr. David ed, and areas where PCB dust attention it deserves, the full Between 2000 and 2004, a Carpenter, Director of the abatement was used. GE has extent of damage to these cancer cluster study was com- Institute for Health and the all but ignored these “orphan” two communities remains missioned by the DOH for the Environment at the University sites, and the DEC seemingly unknown. towns of Fort Edward and at Albany, whose 20-year study has neither the money nor the Hudson Falls. While certain of Mohawk Indian adolescents legal power to force the issue. ■ areas showed elevated levels of along the St. Lawrence River

22 FEELING THE HEAT: Thermal Pollution from Hudson River Power Plants May Exacerbate Climate Change

BY VICTOR TAFUR The first law of thermodynamics, the law of conservation of energy, states: Energy can be neither created nor destroyed, only converted from one form to another. This law of nature explains the image to the left, which appeared on the cover of Riverkeepers’s Fall 2003 Newsletter, and is vitally important today to understand the effect of power generated along the Hudson in this era of climate change concern. This image illustrates heat pollution from power plants into the Hudson River. It is a multispectral thermal infrared image of hot water plumes in the Hudson River, showing the plumes of heated effluent from Entergy’s Indian Point and Mirant’s Lovett facilities in New York. Green shows the river’s baseline temperature. Red shows an increase of 1 to 7 degrees Fahrenheit (°F). The image was acquired at slack tide (when there is no tidal current). The explanation for this phenomenon is quite simple. These old facilities produce electricity by creating steam and running it through turbine generators. These fossil fuel or nuclear-powered steam-electric plants are inefficient in the sense that not all the energy in the fuel is converted to electricity, but a large portion—which can be as high as two-thirds of the total energy—is released back to the environment in the form of waste heat, air emissions (i.e., carbon dioxide when burning fossil fuels), and nuclear waste. In the case of nuclear power reactors (which do not require the burn- ing of fossil fuel), a reaction is produced at about one million ° F .There is an obvious overkill here: boiling water requires only 212° F. But the image to the left reveals more important facts in today’s climate change era. If you look closely, the image shows the cumulative effect of these thermal plumes (Entergy’s Indian Point in the top right and Mirant’s Lovett in the lower left) on one of the Hudson River’s designated Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitats: Haverstraw Bay, which serves as the “nursery” of the Hudson’s striped bass, American shad, white perch, tomcod, Atlantic sturgeon and many other species of fish and crabs. Shortnose sturgeon (endangered) usually winter in this area as well. And what is more alarming, the impact remains unabated. The thermal problem on the lower Hudson may be old news to some; however, recent scientific studies have revealed that Hudson River water temperature records provide evi- dence of a general warming trend across the more than 50-year period of available data. The study concluded that “the duration of the spring and early summer period of peak fish spawning activity (55° – 70° F) appeared to shorten over [the] period of available data suggesting a more rapid temperature rise during this period. In addition, this peak pro- ductivity period appears to be occurring slightly earlier in recent years.”1 What are the environmental authorities of the State and the owners of the facilities doing about it? The answer is simple, but unacceptable: absolutely nothing has been done in the last 25 years. In the early 1980s, the facilities were granted permits allow- ing them to release heat pollution under certain limitations (i.e., a maximum discharge temperature of 102° F for Indian Point) and subsequent permits (the most recent per- mit for Indian Point was issued in 1987!) did not impose any new limitations, but sim- ply continued the original restrictions. In 2003, the environmental impact statement prepared by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on these facilities noted that thermal analyses need to be updated to reflect recent, more extreme conditions, but it stopped short of recommending specific changes in the permits. It remains to be seen whether the DEC will step up and impose adequate thermal lim- itations for cooling systems and/or technological upgrades so that power plants expel less heat into the River. Since its creation, Riverkeeper has been advocating for ade- quate safeguards to protect the Hudson River ecosystem from thermal pollution. We believe the time has come to significantly reduce the thermal pollution from Hudson River power plants. This unique ecosystem simply cannot tolerate the heat anymore!

1 See Pattern In Water Temperature and Freshwater Flow to the Estuary over the Past 50 Years, by William Dey and John Young, ASA Analysis and Communications, Inc., Abstract, at 3, in Peteet, Dorothy (Ed.) (2006). Changing Climate and its Consequences in the Hudson River Valley: Past, Present, and Future, Proceedings, Altamont, NY: Hudson River Environmental Society (at NASA, Goddard Institute for Space IMAGE WAS ACQUIRED WITH A MULTISPECTRAL SENSOR AND THE IMAGE IS FROM THE Studies, November 2nd, 2006). THERMAL CHANNEL DATA, SHOWING THERMAL PLUMES FROM INDIAN POINT AND LOVETT. IMAGE COURTESY OF SPECTRA VISTA CORPORATION 23 BASIL SEGGOS,RIVERKEEPER’S CHIEF INVESTIGATOR, GOT A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON POLLUTERS FROM ABOVE.

