From TimesNewsweekly.com:
An agreement to improve the overall water quality and mitigate marshland loss in Jamaica Bay through a total of $115 million in new investments was announced last Thursday, Feb. 25 by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis, Deputy Mayor for Operations Edward Skyler, Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Cas Holloway and Natural Resources Defense Council Executive Director Peter Lehner.
The city will dedicate $100 million to installing new nitrogen control technologies at wastewater treatment plants located on Jamaica Bay. These investments, made in concert with $95 million the city already has committed for nitrogen control upgrades, aim to reduce the nitrogen loads discharged into Jamaica Bay by nearly 50 percent over the next ten years.
The city also will invest $15 milstruction lion [sic] for marshland restoration projects around the bay. As part of the agreement, the DEC will exempt the city from $45 million in potential penalties for construction delays in nitrogen upgrades at other wastewater treatment plants and those dollars will be invested in future clean water projects.
“Jamaica Bay is without question one of the most bountiful wildlife habitats in the entire Northeast,” said Bloomberg. “It is important to the people who live in the area for its rich biodiversity, the recreation it offers, and the protection the marshlands provide from flooding. This agreement is an outstanding example of government and citizens’ groups working together to meet a major goal of our sweeping PlaNYC agenda: improving the quality of waterways around the city.”
Read the full article.
In comments to Courier-Life reporters, a spokesperson for Gateway National Park said that the United Stated Park Police did not arrest anywhere near the number alleged by a law student working on the case. According to the student’s allegations, 76 arrests were made on Plumb Beach in August 2009 as part of sting operations to net perpetrators of supposed illicit sexual behavior. But reports in GerritsenBeach.net and from Gene Berardelli during a Sheepshead Bay/Plumb Beach Civic Association meeting suggested that the stings became increasingly messy with fishermen and others being swept up. According to a Courier-Life report, only around 17 arrests were made by the Park Police during August in plainclothes operations. “They (USPP) do standard undercover operations, but there was no massive stings or anything like that,” Gateway National Park spokesperson Jane Ahern told Courier-Life. “We do close the rest area at 10 p.m. and open at 6 a.m., and everybody after those hours would be loitering, but there was no sting operation.”
I’m so happy for the return of beautiful weather. In Sheepshead Bay, that invariably means walks on any of the four local beaches, and watching a sunset to the west. It means strolls along the marina, or having a cold beer on a cafe with sidewalk seating. It means Littlenecks at Randazzos, feeding the swans, the smell of BBQs, the murmurs of nearby block parties.
Michael Comeau of Bay Ridge (currently living in Sunset Park) snagged this great shot the other day that I think capture the warmth of relaxing evenings to come. Kudos to him.
What are you looking forward to about warm weather in Sheepshead Bay?
GerritsenBeach.net is reporting that there were approximately 80 arrests in August 2009 at Plumb Beach as part of an undercover sting operation. Agents of the National Parks Service charged suspects with sex-related crimes, including propositioning or “in the act.” The number of arrests is higher than any whole year in the National Parks’ history at Plumb Beach
We’re told by sources that the arrests were made as part of an operation spearheaded by a new unit commander who sought to halt anonymous homosexual meetups at Plumb Beach. We’re told that the operation “got sloppy,” and fishermen and other innocent visitors to the beach were snared in broad roundups by the National Parks patrols.
GerritsenBeach.net writes, “The arrests may have something to do with the threat that the National Parks Service would lose its funding in our area. So to justify their existence they arrested more people in on month than they did all of the previous year.”
Many of those captured paid fines and/or accepted deals, while others are currently defending themselves in court.
Gene Berardelli told us the topic will be discussed at tonight’s Sheepshead Bay/Plumb Beach Civic Assocation meeting. We’ll inform your as more information becomes available.
The Michael Sandy Foundation sent us the following inscription, planned for the memorial at Plumb Beach:
In Loving Memory of
Michael J. Sandy
Oct 12, 1977- Oct. 10 2006
Who Died of Injuries Inflicted
On Him October 8th.
This Memorial is Dedicated
To Michael and All Who Have
Died at the Hands of Violence
And Hate Crimes
Related stories:
Community Rallies Behind Michael Sandy Memorial
Hate crime victim Michael Sandy (courtesy of Michael Sandy Foundation)
More than three years after the fatal beating of a gay man at Plumb Beach, the victim’s family members, friends, and advocates are one-step closer to securing a memorial in his honor.
Community Board 15 voted unanimously Tuesday night to allow the erection of a memorial stone for Michael Sandy near the Plumb Beach parking lot.
Sandy was killed after a botched robbery-turned-hate crime in October 2006. His murder led friends of Sandy to form the Michael Sandy Foundation, which along with the his parents began seeking a tribute to victims of hate crimes everywhere.
“I would like to thank everyone involved who has had the opportunity to say ‘yes’ to putting this memorial up,” said Tony Bruce, the executive director of the Michael Sandy Foundation, during an interview with Sheepshead Bites. “In some part, by saying ‘yes’ to this they’ll be doing something small that may change someone’s mind about hate violence.”
Read more about the monument and see video of CB15 discussing the tribute
One of the four thugs that played a role in the 2006 murder of a gay man at Plumb Beach is seeking to overturn his conviction.
According to Gay City News:
Arguing that his lawyer was ineffective and the judge in the case gave the jury insufficient instructions on an intoxication defense, John Fox is seeking to overturn his convictions for manslaughter and attempted robbery as hate crimes in the 2006 killing of Michael Sandy.
Fox, 22, was tried with Anthony Fortunato, 23, though they had separate juries. When testimony was offered that concerned only one defendant and could prejudice the case against the other, the second defendant’s jury was excluded from the courtroom.
The issue in the appeal is whether Fox’s lawyer, John D. Patten, erred when he did not object to Fox’s jury being excluded when Fortunato testified in his own defense.
Continue Reading »
Weiner is requesting money to implement long term solutions to Plumb Beach erosion
United States Congressman Anthony Weiner requested $35,000,000 for waterfront and marina maintenance projects in the Sheepshead Bay and Plumb Beach area, including dredging of the bay and long term erosion defense.
Weiner is asking that the requests be included as part of the 2010 Water Resource Development Act, which federal legislators began piecing together in August. WRDA a is biennial comprehensive water resources law that authorizes studies and projects within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers mission areas, including navigation, flood damage reduction, hurricane and storm damage reduction, shoreline protection, and environmental restoration.
Continue Reading »
The silver lining in the recent devastation of Plumb Beach is that community leaders, and city, state, and federal agencies are finally considering long term solutions to erosion issues at Plumb Beach.
Congressman Anthony Weiner once again brought together officials from Department of Transportation, Parks Department, National Parks Service, Community Board 15, and Sheepshead Bay/Plumb Beach Civic on Tuesday, December 1, to survey erosion’s threat to the important ecological zone and the Belt Parkway.
After surveying the damage, all came to a consensus: more needs to be done to protect the beach and highway. Continue Reading »
“The damage doesn’t stop the ride completely, but if something isn’t done to fix this problem, the issue won’t be a missing bike path – it will be a missing Belt Parkway. Just another 20 feet or so and the cars will fall into the water,” said a cyclist who frequently uses the path.
Related stories:
Hurricane Ida Batters Plumb Beach
Plumb Beach Destruction Goes Beyond Bike Path
Shore Parkway Greenway Honored By Daily News
