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FRESH KILLS ABBREVIATIONS AND GLOSSARY ABBREVIATIONS DEC: Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS) DEP: Department of Environmental Protection (NYC) DOS: Department of Sanitation DPR: Department of Parks and Recreation FKL: Fresh Kills Landfill Complex FKLLTP: Fresh Kills Landfill Leachate Treatment Plant GPD: gallons per day LFG: landfill gas NMOC: non-methane organic compounds PUD: Planned Unit Development SIIP: Staten Island Industrial Park or Staten Island Corporate Park SICP: Staten Island Corporate Park or Staten Island Industrial Park SIRT: Staten Island Rail Transit SSRDD: Special South Richmond Development District Return to Previous Page. GLOSSARY aerating: exposing to the action of air; mixing or saturating with air or other gas aerobic: a process that requires oxygen agricultural base: an economy that is based mainly on agriculture air pollution: any substance in air that could, in high enough concentrations, harm man, other animals, vegetation or material. Pollutants may include almost any natural or artificial composition of airborne matter anaerobic: a process that requires no oxygen annuals: plants that lives for one year only aquatic systems: rivers, streams and creeks aquifer: a geologic formation, or a group or part of a geologic formation, that contains sufficient saturated permeable material to transmit significant quantities of groundwater to wells and springs Return to Previous Page. bedrock: cemented or consolidated earth materials exposed on the earth's surface or underlying unconsolidated earth materials, including decomposed and weathered rock and saprolite (soft, completely or partially decomposed rock that has remained in its original site) bench: terrace (level ledge) in the slope of an earthwork biennials: plants that flower and fruit only in the second year, and then die biotic: relating to living organisms Bluebelt: the Bluebelt is a unique synthesis of engineered and natural aquatic systems that control the movement of water and prevent flooding by utilizing existing wetlands and other natural areas instead of construction of storm sewers. Under the jurisdiction of the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Bluebelt exists in areas of central and southern Staten Island. It also preserves streams, ponds and wetlands and maintains open space and wildlife habitats bog: peaty ground; a marsh Return to Previous Page. clay: the electrically charged mineral soil particles less than 0.002 mm in diameter. Soil is composed of three types of particles: clay (the smallest), sand (the largest) and loam (medium). Soils consisting mostly of clay are very dense, and therefore are quite impermeable (not permitting fluids to pass through). Soils consisting mostly of sand are least dense and thus, more permeable (permit fluid to pass through) cluster development: housing or mixed-use development that utilizes attached building types in order to limit building coverage and aggregate a higher proportion of open space, usually for common usage of residents. The open space may be used for recreation or for the preservation of natural areas corrosion: the act or process of eating or wasting away Cretaceous deposits: deposits belonging to the uppermost system of the Secondary or Mesozoic rocks crystalline: a general geologic term for igneous and metamorphic rock Return to Previous Page. decompose: to break down, rot Designated Open Space: a defined network (in the NYC Zoning Resolution) of open space set aside for preservation in its natural state in the Special South Richmond Development District (SSRDD) differential settlement: the gradual uneven settlement, due to the non-uniform composition of waste resulting in different rates of decomposition of waste drainage: act, process or means of removing excess water from the surface Return to Previous Page. ecologically diverse: containing many different species of plants and wildlife, perpetuating a dynamic and therefore healthy ecosystem ecology: the relationship of living things to one another and their environment, or the study of such relationships ecosystem: the interacting system of a biological community and its non-living environmental surroundings electrical substation: a subsidiary station in which electric current is transformed emission: pollution discharged into the atmosphere from smokestacks, other vents and surface areas of commercial or industrial facilities; from residential chimneys; and from motor vehicle, locomotive or aircraft exhausts environmental control systems: systems that protect the environment such as the Landfill Gas and Leachate systems erosion: The wearing away of land surface by wind or water, intensified by land-clearing practices related to farming, residential or industrial development, road building or logging evapotranspiration: The portion of precipitation that is returned to the atmosphere through either direct evaporation or the transpiration of living organisms, such as vegetation Return to Previous Page. filling: the process of placing man-made deposits of natural soils or rock products and waste materials final cover: a series of layers placed over solid waste in constructed phases, each having a distinct purpose. The final cover is designated to prevent water from infiltrating the waste, erosion and gas emissions, while promoting surface drainage and separating refuse from the environment and the public footprint: The horizontal area (acreage) occupied by the Landfill or Landfill sections geology: the science relating to the history and development of the earth's crust, with its successive flora and fauna geomembrane: an essentially impermeable membrane used with foundation, soil, rock, earth or any other geotechnical engineering related material as an integral part of a structure or system designed to limit the movement of liquid or gas in a system glacial erratics: a mass of rock transported by glaciers and deposited at a distance glaciation: the phenomenon during which a mass of ice, fed by snow on a mountain, slowly creeps downhill until it melts or breaks up into icebergs grade: the slope of land; the rise in height divided by distance greenspaces: open spaces of land that are populated with grasses, shrubs or trees groundwater: the supply of fresh water found beneath the Earth's surface, usually in