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A surprising diversity of plant and bird life can be found among the woodlots and wetlands of this island, and its nature trails and beaches provide an easily accessible respite from the concrete and asphalt that dominate so much of New York City. Yet, the island also has a disturbing history as a poorly-monitored industrial area and haven for leaking underground storage tanks. One 700-acre stretch of shoreland near the Goethel's Bridge was contaminated by a "tank farm" — a petroleum storage and distribution facility that operated for 70 years. While a cleanup is underway, a new development plan has Sierra Club very concerned. The International Speedway Corporation plans to build an 82,500-seat racetrack stadium, a 620,000-square-foot retail center and a heliport on the site. The project involves placing about 4 million cubic yards of silt from New York Harbor on the land. Because the site borders on about 240 acres of wetlands, there is concern about the environmental impact. This is one of 15 sites in the New York City metropolitan area designated as a significant coastal fish and wildlife habitat area. Sierra Club members on the island formed an active task force that is now working with a network of community groups, called the Coalition to Save Staten Island, to educate the community about this development proposal. In addition to investigating the potential environmental impacts of this massive project on the wetlands and coastal habitat, the task force also is investigating the potentially major impacts of traffic, air pollution and noise on the surrounding community. To find out how you can help, contact Suzanne Mattei 212-791-3600 ext. 35 or Eliana Garcia at eliana_g2001@yahoo.com.
Photo courtesy Eliana Garcia; used with permission. Up to Top |
