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The Official Word

Announcements From the Public Officials of District 51



LARVICIDE APPLICATION BY HELICOPTER SCHEDULED FOR MARSH AND WETLAND AREAS OF STATEN ISLAND

NEW YORK CITY - June 17, 2004 - The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) announced today that it will apply larvicide for mosquito control to marsh areas of Staten Island. The larvicide will be applied on Sunday, June 20 through Tuesday, June 22, between the hours of 6:00 A.M. - 9:00 P.M., weather permitting. If weather doesn't permit (e.g., high winds or rain), larviciding will begin on the next possible day weather permits. While three days are allotted for this activity, the application may be completed in less time.

The areas to be treated (see attached map) include: Goethals North; Chelsea/Con Ed West, Chelsea East; Corporate Park; Corporate Park North; La Tourette; Port Mobile; Saw Mill Marsh; and Saw Mill Marsh North. Due to their size and difficulty to reach by ground vehicles, these areas will be treated with larvicides from a low-flying helicopter. This is the first aerial application of larvicide in the City this year. There is no ground spraying for adult mosquitoes planned at this time.

The larvicide products - VectoLex CG and AquaBac CG, natural bacterial agents - are the products DOHMH will use for this aerial application. VectoLex and AquaBac will be used throughout the mosquito season to treat mosquito breeding sites. Additional surveillance activity is currently being conducted to determine whether further application of larvicide in these areas will be necessary.

DOHMH Recommendations to Control Mosquitoes


* Eliminate any standing water that collects on your property:

* Dispose of containers that can collect standing water.
* Make sure roof gutters drain properly.
* Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor saunas and hot tubs. Keep empty and cover if not in use.
* Drain water that collects in pool covers.
* Change water in bird baths every 3 to 4 days.
* Turn over plastic wading pools and wheelbarrows when not in use.
* Remove discarded tires on your property.

* Remind or help neighbors to eliminate breeding sites on their properties.
* Repair or replace all screens that have tears and holes.




To report dead birds online, visit: http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/wnv/wnvbird.html.

To report standing water online, visit: http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/wnv/wnvwater.html.

For more information, call 311 or visit nyc.gov/health/wnv.



66-YEAR-OLD STATEN ISLAND MAN TESTS POSITIVE FOR WEST NILE VIRUS

NEW YORK CITY - July 14, 2004 - The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) today announced that a 66-year-old man from the Great Kills section of Staten Island is the first New Yorker to become ill from West Nile virus (WNV) this year. As previously planned, DOHMH will be conducting aerial larviciding of marsh and wetland areas of Staten Island this Thursday through Saturday, weather permitting.

Following standard protocol, DOHMH is increasing mosquito surveillance and analysis of dead bird reports in surrounding areas in Staten Island to determine whether and where spraying pesticides is necessary. Because of heightened numbers of mosquitoes, DOHMH is also increasing application of larvicide on Staten Island. Additionally, Health Department staff will step up distribution of information in Staten Island this week about the importance of taking precautions against mosquitoes, although New Yorkers in all boroughs are urged to take personal precautions.

The 66-year-old man began exhibiting symptoms consistent with West Nile infection including fever and confusion on June 21, was hospitalized on July 6 and was subsequently diagnosed with encephalitis (an inflammation of the brain). He remains hospitalized, but is recovering.

DOHMH Commissioner Dr. Thomas Frieden, MD, MPH said, "West Nile season appears to have arrived early this year. While this individual resides on Staten Island, mosquitoes can easily travel between boroughs, so the message to those at risk remains the same: all New Yorkers - particularly those over the age of 50 - should take simple steps to protect themselves. The Health Department is increasing monitoring and control activities in the area, including educational efforts." In addition to distributing information to Staten Island residents, the Department has already scheduled 170 presentations throughout the City to help older New Yorkers protect themselves from West Nile infection.

Dr. Frieden advised New Yorkers, especially those over 50, to take personal precautions against mosquitoes:

* If outside at dusk or dawn, wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and socks.
* Consider the use of an insect repellent containing DEET. Use DEET according to the manufacturer's directions.
* Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or holes.


Elderly New Yorkers are most susceptible to serious, life-threatening illnesses from WNV - including encephalitis and meningitis. Dr. Frieden also encouraged New Yorkers to eliminate standing water from around the home, and to report dead birds to DOHMH by calling 311 or online at nyc.gov/health.

Recommendations to Reduce Exposure To Mosquitoes Around Your Home

* Eliminate any standing water that collects on your property.
* Dispose of containers that can collect standing water (e.g., empty garbage containers and lids, buckets, cans, flower pots, items where water collects).