aquifers, which supply wells and springs groundwater table: the distance below ground where the groundwater can be located Return to Previous Page. habitat: ecosystem hazardous air pollutants: air pollutants that may present a threat of adverse human health effects or adverse environmental effects herbaceous: plants with no woody stems above ground (distinguished from a tree or a shrub) that die down in the winter and survive in underground parts hydrology: the science dealing with the properties, distribution and circulation of water hydraulic barrier: a low permeable layer in the final cover that prevents water from entering the refuse layers. It also prevents the uncontrolled upward flow of gas into the atmosphere. It is made of low permeable material such as clay or plastic (see final cover) hydraulic performance: the manner in which water is conveyed or moved ice block ponds: ponds formed where large portions of glacial ice were deposited during glaciation; also known as kettle ponds intertidal mudflat community: an ecosystem of muddy land during low tide that is submerged beneath water during high tide invasive species: a plant or wildlife species that dominates an ecosystem to the point that habitat diversity is compromised Return to Previous Page. land use: the way in which land is used, such as residential, commercial, institutional, parking, park or vacant landfill complex: the Landfill sections and appurtenances on the approximately 2200-acre site at the Fresh Kills Landfill on Staten Island in the City of New York Landfill Gas System: system in place to collect and control landfill gas (LFG) leachate: the liquid that forms as water percolates or trickles through waste and collects contaminants from the waste leachate system: system in place to collect, control and convey leachate that is created when water comes in contact with refuse LFG extraction wells: wells used to extract landfill gas low permeability layer: hydraulic barrier. A layer in the final cover that prevents water from entering the refuse layers. It also prevents the uncontrolled upward flow of gas into the atmosphere. It is made of low permeable material such as clay or plastic (see final cover) low permeable soils: soils that are very dense because their particles are close together and therefore limit fluid from passing through Return to Previous Page. mapped parkland: the delineation of parks on the official City Map marsh, high salt: the middle zone in a salt marsh, higher in elevation than a low salt marsh, but lower than a salt scrub marsh, intertidal: a marsh that is submerged at high tide and emergent at low tide, a mudflat methane: a colorless, nonpoisonous, flammable gas created by anaerobic decomposition of organic compounds. A major component of natural gas used in the home moraine: a mound, ridge or other distinct accumulation of unsorted, unstratified glacial drift, deposited chiefly by the direct action of glacier ice municipal solid waste: common garbage or trash generated by industries, businesses, institutions and homes Return to Previous Page. natural: of nature, or of the power that creates and regulates the world, including plants, animals, landscape, etc., as distinct from people natural systems: habitats, ecosystems open face: the active section of the landfill where refuse is deposited, compacted for final disposal and covered (also active face or bank) open space protection: various tools used for preserving open space organic: in chemistry, any compound containing carbon outfall: the outlet of a river, drain, etc. oxidation: to unite with oxygen, to be reduced, rust Return to Previous Page. palustrine: freshwater peat: altered vegetable matter found in bogs percolation: the act of a substance, usually water, passing through pores or small openings, filtration perimeter collection drains: drains outside the footprint of the landfill that are connected to collection wells and pumps and collect leachate perimeter conveyance system: part of the storm water management system that moves water directed to the foot of the landfill to the storm water control basins planting soil layer: the top layer of soil on the final cover. Required to be a minimum of six inches deep and fertile for growth of vegetation Pleistocene deposits: deposits of geological matter during the Pleistocene geological period, which followed the Pliocene period ponding: the collection of water in an enclosed area; the development of small ponds or large puddles, resulting from settlement or erosion post-closure period: a period after the landfill closes in which regular maintenance, monitoring, regulation and site evaluation must continue while garbage decomposes. This period lasts a minimum of thirty years preserve: a place where habitats are protected, kept from harm, maintained, etc. primary compression: a mechanical process that occurs relatively quickly, from weight being applied to the waste either from compacting vehicles or the weight of additional waste or cover material. As weight is applied, water is pushed out and particles move closer together; voids in the waste collapse pristine: pure, unspoiled, unchanged Return to Previous Page. ravine: a deep, narrow gorge recreation, active: sports, exercise or active play such as running, court sports and ball games recreation, passive: relaxation, such as sitting, strolling refuse: anything putrescible or nonputrescible discarded or rejected as useless or worthless refuse layer: the layer of material that is putrescible or nonputrescible discarded or rejected as useless or worthless in a landfill regraded: the slope of the land that has been readjusted remediation: to put right, repair, counteract required grades: the slope of the land that is required by regulations to promote drainage. Minimum required grades are set to ensure adequate drainage after settlement of the landfill. Maximum required grades are set to prevent slope instability due to steepness retention basins: basins that collect storm water ridgelines: a long narrow top or crest, a hill-range rip-rap (stone): loose broken stones, used to form a foundation on soft ground or underwater, or in the construction of revetments and embankments river corridors: the land that is immediately adjacent to a river, the sum of riverbanks and the river itself root zone: the volume of soil where plant roots extend to retrieve