Continuing his direct assault at his Democratic rival, the one who shares his potential base, Sal Albanese extended his attacks at Bill de Balsio, this time over the Gowanes Canal cleanup. Bill de Blasio and Mike Bloomberg are best buds, Mr. Albanese argued.

“Today, the Mayor trumpeted progress made in cleaning up the Gowanus Canal, one of the filthiest waterways in America. Apparently, he has a short memory. A few years ago, the Mayor was working hand-in-hand with Bill de Blasio to give the Gowanus away and entrust its cleanup to the highest-bidding developer,” Albanese said in a statement released Monday afternoon.

The real estate deal Albanese mentioned would have given the Toll Brothers, private developers who have since raised funds for de Blasio’s mayoral campaign, rights to develop the area around the canal in exchange for a hasty and cosmetic cleanup. “Thankfully, they failed and the neighborhood won,” Albanese said.

In a speech delivered last year, de Blasio lamented the outcome:

“I give Mayor Bloomberg tremendous credit for fighting [the EPA] tooth and nail, and I was proud to stand with him. We tried every play in the book to save the development deal…Every time I drive past that site I see derelict lots where we should have hundreds of new homes and jobs.”

“Instead of thoroughly cleaning the canal and building a thriving community there,” Albanese said, “Bill wanted to look the other way while his future campaign contributors covered up the sludge.”

The de Blasio/Bloomberg plan was eventually rejected by the EPA, which has since designated the Gowanus Canal a Superfund site.

(Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)