Chapter 10: Response to Comments 10.0-1 INTRODUCTION This chapter summarizes and responds to comments on the Water for the Future Program: Delaware Aqueduct Rondout-West Branch Tunnel (RWBT) Repair Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), published on December 20, 2011. Oral and written comments were received during three public hearings held by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP): on January 23, 2012, at Town of Newburgh Town Hall, 1496 Route 300, Newburgh, NY; on January 24, 2012, at Wappingers Junior High School, 30 Major McDonald Way, Wappingers Falls, NY; and on January 25, 2012, at Wawarsing Town Hall, 108 Canal Street, Ellenville, NY. Written comments were accepted from issuance of the DEIS through the public comment period, which was scheduled to close on February 17, 2012, but extended to March 9, 2012. Chapter 10 is organized as follows: Section 10.0-2, “Organizations and Individuals That Commented,” alphabetically lists the elected officials, public agencies, organizations, community residents, and others that provided relevant comments on the DEIS. Section 10.0-3, “Comments and Responses,” summarizes and responds to each substantive comment. The comments are organized by subject area and generally follow the chapter organization of the DEIS. Where multiple comments were made on the same topic, comments are grouped together. Following each comment is the name of the organization or individual that made the comment, as listed in Section 10.0-2. Responses follow each comment. The full text of public agency comments, written comments, and public hearing transcripts is available for review at the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, 11th Floor, 59-17 Junction Blvd, Flushing, NY. Where relevant and appropriate, changes and other edits to the DEIS based on public comments received have been incorporated into the Final EIS (FEIS). However, with the exception of minor editorial changes to graphics for the FEIS which are noted in some responses below, for ease of review, additional text added to the individual FEIS chapters are also embedded within the appropriate responses below in this chapter. 10.0-1 Water for the Future Program: Delaware Aqueduct Rondout-West Branch Tunnel Repair FEIS 10.0-2 ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS THAT COMMENTED 1. Ruth K. Abrahams, Executive Director, Gomez Foundation for Mill House, written comments dated February 13, 2012. (Abrahams) 2. Bridgette Anderson, oral comments dated January 24, 2012, and written comments dated November 13, 2011 (B. Anderson) 3. Nick Anderson, oral comments dated January 24, 2012 (N. Anderson) 4. Karen Arent, RLA, Town of Newburgh Planning Board, written comments dated January 19, 2012 (Arent) 5. Scott Ballard, Deputy Regional Permit Administrator, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Environmental Permits, Region 3, written comments dated March 9, 2012 (Ballard) 6. Henry Bartosik, written comments dated March 13, 2012 (Bartosik) 7. Robert Bell, oral comments dated January 23, 2012 (R. Bell) 8. William Bell, oral comments dated January 23, 2012 (W. Bell) 9. Jim Beretta, oral comments dated January 23, 2012, and written comments dated February 8, 2012 (Beretta) 10. Clifford Browne, Town of Newburgh Planning Board, written comments dated January 19, 2012 (Browne) 11. Scott Carlsen, Supervisor, Town of Wawarsing, oral comments dated January 25, 2012 (Carlsen) 12. J. Stephen Casscles, oral comments dated January 23, 2012, and written comments dated October 7, 2011, January 26, 2012, and February 2, 2012 (Casscles) 13. Bryan Cocks, Town of Newburgh Planning Board, written comments dated January 19, 2012 (Cocks) 14. Mary A. Colligan, Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected Resources, U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast Region, written comments dated January 19, 2012 (Colligan) 15. Brook Crossan, P.E., President, MACK Associates, LLC, Town of Wappinger consultant, written comments dated February 10, 2012, and revised March 6, 2012 (Crossan) 16. Leonard Distel, oral comments dated January 25, 2012 (L. Distel) 17. Tim Distel, oral comments dated January 25, 2012 (T. Distel) 10.0-2 Chapter 10: Response to Comments 18. Emily S. Dozier, AICP, Planner, Dutchess County Department of Planning and Development, written comments dated January 4, 2012, and March 2, 2012 (Dozier) 19. Richard Eisinger, oral comments dated January 25, 2012 (Eisinger) 20. Bruce Flower, written comments dated February 20, 2012 (Flower) 21. Dean C. Frazier, Commissioner, Delaware County Department of Watershed Affairs, written comments dated February 28, 2012 (Frazier) 22. Robert Gray, P.E., President of Morris Associates Engineering Consultants, PLLC (Town