The Three S’s & why we’re suing the city!
- SEQUENCE Clean up the land to a level that is safe for human health BEFORE building
- SCALE Build infrastructure to keep raw sewage from flooding the Gowanus Canal
- SUSTAINABILITY Plan for the reality of rising sea levels and climate change
SEQUENCE
For over 100 years, Gowanus was home to gas plants that left a nasty by-product: coal tar. That pollution remains in the ground at depths of 150 feet in some places. The EPA has questioned the habitability of the land where the city and developers plan to build affordable and premium 28 story towers. We must guarantee that cancer-causing chemicals and vapors do not enter people’s homes and parks.
SCALE
The City is years behind schedule in building two sewage retention tanks that are designed to serve current residents’ needs, let alone future.
The Gowanus Rezone is putting current and future residents at risk. There is no sewage infrastructure plan for the additional 30,000 people who will live here as part of the major rezone plan.
Please Read this: https://www.brooklynpaper.com/federal-gowanus-canal-inadequate-tanks/
SUSTAINABILITY
More frequent and heavier rain storms spell disaster for Gowanus. It’s FEMA Flood Zone A! Sea level rise impacts the Canal and new studies are needed to determine how the pollution will move as the water table rises. We all want to beautify the area but we need scientists to dictate a climate strategy, not lobbyists.
The whole Superfund Cleanup is at risk. In order for the EPA’s cleanup to stay effective the land around the Canal needs to be properly remediated. We must prevent pollution from entering the Canal in perpetuity.
Join Voice of Gowanus to advocate for climate justice on the local level.
https://www.voiceofgowanus.org/
LAWSUIT
A donation to our all-volunteer organization supports our legal fight to prevent out-of-sequence, over-scale, unsustainable development that threatens our environment and our health. https://www.voiceofgowanus.org/donate
follow us here or on twitter or instagram
