FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE10-09
January 25, 2010
CONTACT:
Anne Canty/Mercedes Padilla/Angel Roman (718) 595-6600
NYC Submits Permit Application to Continue to Acquire Lands for Watershed Protection
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP) has submitted its application for a permit to continue to acquire land to
protect the watersheds, the sources of clean drinking water for half the
residents of New York State. The permit, to be issued by the New York
State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), will allow DEP to acquire
additional properties to ensure that the undeveloped, environmentally-sensitive
watershed lands extending more than 125 miles away from New York City remain
protected.
Watershed protection is widely considered the best way
of maintaining the quality of drinking water. New York City’s program, one
of the most comprehensive in the world, has been so successful at protecting the
integrity of New York City's water supply that the United States Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) awarded the City a 10-year Filtration Avoidance
Determination (FAD) in 2007. The success of New York City’s Watershed
Protection Program is one of the main reasons why New York City remains one of
only five large cities in the United States that is not required to filter its
drinking water.
"Since the beginning of the FAD, New York City has
committed $541 million to purchase land to protect our unfiltered drinking water
supply," said Environmental Protection Commissioner Cas Holloway. "We are
acutely aware of the need to balance water quality preservation with the
interests and economic vitality of watershed communities. In all, the City
has already invested over $1.5 billion in watershed protection programs,
including nearly $55 million to help watershed homeowners repair or replace
failing septic systems, almost $125 million to construct new wastewater
infrastructure in communities with concentrated areas of substandard septic
systems, and more than $175 million to upgrade existing wastewater treatment
plants to provide the highest levels of treatment."
DEP supplies 1 billion gallons of drinking water to 9
million New York State residents every day, including 8 million in New York
City, and residents in portions of Ulster, Orange, Putnam, and Westchester
Counties. DEP's watershed is comprised of 19 reservoirs, three controlled
lakes, and seven wastewater treatment plants. Approximately 1,000 DEP
employees live and work in watershed communities as scientists, engineers,
surveyors, administrative professionals, and they perform other critical
responsibilities as well.
Specific guidelines for the acquisition of land
were set forth in the 1997 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), signed by New York
City, New York State, EPA, environmental groups and 77 counties and
municipalities in the Watershed. The 2007 FAD requires the City to
continue an active land acquisition program, focusing on properties selected for
their water quality protection benefits. The City only acquires lands from
willing sellers and pays fair market value based on independent
appraisals.