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#Post#: 382--------------------------------------------------
This is EXACTLY why the Canal Corporation started an Embankment
Integrity Program
DIR By: Doug K
Date: March 27, 2019, 11:32 am
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Many people have been stunned by all the work going on with the
NY Canal Corporation Embankment Integrity Program... some even
still insist this is just a way for New York State to get
money.. selling the trees they cut... on fact they named
themselves after that process.
All of this Erie Canal embankment work has been a long time
coming from what the ECNA has uncovered recently. As far back as
the year 2014, the NY State Comptroller has been sounding the
alarm bell on the Erie Canal... here's some interesting
information recently uncovered:
Here's the website of the NY State Comptroller:
The actual report that this NYS watchdog Office did about the
state of the Erie Canal in 2014:
HTML https://osc.state.ny.us/audits/allaudits/093015/14s45.htm
HTML https://osc.state.ny.us/audits/allaudits/093015/14s45.pdf
We have put the highlights from that initial 2014-S-45 here:
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
As you can see the 2014 S-45 report states clearly that the NY
Canal Corporation, under the NYS Thruway Authority, has NOT
followed "best practices" for it's inspection & maintenance of
the Erie Canal System. This is what led to the eventual change
of ownership to the New York Power Authority. Once notified
about the issues the Thruway Authority was supposed to start
inspecting the Erie Canal system correctly and fixing the safety
issues. The NY Thruway authority had an initial response to
these findings but seem to highlight the COST part of the report
HTML https://osc.state.ny.us/audits/90day/14s45r.pdf
Sadly they could NOT accomplish their routine inspections due to
the overgrown mess they had created. They didn't have the budget
or resources to even make any progress a whole year after the
Comptrollers's report came out. Eventually the Canal Corporation
was given to the Power Authority and that is where we are today.
Here's a follow up report from the same department issued in
January 2017. This is 2016-F-20 and it's outlining what had
happened from the 2014-15 release of the initial Erie Canal
Issues Report to that time, noting that the new ownership
transfer was in process.
HTML https://osc.state.ny.us/audits/allaudits/093017/16f20.htm
What is interesting to note is the response documents from the
NEW owners.. New York Power Authority... they immediately
understood the issues and created an action plan that they
outlined to the State Comptroller.
HTML https://osc.state.ny.us/audits/90day/16f20r.pdf
Here's what that response looked like:
[attachimg=3]
[attachimg=4]
Hopefully you enjoyed a walk down memory lane for this
Embankment Program.. it was meant to be more of that ECNA mortar
filling in the spaces of the program, how it got to EERP and now
to the new Embankment Integrity Program.
#Post#: 511--------------------------------------------------
Re: Erie Canal Embankment Issues are not a new problem -
Uncovered 2014 NYS Report
DIR By: Doug K
Date: April 14, 2019, 10:20 am
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This 2014 State Comptroller Report, or S-45, takes a 20 look
back at the NY Canal Corporation and how it manages the flood
control structures, and prioritizes it's maintenance activities.
It shows exactly what NYPA stated when they started the
Embankment Integrity Program...time to spend the money & fix
long standing safety issues. The report shows that the Thruway
Authority run Canal Corp had to choose which 1/2 of the problems
they wanted to fix when they created their annual budgets. 55%
to be exact.
They have never been allowed to work on ALL of the most critical
areas before, but that also changed when NYPA took over.
Very interesting and honest look at the Erie Canal from
1992-2014...Read the S-45 yourself.
#Post#: 1843--------------------------------------------------
Exactly why is the NYS Canal Corporation Clearing Canal
Embankments - Question Answered
DIR By: Doug K
Date: November 4, 2021, 9:37 am
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Lately we have had a few people ask the ECNA why this Canal
Embankment maintenance work is being done now.
Well the most obvious answer is related to SAFETY of the Canal
System, based on all of the information provided by the NYS
Canal Corporation. But really there is much more behind that
safety issues than most people understand.
But the ECNA does know why "safety" became so important recently
to NYPA, the new owners of the Canal System, and the NYS Canal
Corporation who are charged with watching over this State Asset
and insure it's safe for the public, compliant with all laws and
dam safety rules and guidelines, and the canal system is a
sustainable system for the next century of it's life.
It's very simple in fact...
They were TOLD by the State of New York to FIX their Safety
Issues in 2015
Really? So how do we know this?
Well it's simple, you just need to follow the "Safety Reports"
from the NYS Office of the State Comptroller.
