LHaus
Jun 19 2008

Follow up to the video of dust blowing around at Queenswest, LIC

Remediation tent at Queenswest development site, Long Island City

Remediation tent at Queenswest

You didn’t think we’d post that video, write inflammatory content, but do nothing? After contacting Joe Conley, Chairman of Community Board 2, he contacted the DEC and this letter arrived in the liQcity inbox today:

Hi Joe:

I inspected the Site today morning and discussed dust problems with Site contractor and engineering consultants. The dust blowing in the video was emanating from the sand which was used to pre-grade the tent (second) lay down areas. It was a very dry and windy day about 2 weeks ago. Since that time, a sprinkler system has been laid out along the truck route and has been effective. The areas near the East River have been covered with a layer of clean fill cover and are in the process of being rolled. After the area is rolled the material will be stable preventing dusty conditions.

As an additional temporary measure, prior to completion of rolling, more sprinklers will be added to stabilize the clean fill cover. Other options discussed and being considered are hydro seeding, 3 inches of gravel layer and mulching and watering. There is an open frac tank with odorous water. This tank will be permanently covered with an air tight cover.

Regarding odors, there were odors inside the tents in areas being excavated but, no odors observed today or any other day during last week around the site. All trucks are foamed with odor suppressants and are tightly covered with tarp before leaving the Site.

To date, no air monitoring exceedances have been detected in the four perimeter community air monitoring system or in the neighborhood air monitoring route. Air monitoring results and daily reports are available to the public on the website http://prod.trcimg.com/QWDCStage2/ https://email.trcsolutions.com

Additionally,

Public can contact me at 718-482-4909 or via email at spsingh@gw.dec.state.ny.us

TRC (consultant) trailer # is 718-786-7899

Jennifer Miranda, TRC at 212-221-7822 X 102

Please let me know if you need anymore information.

Shaminder Singh spsingh@gw.dec.state.ny.us 718-482-4909

28 Comments

Leave Your Comment Comment Feed

Thank you, liqcity for going the extra step. I hope that all of the commenters from the original post read this message and realize that when people act on a situation “things happen”. The report is very thorough and it seems as though DEC is on top of the problem. Also want to remind alarmists that LIC is not the only place where remediation is taking place on construction sites.

#1 anonymous / 3 years, 7 months ago

I heart liqcity.com

#2 Anonymous / 3 years, 7 months ago

I ditto #2.

#3 Soon to be / 3 years, 7 months ago

Liqcity, can you do anything about getting the Newtown Creek cleaned up?

#4 Anonymous / 3 years, 7 months ago

props to liqcity for doing something about the problem!

#5 kudos / 3 years, 7 months ago

In case anyone hasn’t gotten it by now, this is why noone goes to any other LIC website other than liqcity these days. Great job guys in getting those idiots to overturn the liquor license ban at Blend and now this.

#6 Anonymous / 3 years, 7 months ago

I like the idea of liqcity becoming the neighborhood gadfly, getting in the face of city agencies and making sure problems in the ‘hood are worked out.

#7 Anonymous / 3 years, 7 months ago

Liqcity is LIC’s superman.

#8 Anonymous / 3 years, 7 months ago

You mean superwoman.

#9 Anonymous / 3 years, 7 months ago

Please note that Joe Conley contacted the DEC, and very swiftly. Also you should know that the DEC also acted quickly (that post was from yesterday), and are still continuing to follow up on the investigation. It’s great to see how seriously it’s being taken. I agree #4, if only the Newtown Creek pollution could be dealt with similarly.

#10 liQcity / 3 years, 7 months ago

Thanks Liqcity and Joe Conley, for eliciting this response from DEC.

It’s nice to know the City/developers are making efforts to contain the contamination.

#11 Anonymous / 3 years, 7 months ago

The developers have nothing to do with it.

#12 Anonymous / 3 years, 7 months ago

#12 = Spokesperson for Rockrose

#13 Anonymous / 3 years, 7 months ago

13, you mean 11 is a spokesperson for Rockrose.

#14 Anonymous / 3 years, 7 months ago

Maybe you should have gotten this information first before you posted the video that got everyone worked up for no reason.

#15 Anonymous / 3 years, 7 months ago

The DEC has always reacted quickly in the past to any major public complaints about toxic air or dirt. However I think it is sloppy work on their part for not enforcing their rules before they are broken. Most all of the developers on the Queens West parcel tend to dig for as long as possible before starting remediation. I wonder if LIQcity could agitate for constant air monitoring in the LIC area as long as construction is taking place in LIC. But I do have to say good work!!

