Good News for Our Stretch of the River

Friends of Athens has declared a victory over construction and demolition waste. The group released this statement earlier today:

This morning the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) confirmed that Athens Stevedoring has officially withdrawn its application for registration to operate a C&D processing facility on our waterfront. Athens Stevedoring will not be pursuing the project. . . .

Although this disaster may have been averted, we can't let down our guard. As geologist David Walker explained during our community meeting, the entire Hudson River Corridor is under threat. Wherever there's an active or inactive quarry accessible by barge, developers see a hole in the ground to fill with waste. There's money to be made and apathy to exploit.

In the coming weeks and months, Friends of Athens will be reaching out to other community groups up and down the Hudson to raise awareness, join forces, and mount a unified defense.

Photo: Friends of Athens