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Erie Canal Neighbors Association
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#Post#: 727--------------------------------------------------
An important update on the Erie Canal. This effects more people
than ever
DIR By: Michael Caswell
Date: July 11, 2019, 1:07 pm
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If you take the time to read the recent project website released
by the New York Power Authority (Canal Corp) on it's Earthen
Embankment Integrity Program, you’ll find a lot has changed
since they were originally confronted by a group trying to
prevent them from removing trees from the dangerously overgrown
embankment dams.
HTML http://www.canals.ny.gov/Earthen_Embankment/overview.html
As new owners of these dams, the NYPA realized they had a huge
liability because of the unsafe conditions mainly caused by
overgrowth, the many leaks, and the engineers reports stating
these dams were dangerous to the point that peoples safety
(their lives indeed) was at risk. The ECNA has heard from
project engineers that many of the recently discovered leaks are
running full time, and flow that needs to be slowed. One piping
leak was washing earth away as fast as they could fill it.
A group called Stop The Clear Cut (STCC) persuaded three town
supervisors to try to preserve the trees and they cited the
State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) work had not been
done, which a judge ordered to be carried out despite the NY DEC
stating the NYCC did not need this Type of SEQR done. They
persuaded ‘expert witnesses’ to testify that trees were good for
wooded slopes, but unfortunately, whether intentionally misled,
or by pure ignorance, these experts thought they were dealing
with levees, and not earthen embankment dams. When the
distinction was pointed out to the experts, they recanted their
statements and have since removed support for the group.
Confronting a group fighting safety, on their first project,
NYPA quickly realized they had to complete the SEQR study for
the entire canal system across the state, not just for the three
towns of Perinton, Pittsford and Brighton. This was to prevent
any further similar hold-ups as they progressed their safety
cleanup efforts along the canal.
The original project planned to cut unsafe vegetation from about
45 acres of embankment shoreline, and with a work boundary edge
of about twenty feet. But now the new program has been extended
to a one hundred feet boundary, for the entire canal system, ON
BOTH SIDES of the canal, whether it’s an embankment or not. Some
145 acres in total. If a tree overhangs the canal, it is a
liability and will likely be removed. A lot more Perinton
properties now fall into this program.
On the original vegetation plan Pittsford thru Perinton had only
8 small sections. It has been changed and is now it is from
western to eastern border, and many many more acres of potential
clearing may be included now.
See maps here —
HTML https://ecna.createaforum.com/perinton-canal-embankment-discussion/perinton-embankment-integrity-program-has-been-released-by-nycc/
As for the STCC's "environmental protection" claims, nothing
could be further from the truth as most of the vegetation is
listed in the NY DEC as invasive, illegal and controlled
species, and had no business being allowed to grow on these dams
in the first place. The STCC leaders weren’t even aware these
were weeds and actually harming the environment. But worse yet,
the STCC group seems to fail to understand that a canal flood
would be a far worse environmental loss than removing a few
trees or shade that might prevent that flood possibility.
The STCC group has cost our three towns over $45,000 in legal
fees, they have kept hundreds of families lives and property at
risk, and for what? They stopped nothing.
The cost has been much greater in lost friendships too. I think
the worst part of all this is the loss of face for all those who
were supportive of, and instigators of, the Stop The Clear Cut
campaign. I only hope that they eventually realize how many
lives they could have impacted while they fought a statewide
public safety campaign to clean up these unsafe, dangerous canal
dams.
Anyone who thinks they have a good argument for keeping unsafe
canal dams in our communities should make sure they have
considered the danger those dams place the many people who are
living below them. Come forward and say why you think it's OK
for your neighbor to live under threat of flood...we all want to
hear that reason.
All this trouble over a bunch of weeds. What were these people
thinking?
MOVING FORWARD:
The Erie Canal Neighbors Association (www.ecna.us) is now done
with the STCC, our ECNA Forum board on that subject will be
taken down shortly, and good riddance... no need to mention this
episode in restoring Canal Dam Safety ever again.
If you want to see the latest argument against keeping 'unsafe
trees on unsafe dams", go look before it's all gone:
HTML https://ecna.createaforum.com/the-stop-the-clearcut-argument/
Some STCC Topics may be moved to the Perinton Discussion Board
on the Forum...here's the latest on the Embankment Program
there:
HTML https://ecna.createaforum.com/perinton-canal-embankment-discussion/perinton-embankment-integrity-program-has-been-released-by-nycc/
These are two good posts to read that should make everyone think
hard about this STCC group
HTML https://ecna.createaforum.com/the-stop-the-clearcut-argument/has-the-leadership-of-the-stcc-finally-figured-this-all-out/msg717/#msg717
HTML https://ecna.createaforum.com/the-stop-the-clearcut-argument/does-the-stop-the-canal-clearcut-leadership-listen-to-their-own-members/?message=713
Thanks for listening...it appears the safety message finally got
through
#Post#: 728--------------------------------------------------
Re: An important update on the Erie Canal. This effects more
people than ever.
DIR By: Doug K
Date: July 11, 2019, 5:36 pm
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Mike,
A very good synopsis of events that have us full circle of
course... the STCC still ignoring safety and the ECNA still
pushing it. Only one of us can be right...the one who supports
what is driving the Embankment Integrity Program in the first
place.. fixing a problem that is causing dams to leak, and
preventing proper inspection.
Those two issues would both fall under the category of
S-A-F-E-T-Y
The STCC Board will officially close on before July 31, 2019...
if not done already.
If anyone believes they have a need to see anything from the
STCC Forum Board in the future, to fight other grassroots
efforts to deny and fight against this public safety program,
let us know. We do have archival access if needed.
#Post#: 741--------------------------------------------------
Re: An important update on the Erie Canal. This effects more
people than ever
DIR By: Doug K
Date: July 14, 2019, 6:58 am
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As citizens of NY, Town of Perinton, Village of Fairport...you
have a right to know where your State & Municipal Leaders stand
on the topic of Erie Canal Safety.
You know where the NY Governor stands, he is backing the new
Canal Safety initiatives & canal improvement. He has become the
champion of the Reimagine the Canals program publically.
Likewise for the NY Power & Canal Authorities, they too are
pushing for utmost safety on the Canal System and have created a
new safety program for their canal system based on Federal
guidelines for dams & waterways.
The same could be said for the leaders of the Erie Canal
National Heritage Corridor & US Parks & Trails. Both of them
have come out in favor of a safe & sustainable Erie Canal, that
grows stronger with time.
Even the NY Dept of Environmental Conservation & Reimagine the
Canals task force support a safer Canal System and the
rehabilitation of its aging embankment dams. They both are
working to that end with support for the NY Canal Corporation
and their Embankment Integrity Program.
All residents of Fairport should be asking their local officials
where they stand on the subject of Canal Safety, because
everyone has a right to know if their elected officials are not
supporting overall Community improvement & Safety
Concerned residents in the three Towns of Pittsford, Brighton &
Penfield should ask their leaders if they are united for
community safety or will they still side with those who would
fight to keep an unsafe Erie Canal winding through our
communities & neighborhoods by leaving dangerous trees & dams in
place.?
If these town officials support keeping their neighbors unsafe
by suggesting trees stay along the embankments Erie Canal, I
would hope fellow residents would try to understand why they
chose that direction in light of the overwhelming evidence
against leaving unsafe vegetation on unsafe earthen dams.
This affects everyone in Perinton & Fairport...and should be a
question everyone is asking Town Leadership
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