Tell NYC: YES to the ferry! But NOT in Kaiser Park!

Tell NYC: YES to the ferry! But NOT in Kaiser Park!

Started
September 12, 2020
Petition to
New York City Economic Development Corporation
Signatures: 278Next Goal: 500
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Why this petition matters

Started by Michael Quinn

For nearly a decade, Coney Island has been discussing and planning for ferry service that would connect with Manhattan. The New York City Economic Development Corp. plans to build a ferry landing at polluted Coney Island Creek at Kaiser Park (permit application no. 2-6107-00860/00001), despite widespread community concerns and despite the advantages of an oceanside site for the Coney Island Ferry.

• Coney Island Creek has been the site of decades of illegal sewage discharges, industrial waste, stormwater pollution and known toxins, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is currently reviewing Coney Island Creek as a potential Superfund site. 
 

• The EDC’s own study showed carcinogens in the dredging area, including mercury, lead, dioxin, arsenic and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), yet the application does not address the potential impact of ongoing dredging on aquatic life and public health.
 

• The proposed site is located in a neighborhood that already suffers from poor air quality and high asthma rates, yet the plan does not include any effort to mitigate the effects of dredging dangerous toxins.
 

• Location of the ferry will disrupt the safest fishing location for a community of subsistence anglers. The proposed location also currently provides access to the creek through a beach that is used by local schools and organizations for research, by recreational swimmers and boaters, and by religious communities for baptisms.The plan does not address the disruption of these activities.
 

• The COVID-19 pandemic has largely prevented the public from responding to the plan, and there is widespread opposition to the proposed site.

• Kaiser Park must be protected. The City's Environmental Impact Statement revealed that the park will be negatively impacted and will suffer from increased noise, air pollution, and increased traffic brought on by the ferry project.

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Signatures: 278Next Goal: 500
Support now
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Decision Makers

  • New York City Economic Development Corporation