At Second Informational Meeting Regarding Gowanus Canal, E.P.A. Explains How Community Can Get Involved

Thursday Night's EPA Community Meeting At PS 32

Christos Tsiamis, Remedial Project Manager for the Gowanus Canal

Natalie Loney, EPA Community Involvement Coordinator

Councilman Brad Lander

Councilman Steve Levin

The Environmental Protection Agency's Region 2 held its second public information meeting regarding the Gowanus Canal on Thursday evening. Though attendance was slightly less than at the agency's first informational meeting in December, the turn-out was still very impressive.

Christos Tsiamis, Remedial Project Manager for the Gowanus Canal, gave a brief summary of the studies completed and currently under way.
The Bathymetric Survey was completed in early January. Surface sediment sampling will begin this week, followed by surface water sampling and air sampling.
Mr. Tsiamis also mentioned that the E.P.A. will make a decision about whether to place the Gowanus Canal on its list of Superfund sites fairly soon.


Natalie Loney, EPA Community Involvement Coordinator spoke in depth about C.A.G.s, T.A.G.'s and T.A.S.C.s, the programs available to the community under the Superfund program if the Gowanus Canal were to be listed as a Superfund Site.

Public's involvement in the decision making is an important part of the Superfund Process. It ensure that the community members affected by abandoned hazardous waste get a say in the actions put forth by the E.P.A. to clean them up.

As Ms. Loney explained, these are the community programs and grant available to us:

Community Advisory Group (C.A.G.)

A Superfund Community Advisory Group (CAG) is made up of members of the community and is designed to serve as the focal point for the exchange of information among the local community and EPA, the State regulatory agency, and other pertinent Federal agencies involved in cleanup of the Superfund site.

Technical Assistance Grants (T.A.G.)

A Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) provides money for activities that help your community participate in decision making at eligible Superfund sites. An initial grant up to $50,000 is available to qualified community groups so they can contract with independent technical advisors to interpret and help the community understand technical information about their site.

Technical Assistance Services For Communities (T.A.S.C.):

TASC is a program that provides independent educational and technical assistance to communities. TASC primarily supports the Superfund program. In addition, support may also be provided to communities impacted by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act or federal facilities or dealing with air or water environmental problems.


Most of the discussion revolved around the T.A.G. grant. Ms. Loney and Mr. Tsiamis explained that only groups whose members live near and may be affect by a Superfund site may apply.
In addition, only a group that is non-profit and incorporated (or in the process of incorporating) can get a T.A.G.

Groups that represent or received money or services from a Potentially Responsible Party (P.R.P.) are NOT eligible.
Since New York City is considered a P.R.P., many community groups could be out of the running because they may have received monies from the city.

Council Member Brad Lander seemed concerned about this and asked if ineligible groups could form a new 501(C)3 tax exempt group for the purpose of applying for the grant. (I wonder what he had in mind...)

Though the subject of C.A.G.s, T.A.S.C.s and T.A.G.s is rather dry, it is important for us, as members of the community, to take the time to understand and to get involved in this process.

For further coverage, check out Found In Brooklyn and Carroll Gardens Diary



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