Chapter 24: Responses to Comments on the DEIS1 A. INTRODUCTION This chapter summarizes and responds to all substantive comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) published in July 2005 for the Brooklyn Bridge Park project. Public review for the DEIS began on July 26, 2005, with publication and distribution of the document. The Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation (BBPDC) held a public hearing to receive comments on the document on September 19, 2005 in the Dibner Auditorium at Polytechnic University, 5 Metrotech Center, Brooklyn. The public comment period remained open until November 2, 2005. The DEIS was circulated to involved and interested agencies and other parties and posted on the Empire State Development Corporation’s (ESDC) website. Copies were also available for review at the New York Public library Cadman Plaza and Clinton Street branches, the offices of Community Boards 2 and 6, and the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President. To advertise the public hearing, BBPDC published notices in the New York Post on August 19th and in the Brooklyn Heights Press on September 8th and September 15th. In addition, information on the public hearing was posted on ESDC’s website. This chapter of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) identifies the organizations and individuals who commented on the DEIS, and then summarizes and responds to their comments. It considers substantive comments made at the public hearing on September 19, and received through November 2, 2005. Section B, below, lists all individuals and organizations that commented on the DEIS. Following each commenter’s name is a reference to the comment number(s) of his/her comment(s). Section C contains a summary of all substantive comments made and a response to each of those comments. The summary conveys the substance of the comments made, but does not quote the comments verbatim. The full text of public agency comments, written public comments, and hearing transcripts is available for public review at BBPDC’s principal offices at 633 Third Avenue, New York, New York. The comments are organized by subject area, as follows: • DEIS Process And Public Participation • Project Description • Land Use, Zoning, and Public Policy • Socioeconomic Conditions • Community Facilities • Open Space • Shadows • Historic Resources 1 This entire chapter is new for the FEIS. 24-1 Brooklyn Bridge Park FEIS • Urban Design and Visual Resources • Neighborhood Character • Water Quality and Natural Resources • Hazardous Materials • Waterfront Revitalization Program • Infrastructure • Traffic and Parking • Transit and Pedestrians • Air Quality • Noise • Construction Impacts • Mitigation • Alternatives Following each comment is a list in parentheses of people or organizations that made the comment. If multiple similar comments were made on the same subject, they are summarized into a single comment with all commenters listed within the comment. B. LIST OF COMMENTERS PUBLIC AGENCIES AND OFFICIALS 1. New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, Adrian Benepe, Commissioner, spoken and written testimony of September 19, 2005. (Comments 19,32) 2. New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, Amanda Sutphin, Director of Archaeology, Environmental Review Documents dated August 3, 2005 (Comments 202) 3. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Sandra Dixon, Manager of New York Affairs, spoken and written testimony of September 19, 2005. (Comments X) 4. Joe Chan, Senior Advisor to Deputy Mayor Daniel Doctoroff/Vice Chairperson Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation, spoken and written testimony of September 19, 2005. (Comments X) 5. New York State Department of State, Stephen Ridler, Division of Coastal Resources, email of November 1, 2005 (Comments 283, 284) 6. New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, Mary Ellen Kris, Regional Director, spoken testimony of September 19, 2005 (Comments X) 7. New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, State Historic Preservation Office, Beth Cumming, Historic Preservation Specialist, written testimony of August 30, 2005 (Comments 185, 186, 190, 193, 196, 200, 201, 218) ELECTED OFFICIALS 8. Honorable Nydia Velazquez, U.S. Representative, spoken and written testimony of September 19, 2005 and written testimony of October 6, 2005 (Comments 26, 27, 46, 87, 108, 117, 122, 127, 130, 134, 150, 155, 211, 351) 24-2 Chapter 24: Response to Comments on the DEIS 9. Honorable Marty Connor, New York State Senator, spoken testimony of September 19, 2005 (Comments 9, 31, 36, 54, 117, 130, 150, 173) 10. Honorable Joan Millman, Member of the New York State Assembly, spoken and written testimony of September 19, 2005 (Comments 38, 40, 46, 54, 56, 108, 116, 117, 120, 122, 129, 134, 150, 354) 11. Honorable David Yassky, Member of the New York City Council, spoken and written testimony of September 19, 2005 (Comments 27, 36, 108, 116, 117, 155, 156 ) 12. Honorable Bill DeBlasio, Member of the New York City Council, spoken testimony of September 19, 2005 (Comments 41, 108, 117, 134, 150, 173 ) 13. Honorable Marty Markowitz, Brooklyn Borough President (presented by John Benguiat), spoken and written testimony of September 19, 2005 and written testimony of October 10, 2005 (Comments 19, 20, 40, 46, 54, 55, 80, 87, 108, 117, 122, 127, 134, 155, 160, 173, 181, 188, 194, 222, 227, 242, 278, 321, 364, 405) COMMUNITY BOARDS 14. Brooklyn Community Board 2 (CB2), Irene Janner, First Vice Chairperson, Written testimony of October 31, 2005. (Comments 19, 55, 56, 108, 150, 234) 15. Brooklyn Community Board 6 (CB6), Jerry Armer (Presented by Pauline Blake), spoken testimony September 19, 2005 and written testimony of September 15, 2005. (3, 5, 39, 42, 99, 108, 109, 116, 120, 134, 146, 148, 156, 167, 187, 203, 228, 242, 249, 288, 341, 353, 406) ORGANIZATIONS 16. 