PHOTO BY GILES ASHFORD Tracking Polluters from the Air

BY GREG CLARY, JOURNAL NEWS STAFF This week, however, Earth Watch got to ride along in a helicop- SEPTEMBER 1, 2006 ter that carried the organization’s investigators and a photographer Everybody knows the old saw about not seeing the forest for the above the Hudson all the way from the Statue of Liberty to Albany. trees, but how often do we really get to fly high enough to even “We’re finding oil slicks, cement plant discharge, stuff you just see the forest? About once a year, if you’re from Riverkeeper and can’t see from the water,” said Basil Seggos, 32, Riverkeeper’s chief you’re looking for polluters along the Hudson River. Most of the investigator for the past five years. “We did this in May of 2005, time, these environmental advocates are traveling the inlets and the and this trip is better because you can see right to the ground.” riverbank by boat and by foot, looking for pipes pumping pollu- The flight isn’t an insignificant proposition. The $5 million tion. Or they’re patrolling the halls of government trying to keep helicopter that former New York Police Department pilot James up with lobbyists adept at protecting the rights of industry to McVey handles effortlessly costs about $2,600 a hour to rent. make a profit. This year’s trip was sponsored by an anonymous donor who 24 believes strongly enough in the aerial mission to tell Riverkeeper to The air exploration isn’t just a field trip for lawyer types who take the time they need and just send him the bill. spend a good deal of their time filing legal briefs and lawsuits. The trip starts in Teterboro Airport a little after 7 a.m., just as Seggos says one of the trips yielded enough evidence to bring the sun is breasting the horizon. Within minutes, we’re flying over down a $500,000 fine against a cement maker. Seggos routinely Newtown Creek in Brooklyn, a spit of a river that moves too slow- uses the federal Clean Water Act as the basis for going after pol- ly and is home to too much industry to even flush itself effectively. luters, and clear images from the helicopter, with time and date “That greenish, yellowish stuff you see is sewage,” Seggos points stamps, work as effective weapons to get companies to stop pollut- out. “It’s going into Maspeth Creek.” His compatriot, Riverkeeper ing or to get prosecutors interested. Probably the best “catch” of boat captain John Lipscomb, notes that swimming in the water the day – if you don’t count looking down on an eagle near its we’re flying over would “get you very ill,” and the sheen from oil Rattlesnake Island nest – is a pool of greenish yellow ooze down- sitting on the river’s surface looks like nothing anyone would want hill from a capped landfill near Catskill, N.Y. to dive into. With photographer Giles Ashford snapping photos “That is Martian,” Seggos says of the plume. “I’ve never seen almost as fast as his trigger finger will work, crew members look that at a landfill before.” Another plume spreads into the river for angles and sites that will help them take on polluters. from a nearby cement plant, leaving what Seggos calls a ravine “We’re seeing stuff now we haven’t seen in terms of pollution “choked with chocolate milk” and acres of dead trees. As we sources,” Seggos said. “That’s the smoking gun we need to prose- hover for a few minutes, Ashford snaps photos of the flowing cute these cases.” wastewater and a truck wash nearby that is a major source of After a stop back at Teterboro for more fuel, we head up the the brownish release. Hudson toward Poughkeepsie, moving between Rockland and Down below, workers point at us in growing numbers the longer Westchester to check the color and health of the vegetation, as we hover, until we head upriver. Within days, that sighting will well as to look for contaminants. The area north of the city looks turn into a promise in writing to sue St. Lawrence Cement, alleg- almost pristine compared to the first leg of the trip, but a line of ing the operation isn’t complying with federal release permits. In trash that has washed up from the river into the Rockland shore some cases, notification is enough to get companies to alter their marshes stretches out like a squiggly metallic line drawn with a procedures. That’s fine with Riverkeeper, though a protracted legal blunt pen. battle doesn’t scare them off either. The Tappan Zee Bridge runs under us like a large Lego project, “We don’t want to put these guys out of business,” Seggos said. and shores of Westchester and Putnam go by quickly, as trained Lipscomb chimes in without letting his partner get his breath. “We eyes see nothing more harmful than the growing ranks of condo- just want them to operate their business without hurting the envi- miniums along the waterfront. ronment.” “In the four years since we first came up here (by air), you can Earth Watch runs every Friday. Send your ideas or comments to see the changes,” says Lipscomb, who tells detailed stories about Greg Clary at [email protected] or 914-696-8566. what seems like every boat and section of shoreline we fly over. Copyright (c) The Journal News. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Co., Inc. by NewsBank, inc. Record Number: wst21582121 “You see housing you didn’t see then. Five years from now, you’ll see even more.” SFORD A ILES G HOTOS BY P

EFFLUENT FROM THE HUGE ROCK QUARRY AT CLINTON POINT DISCHARGES INTO THE ONE OF THE DIRTIEST WATERWAYS IN NORTH AMERICA,NEWTOWN CREEK IS IN THE HEART HUDSON RIVER. OF NEW YORK CITY. 25 The Tappan Zee Bridge: To Build or Not to Build

