Today, we acquired the appointment and terms of the current City of Kingston Water Board Commissioners Appointments and Terms.
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Corporation Council Andy Zweben: “The City of Kingston is not an “Involved” Agency
By Rebecca Martin
Perhaps the most disappointing letter that I have seen in the past four weeks since beginning this work is one initiated by the City of Kingston’s Corporation Council Andrew Zweben – a public sector lawyer dated 10/24/14 -appears to be working against our Common Council’s memorializing resolution. Why?
DEC Declines Lead Agency Role. Requests the SEQR Action Expand Its Scope.
By Rebecca Martin
Although the DEC declined to take Lead Agency of the SEQR for the proposed Niagara Bottling Company project, they do bring many important things to light in their letter. All of which can help us to ultimately assure a fair SEQR process which is our aim.
ACTION: Contact Martin Brand of DEC Regarding SEQR Action and Lead Agency.
By Rebecca Martin
ACTION: Contact all listed below to alert them that the ACTION in the current Environment Assessment Form (EAF) for SEQR (drafted by Niagara/The Chazen Companies) is too narrow in scope. It does not include the SALE of water from its supply sources in Woodstock to Niagara and is a critical part of the entire project that needs to be environmentally reviewed by SEQR under ONE Lead Agency (that being the DEC) before any decisions can be made or actions taken by any involved agency, including the City of Kingston Water Department.
VIDEO: Kingston Common Council General Government / Public Safety Meeting 10/22/14
By Rebecca Martin
The Town of Ulster Planning Board from 10/21/14. Special thanks to Clark Richters of Kingston News for capturing the evening.
VIDEO: Town of Ulster Planning Board Meeting 10/21/14
By Rebecca Martin
The Town of Ulster Planning Board from 10/21/14. Special thanks to Clark Richters of Kingston News for capturing the evening.
In Solidarity.
By Rebecca Martin
Over the past four weeks KingstonCitizens.org, which was created almost a decade ago to help to connect Kingston residents to its local government so to encourage transparency and better communication, has become the hub for information for our entire region regarding the proposed Niagara Bottling Company project.
Without a doubt, the project concerns are many. But it is the potential of selling our most precious natural resource – the public’s water to a national bottling company – that is our most pressing concern. Sure, many of us would like to eliminate plastic bottles. Some may not be fond of ‘Corporate America’ (as Supervisor Quigley proclaimed last week on-air). But the real problem here….is the concept of selling off the public’s WATER to a national bottling company. You can’t compare it to beer, to milk, to soda. We are talking about millions and millions of gallons of water each day being drained from our water source. There isn’t any comparison.
IMPORTANT MEETING / IMPORTANT VOTE: Kingston Common Council on November 4th at 7:30pm
WHAT
Kingston Common Council Meeting
WHEN
Tuesday, November 4th, 2014
7:30pm
WHERE
Kingston City Hall
Council Chambers
420 Broadway
Kingston, NY
WHY
The Kingston Common Council will vote to pass through two important memorializing resolutions. The first in support of the DEC as Lead Agency of the SEQR process for the proposed Niagara Bottling Company. The second in support of the City of Kingston being listed as ‘involved’ agency in the SEQR process. READ: SEQR: Interested vs. Involved Agencies
Kingston Water Department ‘Will Serve’ Letter Issued on September 15th, 2014
By Rebecca Martin
Today, we received a copy of the the ‘Will Serve’ letter (we had heard others and ourselves had been calling it a ‘Will Share’ letter. The proper term is ‘Will Serve’) issued by the Kingston Water Department to Niagara Bottling, LLC on September 15th, 2014.
It was done the day before Peter Romano of The Chazen Companies gave their presentation to the Town of Ulster Planning Board on September 16th (click on link to listen. Romano’s presentation begins at 1:15:26), 2014. As you recall, the Planning Board that evening agreed to pass ‘Lead Agency’ of the SEQR process along to the Town of Ulster Town Board. A resolution passed on September 18th, 2014 for The Town of Ulster as ‘Lead Agency‘ (click on link to listen. The Town Board discussion on Lead Agency begins at 16:30).
The letter ends by saying “Please let me know if this meets your requirements so that we can execute a more formal agreement that is acceptable to both parties” and “The Board of Water Commissioners looks forward to working with Niagara and welcomes you to the City of Kingston.”
10/21/14: PLANNING BOARD MEETING PRIMER: Town of Ulster Planning Board Meeting regarding Niagara Bottling Facility
By Rebecca Martin
This is a great primer for the Planning Board meeting this evening created by Jennifer Schwartz Berky, a Kingston resident and planning professional. It should help you a great deal in following along.
City of Kingston: Water Supply Permit and Water Supply Applications of 1954 & 1929.
By Rebecca Martin
Recently, we reached out to the DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation) to see if we could receive a copy of the most recent Water Supply Permit by the City of Kingston. They asked that we FOIL (NYS’s Freedom of Information Law) for their records, which we did.
SEQR: Interested vs. Involved Agencies
By Rebecca Martin
Last night the Town of Ulster Town Board expanded both their ‘Involved’ and ‘Interested’ Agency list on a “Revised Resolution on Notice of Intent to Declare Lead Agency” (see pages 38 – 44) for the Niagara Bottling Facility project.
We are disappointed that involved parties don’t also include the Town of Woodstock, City of Kingston and Town of Esopus.
TRANSCRIPT: Town of Ulster Supervisor Addresses the Water Board 10/8/14
By Rebecca Martin
We are pleased to share the transcript of the Town of Ulster Superintendent Jim Quigley addressing the Water Board on 10/8/14 following their Executive Session and after the public had left.
What I Saw, Did You Know? KingstonCitizens.org Wants To Hear From You.
By Rebecca Martin
Over the past couple of weeks, our readership has grown exponentially given the concern of the proposed Niagara Bottling Company project and the amount of information provided here.
With it, citizens have done an impressive job in learning more (and very quickly I might add) to craft thoughtful speeches, ask insightful questions and to do it all with a pointed focus, grace and eloquence.
WHAT TO EXPECT: Town of Ulster Meetings Town Board (10/16) and Planning Board (10/21)
By Rebecca Martin
The following is information on what to expect at the upcoming Town of Ulster Town Board and Planning Board meetings.