NYCkayaker Randall's Island Waterpark Rejected by NYSDEC

[Harry J. Bubbins]

Randall's Island Waterpark and Private Beach Club Rejected by NYSDEC

Community Advocates Celebrate Protection of Public Parkland

Contact:

Robert Jereski 212 973 1782, mutualaid at earthlink dot net
Harry J. Bubbins, 646.206.5288  information at friendsofbrookpark.org


Community advocates are celebrating that they have discovered the NYS
Department of Environmental Conservation has rejected the permit application
submitted to develop a controversial "waterpark" and private beach club on
Randall's Island.

In response to a Freedom of Information Law request, the litigation team of
NYC Environmental Law Project ( www.nyenvirolaw.org) unearthed a document
labeled "Confidential-Not for Release" that rejected the application
completed by Tim Miller Associates (www.timmillerassociates.com) and
submitted on behalf of the Aquatic Development Group.

Already beset by another lawsuit filed by Norman Siegal on behalf of public
school parents and students, the latest blow to the development plans for
Randall's Island means that more public involvement will be necessary to
garner the political support needed to revamp the park in the public
interest.

"We commend the DEC for recognizing that the private beach club would impact
substantially on state regulated wetlands."  said Robert Jereski, a lifelong
user of Randall's Island. "With the recent storms that overburdened our
infrastructure, we can't allow this kind of development on our wetlands
anymore." Mr. Jereski continued.

"Besides destroying the waterfront with a roadway, the permit sought a
variance from the required minimization of impervious surfaces along the
river's edge. There has never been such a dramatic variance that would allow
over half of the project site to be paved or built, rather than the 15%
maximum allowed." said Harry Bubbins, Director of Friends of Brook Park,
advocates for greater public involvement in a master plan for Randall's
Island modeled on the Governor's Island input process.

According to the NYSDEC website pertaining to project number:

A determination is expected by August 17th, 2007.


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