Riverkeeper as tow boat

On May 16^th, southbound from Albany, we came upon a 30 foot motor boat with 6 persons aboard which had drifted ashore due to engine failure. We towed them off the bank and into Catskill Creek. Other “heroic” rescues by Riverkeeper include two kids and a capsized canoe near Stockport, a stranded sailboat near Norrie Pt., two guys off a burning 40 footer near Piermont Pier, a bass boat, etc…Rescues too numerous to mention.

Tires on the Harlem River

On the Bronx side just north of the 207^th street bridge we found hundreds of tires dumped down the bank – covering several hundred feet of shoreline. The area is between the river and “Storage Post,” a self-storage facility. Although we observed no active dumping we referred the case to NYSDEC which investigated and fined the storage property owner, resulting in the tires being cleaned up. Nice response.

More tires took their place

We’re still finding discarded tires in the upper half of the Harlem River. Although the dumping from the “Storage Post” seems to have stopped it appears that now there is another site where waste tires are being dumped to avoid the tire recycling fee. We have an idea where the new dumping is occurring but never see it taking place. Must be at night because the greatest concentration of floating tires is always in the morning. We’re working on it. Wish I had time lapse camera.