The Gowanus Superfund Site Explained
Please join us for our first monthly general meeting of 2026 on Tuesday, January 27, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., via Zoom video conference.
We’ll post the Zoom link and a full draft agenda a few days prior to the date of the meeting. Please check back here.
All Gowanus CAG meetings are open to the public, unless specifically noted otherwise.
Attendees:
CAG Members: Joan Salome-Rodriguez, Katia Kelly, Jason Schwartzman, Susan Yung, Erica Eliason, Alexandra Dadourian, Peter Reich, Mark Yarish, Lisa Bowstead and Steve Marcus
Guests: Aaron Kaufman & Irene Baker
Agenda Items Discussed:
1) Follow up discussion regarding NYS DEC’s TCE Plume Study near St. Mary Star of the Sea Church, which took place during November 2024.
Action: The Committee asked Steve to reach out to Heidi Dudek of NYSDEC for an update. Update: Heidi did forward to us the full report! It’s available here. Please review the report and be prepared to discuss at our January meeting.
2) Follow up discussion regarding the status of NYS DEC’s final decision regarding the proposed remedial plan for Parcel 3 (459 Smith Street) of the former Citizens MGP Works site.
Action: The Committee asked Steve to reach out to DEC for an update. Update: No response.
3) Assemblymember Simon’s letter to DEC regarding 459 Smith Street (aka Parcel 3).
Action: Lisa kindly drafted a “Thank You” letter on behalf of the Committee to Assemblymember Simon for submitting her comment letter. Update: With the Committee’s approval, the letter was sent to AM Simon shortly after our meeting.
4) At our previous Committee meeting we discussed the former Citizens MGP Works site’s recent Groundwater Monitoring report and asked National Grid’s representative, Irene Baker, if there was a similar report for the former Fulton MGP site. Ms. Baker did respond stating: “There was other recent groundwater monitoring completed at Fulton, which is included in a Sentinel Well Monitoring Summary Report (2025). I recommend contacting DEC directly for that information”.
Action: The Committee asked Steve to reach out to the DEC to request this report. Update: Aaron Fischer did respond to the entire committee on December 23rd. Please review and be prepared to discuss at our January meeting.
5) The Committee discussed DEC’s announcement of the proposed remediation and construction near the Mary Star of the Sea Senior Apartments on the site known as the John Tynan Senior Residence.
Update: Thanks to all the Committee members who submitted their own comments to DEC!
6) The Committee discussed the recent announcement by DEC regarding Parcels 1 & 2 of the former Citizens MGP Works site.
Update: Thanks to all the Committee members who submitted their own comments and for their help in getting DEC to grant a comment extension to January 4th!
7) Joan brought to our attention that DEC completed a Gowanus Canal areawide groundwater study to evaluate the current hydraulic conditions, including groundwater elevations and flow direction. This study was scheduled for completion in late 2024.
Follow Up: I believe that this will be taken up in the Water Quality Committee and Land Use can sign on to their request.
To view a video recording of the meeting, please visit https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13fY_Tbki02j4VqpT8mcLPLWcvAWH8kok.
Please note: Our next Land Use Committee meeting will take place on Tuesday, January 6th at 6:30pm.
Two Gowanus Canal CAG meetings are scheduled for the first week of January. Please join us via Zoom for either or both!
Archaeology & Historic Preservation Committee
Monday, January 5, 6:00 p.m.
Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/9808972869?omn=85029255507
Meeting ID: 980 897 2869
Water Quality & Technical Committee
Monday, January 5, 7:00 p.m.
Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87196633276
Meeting ID: 871 9663 3276
Attendees: Joan Salome-Rodriguez (Moderator), Corinne Brenner, Erica Eliason, Katia Kelly, Louis Kleinman, Emily Mitchell, Jason Schwartzman, Susan Yung
Housekeeping:
1. Victoria is looking for any map/image that shows where the legal sewage outfalls are located. Joan followed up. Will follow up again.
2. Suggested we FOIL NYC Topographical about the status of the streets abutting Power House. De-mapped and made private?
3. Committee reviewed Emily Mitchell’s draft re: hydrogeological study for the Gowanus re-zone area (Clinton St to 4th Avenue east-west and Dean Street to 19th Street north-south) and made edits. Emily will complete and share with Joan who will distribute to attendees for finalizing. This will get added in the letter: Can DEC test groundwater pooling in basements or on properties for contaminants? Request goes to DEC.
4. Natalie said that DEC was doing a full hydrology study that should have been completed in 2024. I have asked Aaron Fischer for it twice and so has Steve from Land Use. No response yet.
5. Did not cover but Joan followed up with Victoria as to whether climate change can be taken into account in future mounding/hydrology studies performed by the Trust. Likewise, no response. Joan will follow up again.
6. Katia followed up with Natalie Loney at EPA to find out when the Operation and Maintenance Plan (OMP) for the Gowanus Canal will be complete. Apparently the PRPs will be responsible for carrying out the OMP regarding the cap and the water quality. Katia to follow again with Natalie.
