Environmental Monitoring

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Environmental Monitoring

Air Quality

Community health and safety is of the utmost importance to the City of New York, the NYC Department of Design and Construction (NYC DDC), and the East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) team. The ESCR project is committed to providing the community with quarterly air quality monitoring summaries throughout construction. In addition to the monitoring, the team has implemented a multi-level approach to Air Quality Management, described in greater depth within the report, which includes:

  1. Air Quality Management Plan
  2. Daily Air Quality Mitigation Techniques
  3. Daily Air Quality Monitoring
  4. Air Quality oversight by environmental specialists

For a quick overview of Air Quality Monitoring for the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project, see the ESCR Air Monitoring factsheet.
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Project 1 Area Quarterly Monitoring Reports

Project 2 Area Quarterly Monitoring Reports

CAG Air Monitoring Summaries

Regular air monitoring updates are provided at Community Advisory Group (CAG) Meetings. The summary slides from those meetings have been assembled below:

Local Law 72

In compliance with Local Law 72, and in an effort for full transparency, the ESCR project will post notice within 5 business days of becoming aware of a hazardous level of lead in soil on the site. These notifications are posted on the DDC Notification for Lead in Soil.

  • 2/1/2024, SANDRESM1
    Executive Summary | Spanish | Chinese
    Field Sampling Summary Report
    During testing of the 14 soil samples collected within the project area, one (1) sample was found to contain hazardous levels of lead exceeding USEPA standards. One sample with a reading of 6.67 mg/L, was collected within in Reach G from a boring fifteen feet below grade in a location to be excavated for the proposed bulkhead. The soil here is underground and undisturbed. The impacted soil will be secured, removed and disposed of to ensure public safety.

  • 9/20/2023, SANDRESM1
    Executive Summary | Spanish | Chinese
    Field Sampling Summary Report
    During testing of the 10 soil samples collected within the project area, two (2) samples were found to contain hazardous levels of lead exceeding USEPA standards. One sample with a reading of 6.35 mg/L, was collected from stockpiled soils that were generated during excavation for pre-trenching in Reach D, stockpiled in Reach C. This was however re-analyzed indicating a new reading of .27 mg/L. The other sample with a reading 28.8 mg/L of was collected from a test pit excavated to 7 feet below grade along FDR Drive and Montgomery Street, under the FDR. The soil here is underground and undisturbed. The impacted soil will be secured, removed and disposed of to ensure public safety.

  • 8/3/2023, SANDRESM1
    Executive Summary | Spanish | Chinese
    Field Sampling Summary Report
    During testing of the 8 soil samples within the project area, one (1) sample came back with TCLP lead detected at 8.47 mg/L which exceeds the USEPA Limit of 5.00 mg/L – soil was collected within Reach F from 5 feet below grade (ftbg) in the location of the proposed Houston Street Retaining Wall. Currently the soil is underground and undisturbed. Once excavation occurs, the impacted soil will be secured and disposed to ensure public safety. Please see documents provided for more information.

  • 5/4/2023, SANDRESPC
    Executive Summary | Spanish | Chinese
    Field Sampling Summary Report
    During the testing of twelve (12) soil samples within the Site, one (1) sample reported a concentration of 5.72 milligrams per liter (mg/L), which exceeds the USEPA Hazardous Waste Limite of 5 mg/L. The impacted area is currently an asphalt-paved street and will remain in place prior to removal and disposal. Please see documents provided for more information.

  • 3/31/2022, SANDRESM1
    Executive Summary | Spanish | Chinese
    Field Sampling Summary Report
    During testing of the 59 soil samples within the project area, one (1) sample came back with minimally elevated hazardous levels of lead exceeding USEPA standards. The sampling was in-situ and the affected soil is underground and undisturbed. Please see documents provided for more information.

Amphitheater Asbestos Abatement

DDC had previously taken 13 samples of materials from inside the amphitheater and found no asbestos. In 2001, the Parks Department did construction at the site and reported no asbestos. However, after this section of the park was fully closed and inaccessible to the public and the above ground structure was removed, a subbasement behind the amphitheater that was previously unknown was discovered. Work was stopped, further testing was done and it was found that some pipe insulation in the subbasement contained asbestos and has to be removed.

As we begin this work, the public's safety is a priority and our team will ensure abatement work will be done in accordance with all local, state, and federal guidelines, and safely contain and dispose of material. All asbestos materials will be isolated and contained in a fully enclosed Containment Zone and within this zone materials will be placed in sealed containers and trucked offsite. In addition to the continued use of air monitors in the work area, a licensed asbestos abatement contractor has been hired and will start work on August 22, 2022. We expect the work to take about six weeks, during which time all regulations for asbestos removal will be followed, including air containment and air monitoring. An independent consultant has been hired to monitor the work.

The public may see workers in Tyvek suits as it is necessary for these individuals to wear protective gear because they will be in close proximity with the asbestos-containing materials on a daily basis. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is also mandatory for their work.

Update: Asbestos abatement work at the amphitheater was completed as of 10/27/2022.