tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post2744189981694014017..comments2024-03-28T11:21:19.200-04:00Comments on The Gossips of Rivertown: An Update on the EscarpmentCarole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-64076093244664276272017-07-20T17:57:19.752-04:002017-07-20T17:57:19.752-04:00Exactly. What's the rush of city officials to ...Exactly. What's the rush of city officials to wash their hands of responsibility here? We are citizens of the U.S. and last I checked Amtrak was a federal agency (of some sort) and we have every right to demand, as Unheimlich suggests, that it follow Coastal Policy 25. Peter Meyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12627451247693034161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-35964990296278684472017-07-20T17:55:37.894-04:002017-07-20T17:55:37.894-04:00Exactly. What's the rush of city officials to ...Exactly. What's the rush of city officials to wash their hands of responsibility here? We are citizens of the U.S. and last I checked Amtrak was a federal agency (of some sort) and we have every right to demand, as Unheimlich suggests, that it follow Coastal Policy 25. Peter Meyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12627451247693034161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-89167608238594278712017-07-19T21:55:05.750-04:002017-07-19T21:55:05.750-04:00There must be someone in some federal agency who&#...There must be someone in some federal agency who's making a discretionary decision about this action. Whoever it is, they're not immune from either the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), or the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA).<br /><br />NEPA is triggered by the area's listing on the National Register of Historic Places, while Coastal Policy 25 (below) is engaged by any action in the State's Coastal Zone, as authorized under CZMA.<br /><br />It's worth quoting the State's Coastal Policy 25 in full as it treats only of aesthetics. (Keep in mind, the removal of vegetation is one thing, the spraying of shotcrete quite another.)<br /><br />POLICY 25:<br /> <br />"Protect, restore or enhance natural and man-made resources which are not identified as <br />being of statewide significance, but which contribute to the overall scenic quality of the <br />coastal area. <br /><br />"Explanation of Policy: <br /><br />"When considering a proposed action which would not affect a scenic resource of Statewide significance, agencies shall ensure that the action will be undertaken so as to protect, restore or enhance the overall scenic quality of the coastal area. Activities which could impair or further degrade scenic quality are the same as those cited under the previous policy, i.e., modification of natural landforms, removal of vegetation, etc. However, the effects of these activities would not be considered as serious for the general coastal area as for significant scenic areas. <br /><br />"The siting and design guidelines listed under the previous policy should be considered for proposed actions in the general coastal area. More emphasis may need to be placed on removal of existing elements, especially those which degrade, and on addition of new elements or other changes which enhance. Removal of vegetation at key points to improve visual access to coastal waters is one such change which might be expected to enhance scenic quality." <br /><br />The State's 44 Coastal Policies can be found here:<br /><br />https://www.dos.ny.gov/opd/programs/pdfs/CoastalPolicies.pdfunheimlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00204285837938988668noreply@blogger.com