BY SABRINA WELLS

ON AN UNUSUALLY WARM DECEMBER MORNING, a group of local The $12.5 to $14.5 billion for a new bridge will fulfill the adage politicians and land use planners from Westchester and Rockland “if you build it they will come.” If the proposed large capacity boarded the Riverkeeper patrol boat for a trip to the Tappan Zee bridge is built, it is just a matter of time before car commuters and Bridge. Viewing the span from the water was a new perspective for traffic fill its capacity and require endless renovation of I-287 to most of our guests who were concerned about the future of the continue forever. bridge, the current array of proposals, and the impacts these pro- Sprawl is such a problem in Rockland that planners are looking posals would have on the region. Boat captain John Lipscomb has to use the brackish Hudson River to supply its drinking water! been ferrying people out to see the bridge since last spring to help While the mass transit options proposed for a new bridge are laud- inform and educate local decision makers and the citizens who able, they are ill-conceived and will not get commuters out of their elect them. The concern on both the Rockland and Westchester sides cars. The bus rapid transit system that is possible on the existing of the river is not merely about the morning commute but rather bridge is the only feasible way to get commuters their one-seat ride what these counties will look like in the future if a replacement to Westchester business parks and shopping areas. Rail cannot do bridge is built. this. Speaking of one-seat rides, commuters from Orange and There have been a lot of headlines about the proposals: several Rockland will be afforded that necessity with the construction of the newly elected officials in Rockland ran on a “no new bridge of the Hudson River tunnel, already funded and in the planning platform.” Rumors that the bridge only had a 50-year life span stage. and that shipworms were eating away at its pylons were debunked. On that December morning, as we discussed the possible impacts The County Executives have reached out to newly elected Governor a new bridge would pose, we also focused on how important the Eliot Spitzer to step in, stating that the project “has been poorly body of water we were floating on is to the Department of Conser- handled” and “not in the best interests of the State nor our residents.” vation (DEC) fisheries, how it is “the most productive area of the

THE CONCERN ON BOTH THE ROCKLAND AND WESTCHESTER SIDES OF THE RIVER IS NOT MERELY ABOUT THE MORNING COMMUTE BUT RATHER WHAT THESE COUNTIES WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE IF A REPLACEMENT BRIDGE IS BUILT.

Riverkeeper came out last year in favor of a rehabilitated bridge river” and “has the greatest diversity” (DEC 2007). The Tappan with improvements including breakdown lanes on the approach Zee supports a significant population of blue crabs, sees striped causeways, a bus rapid transit system with a dedicated lane, and a bass year-round and in significant numbers in mid- to late summer, bike path – all of which are feasible as determined by earlier engi- and is a nursery for summer and winter flounder species. There are neering studies. huge numbers of bay anchovies which are one of the largest food While many residents and local leaders have come forth to state sources for larger fish in the lower estuary. The Tappan Zee is also their preference for Riverkeeper’s vision of the bridge, it is apparent the wintering ground for young short nose sturgeon, an endan-

. in the public forums that the powers that be would prefer to focus gered species. The health of the Tappan Zee is vital to the overall only on a new bridge. In doing this they have all but ignored the health of the Hudson River ecosystem and its fish population. option to rehabilitate the existing bridge. They have also ignored As we turned the boat around and headed back to shore, we serious local impacts. Concerns about this bias have led some took one final glance at the area and pictured what 10 years of municipalities to initiate their own impact studies so that local heavy construction equipment in the water would do to the river and regional concerns are not lost in the mad shuffle to build, and its communities. ■

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN LIPSCOMB build, build.

26 • During every monthly patrol north, We hope the river will inspire these we invite regional and state officials, people so they'll go back to their planners and land trusts to join us offices and create ways to protect it. for the stretch between Catskill and Several in this particular group are Albany. This is the “wildest” section. from Columbia County.The others are There are no roads or rails along from Columbia University – looking at the shore for most of this stretch so urban planning at a regional level. the best (only) way to really appreci- We’re looking at shoreline tax maps ate this part of the river is by boat. which show who owns the riverfront PATROL parcels. ERGERA V OB BOAT B

LOG PHOTO CREDIT •The Tilcon quarry at Clinton Point is dumping tons of fine stone and BY JOHN LIPSCOMB stone dust into Casper Creek – hence the large delta at the mouth of the creek. This sediment covers bottom vegetation and underwater habitat. Of course, they have a Department of Conservation (DEC) permit to discharge but Riverkeeper • Acting on a tip from a Riverkeeper eager to cooperate. They have hired and the Pace Clinic have filed a Watchdog, we are investigating oil an engineering firm to study where notice of intent to sue to challenge escaping into the Croton River from the oil is seeping from. This site has the permit and permit violations. the bank at the Metro North rail yard a long history of contamination – at Croton Point. When we disturb I’ve met a number of men who’ve the bottom sediment, oil bubbles to worked here in the past and they all the surface. We are negotiating with say “the place was a mess, oil Metro North and, so far, they seem everywhere.” (See photo below). NZEVINO A EFF J PHOTO CREDIT •This aerial photo was taken on October 5, 2005 by Jeff Anzevino of Scenic Hudson as he flew down the river conducting an inventory of • We’re finding the oil near this active development projects. River- storm drain at the southern edge of keeper's boat can be seen in the • Oh my! Could this be global warm- the Metro North rail yard at Croton foreground patrolling the loading ing? Not yet – just flooding at Point. The oil could be migrating docks at the Tilcon quarry at Clinton Catskill from very heavy rains in along the ditch where the storm Point. October. Let’s call it practice. drain pipe is laid. 27 times! Other locations that I swore were clean turn out to be VERY contaminated. BSERVATORY

O Riverkeeper and Lamont-Doherty are seeking funding to continue and ARTH E expand the study. This kind of moni- toring is something Riverkeeper OHERTY would like to build into a permanent -D part of its operation. Until then, we

AMONT plan to continue with the pilot study •This piece of floating containment :L in the spring, with the hope of boom was stranded on some pretty

