The BroadsheetDAILY ~ News of Lower Manhattan ~ 2/4/20

This document is meant to gauge the effect of the plan on metrics like noise, air quality, and greenhouse gas emissions that will result from implementing the NYC Ferry expansion planned by the administration of Mayer Bill de Blasio, which is slated to bring to the Battery Park City ferry terminal more than 60 new vessels each day, landing from 6:00 am to midnight, and carrying as many as 2,500 passengers per day.

One salient finding of the report may call into question the viability of the entire plan. The EDC originally planned for passengers embarking at Staten Island to board at a slip inside the Staten Island Ferry terminal at St. George. But, the document notes, the City’s Department of Transportation (DOT), “has identified potential navigational safety issues related to vessel movements and lack of sight lines,” within that terminal. As a result, “the use of this location for the St. George landing has been deemed infeasible for now due to these navigational safety concerns.”

Instead, the EDC now proposes to have passengers board its new ferry at a separate dock, located approximately 3,000 feet (or more than half a mile) away from the slip they originally planned to use. This berth will be located between the Empire Outlets mall and the Staten Island Yankees ballpark. In addition to the extra distance passengers will be required to walk to access the new ferry, this facility will be isolated from mass transit connections, while the Staten Island Ferry terminal at St. George sits atop a dense interchange of bus and rail connections. Further underscoring the contrast, passengers who choose to ride the NYC Ferry from Staten Island to Battery Park City will be charged $2.75, while the Staten Island ferry is free.

The EIS also details multiple changes in how the EDC is approaching the operation of a ferry that will land at the terminal on the Esplanade, near the end of Vesey Street. A previous version of the EIS claimed that, “a pro forma license,” from the Port Authority, the agency that owns and operates the ferry terminal, was the only approval needed to establish new ferry service there, and that this approval would not be subject to the City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR) disclosure process. In the new version of the report, this passage has been deleted, and replaced by a paragraph that says, “approval of a Tenant Alteration Application by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey would be required for the use of the Battery Park City landing.”

The CEQR process also requires detailed transportation screening assessments in cases where a new ferry would result in 200 or more peak hour pedestrian trips. The EIS goes on to note that, “the assessments show that the CEQR… thresholds for pedestrians would be exceeded … at the Battery Park City landing.” This echoes a concern voiced by community leaders at multiple public meetings last year. In June, Community Board 1 (CB1) enacted a resolution noting (among other objections) that, “additional ferry service in Battery Park City will create additional foot traffic to and from Brookfield Place and the PATH station, which will affect the free circulation of residents.”

For air quality, the CEQR process calls for heightened scrutiny in cases where new ferry service would generate carbon monoxide exhaust equivalent to 170 vehicles an hour, or an excessive amount of particulate matter. The EIS says that, “it is anticipated that the proposed project would not exceed the… carbon monoxide mobile screening threshold [or] the applicable fine particulate matter screening thresholds.” But the report goes on to acknowledge that, “the Battery Park City landing option may not be well represented by the representative modeling protocol, due to factors such as existing service, frequency of proposed service, and complex site geometry.” The same passage says that, for this reason, “concentrations… will be assessed using a site-specific analysis,” using protocols mandated by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.”

For noise, the CEQR process, “requires that the noise study address the effects of increased noise due to the introduction or rerouting of transportation sources.” In response, the EIS promises to, “conduct measurements of ferry horn noise levels during operation of representative ferry vessels at the Battery Park City landing in Manhattan, and determine ferry horn event emission levels.” The CB1 resolution from June also noted that, “ferry operation is noisy and the addition of more departure announcements, gunning engines, and departure sounds will further diminish the quality of life of Battery Park City residents who live within a short distance from the pier.”

In the public comment section of the EIS, in which the EDC is required to disclose and respond to concern raised by residents, more than a dozen people who live in Battery Park City weighed in.

Patrizia Amann wrote that, “I already hear the ferries at the Battery Park City terminal and the noise of their horns all the time. Adding to the operation hours is a nightmare. How will my kids be able to sleep if this noise will go on from 6:00 until midnight?”

The EDC answered, “a detailed analysis will be conducted at each new landing using ferry noise emission levels based on measurements conducted at existing landings. The measured noise emission levels include the noise from ferry horns prior to arrivals and departures and noise generated by normal ferry operations such as engine noise.”

Fernanda Giacomelli wrote, “I would like to express again my family’s and my discontent with the unnecessary level of pollution and noise generated by the ferries. We understand the regulations that require honking, but we wonder why it has to be as loud as a supertanker. All in society is a trade-off, and the annoyance to our children and ourselves, who lose sleep because of overly exaggerated warnings, seems disproportionate. The pollution caused by very old designs and technology is astounding.”

The EDC responsed to Ms. Bentami and Ms. Giacomelli by referring them to Ms. Amann, while adding that, “for safety reasons, it is a requirement of the United States Coast Guard (per Inland Navigation Rule 34) that all marine vessels blow their horns each time they pull away from the landing. In addition, a detailed air quality analysis will be performed to determine the CFS Expansion’s potential effect in the areas near the new landings that will be constructed, as well as the existing landings that will experience increased ferry operations.”

In another comment, Ms. Amann suggested, “move the ferry dock at Battery Park City to the north where nobody is harmed by it.” The EDC replied, in effect, “no,” saying that, “the Citywide Ferry Service Expansion proposed to utilize the existing ferry terminal at Battery Park City for a new landing, and the project does not propose to build additional infrastructure in the Battery Park City neighborhood.” (This answer appears to ignore the distinction between building a new ferry terminal, as opposed to moving an existing, floating ferry terminal to a slightly different location.)

