Talk Bronx New York

A general view of the Hunts Point Riverside Park is seen at the 2009 Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize special outdoor tribute on September 3, 2009 in New York City

Residents around the Hunts Point neighborhood in the Bronx can literally breathe a sign of relief.

A sewage treatment plant located in the neighborhood didn’t have its contract renewed with the City on Friday. The City canceled the $34 million per year contract in order to save money, while it finds ways to close an approximately $5 billion budget gap.

The New York Organic Fertilizer Company (NYOFCo) has received a bad reputation for producing unpleasant odors in the neighborhood for many years. Raw sewage was taken to the plant to be converted into fertilizer pellets from 14 sewage plants across the city.

U.S. Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY), who represents parts of the Bronx, said the City’s decision was a victory for the residents.

“NYOFCo has polluted our community’s air for 16 years, and today is the beginning of the end,” said Serrano in a statement. “It is an end to the burning eyes, the coughs, the missed school days, even the asthma attacks, all conditions triggered by NYOFCo acrid odors.”

The congressman added that the plant was the cause for complaints about the smell, as well as a public safety concern for the past 10 years. He has been rallying for the plant’s closure. According to Serrano, the plant not only produced an unpleasant odor but also polluted the area. Read more..

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MORE THAN 100 South Bronx residents attended a public meeting held by Mothers on the Move (MOM), a community organization that has mobilized around local issues such as funding and safety for public housing, students rights and, most recently, environmental justice.

Among the grievances expressed by residents was the continued deteriorating condition of New York City public housing due to the lack of funding for crucially needed maintenance projects. There was testimony, especially from the elderly and disabled, on how building elevators are constantly out of service. Some said there were times they had to walk up 20 flights of stairs to get to their apartments.

There have been several demonstrations at City Hall to address these issues, but the city continues to cut funding for public housing. At the same time, the city charges the New York City Housing Authority $73 billion for the “special services” provided by the New York Police Department. Those “services” basically mean occupying subsidized housing facilities and harassing residents for suspected crimes. The city also wants to spend $550 million for jails in the South Bronx.

The environment has become a huge concern as well. The asthma rate is the highest in the South Bronx especially among young children, and the cancer rate is 25 percent higher in the Bronx then the rest of the city. Read more..

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NYSDEC To Meet with Community on Planned Actions Against Odor from Sewage Sludge Plant in the Bronx

On Thursday, July 24 at 6 p.m. the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) will inform residents in the South Bronx about new, aggressive measures it is taking to combat odors from the sewage sludge pelletization plant located in the Hunts Point area of the Bronx. The public information meeting, hosted by Congressman Jose Serrano, will be held at The Point Community Development Corporation at 940 Garrison Avenue in the Bronx.

The New York Organic Fertilizer Company’s plant began operations in 1993. Over the years, repeated complaints have been made about odors emanating from the facility. It has been the subject of two major DEC enforcement actions during that period. In recent months, DEC has developed a new strategy to address the odor issues associated with the plant, and it is inviting public comments on its plans. This evening’s meeting will focus on:

• A proposed new solid waste permit with significantly tighter controls at key stages of facility operation to prevent odors before they start;
• A proposed new air permit with new requirements for stack testing of odorous compounds and strict standards for maintaining pollution control equipment; and
• A stepped-up monitoring plan for the summer months - when odor complaints tend to be more frequent; DEC will conduct three surprise odor inspections each week, one of which will be a weekly evening inspection.

The proposed permits will be available for public review and comment. Members of the public will have an opportunity to review them and make further suggestions to the DEC.

DATE: Thursday, July 24, 2008

TIME: 6 p.m.

PLACE: 940 Garrison Avenue (The Point Community Development Corporation), South Bronx

SPEAKERS: Congressman Jose Serrano (expected)

Suzanne Mattei, DEC Regional Director

Michelle Moore, DEC Environmental Analyst

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