HOTO obtaining funds to continue the P degraded industrial shoreline in work into the future. Ossining. We checked the boom for • Is the water safe for swimming? oil or other contaminants, contacted That’s the question we hear most The four bacterial growth plates in the Village Department of Public often.The State says yes, kind of. the photo on the upper left hand Works (DPW) and then on a Sunday, But no federal, state, county or side of this page show the variabili- towed it around to the public launch municipal authority really tests ty in bacterial contamination caused ramp just south of the Ossining enough to know, especially upriver by wet vs. dry weather which we Boat and Canoe Club. Turns out it of Manhattan. see at many locations between the was “Secret Santa” day at the club George Washington Bridge and so when we got to the ramp a Since last summer we’ve been Stony Point. Sewer lines and dozen or so members came out and working with a team from Lamont- sewage treatment plants sometimes helped pull the boom up above the Doherty Earth Observatory/Columbia (often) overflow during rain events – tide for the DPW to collect on University on a pilot water quality they don't have the capacity to han- Monday. I got a tour of the club and sampling program. Our goal is to dle the rain water that gets into the met the commodore. We talked examine the importance of weather system. • Looking over the side at more oil events, tributary inputs, and waste- on the water on Newtown Creek. about the river. water discharge on the River’s water Blue spots on the plates are individual Yes, it was nice to clean up the quality. So far, we’ve sampled for 10 bacterial colonies of Enterococcus,a boom, but finally, the best part of days between Stony Point and NY sewage-indicating microorganism. the day was getting to meet the Harbor. Samples were collected in The plates on the left are from dry members of this old and respected the deep water channel, at sewage periods; the plates on the right are club. treatment plant outfalls, in tributar- from wet periods. The top two plates ies, and around NYC including the are from midchannel near the GW Harlem and East Rivers and bridge; both plates are within federal Newtown Creek. guidelines for safe swimming – it’s ok whether or not there's been rain. At each sampling waypoint, we The bottom two plates show the measure oxygen, nutrients, salinity, kind of result we see at a number of • Are they pushing this stuff into temperature, total bacterial cell tributaries between Stony Point and Newtown Creek on purpose? We’ll count, and Enterococcus, a microbe Yonkers. The bottom left plate shows never know. Basil got this cleaned that indicates the exposure to the water is ok in dry weather but up with a couple of calls. It’s City- human or animal waste, and that the bottom right plate, collected dur- owned MTA property. is a health hazard. ing wet weather, shows contamina- tion more than 10 times higher than • In November we took the skiff and Our data is too preliminary to acceptable levels. At these locations, visited Ramshorn Marsh, just south release at this time but we are get- contact with the water during and of Catskill. Signs say “NO WAKE – ting some really astonishing results. after the rain could be dangerous Sheriff’s Office” and “NO HUNTING”. Some places that I was sure would and presently there is NO WAY for be filthy, turn out to be ok – some- the public to know. Riverkeeper is trying to get similar signage at Piermont Marsh which is • Laurence Luo is going to an incredibly important habitat for be China’s first Waterkeeper many resident and migrating rep- (in Beijing). He was in the US tiles, mammals, fish and birds – and training last summer. We let’s not forget kayakers. We’ve rode up the river together heard numerous complaints about on the boat after a day on • We saw this swan on October 18th high-speed boats and jet skis. So far Newtown Creek. on Newtown Creek. That’s the new we’ve asked the Palisades Interstate sewage treatment plant in the back- Park, the DEC, the National Laurence wasn’t too offend- ground (really it’s “partial treatment”). Estuarine Reserve and Rockland ed by Newtown Creek – he’s County Sheriff Marine Patrol to be seen much, much worse. The This swan was alone. We usually see the authority of record (on the sign) river downstream of Beijing them in pairs – they mate for life. It but we can’t get anyone to step up is 100% sewage and effluent. breaks my heart to see such a beauti- to the plate. We’ll keep trying. He’s fighting a monster. ful bird on this terribly polluted Hearing his perspective water. We work for the day when Ramshorn is owned and managed made me feel so lucky to Newtown Creek will be clean for by Scenic Hudson and Audubon as have the Hudson River which swans and other waterfowl to live in a “sanctuary”. What a shame that is still so vital and alive, and and prosper. Today we had to settle the time has come when our fellow so worth fighting for. for herding this one towards the East creatures need a “sanctuary” in the River and relatively cleaner water. Hudson Valley.

28 NEW CASES

Power Plant Federal Court Decision A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, in a deci- sion with national implications, ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed regulations dealing with water intakes on existing power plants were not in compliance with the Clean Water Act section 316 (b). These “Phase 2” rules, which were promulgated by the EPA in response to an earlier Riverkeeper litigation, were remanded to the Agency for further consider- ation in light of the court’s decision. Cooling water intakes swallow billions of gallons of river, lake and coastal water to cool power plant machinery. Along with the water, the intakes devour countless fish and fish larvae, devastating fish populations across the country.

St. Lawrence Cement (Cementon, NY) Riverkeeper served notice of our intent to sue St. Lawrence Cement (“SLC”) in Cementon, NY, for violating the federal Clean Water Act. Riverkeeper discovered illegal discharges of wastewater into the Hudson River during its helicopter patrol along the Hudson on November 27. While flying northbound, Riverkeeper staff dis- covered a huge, milky plume extending from SLC’s cement facility nearly a mile out into the river.

