Checking the water quality in Newtown Creek

We did sampling in the East River with Lamont-Doherty's Greg O'Mullen and his crew, as part of our water quality pilot program. We also patrolled with City Limits Reporter and a PBS film crew.

Discovered a new oil absorb that Exxon installed at Meeker Avenue. This is at the eastern end of the original plume which is migrating. We suspect that the plume has found a new route into the creek.

At the east branch of Newtown Creek we found a discharge from a cement plant. We have had a successful prosecution of another cement plant on the Creek. This is a second plant we’re investigating. We’ve commented on this discharge and it ended. It has since started up again.

Taking Attorneys and Press out on Newtown Creek

Out on Newtown Creek with an editorial crew from New York Magazine.

Church property on Harlem River.

Newtown Creek with Attorneys from Girardi and Keese and a film crew. This legal team successfully prosecuted the famous Erin Brockovich case and now they’re going after EXXON on behalf of local home and business owners in Greenpoint Brooklyn.

Tanker in Hyde Park

Photos by John Lipscomb

4/25: Tanker anchored off Hyde Park. This is the same anchorage spot where Exxon was caught discharging oily wastewater into the River back in the 1980’s.

Harbor School students on patrol

On 3-27 and 3-29-07 we patrolled Newtown Creek with students from the Harbor School. Sabrina Wells from Riverkeeper described the environmental problems facing Newtown Creek and Riverkeeper's case against EXXON MOBIL. The Harbor School is a high school in Brooklyn which integrates it's curriculum into the study of maritime culture history and the environment of New York City and its surrounding waters.

It was great for us to get to speak with local students about THEIR waters.

3-29-07 on the Harlem River on the Bronx side near Highbridge there is a church owned property where all kinds of trash and waste are being dumped into the River.

Riverkeeper has been gently asking for a cleanup for a year now. I'd like to end the gentle part now. This is not only the most blatant dumping on the Harlem River but it's also a terrible embarassment - every tourist from every corner of the world who rides the Circle Line around Manhattan gets to see the low regard some of us have for our water.

What astounds me is that none of the NYPD boats, DEC or DEP and NY Parks boats which often pass by seem to have ever reported this site. They all have the mandate AND the authority to order a cleanup.

Exxon discharge on Newtown Creek

A "bouquet" of discharge pipes midway up Newtown Creek at the Exxon spill. The only active discharge today is Exxon's. The DEC has given Exxon a permit to discharge ground water tainted with petrochemicals - it runs 24/7.