* Make sure roof gutters drain properly.
* Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor saunas and hot tubs. Keep empty and cover if not in use.
* Drain water that collects in pool covers.
* Change water in birdbaths every 3 to 4 days.
* Turn over plastic wading pools and wheelbarrows when not in use.
* Remove discarded tires on your property.

* Remind or help neighbors to eliminate breeding sites on their properties.


To report dead birds, standing water, or for more information about West Nile virus, call 311 or visit nyc.gov/health/wnv.



City Planning: Plans for Fresh Kills Public Use

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg...announced the official kick-off of the $3.38-million Master Plan process that will map out the future use of the 2,200-acre Fresh Kills site on Staten Island. The creation of a Master Plan will in two years create a blueprint for reclaiming the largest landfill in the country for public uses, and will begin with a public outreach program. The process to plan new uses for Fresh Kills will be conducted by a multi-disciplinary team led by Field Operations, a landscape architecture and urban design firm. Staten Island Borough President Jim Molinaro, City Planning Director Amanda M. Burden, Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty, Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe, elected officials and other civic leaders joined the Mayor at the College of Staten Island for the announcement to urge the public to take part in creating a vision for the future of the site.

"Today represents a significant milestone in returning the landfill to the public domain," said Mayor Bloomberg. "We are marking the beginning of a new era for the site, and the City is committed to moving ahead with the process of reclaiming this complex site, long considered by Staten Islanders to be a blight to the borough into an asset for generations to come. New Yorkers can look forward to a day when they can enjoy its open spaces and the recreational uses that will be provided here. The public will have the opportunity to participate in meetings and will be part of the transformation every step of the way…"

"The reclamation of Fresh Kills is the biggest expansion of the Parks system since the creation of the 5,000 Bronx parks network in the 1890's," said Parks Commissioner Benepe. "It will set a new standard for the transformation of former landfills into beautifully landscaped public parks. With its undulating topography, extensive wetlands and navigable waterways, Fresh Kills will provide New Yorkers with a vast array of recreational amenities, while it expands the rich habitat of the Staten Island Greenbelt and William T. Davis Wildlife Refuge."

Over the coming months the New York City-based Field Operations, led by landscape architect James Corner, will be acquiring greater technical knowledge of the landfill site, its ecology and recreational opportunities, and its roads and other infrastructure in order to refine the conceptual design. City Planning and the design team will initiate a public outreach program to identify local concerns and needs. This month interviews will begin with government officials and community leaders to learn their concerns and hopes for the future park. In January 2004, the first public meetings will be held to discuss the conceptual plan with the community and get feedback, which will be used to develop the Master Plan. The community has already made suggestions for active and passive recreation at Fresh Kills such as field and court sports, golf, boating, a nature preserve, greenways and equestrian trails. Another priority is the upgrading of existing landfill roadways to connect them to public streets; this, community leaders say, will help alleviate the Island's traffic congestion.

The consultant contract requires ongoing consultation and reporting with community participants as well as partners for the project, which include the Department of Sanitation, which is funding the Master Plan, the City's Departments of Parks and Recreation, and Cultural Affairs, as well as the Municipal Art Society, the State's Departments of State and Environmental Conservation, and the Staten Island Borough President. Incorporating land use and environmental/regulatory review, the Master Plan contract has 3 phases, the first of which officially begins today and will be completed in June 2005.

This two-year first phase includes community outreach, planning, design and regulatory services leading to the Proposed Master Plan. An Environmental Assessment Statement  and Public Scoping Document for the Environmental Impact Statement will be produced during this phase.

Phase 2 covers work involved in the adoption of the Master Plan. It will take approximately 18 months to complete the environmental and land use review procedures…and a Final Master Plan.

Phase 3 is implementation of the first elements of site redevelopment. The specifics will be decided as part of the Master Plan process.

The consultant is charged with creating a flexible plan for a safe and well-functioning environment that responds to the different topographies, engineering issues and ecologies of the Fresh Kills site. The Master Plan contract also calls for creation of financial and stewardship plans to facilitate implementation, management and operation of the site.

It is projected that some areas of Fresh Kills, with immediate planning and design, could be turned to beneficial use in as few as 5 years. Eventually, through construction in phases, it is envisioned that the site will be reborn as a park. The 2200-acre Fresh Kills site, located on the western shore of Staten Island, is almost three times the size of Central Park, and was officially closed as a landfill in 2001.



Homepage of the Community Gazette for District 51










THE OFFICIAL WORD
FOR DISTRICT 51

66-YEAR-OLD STATEN ISLAND MAN TESTS POSITIVE FOR WEST NILE VIRUS
(Jul 15, 2004)

LARVICIDE APPLICATION BY HELICOPTER SCHEDULED FOR MARSH AND WETLAND AREAS OF STATEN ISLAND
(Jul 15, 2004)

City Planning: Plans for Fresh Kills Public Use
(Nov 04, 2003)

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