Brijesh Malkani wrote that, “we have already seen a large growth in foot traffic in Battery Park City with subsequent congestion through the past few years with the development of Brookfield Place and the Oculus.” This concern was echoed by Shreya Patel, who said that, “over the last several years, there have been many more people in the area and most recently foot traffic has spiked again as we see people using the ferries while the PATH [train] undergoes construction. This increased traffic feels like the equivalent of building a major highway in our backyard.”

The EDC responded, “the travel demand screening considers the potential vehicular traffic, transit, pedestrian, bicycle, and parking demands of each ferry landing, as appropriate. The Battery Park City landing will undergo the same travel demand screening assessment as other landings to determine, per the CEQR Technical Manual, if there is the need for further transportation studies to analyze the potential for significant adverse transportation impacts.” This appears to be an assurance that a study will be conducted, to determine whether a second study is needed. But it stops short of raising the possibility that the EDC’s plan will be halted, or even modified, if noise levels are indeed found to be unreasonable.

Felix Scherzer raised the argument that, “the engine noise at Battery Park City terminal is in breach of the New York noise code. The horns might have federal preemption status as a maritime requirement, but the engine noise does not, according to my lawyers. The noise pollution indoors from the ferry engine revving is against the law, specifically Local Law 113/2005. How can you allow not only a breach of local law hundreds of times a day, but add even more noise? Adding more boats needs to comply with law.”

Planet Venus dazzles, New York stargazers defy light pollution

While we were looking the other way, the dazzle of starry skies that we thought would always be there has been dimmed by a hazy scrim: when encountered, we feel as if a disease has overtaken our eyes. But the haze is accumulated wasted light from each of our trillions of outdoor lights – private and public – that are poorly designed and, in many instances, too bright for the purpose. The result is that the light scatters around and up to the sky, known as “light trespass” and “light pollution.” Excessive light is also wasted light and it is not only a wasted resource. While quick to light up our world, we have not only been oblivious to polluting our skies, but are discovering that light pollution is having deleterious affects on human health and the health of our environment. See https://wattsupwiththat.com/2016/06/27/ama-issues-warning-about-energy-efficient-led-streetlights/

Each of us can act to reverse this blight by being vigilant about lighting decisions in our communities and exercising discretion when making lighting choices and turning on the switch. Consider covering windows with shades, blinds or curtains at night. Join in the work of the International Dark Sky Association https://www.darksky.org.

The Amateur Astronomers Association of New York https://www.aaa.org/ is committed to promoting awareness of the night sky through year around programs, including the gift of stargazing beginning in April.

Far from letting life under some of the world’s most light-polluted skies deter us from actively viewing the night sky, we in the AAA are dedicated to not only observing the heavens ourselves but also introducing the public to the wonders of astronomy. In cooperation with the New York City Department of Parks, the United States National Park Service, and other organizations, the Amateur Astronomers Association holds observing sessions at several locations in and around New York City.

Meanwhile, enjoy planet Venus’ star-like dazzle rather high above the southwest horizon in evening twilight until she sets in the west shortly after 8pm.

Blue light LEDs

CB1 Raises Concerns about Wave of New Event and Entertainment Venues Planned for Downtown

Veteran Community Leader Honored for Decades of Service

Plan for Lower Manhattan’s Highest Residential Tower Put on Hold

In what may be a harbinger of the decades-long  Lower Manhattan real estate boom coming to an end, the planned “super-tall” residential tower at 45 Broad Street, in the Financial District, has been put on hold.

In a story first reported by the online architecture and design journal, Dezeen, developer Madison Equities acknowledged that, “due to short-term conditions in the Lower Manhattan market, we have decided to delay on constructing the building in the near future.”

Would Floating Filtration System That Doubles as a Swim Facility Be a Net Plus?

Gristedes Shuts Southern Battery Park City Location Amid General Retrenchment in Supermarkets

National Museum of the American Indian
Touch, investigate, inquire and learn. Objects and images tell profound stories. Join Cultural Interpreters as they share objects and narratives in our galleries. Gain a deeper understanding of history, culture, and art from hundreds of Indigenous nations in North, Central, and South America. One Bowling Green.
https://americanindian.si.edu/calendar#/?i=3

Community Board 1 – Conference Room 1 Centre Street, Room 2202A-North
AGENDA
1) Tribeca/WTC Bike Network – Presentation by Nick Carey, NYC Department of Transportation
2) Stephen Siller Tunnels to Towers 5K Run/Walk; September 26, 2020; 12:01AM – September 27, 5:00PM
a. Vesey St between North End Ave (Full street closure)
b. Murray St between North End Ave (Full street closure)
3) Congestion Pricing Working Group – The Basics of the Congestion Pricing Law – Discussion
4) Collister Street Lighting Issues – Discussion

City Announces Agreement to Expand FiDi’s Millennium High School

212-912-1106   editor@ebroadsheet.com

Lower Manhattan Ranked Among Healthiest Districts in New York

Much-Touted Crackdown on Placard Parking Not All It Was Cracked Up to Be

Epicenter of a Notorious Slum Proposed for Commemoration

In 1831, the City government considered a petition that warned, “that the place known as “Five points” has long been notorious… as being the nursery where every species of vice is conceived and matured; that it is infested by a class of the most abandoned and desperate character.”