Updated: March 20, 2007

Gerritsen Beach Cares, Inc. Recognizes DEP for Cleanup Efforts

On March 5th, Gerritsen Beach Cares, Inc. (GBC), an organization dedicated to quality of life and environmental issues in the South Brooklyn community of Gerritsen Beach, honored several DEP employees for their continued support of cleanup efforts along local shorelines. Commissioner Emily Lloyd, Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Wastewater Treatment Douglas Greeley, Director of Collection Facilities & Residuals Management Arthur Spangel, Chief of the Residuals Operations Division Walter Goyzueta and the staff in DEP’s Bureau of Wastewater Treatment Transportation Section were all lauded for their assistance in GBC’s efforts to remove one million pounds of garbage from the nearby shoreline and salt marsh by hand. Spangel accepted the plaques, which featured before and after pictures of the formerly polluted land, on behalf of DEP’s many honorees.

Much of the debris that ends up on New York’s shorelines comes from City streets. During rainstorms, litter not properly deposited in City wastebaskets is washed down sewers, through sewer outfalls and into New York’s many waterways. Eventually, tides and currents wash it back onto city beaches, where it limits recreational use and pollutes important natural areas. One of DEP’s primary missions is to reduce this “floatable” litter in order to minimize pollution at City beaches. DEP works closely with community organizations, other City agencies and local elected officials to reach out to New York residents and emphasize this important connection between clean city streets and clean city beaches and waterways.