NEW ISSUES
1. DEFERRED: State issued its water quality determinations for various water bodies, including the Canal. Result – Gowanus Canal is now a Class SC waterbody which is what we initially asked for (though we followed by asking for Class SB). Cup half full, I guess. There is some indication that SC will allow swimmable water quality standards to be legally enforceable in the canal. Riverkeeper will give an update. Deeper discussion with Em Ruby and Mike Dulong, who said they can attend the December 1 meeting. https://link.edgepilot.com/s/f6a68fad/8LGwi7kO_UGxhg38H5AVYQ?u=https://dec.ny.gov/regulatory/regulations/proposed-emergency-recently-adopted-regulations/water-revisions/saline-water-quality-standards-and-reclassification
2. Joan will re-send draft comments that can be edited however anyone wants if they want to comment: Parcels 1 & 2 of Public Place are being divided up and DEC is planning to investigate using ISS and ISGS at the site. Comment period ends December 5.
3. Natalie’s Q&As that affect Water Quality were shared in the meeting announcement. We discussed up to number 8. Attendees must go over Natalie’s Q&As to see if there are further questions. Corinne will craft a follow-up regarding continued CSOs in the Canal (Natalie Q.2).
4. DEFERRED: Draft inquiry to EPA [?] re: Sewershed in Gowanus and issues related to the Atlantic Yards Project and the BMT project. Our infrastructure cannot possibly take all that.
To view a recording of the meeting, please click here.
Attendees: Joan Salome-Rodriguez (Moderator), Katia Kelly, Peter Reich, Jason Schwartzman, Susan Yung
Guests: Irene Baker (National Grid), Aaron Kaufman (Gowanus Remediation Team)
1. Michael was not present but we know that he did explore the NYC Municipal Archives because some of the photos showed up in his Instagram account “Gowanus_Archeology” (there is an underline in there!). Joan and Peter sent materials.
2. Check status of the Storyboard with Aaron. Chronicle Heritage is working on setting up an account with a platform for activity. He believes we will have a more certain date in January 2026. He explained the platform, Arts GIS, to Jason – it is a multi-media platform that allows photos, video, text and audio and the Story Map is the Hx of the Gowanus Canal.
3. Peter reported on his conversation with Johnny Thornton (Arts Gowanus) and they are open to us sharing material for the Walkabout Tour. We will start with the building where the CSO tank is going in and get the step by step of how to do it. Seems that getting the photos to Johnny is the key but there may be a cost associated with creating the vinyl posters (plastic and fabric 3’ x 5’) with the QR code (see one by the Carroll St. Bridge). The QR code is a single code that takes one to a website with a map that the viewer uses to find their current location and see what was there before the re-zone. It seems that a lot of this walkabout falls into what we want to focus on, the WAY IT WAS as opposed to the way it is now. Peter will send me Johnny’s email again and I need to sell the idea to him of us sharing stuff. Peter recommends speaking with Andrea at Gowanus Canal Conservancy, too.
4. Through its Gowanus Neighborhood Art Advisory Committee (GNAAC) initiative, Arts Gowanus has made significant inroads working with developers to incorporate public art installations (majority of them by Brooklyn-based artists) at 7 to 8 sites along the Gowanus Waterfront Esplanade; these projects are currently under review by the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR). Let’s see if Johnny can come to one of our meetings. This may be out of our scope but if there is an appetite for bigger items, maybe John Quadrozzi’s storage items can now be utilized. Also discussed perhaps a historical exhibit at the Gowanus Dredgers 2nd Street space. If I go to Quadrozzi’s, I want a person to accompany me.
5. On the back burner: Reach out to Brooklyn College Museum Studies Program and to Pratt’s archaeology team in the fall to see if there are any opportunities there. (This was Joan’s action item, not done yet.) Keep an eye on the Union Street Library on Clinton Street to see when it opens (not yet).
6. Agreed as a committee to build synergy with local arts community and to explore options with new Gowanus Canal Conservancy space, Thomas Greene Park community center.
For a recording of the meeting, please click here.
Passcode: $um7N.9q
If you were unable to join us via Zoom for our December 2nd general meeting, you can access a video recording of the meeting here.
For a recording of our October 28th general meeting, please click here.
For recordings of our June, July and September 2025 meetings, please click here.
And for video of most of our meetings from April 2020 to April 2025, please visit our Vimeo page. Click on any of the videos to view the recording of the desired meeting.
Attendees
CAG Members: Louis Kleinman, LInda LaViolette, Andrea Parker, Jason Schwartzman, Erica Eliason, Joan Rodriguez, Peter Reich, Katia Kelly, Mark Yarish, Lisa Bowstead, Susan Yung & Steve Marcus
Guests: Aaron Kaufman, Irene Baker & Joe Ann Brown
Agenda Items Discussed
1) Follow up discussion regarding NYS DEC’s areawide TCE Plume Study near St. Mary Star of the Sea Church, which took place during November 2024.
