“A 35 Year Mortgage”

This bird house has most likely been hanging here on this fence post for more
than 35 years. See the story below of the inhabitants with "squatters rights"

Published 3/28/01
Written by Frank Carbone Jr.

“Hudson River PCB Remediation Plans”

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that they will be holding a public comment meeting on the Hudson River PCB Remediation Plan in Newburgh. The meeting is set for Monday April 2, 7:00 pm at Newburgh Free Academy. If you haven’t attended any of the meetings held this year by the EPA I would highly recommend that you attend this meeting and also plan to speak. I have attended about seven meetings this year to date - all related to the PCB Contamination that the EPA says was caused by dumping of PCB’s from the General Electric plants in upstate NY and upriver.

I attended the EPA meeting, earlier this year, in Poughkeepsie where approximately 400 citizens attended and 80 people signed up to speak. A great majority spoke in favor of the EPA Remediation Plan. Subsequent meetings in Haverstraw by the EPA and chaired by US Congressman Ben Gilman was well attended and filmed by 3 TV news crews. Many towns, cities, municipalities diverse organizations are writing resolutions in support of cleaning-up the “hotspots” in the upstate portions of the Hudson River. GE is spending millions to convince citizens that the clean-up is not necessary and that the river will clean itself in time. The EPA states that during the clean-up process downstream monitoring will take place to ensure that additional PCB’s aren’t sent downstream.

I also attended a one day symposium at the Albany Medical College where 7 researchers, PhD’s

and medical professionals presented their findings re PCB impacts on humans.

I have another concern about how NYS has plans to open up Striped Bass Commercial Fishing in the Hudson. A Temporary Advisory Committee (TAC) is currently underway to study this action and present a report to the governor. If this materializes, commercial fishermen will be able to sell their “by-catch” of “striped bass” to fish markets - the same fish that we as recreational fishermen can only eat one meal per month. The same fish that the NYSDOH advises woman of child-bearing age and children eat none.

What concerns me the most is that some folks who may have never attended a single informational meeting are speaking out against the clean-up plan. Certain public servants are either silent or they are stating that they are against the clean-up plans by the EPA. Naturally, GE contributes to the campaigns of many politicos. I am also concerned that the “clean-up or not to clean-up” mindset appears to be going down party lines and this is one of those times that I agree with Governor Pataki - that we must do something to remove the PCB “hotspots” and clean-up the Hudson River. The cost of the project is estimated to be $470 million. Many projects of this size go over budget due to unforeseen problems as we all know - but this is an inexpensive investment for the future of the river, our children and our children’s children. What I haven’t seen mentioned yet is the fact that this project can bring money into many upstate communities in many different ways - so the project can be good for all concerned.
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Last Fall while hunting on the Stewart Buffer Lands I came across an old bird house that had some nest material hanging out of the entrance hole. I touched the nest material and heard a little commotion coming from inside the box. Then suddenly several pairs of eyes and noses appeared in the opening between the roof and the front wall. It turned out to be a family of deer mice that had claimed the bird nest box as their own home - many generations of mice have probably lived in it. The box had been fastened to an old fence post about 5 feet off the ground and was covered with old poison vines. The part that I find amazing is that the box has most likely been there for more than 35 years and it doesn‘t even have the protection of a shingle roof. It was most likely placed there by one of the families who were displaced and forced from their homesteads when NYS politicos and Governor Rockefeller condemned their lands under the guise of eminent domain more than 30 years ago.
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The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Police oversee the Stewart Buffer Lands, AKA the Stewart State Forest, looking for violators of the Conservation Law and illegal users of the Buffer Lands. They are shown here in this column with the ATV’s that they use to patrol the 7,000 acres. It is illegal to use ATV’s on the property.

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I received the following from a friend over the internet - author unknown. Since Earth Day is celebrated April 22 this year I find the following to appropriate:

"If the earth were only a few feet in diameter, floating a few feet above a field somewhere, people would come from everywhere to marvel at it. People would walk around it marveling at its big pools of water, its little pools and the water flowing between the pools. People would marvel at the bumps on it, and the holes in it, and they would marvel at the very thin layer of gas surrounding it and the water suspended in the gas. The people would marvel at all the creatures walking around the surface of the ball, and in the water. The people would declare it precious because it was the only one, and they would protect it so that it would not be hurt. The ball would be the greatest wonder known, and people would come to behold it, to be healed, to gain knowledge, to know beauty and to wonder how it could be. People would love it and defend it with their lives, because they would somehow know that their lives, their own roundness, could be nothing without it. If the earth were only a few feet in diameter." Author Unknown.

We don't appreciate some things until after their gone. . . . Frank
 

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The NYSDEC is offering opportunities for willing and able individuals or groups to participate in various improvement projects on the Stewart State Forest AKA the Stewart Buffer. Projects will focus on the re-opening and maintaining trails and farm lane ways which provide hiking, biking, and horse use on the area.

Project days are scheduled for Sundays, April 22 (which is Earth Day this year), May 20, and Saturday, June 2 (which is National Trails Day). DEC staff will be present to organize and direct participants to project locations. Access to the interior of the state forest for participants will be allowed.

Meeting Place and Time: Assembly at the parking lot at Weed Rd. on Rte. #207. Look for the Stewart State Forest sign. This is the main entrance leading to the hunting check station used in the Fall. Meet at 9 a.m. each day for an orientation and crew assignment. Departure for project sites no later than 9:30. Projects can continue as long as volunteers wish each day, but probably will not last past 3 p.m. at the latest, with a break for lunch at noon. Limited access to the projects sites on the interior of the state forest will be allowed to participants motor vehicles for car pooling and for those who must leave early. In the vent of heavy rain the day’s activities will be canceled.

For more information - call DEC forestry staff at 845-256-3084, 256-3082 or 256-3111.

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Take someone fishing or hiking this year and have a good, successful, dry, opening day - April 1st.

I hope to see you at the EPA PCB meeting in Newburgh on April 2.