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Action Alerts!
Demo Decision, Hardship Hearing Expected April 1
The Historic Preservation Commission is expected to vote on applications for demolition permits for the Embankment, this Wednesday, April 1, at 6:30 pm, City Hall Council Chambers, 280 Grove Street.
If
the Certificates of Appropriateness for demolition are denied, the
Commission will hear applications for hardship exemptions. Though
we cannot predict how the meeting will go, we expect that
Applicant presentations will take up a good part of the
meeting.
The Coalition has requested that
public comment be carried over to a third hearing, so that the public
has time to consider the presentations, and public comment will not be
cut short. We cannot guarantee that this request will be
granted, so if you plan to testify, come prepared. See our guidelines.
No
matter how the agenda unfolds, your presence will speak volumes to
our elected officials about the continuing importance of the Embankment
to the community. If you can attend for only a little while, we suggest coming between 7 and 7:30.
Join Us Afterwards
We
have been working hard to bring the eleven-year Embankment struggle to
a successful conclusion. If you would like
to unwind with us after the hearing, please meet in the lobby and
we'll proceed to a nearby watering hole. | |
| SEA Issues Inadequate Report; Ask STB for Environmental Impact Statement
Help Us Get 1000 Comments to STB by April 7
The Section on Environmental Analysis (SEA) of the Surface Transportation Board just issued its preliminary Environmental Assessment (EA).
It unfortunately accepts Conrail's version of
Embankment environmental status hook, line, and sinker,
despite evidence we previously submitted. It rejects the calls of
the State Historic Preservation Office and many organizations for a
full Environmental Impact Statement that will look at the wide spectrum
of issues raised by abandonment. The public has until April 7
to convince SEA that its assessment is off-base and that a
full Environmental Impact Statement is needed.
File Comments Now; and No Later Than April 7
Here's how:
2. Choose E-FILING from the menu at top.
3. On the web page that comes up, in the column at right, click on Environmental Comments.
4. A form will appear. In the four boxes for Docket No., enter the following: AB 167 1189 X
5. Then enter your contact information and comment and Submit.
Guidelines for comments
are on our web site. Don't let the complexity of the issues
stop you from filing a comment. If you are not steeped in the
details, simply write something like:
"Please
authorize a full Environmental Impact Statement. It is wrong to allow
Conrail to abandon the right of way when demolition and
development plans will have severe adverse effects on our environment.
I want a full and impartial study of direct and indirect effects
of abandonment on our neighborhoods and families."
Please Tell Friends and Neighbors to Send Comments
Public
input is extremely important at this stage. The STB is
a federal regulatory agency that has a duty to enforce
federal laws that protect the public interest. We have only until April 7 to urge the agency to do its job.
Alternative to Filing on the Web
If
you are attending the HPC hearing April 1 (and we hope you are),
Coalition members can give you forms on which you can enter your
comments. We will then scan them into pdf files and submit them
to the STB for you. | |
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