UPDATED CASES

Hudson River PCB Superfund Site (Fort Edward, NY) The United States District Court for the Northern District of New York approved the Consent Decree between the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the General Electric Company to dredge the upper Hudson River. Removal of the PCBs is scheduled to begin in 2009, after construction of facilities to accommodate the Superfund cleanup. An effort by the Town of Fort Edward to intervene in the proceeding for the purpose of enabling local regulation of the site of the proposed dewatering facility was denied by federal judge David N. Hurd. GE began dispute proceedings to contest the EPA’s interpretation of the Consent Decree regarding the replacement bathymetry (underwater terrain depth) of the shoreline after dredging and GE’s responsibility to ensure that communities using river water have access to uncontaminated sources of drinking water during the cleanup. Both disputes were rejected by the EPA.

Danskammer Power Plant (Newburgh, NY) An Article 78 was filed on July 24, 2006 by the Pace Environmental Litigation Clinic. The lawsuit, filed in Supreme Court of New York State, alleges that the Department of Conservation (DEC) ignored the federal and state mandate to use the “best technology available” to avoid environmental damage caused by power plants using river water for their cooling water systems. On December 22, 2006 a reply was filed. It was also determined by the courts that the case will be heard in Ulster County and we expect that arguments will be heard in the early part of 2007.

✆ HOTLINE CALLS

Each month Riverkeeper receives dozens of reports of possible environmental violations. Sabrina Wells, Riverkeeper’s Watchdog Program Coordinator, assists the Hudson River Team by determining whether the matter should be dispatched to one of our Watchdogs for further investigation, referred to federal, state or local authorities, or become the subject of citizen enforcement action by Riverkeeper. Sabrina can be reached at 914-478-4501 ext. 242 or 800-21-RIVER or by sending an email to [email protected]. The following are samples of reports received by our pollution hotline:

■ Woodbury, NY A citizen called to report that Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) ■ Milton, NY An anonymous tip from a concerned citizen has led Riverkeeper to discharges had been occurring near Lilly Court in Woodbury, NY for several years. investigate the Brooklyn Bottling Plant. The tipster informed us that the plant This area has a large number of children recreating in the vicinity. The caller was has been discharging well beyond its permitted allowances. Upon further inves- asked to send in pictures and Riverkeeper contacted a Watchdog in the area for tigation of Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) records through a continued monitoring of the situation. We continue to investigate this situation. Freedom of Information Act request, Riverkeeper has found years of violations ■ Lower Manhattan, NY The Coast Guard called to inform us that a diesel spill and citations. We will address the situation with the DEC and demand a more had been spotted from Staten Island to the Bayonne Bridge and into Newark effective penalty. Bay. We were informed by the Coast Guard that they were investigating to ■ Yonkers, NY A local citizen called to report a possible petroleum product determine the source, amount and whether or not it was only sheen or was sheen on the Saw Mill River. Riverkeeper called local authorities and an investi- recoverable product. We called the Waterkeepers in NJ to inform them of the gation is underway. problem. Riverkeeper continues to build a productive and informative relation- ship with the Coast Guard on oil spills and other issues. 29 City and rural kids to follow drinking water from source to tap

For three weeks in July, twelve high school students from Brooklyn and the Catskills will join together for an exciting expedition through the New York City watershed to learn about the ecosystems that provide the City’s drinking water, and the economic and public policy aspects of protecting this critical natural resource. Six students from New York Harbor School, a New York City public school in Bushwick, Brooklyn, and six students from Sidney High School in the Catskills will follow, on foot and by boat, New York City’s drinking water supply from its source near the Catskill Mountains’ highest peak to its destination at the tap. The goal of this educational project, “Mountaintop to Tap,” is to empower the students to educate the public about the source and protection of this drinking water supply and the vital and little recognized connections between the City and its upstate watersheds. The expedition is organized by the Stroud Water Research Center, New York Harbor School, the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development, NYC Department of Environmental Protection, and Riverkeeper. It marks the tenth anniver- sary of the New York City Watershed Memorandum of Agreement. This landmark accord was negotiated among dozens of federal, state, county and municipal officials as well as environmental and public health groups to protect the City's drink- ing water supply in its unfiltered state. “This fun, rigorous, and unique educational expedition will bring students from very different regions together to raise their awareness of where this most vital resource – drinking water – comes from, and the work that has been done and must continue to be done to protect it,” said Alex Matthiessen, President of Riverkeeper. “They will learn valuable lessons in geography, environmental science, public policy, natural resource management, environmental advocacy, and personal responsibility for the protection of natural resources. And, by working beside their inner city and rural counterparts, they will gain an appreciation for the complexity of the City watershed system and the need for disparate groups to cooperate as guardians of that system.” The expedition will include outdoor activities such as boating and hiking; hands-on experiments, such as water quality testing; and lectures, presentations and tours with scientists, elected officials, and experts on water quality and watershed