52nd Assembly District, JoAnne Simon, Democratic District Leader, spoken testimony of September 19, 2005 and written testimony of October 6, 2005 (Comments 5, 136, 290, 350, 352, 389, 403) 17. Atlantic Avenue Betterment Association, Sandy Balboza, spoken and written testimony of September 19, 2005 (Comments 5, 26, 40, 87, 131, 134, 141, 374 ) 18. Atlantic Avenue Betterment Association, Irene Van Slyke, written testimony of September 19, 2005 and undated written testimony (Comments 5, 18, 30, 66, 87, 108, 148, 150, 288, 289, 294, 351, 354, 368, 378, 411 ) 19. Boerum Hill Association, Sue Wolfe, President, spoken and written testimony of September 19, 2005 (Comments 19, 92, 350, 352, 383 ) 20. Brooklyn City Streetcar Corporation, Arthur Melnick, spoken testimony of September 19, 2005 and written testimony of October 29, 2005(Comments 350, 366) 21. Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, Marianna Koval, Co-Director, spoken and written testimony of September 19, 2005 (Comments 32, 33, 55, 134, 384) 22. Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, written testimony of Tensie Whelan, Chair, Marianna Koval, Co-Executive Director, and H. Claude Shostal, Co-Executive Director, of November 2, 2005 (Comments 32, 33, 55, 134, 384) 24-3 Brooklyn Bridge Park FEIS 23. Brooklyn Bridge Park Defense Fund, Judith Francis, President, written testimony of November 2, 2005 (Comments 4, 5, 13, 26, 34, 42, 46, 58, 63, 69, 108, 113, 143, 148, 170, 180, 209, 213, 228, 350, 393, 437) 24. Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, Howard Gottlieb, spoken testimony of September 19, 2005 (Comments 85) 25. Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, Milton Puryear, written comments of August 5, 2005 and October 6, 2005 (Comments 85) 26. Brooklyn Heights Association, President, Mary Pat Thornton, spoken testimony of September 19, 2005 and written testimony of November 2, 2005 (Comments 14, 19, 46, 47, 49, 54, 56, 57, 76, 77, 80, 90, 108, 109, 114, 117, 127, 130, 132, 134, 138, 165, 175, 176, 194, 210, 215, 217, 222, 225, 227, 228, 238, 239, 244, 290, 295, 308, 313, 329, 337, 357, 358, 389, 393, 399, 400, 401, 402, 411, 413, 417, 421, 436) 27. Brooklyn Heights Association, Judy Stanton, Executive Director, spoken testimony of September 19, 2005 and written testimony submitted as Appendix of Brooklyn Heights Association written testimony of November 2, 2005 (Comments 156, 175, 176, 260, 399, 400 ) 28. Brooklyn Heights Association, Susan Rifkin, Governor, spoken and written testimony of September 19, 2005 (Comments 116, 117, 134, 160, 215, 221, 228, 229) 29. Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation, Eric Deutsch, CEO, spoken testimony of September 19, 2005 (Comments 103) 30. Brooklyn Vision, Heloise Gruneberg, President, spoken and written testimony of September 19, 2005 and written testimony of October 6, 2005(Comments 5, 70, 101, 148, 242, 250, 251, 379 ) 31. Cobble Hill Association, Murray Adams, President, spoken and written testimony of September 19, 2005, written testimony of October 31, 2005 (Comments 5, 34, 67, 127, 150, 152, 153, 154, 295, 296, 297, 344 ) 32. Community Consulting Services, Brian Ketcham, written testimony of September 2, 7, and 19, 2005 (Comments 119, 130, 146, 289, 291, 292, 293, 294, 297, 298, 302, 303, 305, 306, 307, 318, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 340, 341, 342, 367, 375, 376, 414, 415, 416 ) 33. Community Consulting Services, Carolyn Konheim, spoken and written testimony of September 19, 2005 and written testimony of November 1, 2005 with Brian Ketcham (Comments 119, 130, 146, 289, 291, 292, 293, 294, 297, 298, 302, 303, 305, 306, 307, 318, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 340, 341, 342, 367, 375, 376, 414, 415, 416) 34. Downtown Brooklyn Council, Michael Burke, Executive Director, written comments of September 20, 2005. 35. D.U.M.B.O. Neighborhood Association, Michelle Whetten, President, spoken and written testimony of September 19, 2005 and written testimony of October 6, 2005 (Comments 5, 36, 127, 130, 196, 443) 36. Environmental Defense, Michelle Bicek, spoken and written testimony of September 19, 2005 (Comments 76, 85, 377) 24-4 Chapter 24: Response to Comments on the DEIS 37. Environmental Simulation Center, George Janes, spoken and written testimony of September 19, 2005 and written testimony of November 2, 2005 (Comments 7, 106, 171, 184, 204, 205, 206, 212, 220, 223, 225) 38.