Williamsburg, Brooklyn – Today, Brooklyn residents living in close proximity to an old power plant currently being demolished by Con Edison on the Williamsburg waterfront protested against the lack of information provided to area residents, and called for a halt to the demolition of the site until the health concerns facing the community are addressed.  The tenants were supported in their protest by Councilman Eric Gioia, an elected official with a long record of standing up to the utility.  They were also joined by Howard Katz, the Executive Director of UJCARE, a Williamsburg umbrella social services organization. 

Since demolition began, neighborhood leaders have made repeated requested information from Con Edison.  After an initial meeting at which further information was promised, follow up by residents has been met with canceled meetings and a complete lack of any documentation from Con Ed, which has completely stonewalled the community.

Con Ed began demolishing the plant, located at 500 Kent Avenue and Division Avenue, earlier this summer, with no advance notice to the community.  In fact, earlier this spring a Con Ed spokesman told a local blogger that the utility was merely “cleaning up” and denied plans for demolition. 

The demolition has left many members of the community worried.  The plant is directly across from a public park with ball-fields, adjacent to which are many large residential apartment buildings.  Residents are concerned about the proliferation of the dust from the old plant.  While any dust is cause for alarm as the particulate matter can enter and damage the lungs, residents are even more concerned about the possibility of the dust being toxic.  Published reports have indicated that there is asbestos and lead paint baked into the brick walls of the plant. 

Furthermore, Con Edison has a history of deceit when it comes to environmental health.  In the early ’90s Con Ed was twice indicted for covering up the release of 200 pounds of asbestos into the air during a 1989 steam pipe explosion near Gramercy Park that killed three and injured 24. They were charged with withholding information from local, state, and federal authorities. Eventually, after years of denials, Con Ed admitted in Federal Court that they did not tell federal authorities that asbestos had been released into the air after the explosion.

Gioia stood with the residents, many of whom have been forced to keep their windows closed during the hot summer months because of concerns about the dust, to call for demolition to stop until there is a full investigation and reports are made available to the residents.  Repeated letters and meeting requests from members of the community have not been adequately responded to by Con Ed. 

“It is absolutely amazing what Con Ed gets away with, putting the lives of all residents in danger.  We know that the building was contaminated with asbestos and Con Ed has not provided a single piece of information such as an environmental impact study, air quality report or dust quality report to area residents,” said Isaac Abraham, spokesman for the Federation of Tenants Council which represents over 5,000 families.  “Any private developer would have been shut down by all agencies by now.”

“New Yorkers should not have to beg for basic assurances that the air they breathe is not toxic,” said Councilman Gioia. “The site may be safe – but these residents just don’t know, and with Con Ed’s track record it’s no wonder they’re worried.  Con Ed should not take down another single brick until they can positively assure local residents that the air is safe.”

(YWN Desk – NYC)