DEP Biweekly Reports Folder 0049, 2000-2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

State Senator Seward Meeting DEP, along with your Office of Legislative Affairs, met with State Senator Seward in Albany. A portion of Senator Seward's district is located in the west of Hudson watershed. Topics discussed included the status of the rehabilitation of the Gilboa Dam, repair of certain roads around the Schoharie Reservoir and recreational uses permitted on newly-acquired City-owned land. The Senator asked that DEP participate in a meeting with local officials and residents of the Towns of Gilboa and Conesville. Senator Seward's office will be scheduling that meeting, which is expected to take place in the next two months.

Coney Island WPCP sludge Force Main Blockage My last report discussed the 'pigging' procedure used to locate and clear the blockages in the 7-mile force main that conducts sludge from the Coney Island WPCP to another plant where the sludge is to be dewatered. Initially, a valve was found that was malfunctioning. The valve was repaired, portions of pipe were replaced, and 2,400' of force main was flushed. The pigging process was restarted to insure there were no other obstructions in the force main. As the pig was propelled along the course of the force main, it was once again blocked, this time by a crystal-like formation inside the pipe. This material was collected and examined. The pigging procedure has been stopped while the unknown substance is analyzed in our laboratories. When the nature of the material is determined, we will resume the process to clear the remaining length of the force main.

Rebuilt Load Lugger Accepted We have received, inspected and accepted the first fully refurbished Load Lugger truck referred to in a previous report. This is a specialty vehicle designed to haul residual materials collected at our wastewater treatment plants. Two out-of-service trucks were sent to a vendor as part of a pilot project to reduce replacement costs. The trucks have been completely retrofitted, with new engines, new mechanical equipment, and more substantial truck beds to accommodate the heavier grit containers they will carry. The second Load Lugger is now undergoing a similar conversion and is expected to be delivered for testing within two months.

Title V Clean Air Permits The process of establishing conditions and wording for the States's issuance of a Title V Clean Air permit for the North River WPCP has advanced another step. We had previously sent our comments to NYSDEC in response to their original draft conditions. We have since met with DEC representatives, and have obtained their comments in turn. Our negotiations with the State continue, and it appears that the State is receptive to our suggested modifications. Included in our recommendations was relief from onerous long and routine reporting requirements, and that DEP be allowed to file exception reports as necessary. We believe the State will be issuing its final draft of the permit conditions in the next two weeks. The State has also indicated that is in agreement with suggestions we have proposed for modifying Title V permit conditions for several other of our treatment plants.

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