member news protection policy. Along the way, the students will keep journals and take photographs which will be exhibited together at the South Street Seaport Museum, New York City, in October–November 2007 and in venues within the watershed. Enrollment is not open for the program, but for more information please visit www.stroudcenter.org/nytrek2007. Recent Grants Help Riverkeeper’s Patrol Boat and Enforcement Program The Hudson River Improve- of a notebook computer for the ment grants, Riverkeeper ment Fund of the Hudson Riverkeeper patrol boat cap- recently received contribu- River Foundation has granted tain. The computer will enable tions totaling $8,500 to help $5,000 for Riverkeeper to the boat captain, who spends cover the cost of fuel for the purchase an outboard engine the majority of each working boat this year. P&O Ports to power our auxiliary boat, day on the River and its tribu- North America, Inc. has gen- an aluminum skiff that pro- taries, to maintain regular elec- erously provided $7,000 and vides us with access to the tronic communication with also secured an additional tributaries and shallows that staff at Riverkeeper headquar- $1,500 from Girandola News about our main patrol boat cannot ters and enforcement agencies, Construction, International Riverkeeper events, reach. In addition to facilitat- and with others, such as scien- Longshoreman’s Association volunteers, staff and donors ing patrol and investigation tists and regional planners, Local 824, and Trevcon in these waters, the skiff will who utilize the Riverkeeper Construction. These contri- support the work of research- boat. The computer, which is butions help us continue to ers from leading scientific designed to withstand the out- run monthly patrols of the institutions such as Columbia door environment, will also entire 150-mile estuarine por- University’s Lamont-Doherty allow for immediate transmis- tion of the River for almost Earth Observatory. The grant sion of digital images of pollu- ten months each year. will also enable Riverkeeper tion to enforcement officials. Riverkeeper is grateful to to upgrade safety equipment The Norcross grant has also these foundations and organi- on the boat. enabled Riverkeeper to pur- zations for their support of A $4,000 grant from the chase an additional digital our patrol boat and our Norcross Wildlife Foundation, camera for our investigations. enforcement work. Inc. has funded the purchase In addition to these equip-

30 EILEEN FISHER Inc. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SUPPORTS LEGAL INTERNSHIP

Sarah Olinger, a third-year student at Pace University School of Law, joined Riverkeeper in January as a legal intern for the Hudson River team. Sarah’s internship is made pos- sible by a grant from EILEEN FISHER Inc., a long-time supporter of Riverkeeper and of programs that empower women. As a student in Pace’s Environmental Litigation Clinic last spring and fall, Sarah represented Riverkeeper in aspects of our PATAGONIA UPPER WEST SIDE’S ENVIRONMENTAL TEAM successful Clean Water Act case against the City of New York for polluting Esopus Creek, a trout stream located in the Catskills. Patagonia Upper West Side Lends Sarah drafted our petition challenging New York State’s final permit allowing the City Helping Hands to Riverkeeper to discharge sediment-laden water into the Creek. She also wrote a brief successfully iverkeeper and Patagonia connected in 2002, shortly after Patagonia’s Upper West challenging the City’s effort to obtain U.S. Side store location opened on Columbus Avenue across from the American Supreme Court review of the 2006 federal RMuseum of Natural History. Through its Environmental Grants Program, appeals court ruling in Riverkeeper’s favor. Patagonia has contributed over $10,000 to Riverkeeper projects, donated Patagonia cloth- Since joining Riverkeeper Sarah has ing to our fundraisers and volunteered staff time at our events. Patagonia also has invited prepared comments on the final environ- us into the Upper West Side store to talk directly to customers. mental impact statement for the proposed “Patagonia is proud to support Riverkeeper,” said Tim Rhone, Store Manager at the development on the site of the former Upper West Side location. “Protecting the environment is at Patagonia’s core. We use our General Motors assembly plant in Sleepy retail stores to find local environmental organizations to support. Riverkeeper is a great Hollow. She has also helped investigate the organization and environmental advocacy fits our grants program perfectly. We know help- radioactive water leaks from Indian Point's ing Riverkeeper is the right thing to do.” spent fuel pools. Presently, Sarah is Store staff members have been regular volunteers at Riverkeeper’s annual Shad Festival researching the legal issues concerning a and Hudson River Celebration, where they also generously provide sought-after Patagonia proposal to build a desalination plant on merchandise for our fundraising raffle. Employees from the Upper West Side store as well the Hudson, and is also creating an envi- as Patagonia’s Soho store also assisted last fall at Water Fest, a day of rafting and kayaking ronmental justice handbook. on the Hudson River in Manhattan that raised funds for Riverkeeper’s programs. And Sarah is a graduate of Middlebury College Patagonia, Inc. donates a portion of the proceeds to Riverkeeper for every purchase made where she majored in environmental through our website link to the company’s on-line store. studies. At Pace, Sarah is a Research and Riverkeeper is particularly grateful for a recent grant of $5,000 from the Upper West Writing Editor on the Pace Environmental Side store to support our grassroots organizing program to combat sprawl development in Law Review and was also the Chair of the the upstate watersheds that supply New York City’s drinking water. This is the second con- 2006 National Environmental Law Moot secutive year that the Upper West Side store has supported the sprawl campaign, and the Court Competition. In October 2006, she third grant the store has made toward Riverkeeper’s New York City drinking water protec- was awarded first place in the New York tion program. State Bar Association’s environmental law “We are fortunate to have our friends at Patagonia’s Upper West Side store as volunteers, essay contest; her prize-winning essay on advocates, and supporters,” said Alex Matthiessen, President of Riverkeeper. “They are the regulation of carbon dioxide has been always willing to help in any way they can, as people who believe in Riverkeeper’s mission published in the New York Environmental and as employees of an inspiring company that has devoted itself to environmental causes.” Lawyer and will be published in the Pace All of us at Riverkeeper thank the staff at the Upper West Side store for their energetic Environmental Law Review this spring. In support, and look forward to working with them again soon. the summer, Sarah will begin a clerkship For more information on Patagonia’s environmental efforts, please visit “Environmental with U.S. Magistrate Judge Malachy Activism: What We Do” at www.patagonia.com. To support Riverkeeper by purchasing Mannion in Pennsylvania. Patagonia merchandise through our website, please visit Riverkeeper’s online store, http://riverkeeper.org/support_donatenow.php. 31 RIVERKEEPER HOSTS TWO PREMIER NEW YORK CITY EVENTS