of Wappinger Engineer), written comments dated February 2, 2012, and revised March 1, 2012 (Gray) 23. Gregory Graziano, Superintendent, Water Authority of Great Neck North, written comments dated January 26, 2012 (Graziano) 24. Manna Jo Greene, Environmental Director, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, oral comments dated January 24, 2012 (Greene) 25. Joan Homovich, written comments dated February 15, 2012 (Homovich) 26. James P. Horan, Vergilis, Stenger, Roberts, Davis & Diamond LLP, written comments dated February 28, 2012 (Horan) 27. James P. Horan and Albert. P. Roberts, Vergilis, Stenger, Roberts, Davis & Diamond LLP, written comments dated March 5, 2012 (Horan/Roberts) 28. Kate Hudson, Watershed Program Director, and William Wegner, Staff Scientist, Riverkeeper, written comments dated March 9, 2012 (Hudson/Wegner) 29. Rita Hughes, oral comments dated January 23, 2012, and written comments dated March 6, 2012 (R. Hughes) 30. Tim Hughes, oral comments dated January 23, 2012 (T. Hughes) 31. Joseph E. Kelley, P.E., Assistant Director of Engineering, Dutchess County Department of Public Works, written comments dated March 9, 2012 (Kelley) 32. Susan G. King, Director, Nassau County Department of Health, written comments dated February 13, 2012 (King) 33. Eungjun Lim, written comments dated February 26, 2012 (Lim) 34. Kenneth Mennerich, Town of Newburgh Planning Board, written comments dated January 19, 2012 (Mennerich) 35. James P. Molinaro, Staten Island Borough President, written comments dated March 8, 2012 (Molinaro) 36. James W. Osborne, Town of Newburgh Engineer, written comments dated March 9, 2012 (Osborne) 10.0-3 Water for the Future Program: Delaware Aqueduct Rondout-West Branch Tunnel Repair FEIS 37. Charlie Pelella, oral comments dated January 23, 2012 (Pelella) 38. Rand Perry, oral comments dated January 24, 2012 (Perry) 39. Ronald and Theresa Plimley, written comments dated February 21, 2012 (Plimley) 40. John Plonski, Assistant Commissioner, Water Resource Management, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, written comments dated January 20, 2012 (Plonski) 41. Jim Pratt, oral comments dated January 24, 2012 (Pratt) 42. Donald Pritchard, oral comments dated January 24, 2012 (Pritchard) 43. Albert P. Roberts, Vergilis, Stenger, Roberts, Davis & Diamond, LLP (Town of Wawarsing legal counsel), written comments dated January 26, 2012 (Roberts) 44. Michael Sassi, P.E., Regional Highway Work Permit Coordinator, New York State Department of Transportation, Region 8, written comments dated January 19, 2012 (Sassi) 45. Christopher Smart, oral comments dated January 24, 2012 (C. Smart) 46. Wendy Smart, oral comments dated January 24, 2012 (W. Smart) 47. Laura Smith, oral comments dated January 25, 2012 (L. Smith) 48. David A. Stilwell, Field Supervisor, U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, written comments dated February 2, 2012 (Stilwell) 49. David H. Stolman, President, Frederick P. Clark Associates, Inc., Town of Wappinger planner, oral comments dated January 24, 2012, and written comments dated February 8, 2012, and revised February 29, 2012 (Stolman) 50. Frederick W. Roe, written comments dated March 9, 2012 (Roe) 51. John Rooney, written comments dated March 10, 2012 (Rooney) 52. Joan Ryan, written comments dated March 2, 2012 (Ryan) 53. Fred Sickels, Director, division of Water Supply & Geoscience, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, written comments dated March 9, 2012 (Sickels) 54. Laura Smith, oral comments dated January 25, 2012, and written comments dated March 6, 2012 (L. Smith) 55. David H. Stolman, President, Frederick P. Clark Associates, Inc., Town of Wappinger planner, oral comments dated January 24, 2012, and written comments dated February 8, 2012, and revised on February 29, 2012 (Stolman) 56. Doreen A. Tignanelli, oral comments dated January 25, 2012, and written comments dated February 6, 2012 (Tignanelli) 57. Karen Timko, Esq., Director, Environmental Compliance and Services, MTA Metro-North Railroad, written comments dated March 9, 2012 (Timko) 10.0-4 Chapter 10: Response to Comments 58. Meredith and David VanEtten, written comments dated March 5, 2012 (VanEtten) 59. Ed Venuti, written comments dated March 1, 2012 (Venuti) 60. Nicholas D. Viest, Chair, Manhattan Community Board 8, written comments dated February 9, 2012 (Viest) 61. June Visconti, member of Town of Wappinger Planning Board, oral comments dated January 24, 2012 (Visconti) 62. Bill Wegner, Riverkeeper staff scientist, oral comments dated January 25, 2012 (Wegner) 63. Mike Wendel, oral comments dated January 25, 2012 (Wendel) 64. Kenneth Wersted, P.E., Project Manager (Town of Newburgh engineer), Creighton Manning Engineering, LLP, written