Showering or filling a tall glass of ice cold water from your kitchen tap coming from the Hudson River? The thought might make some shudder, but it”™s a water source already being used for drinking in some areas of New York and is a prime source of Adam”™s ale for the millions of residents that live on its shores. To environmentalists, river advocacy groups and politicians that gathered at West Point”™s Thayer Hotel on June 8 for the Hudson River Summit, that”™s just one reason to keep the river as clean as possible.
The all-day conference was filled to capacity, with participants and panelists sharing a common concern: how best to protect the region”™s treasured icon ”“ the Hudson River ”“ not just above and below the waterline, but its shoreline and the commerce that depends on it.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation, along with Historic Hudson River Towns and the DEC”™s Hudson River Estuary Program hosted the event, involving all players who depend on the Hudson”™s ecosystem for quality of life and its tourism bounty for economic potential.
DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis was keynote speaker for the event, which focused on the current events and future of the river and its estuaries, and on how to bring eco-friendly commerce and tourism its shores. Three panels made up of environmentalists, conservationists and state officials discussed common visions for the river”™s estuaries, revitalization of the riverfronts and creating a sustainable ecosystem.
Scenic Hudson, Clearwater, the Nature Conservancy, Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, Riverkeeper and the state Department of Environmental Conversation were all enthusiastic about the mission of the meeting: maximizing the Hudson”™s potential while cleaning it up for future generations.
Jeff Rumpf, executive director of Clearwater, made the case for land acquisition as key to protecting the estuary program. “We need to revitalize the waterfront in rural and urban areas. A proposal for a park every half-mile on the Hudson Valley waterfront is on the table in the city of Yonkers.” Rumpf suggested that scenario play out all along the shores.
Many gave thumbs down to Gov. David Paterson, whom they claim has been unresponsive to land protection, quoting him as saying it is “not critical in the current economy.” Environmentalists called on Paterson to create a quadricentennial initiative to preserve the Hudson”™s waterfront. (This is the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson”™s voyage through the region.) “Economic conditions notwithstanding, this is a good time to look at eco-redevelopment of our brownfield waterfronts,” said village of Briarcliff Manor manager Phil Zegarelli.
The DEC”™s estuary program stretches from Battery Park in Manhattan to Fort Edward and beyond. Ned Sullivan, executive director of Scenic Hudson, and his co-panelist Roland Lewis of the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance would like to see environmental groups pull together to create some needed political muscle.
For those beyond the five boroughs, coming up with matching grant money offered by the state to clean up their waterfronts can be tough, if not impossible. One Wappingers Falls resident asked how mid-Hudson communities can get grant money when they can”™t come up with the dollars to match it.
“We need a common state and federal agenda for cleaning brownfields,” said Lewis. “That will make it possible for small towns and villages to be able to make it happen without having to spend money they don”™t have.”
“The economic power of our scenic beauty is what we have,” said Rumpf. “This weekend, when we had the tall ships flotilla, it gave us an opportunity to see the river”™s potential to create tourism for every city, town and village along the Hudson.” “We need to convert people to the impact of the Hudson Valley. We are using only a small portion of the diversity. We need to get the next generation involved and interested. Get kids out on the water; get them interested through school and through actually getting out there.”
“Given the current economy, a circuit breaker should be put up for the matching grant challenge,” said Zegarelli. “Don”™t just bail out big industry. We don”™t need to bail out the MTA ”“ we need to bring this money down to our local governments.”
Not everyone in the packed room was representing a nonprofit or advocacy group. Jean Wort of Hudson Highland Cruises asked what is being done for the for-profit industry.
“We are excluded from grant money because we aren”™t nonprofits,” Wort said. “We do good things and bring tourism to the Hudson Valley, but we can”™t get any help. Don”™t discriminate against the for-profit business sector that is helping promote interest and tourism in the region.”
As for drinking water, Gil Hawkins, Hudson Valley Fisherman”™s Association, said, “Learn from other states like New Jersey. They keep track of their storm water; our storm water goes into the Hudson.” Hawkins said New York”™s watershed is the size of Massachusetts and Connecticut combined. He said, “My community n New Jersey is 100 percent developed.” His advice? “Watch your water supply carefully.”
Carol Capobianco of Peekskill, the Hudson River Estuary coordinator for the state DEC, applauded the turnout as well as the interaction between audience panelists and bureaucrats. “I”™ve come to these events for several years, and this is the first time I”™ve seen so many people join together for a common cause. The Hudson River”™s our greatest resource and greatest attraction. It”™s our job to insure its safety, keep it as clean as humanly possible and to make it possible for people to earn a living from it, whether it is through photography, fishing or development, as long as the industry will be an eco-friendly partner.”
