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Conrail To
File for Abandonment Exemption; Files
ER/HR
3/12/08. Apparently hoping to short-circuit a full
rail line abandonment process, Conrail notified the Surface
Transportation Board (STB) that it intended to file for a rail
abandonment exemption today, April 7, for the Harsimus
Branch. [Note: As of close of business today, the STB web
site did not include a filing from Conrail.]
An exemption might help Conrail and the Embankment
developer avoid protections otherwise afforded the public in federal
and state law. Conrail also filed an environmental
report (ER) and historic report (HR), prerequisites for an
exemption.
Conrail's reports fall far short of documenting the impacts
of its collaboration with the Embankment developer. Despite its
obligation to collect comments from stakeholders, Conrail
filed the reports a day before an arbitrary deadline it had given
commenters. Conrail even failed to include
environmental and historical information previously provided by the
City or Coalition or readily available on web sites or from standard
sources. See the Conrail filing.
The City, Coalition, and others responded; see items below. | |
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City et al. Ask STB To Deny Abandonment Exemption
3/21/08.
The City of Jersey City, Embankment Preservation Coalition, and Rails
to Trails Conservancy notified the Surface Transporation
Board of our intention to participate in any abandonment proceeding,
and objected to Conrail's request for an exemption, arguing that such
exemptions are available only in noncontroversial cases - which
this most emphatically is not. See our Notice of Intent to Participate, which
includes a strong letter from Mayor Healy. Mayor Healy points out the
"serious environmental, historic, land use, and process concerns with
Conrail's actions and inactions, and projected approach to STB." |
More Organizations Weigh In
Object to Abandonment Exemption; Ask to Participate
As of the date of this issue, seven Downtown neighborhood organizations had signed a joint letter to
the Surface Transportation Board urging the Board not to grant an
expedited abandonment exemption to Conrail for the Harsimus Branch, and
asking to participate in Embankment abandonment proceedings.
These organizations are Harsimus Cove Association, Hamilton
Park Neighborhood Association, Paulus Hook Association, Van Vorst Park
Association, Powerhouse Arts District Neighborhood Association, Newport
Neighborhood Association, and The Village Association.
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PADNA, FOLSP Ask for Help
Wednesday, April 9, 6pm, 107 Bright Street. The
Powerhouse Arts District Neighborhood Association (PADNA) is asking the
public to speak out at the City Council meeting against Redevelopment
Plan amendments that will enrich Toll Brothers developers at the expense of the PAD and the integrity of the planning process. For more information, see the PADNA web site. PADNA also requests that its supporters sign an online petition by Tuesday, April 8.
Friends of Liberty State Park upcoming events:
Saturday, April 12, 9-noon. Salt Marsh Habitat Natural Area shoreline clean-up.
Enter at the fence gate at the end of flag-lined Pesin Drive at LSP's
south end adjacent to the Park office and visitor center.
Saturday, April 19, 10-4. Friends' 4th Annual Walk and Earth Day Fair.
Monday, April 21, 7-10 pm. Public Meeting, Liberty Science Center, on plans for the park's Interior Restoration Area.
Sunday, May 4. Friends' 3rd Annual Recognition Luncheon. $58 per person.
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