KINGSTON – The consent order between the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection that regulates release of turbid water has come under fire by the Hudson Riverkeeper organization.
The consent order, released earlier this month, seeks to regulate turbid discharges of water from the Ashokan Reservoir into the Lower Esopus Creek. But, Riverkeeper Paul Gallay said the document does not go far enough and allows the DEP to continue high volume releases in the short- and long-term.
“In addition to violating the law, such releases will continue to harm businesses and recreation along the creek rather than the independent expert evaluation of the city’s use of the waste channel release to the Lower Esopus, which was required under the original draft of the state’s Filtration Avoidance Determination, which was later withdrawn under pressure from New York City,” Gallay said.
The Riverkeeper said an unbiased review of the alternatives to muddy discharges is needed.