#16 Anonymous / 3 years, 7 months ago

15, it wasn’t for no reason. The engineers themselves admitted the ground should be dampened to avoid swirls of dust blowing around the area. Besides, some new residents didn’t even know remediation was going on and that the land is highly contaminated. Good work, liqcity.

#17 Anonymous / 3 years, 7 months ago

#16 there is constant air monitioring. you con monitor it online in the link provided on the other thread.

#18 Anonymous / 3 years, 7 months ago

can liqcity stop complimenting themselves already?

they’ve done nothing that hasn’t been done before and that was accessible to everyone reading this.

#19 George / 3 years, 7 months ago

It’s interesting that those who complain the most about anonymous posting, take full advantage of it to bash others.

#20 George my ass / 3 years, 7 months ago

#11 here, with no connection to Rockrose (where did you get that, #14??). Agree, it’s DEC, not Rockrose are addressing the issue, and Liqcity didn’t “solve” the problem by publicizing it, but… so what? I’m glad to learn this important source of pollution exists in my neighborhood and the powers-that-be are actively trying to remediate it. I didn’t know any of this before reading this post. Kudos to Liqcity for raising awareness and following through.

#21 Anonymous / 3 years, 7 months ago

And #19 what did you do about it?

There are some other tents between the ConEd learning facitily and the Board of Ed building on the waterfront. What is going on there? Is that being preped for development as well?

#22 Anonymous / 3 years, 7 months ago

#19 Your name is spelled Jake not George and your website sucks. Noone goes there any more because Liqcity is much better.

#23 Anonymous / 3 years, 7 months ago

I still have a bad taste in my mouth over this Joe Conley guy. The Blend incident and his huge flip-flop says a lot about his character. I wrote him several email regarding Blend and he did not respond to one of them.

Good job LIQ, but I continue to view Joe Conley with suspiciously and question his leadership and judgment. With so many important things going on in the area we need real leadership on the issues. This further cements him in my mind as a reactionary figure leaning in whatever direction the wind blows him. We need someone new at the helm.

#24 Anonymous / 3 years, 7 months ago

Hey poster #20, whatever your name really is; is your post supposed to be directed at me? It seems like it is. Let me know.

Charlie.

#25 Charlie / 3 years, 7 months ago

Hey #26, no one on this thread commented on anonymous postings. I did on the previous thread on this subject. Poster #20′s comment didn’t note that the anonymous comment was on this thread. Therefore, being that I was the only one who commented on anonymous posting, concerning this subject matter, I posted #25 as I did. You are the one making an assumption, not me. I’m not assuming; I’m deducing that the comment was directed at me, because he (poster #20) thinks that I might also be poster #19. With all of the anonymous posting and posting under any pseudonym one wants, it’s hard to know who is who. That was part of the reason for my original comments on anonymous posting , to begin with.

As far as his comment on bashing others, only little minds, somehow seeking thrills, do crap like that.

Did you read the posts on the previous (original) thread on the whole toxic dust/contaminated site problem?

I don’t disguise myself with anonymity or with pseudonyms. It’s obvious that you do. Are you actually poster #19 also? Why are you even commenting on this, when you don’t have all the information necessary, to make an informed comment?

With anonymous posting, as well as with posting under a non-registered pseudonym(s), posters can be as disrespectful, and as moronic as they want to be, without having to own up to what they write. I’m not referring to all anonymous posters, as that is not the purpose of most people. In addition, I think if one leaves the name space blank, that it will post automatically as anonymous.

Lastly, re-read my post (#25). You will see that I am asking, not drawing a hard conclusion. Again, I will use an expression which I often use, concerning those who don’t pay attention, or who believe what they want to believe, before they comment: Listen to what I am saying, not what you think I am saying.

Charlie.

#26 Charlie / 3 years, 7 months ago

Hey, what happened to #26′s post? Was it deleted? My reply was #27, and now it’s been bumped to #26. It makes it seem as though I have no idea what’s going on, or that I’m responding to an imaginary post.

Charlie.

#27 Anonymous / 3 years, 7 months ago

Sorry guys, there has been some issues with the commenting server.

#28 liQity / 3 years, 7 months ago

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