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.

Industrial polluter near Saugerties busted!

These photos were taken at an industrial site north of Saugerties, where industrial by-products have been illegally discharged for years into a large secluded fresh water wetland, which flows into the Hudson. The pH of the effluent is 12.3, which is close to the pH of Clorox! The wetland is completely dead. This case started with a tip from a local resident in 2005. We conducted multiple boat and aerial patrols, which turned up TWO separate industrial pollution sources. Details are omitted here because these cases are active and being monitored by Riverkeeper. But you’ll be pleased to know that both polluters were BUSTED. Both discharges have been stopped and the wetland will be restored.