We have brought this subject up before, and showed the report in
some very early ECNA Forum Posts, but it deserves another look
today. Now that Canal Safety has been brought front & center
with the new Canal Corporation Canal Integrity Domain. >>
HTML https://www.nyscanalintegrity.org/
Here's a webpage with all the details we will highlight below:
HTML https://www.osc.state.ny.us/press/releases/2015/05/dinapoli-canal-corp-must-address-gaps
And here's the link to the actual report filed in 2015 and what
has caused ALL of this Canal Embankment work to transpire. It is
also the impetus behind the recent "change in ownership" of the
Canal Corporation from the NYS Thruway, to New York State Power.
HTML https://www.osc.state.ny.us/files/audits/2017-12/sga-2015-14s45.pdf
It appears that all that the Thruway Authority did with this
State Comptroller Report was to "ignore it".
Here's the opening statement of that Canal Safety Report"
highlights show key takeaways
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
And as you dig into this report the information shows a Canal
System on the brink of failure and nothing being done by either
the Thruway or Canal Corporation to do anything about it...but
make excuses. In all fairness, the Canal Corporation was NOT
seen at fault, the issue was Thruway Management. The following
pages show more key findings and a few nice charts showing just
how widespread the safety issues are for the Canal System... the
NUMBER ONE issue was a "failure to complete proper inspections".
And what did we recently hear from the NYS Canal Corporation in
their Embankment Integrity Meetings?
"If we can't see it, we can't inspect it"... Earthen Dams need
to be cleared
[attachimg=3]
And here's more from inside the 2015 Safety Report...
[attachimg=4]
[attachimg=5]
So now you know... this Canal Embankment work isn't about
"clear-cutting trees for lumber value". It's not about
frivolously spending State Money. It's not about the
"environment or shade". And it certainly is not about trying to
"agitate" a Facebook Group in Perinton & Fairport.
It is about ACCOUNTABILILITY to the People of the State of NY,
and the State Comptroller, who represents their needs and
safety.
It is about SUSTAINABILITY of the oldest water highway in
America and insuring it gets repaired to meet it's next 100
years of life intact.
It is about PUBLIC SAFETY as evident by a 25 page Safety Audit
that showed just the opposite... the Canal was a THREAT to Erie
Canal Neighbors & Communities way back almost 7 years ago.
And sadly... it still is TODAY!
Please help support Earthen Embankment Maintenance and Clearing
along the Erie Canal... the life you save, may be your own.
HTML https://www.change.org/p/jacquie-shillinger-support-vegetation-removal-from-erie-canal-for-safety-inspections?
HTML https://www.change.org/p/erie-canal-neighbors-friends-help-save-the-oxbow-lake-dam-ask-the-perinton-town-government-to-help-protect-perinton-fairport-from-a-flood
#Post#: 1849--------------------------------------------------
This is EXACTLY why the Canal Corporation started an Embankment
Integrity Program
DIR By: Doug K
Date: November 7, 2021, 9:11 am
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For all those in the greater Rochester area that are continuing
to deny the issue with dangerous trees on Canal
Embankment...this is EXACTLY why the NYS Canal Corporation is
ignoring a group on Facebook saying "nothing is wrong with Canal
Safety"
[attachimg=1]
And if that is NOT enough to convince you of the danger that
invasive vegetation ANYWHERE has created along these earthen
embankments that line 125 miles of the Erie Canal system, take a
look at this video that shows how a DEAD TREE at the bottom of
the canal embankment caused a large sinkhole next to the Empire
Trail that has the canal flood gates closed from Holley to
Gasport
HTML https://youtu.be/-5_-FpApNm8
The Canal Corporation has been very clear about why they need to
clear all these earthen dams.
The State of NY also has been very clear with the Canal
Corporation, they need to get their property in compliance with
NYS DEC regulations about properly inspecting their Earthen
Dams, some of which haven't had a proper inspection in over 75
years.
Like the Canal Corporation has stated many time now... "They
can't inspect what they can't see, they can't see the issues
until they clear the invasive growth"
[attachimg=2]
#Post#: 2193--------------------------------------------------
A dearth of Dam Safety Experts.
DIR By: Michael Caswell
Date: May 22, 2022, 2:08 pm
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A letter by Mr Justin Driscoll to Mr John Buyce ---
HTML https://ecna.createaforum.com/general-discussion/erie-canal-embankment-issues-are-not-a-new-problem-uncovered-2014-nys-report/msg382/#msg382
--- outlines a plan to remove trees and shrubs from the
embankments, and also to employee Dam Safety Employees. These
positions have been proved difficult to fill because there is a
limited supply of qualified individuals, and private sector
salaries are generally higher.
In this very specialized field, I would have thought there were
plenty of experts, as we seem to get so much advice from Ms Agte
& Maier and her supporters. Obviously, the NYPA didn't think
their knowledge was up to par, otherwise they'd have hired them.
I jest of course!
Sad! Very sad!
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