nutrients and water Return to Previous Page. salt hay: saltmarsh cordgrass or Spartina cordifolia salt marsh: vegetated estuarine wetlands that are subjected to either daily inundations or less frequent flooding by salt water salt shrub: the zone in the salt marsh highest in elevation, characterized by ephemeral floods and a scrubby collection of small trees and shrubs sand: a loose material consisting of small mineral particles or rock and mineral particles distinguishable by the naked eye. Grains vary from almost spherical to angular with a diameter range from 1/16 to 2 mm; will pass a No. 4 (<4.75mm) sieve and be retained on a No. 200 (<75um) sieve. Can usually be subdivided into coarse, medium and fine grades scrublands: an area covered with low trees or shrubs secondary compression: biological and chemical breakdown of waste. The chemical processes include corrosion and oxidation; the biological processes include aerobic and anaerobic activities. Byproducts of these processes include landfill gas and leachate. This process of decomposition can take a long time, an anticipated minimum of thirty years Section 1/9, 3/4, 2/8 and 6/7: sections of the landfill that have distinct footprints and have been filled according to engineering principals and are under regulations. These areas rise from 90 feet to approximately 225 feet settlement: the gradual decrease in height of landfill mounds, due to the decomposition of the refuse beneath the final cover. This can occur uniformly or non-uniformly (differential settlement) Return to Previous Page. Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat: areas designated by New York State that provide a combination of environmental and biological conditions well-suited to the needs of threatened or rare species silt: Rock, mineral or detrital particle in soil having a diameter range from 1/16 to 1/256 mm. Particles are non-plastic or very slightly plastic, and exhibit little or no dry strength when air dry. Found in varying amounts in association with clay in glaciolacustrine and fine-grained Cretaceous deposits at Fresh Kills. Also present in coarse-grained deposits slope stability: stability (standing firm) of the slope of a landfill is dependent on several factors, including how the refuse settles and the geometry of the slope. This affects the overall safety of the landfill slope: the face of an embankment or cut section; any ground whose surface makes an angle with a horizontal plane soil: A natural, three-dimensional body at the earth's surface, capable of supporting plants, with properties resulting from climate and living plants and animals acting on earthy parent material, as controlled by relief over periods of time SSRDD: Special South Richmond Development District. A special zoning district that ensures that new development is compatible with existing communities through tree preservation, controls changes to topography, height limits, set back and curb cut restrictions. No development zones are established in Designated Open Space Return to Previous Page. stormwater: water that is generated from precipitation, as opposed to groundwater, which exists beneath the land stormwater management system: a system designed to collect, convey and discharge storm water from the surface of the landfill (see Storm Water Management System) subareas: the surrounding area study area is made up of eight surrounding subareas based on Census tracts. Each subarea contains several neighborhoods subsoil: the layer of soil underneath the topsoil subsurface: below the surface succession: in an ecological community, the sequence of changes as one set of species succeeds another surface water: all water naturally open to the atmosphere (rivers, lakes, reservoirs, ponds, streams, impoundments, seas, estuaries, etc.) surface water drainage: drainage of water from the surface of the earth, such as rain water that has collected surface water infiltration: the ability of water to pass through the surface swale: a constructed or naturally vegetated waterway swamp forest: plant and wildlife species that exist in and adjacent to a swamp swamp: a tract of wet, spongy, low, waterlogged land Return to Previous Page. tank farms: a large area of land used for petroleum storage facilities terminal moraine: the end point (terminus) of a glacier and the glacial debris (soil, rocks, boulders) that is left behind when a glacier melts and recedes terrace: an old alluvial floodplain, usually level, that borders a river, a lake or the sea, and is higher than a modern floodplain tidal: of or pertaining to the tides, the alternate rising and falling of sea water that takes place twice daily tidal wetland: a collection of smaller ecosystems that are part of the tidal wetland ecosystem topography: the detailed study or description of external features of the body with reference to those underneath tributary: a stream that runs into another Return to Previous Page. unconsolidated: sediment that is loosely arranged or unstratified, or whose particles are not cemented together upland: higher in elevation, particularly in relation to other areas in a watershed vegetation layer: the layer of plants that grow in the topsoil layer waste: refuse, unwanted material from places of human or animal habitation water table: the level of groundwater waterbird rookery complex: a site where waterbirds will nest waterlogged: saturated with water waterways: a stretch of navigable water well: a bored, drilled, or driven shaft, or a dug hole whose depth is greater than the largest surface dimension and whose purpose is to reach underground water supplies, oil or gas, or to store or bury fluids below ground well pipe: a pipe that is part of the well structure wetland: an area that is regularly saturated by surface or groundwater and subsequently is characterized by the prevalence of vegetation that is adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Examples include swamps, bogs, ferns, marshes and similar areas wetlands, freshwater: wetlands saturated with freshwater wetlands, interconnected tidal: wetlands that are associated with a tributary that provides tidal influence wetlands, tidal: wetlands influenced by the rising and falling of the tide, usually saltwater Woodland Period: period of history dating 1000 BC to 1600 AD Return to Previous Page. |
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