The lower Hudson River off Manhattan, with its living marine resources, is a critically important aquatic habitat. That’s why the Sierra Club has been fighting for decades to let the river be a river – as one ill-conceived development scheme after another has threatened this vital resource.
The latest issue is a proposal to facilitate the whole gamut of bad in-water development by allowing a 99-year lease of Pier 57 for office space and other misplaced uses of the River. Along with the threat to the environment, this would help put people in harm's way in major storms, and be a threat to the taxpayers; New York City and State would be called upon to provide huge subsidies, and would be liable for damages resulting from extensive new building in the River in a #1 (highest risk) hurricane evacuation zone.
This incredibly long lease extension would require the approval of the two State legislative leaders (and the Mayor and the Governor as well) in a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”). Take action and send a message to the legislative leaders asking them to reject this plan.
Copy the below message into the body of an email:
Subject Line: NO to the Hudson River Park Trust MOU to extend Pier 57 Lease
I urge you NOT to approve any Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) allowing the Hudson River Park Trust (the State authority called HRPT) to extend the lease term for Pier 57 in the Hudson River to a period of up to 99 years.
There is no need for this MOU or lease extension. It will only encourage office space and other inappropriate uses in and over the Hudson River, at a high-risk, disaster-prone location.
The non-water-dependent uses proposed for Pier 57 would put thousands of people in harm’s way in upcoming storms and hurricanes. State taxpayers would then be on the hook for storm damage costs and claims, as well as the potential loss of lives and property at Pier 57. If you sign the proposed MOU, then generations of New Yorkers would be subject to these risks for the next 99 years!
Again, please do not approve this proposed MOU for a Pier 57 lease extension, because it would open the floodgates for misuse of the river and of limited public funds.
I would appreciate your response to this letter.
Sincerely,
XXX
Send your message to:
Hon. Carl E. Heastie, Speaker, New York State Assembly (Speaker@assembly.state.ny.us)
LOB 932
Albany, NY 12248
Phone: 518-455-3791
Hon. John J. Flanagan, Majority Leader, New York State Senate (flanagan@nysenate.gov)
Room 330, State Capitol Bldg.
Albany, NY 12247
Phone: 518-455-2071
If you can do more, please also contact Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo. At this point they seem less receptive to environmentalists’ concerns about this issue, and they could also benefit from hearing from you:
Hon. Bill de Blasio, Mayor, City of New York
City Hall
New York, NY 10007
Hon. Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of New York State
NYS State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224
Thank you for all you do to protect NY's environment!