The First Annual “New York Water Fest” member news he fall of 2006 marked a very busy season of Riverkeeper events and new community outreach efforts. Under a gorgeous blue sky on a warm October Sunday, Riverkeeper and Ray TFusco, Inc. proudly debuted the 1st Annual New York Water Fest, a day-long event of water paddling fun featuring New York City’s first premier Hudson River water race, the New York City Mayor’s Cup Kayak Championships, and the Big Apple Splash- Hudson River Float. The purpose of Water Fest is to raise aware- ness about the importance of the Hudson River to New York’s history, commerce, arts and culture, as well as about the sources of and threats to New York City’s first-rate drinking water. “Riverkeeper is launching Water Fest as a way to celebrate the critical role water plays in the lives of New Yorkers. We drink it, we boat, swim and fish in it, and we draw inspiration from having it all around us,” said Alex Matthiessen, Hudson Riverkeeper and President. “The Hudson River estuary and the upstate watersheds that provide New Yorkers with our drinking water are two of New York City’s greatest assets. Water Fest will be a fun-filled way to come together each year and renew our commitment to protecting the waters that enrich our lives.” With the sun peeking over the water, the day kicked off with the Mayor’s Cup, an elite kayaking race around the island of Manhattan. The Mayor’s Cup, New York City’s largest water event, began at the North Cove Marina and featured paddlers competing in two different categories—the Elite Open Class and Sea Kayak Class. Two-time Olympic gold medalist kayaker Greg Barton earned the coveted first prize, completing the race in record-breaking time. The festivities continued with the Big Apple Splash, a five-mile, open-to-the-public amateur race in which dozens of non-motorized rafts floated from Pier 96 to North Cove at Battery Park. Following the water races, competitors and guests enjoyed live music and a waterside gourmet picnic while listening to remarks given by Hudson Riverkeeper’s Alex Matthiessen and Board mem- bers Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Mike Richter. Sponsors for Water Fest included: Confluence Water Sport, Kokatat, LeCroy, Credit Suisse, Union 1199, Durst Corporation, Capital Trust, Clif Bar, Cytomax Sports Drink, 66 Degrees North, Kiesendahl & Calhoun Contemporary Art Gallery, Canoe & Kayak Magazine and Outside Magazine. Riverkeeper would like to thank the offices and staff at the Down- town Boathouse-Pier 96, Battery Park City Parks Conservancy, City of New York, Hudson River Park Trust, New York City Sports Commission, NYC Sports Development Corporation, North Cove EISS Marina Management, Inc. and the Carey Battery Park City Authority. W LAN

Mark your calendars – the 2nd Annual New York Water Fest is A scheduled for October 14th! For more information or to see pictures from the 2006 event, please visit www.nywaterfest.org. HOTOS COURTESY OF P 32 BY TERESA WALSH

A KAYAKER AGAINST THE CITY SKYLINE.

NEW YORK HARBOR SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH ROBERT F. K ENNEDY,JR. AND EARTH RIVER’S ERIC HERTZ.

2006 WATER FEST MAIN STAGE.

OLYMPIAN GREG BARTON CELEBRATES THE FIRST NEW YORK CITY MAYOR'S CUP CHAMPION TITLE WITH HUDSON RIVERKEEPER &PRESIDENT ALEX MATTHIESSEN. 33 RIVERKEEPER HOSTS TWO PREMIER NEW YORK CITY EVENTS

(Continued from page 33)

Fine Waters of the Hudson to the Fine Arts…

eeks later Riverkeeper went “uptown” and held Reflected Light III—an art auction to benefit Riverkeeper. Hosted by Chairs William Abranowicz and Peter MacGill, this premier OODMAN art event at Sotheby’s raised nearly $400,000! Over 700 G

W OUG guests mingled amidst the fine art and were treated to a hilarious D program with guest emcee Martin Short. Due to “auction fatigue” among the New York City philan- thropic community, Reflected Light’s benefit committee was faced HOTOS COURTESY OF with the onerous task of securing support from an already exhaust- P ed art community. Led by Pace/MacGill gallery owner Peter MacGill, committee members not only secured work by world- renowned artists such as Chuck Close, John Alexander, Alexis Rockman, Joann Verburg, Jacques Lowe and Alexander Calder, but they were also gratified by the artists’ appreciation of River- keeper’s history and mis- sion. Peter noted, “It is next to impossible to secure artwork for charity auctions these days. The only thing that allowed us to persevere was that the artists and collections could clearly understand what Riverkeeper does and how much their support could mean. People support Riverkeeper because they believe in what River- keeper is trying to do.” Artist and Benefit Committee member Stephen Doyle added, “Optimism is the new black, and River- keeper faces the future of the Hudson River with a great big smile. The auction serves as a great magnet for a great cause, bringing together a wonderful crowd of people who care—and collect!” The evening also presented Condé Nast Traveler’s Editor-in- Chief Klara Glowczewska with Reflected Light’s first honoree award. Riverkeeper is proud to present this honor to Klara for her commitment to reporting on global environmental issues. Reflected Light III is an event that would not have been possible without the dedication and generosity of Peter MacGill, Bill Abranowicz, Andrea Raisfeld, Art+Commerce, Conde Nast PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Traveler, our 2006 sponsors and all of the members of the Benefit DR.HOWARD A. RUBIN AND WILLIAM ABRANOWICZ Committee and Riverkeeper’s Board of Directors. Thank you to KLARA GLOWCZEWSKA,ROBERT F. K ENNEDY,JR.&MARTIN SHORT RIVERKEEPER BOARD MEMBER MICHAEL RICHTER,ROBERT F. K ENNEDY,JR., RICH HANDLER, everyone for their tireless efforts and commitment to Riverkeeper. LYNN SAMBERG,BRAD KLEIN, AND ALEX MATTHIESSEN