Action: The Committee asked Steve to reach out to DEC for an update.
2) Follow up discussion regarding the status of NYS DEC’s final decision regarding the proposed remedial plan for Parcel 3 (459 Smith Street) of the former Citizens MGP Works site.
Action: The Committee asked Steve to reach out to DEC for an update.
3) Assemblymember Simon’s letter to DEC regarding 459 Smith Street (aka Parcel 3).
Action: Lisa kindly offered to draft a “Thank You” letter on behalf of the Committee to Assemblymember Simon for submitting her comment letter.
4) At our previous Committee meeting we discussed the former Citizens MGP Works site’s recent Groundwater Monitoring report and asked National Grid’s representative, Irene Baker, if there was a similar report for the former Fulton MGP site. Ms. Baker did respond stating: “There was other recent groundwater monitoring completed at Fulton, which is included in a Sentinel Well Monitoring Summary Report (2025). I recommend contacting DEC directly for that information”.
Action: The Committee asked Steve to reach out to the DEC to request this report.
5) The Committee discussed DEC’s announcement of the proposed remediation and construction near the Mary Star of the Sea Senior Apartments on the site known as The John Tynan Senior Residence.
Action: Comments were drafted and circulated among the Committee for them to submit on their own.
6) The Committee discussed the recent announcement by DEC regarding Parcels 1 & 2 of the former Citizens MGP Works site.
Action: Joan and Erica kindly drafted a comment letter on behalf of the Committee so that members would be able to submit their comments on their own.
7) Joan brought to our attention that DEC completed a Gowanus Canal areawide groundwater study to evaluate the current hydraulic conditions, including groundwater elevations and flow direction. This study was scheduled for completion in late 2024.
Action: The Committee asked Steve to reach out to the DEC to request this report.
You can also find a recording of the meeting here.
Please note: Our next Land Use Committee meeting will take place on Tuesday, December 9th at 6:30pm. A reminder will be circulated during the week of December 1st.
If you were unable to join us via Zoom for our October 28th general meeting, you can access a video recording of the meeting here.
For recordings of our June, July and September 2025 meetings, please click here.
And for video of most of our meetings from April 2020 to April 2025, please visit our Vimeo page. Click on any of the videos to view the recording of the desired meeting.
If you were unable to join us via Microsoft Teams for our September general meeting, you can find a link to a video recording of the meeting here, along with recordings of our June and July 2025 meetings.
You can also find video of most of our meetings from April 2020 to April 2025 on our Vimeo page. Click on any of the videos to view the recording of that meeting.
Attendees
CAG Members: Steve Marcus, Susan Yung, Katia Kelly, Alexandra Dadourian-Nelson, Jason Schwartzman, Erica Eliason, Peter Reich, Mark Yarish & Lisa Bowstead
Guests: Aaron Kaufman & Irene Baker
Agenda Items Discussed
1) Follow up discussion regarding NYS DEC’s areawide TCE Plume Study near St. Mary Star of the Sea Church, which took place during November 2024.
– The committee asked Steve to follow up with DEC staff which he was able to do during DEC’s Vapor Intrusion Study meeting on October 8th and was told by Aaron Fischer that the report has not been finalized yet.
2) Follow up discussion regarding the status of NYS DEC’s final decision regarding the proposed remedial plan for Parcel 3 (459 Smith Street) of the former Citizens MGP Works site and, Assemblymember Simon’s comment letter.
– The Committee asked Steve to follow up with DEC Staff which he was able to do as well at DEC’s Vapor Intrusion Study meeting; he was told that no decision has been made yet.
– Lisa kindly volunteered to draft a “Thank You” letter on behalf of the Committee to Assemblymember Simon for submitting her comment letter. See AM Simon’s letter here.
3) It was brought to the Committee’s attention that the most recent Citizens Groundwater Monitoring report has been made available, and the Committee discussed the continuation of off-site migration of MGP-related toxicants.
See the report here.
– It was asked of National Grid’s representative, Irene Baker, if there was a similar report for the former Fulton MGP site; Irene said that she’ll look into it for the Committee.
4) Alexandra shared the letter that was sent on behalf of Friends of Thomas Greene Park and the Gowanus Canal Conservancy to EPA regarding Thomas Greene Park and the Douglas-Degraw Pool, and she also shared the response they received.
– Both letters were discussed. See the letter to EPA here, and EPA’s response here.
5) Susan Yung asked that we discuss DEC’s announcement of the proposed remediation and construction near the Mary Star Of The Sea Senior Apartments, which we’ll do at our November meeting. Please see the DEC announcement for 41 First Street here.
Please note: Our next Land Use Committee meeting will take place on Tuesday, November 11th due to Election day falling on November 4th. We hope to see you there.