ANDREA RAISFELD,PETER MACGILL,MARLENE PALTROW,ALLAN WINTERS, AND RICHARD RIEGER

34 UNSUNG ANNE GEORGES HEROES

BY LISA RAINWATER Georges is a strong believer in clean calling to protect the environment energy. Since this is one of Congressman came early to Riverkeeper’s latest Hinchey’s primary issues, she assists in AUnsung Hero Anne Georges, Senior developing policy initiatives that provide Legislative Assistant to Congressman for the development of environmentally Maurice Hinchey (D-NY, 22nd District). sensitive energy sources and simultaneous- Growing up in Waukegan, Illinois, Anne ly tackle the demand side of the equation recalls her first awakening to environmen- by fostering smart energy use emphasizing tal awareness when, as a teenager, she efficiency and conservation. realized that all was not well in her small While she spends a great deal of time in Midwestern town: Polychlorinated Washington, D.C., Anne enjoys returning Biphenyls (PCBs) were discovered in the to the district as often as possible. Some of Waukegan Harbor. Around the same her favorite spots include Ithaca—for the time, Anne recalls having vivid nightmares She chalks it up to her boss, “I genuinely university flair and gorges, the Delaware in 1972 about a proposed nuclear power like my boss. He is so active on these region for its rustic scenery, and Newburgh plant that was to be built just north of her issues and not afraid of anybody—the oil for its historical beauty. Living in the hometown, one that was finally shut down and gas industry or General Electric. He’s nation’s capitol can be hectic, so Anne in 1998 after problems in the control courageous and fights for the people. My tries to get back to nature as much as room. It was at this young age that Anne motivation has definitely increased since possible. An avid horse rider, she serves resolved to continue her environmental I’ve been here. It’s just such a pleasure to as a trail guide for tourists in Rock Creek education and decided to pursue an envi- work for somebody who ‘truly gets it.’” Park, located in the D.C. metro area, one ronmental studies certificate along with For over two decades, Anne has focused of the first national parks in the country. her baccalaureate degree at the University on protecting the nation’s air, waters and “I feel fortunate that I can interact with of Wisconsin-Madison. land. She has an impressive background in nature while showing off our beautiful Riverkeeper’s Unsung Hero title is award- not-for-profit environmental work, having national park on horseback nine months ed to an individual who often works behind served as Assistant Director for Government out of the year,” she explains. the scenes to protect the Hudson River and Affairs for the National Audubon Society Over the years, Anne has assisted its watershed. It should come as no surprise, and Director of Government Affairs for Riverkeeper on many of our key issues – then, that Anne Georges calls her job with the National Association of Conservation Indian Point, GE’s PCB contamination, Congressman Hinchey “extremely reward- Districts. and hopefully with Congressman Hinchey ing.” Working for the Congressman —one In both positions, she developed policies leading the way, clean, renewable energy of the strongest environmental advocates in and secured funding for water quality, will soon become the policy of the day. As New York’s Hudson Valley congressional land preservation, wetlands protection, is often the case, our Unsung Heroes feel delegation— Anne has her work cut out for and agricultural conservation program- more comfortable remaining behind the her, dealing with many of the same issues ming. Anne also worked as Legislative scenes, doing what they do best—making that interested her as a teenager, but this Director for Congresswoman Rosa L. things happen. For Anne Georges, she time they’re New York-based issues: PCBs DeLauro (D-CT) and as Senior Appropria- notes that it is invigorating to be a part of in the Hudson River, safety issues at tions Assistant to Congressman David R. Congressman Hinchey’s team, “He teaches Indian Point, and volatile organic com- Obey (D-WI). This crossover from advo- me a lot about New York and New York pounds such as Trichloroethylene (TCE) cacy work to government has provided politics and about environmental policy. I poisoning constituents’ homes and proper- her with the acute acumen needed to see am lucky—my job focuses on helping to ty. But even at the end of a workday, Anne an issue from all angles and to make deci- protect the environment and public health is always ready to hear of yet another sive recommendations to both constituents in New York and around the country— issue affecting the district and is more than and elected officials. and that’s my pleasure.” It’s our pleasure eager to start working on a solution. Following the lead of her boss, Anne as well, Ms. Georges.

35 Getting in touch with Riverkeeper…

Address E Mail 828 South Broadway [email protected] Tarrytown, NY 10591 White Plains Office Phone 914.422.4343 914.478.4501

Fax Save the Date!!! 914.478.4527 SHADFEST Website www.riverkeeper.org Sunday, May 20, 2007

Riverkeeper 828 South Broadway Tarrytown, NY 10591