The Saw Mill River Coalition

Meeting Minutes
Monday, May 9, 2005, 10 A.M. to 12:30 P.M.
Campus Center, Pace University, Pleasantville, NY

Present:
Karl Ahlen, Army Corps of Engineers
Robert Baron
Carol Capobianco, Saw Mill River Coalition Allegra Dengler
Robert Goldstein, Riverkeeper
Barbara Kendall, NYS DEC
Lorraine Kuhn,Village of Ardsley
Lawrence Lee, Village of Elmsford
Robert McCrillis, SawMillRiver Audubon
Ann-Marie Mitroff, SawMillRiver Coalition
Jim Moran, City of Yonkers
Joseph Moran, City of Yonkers
Richard Morris, City of Yonkers
Emmett Pepper, Citizens Campaign for the Env Lucille Sciacca, Philipse Manor Hall
Angelo Spillo, Pace University
Victor Tafur, Riverkeeper
James J. Vanoli, Town of Mount Pleasant
Lisa Vasilakos, Westchester County Planning

Introductions:
All present introduced themselves. Among the handouts: registration
forms for the Saw Mill River RATs program and flyers for the
presentation “What’s Happening on the Yonkers Waterfront,” co-sponsored
by Groundwork Yonkers and Beczak.

Special presentation: stormwater refresher course. 
Barbara Kendall, Stormwater Outreach Specialist for the DEC HREP,
reviewed and discussed the Phase II requirements, annual report filing
specifics, available guidance materials, and the reporting and
implementation of measurable goals. Her many informational handouts
included a draft of the Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
model ordinance and outfall and system mapping requirements; a chart
outlining stormwater pollution prevention plan requirements for NY
SPDES general permit for construction activities; and the Stormwater
Management Guidance Manual for Local Officials for construction and
post-construction runoff management.

Among her important points:
• 90 percent of water quality problems are from nonpoint source pollution
• flooding costs $650 million a year in property damage claims in NYS
• keep and treat water on-site before discharging to local waterways
• Phase II annual reports should tell how you are carrying out initial Notice of Intent
• fill in annual reports online but send two printed copies to Albany (only)
• comments from public meetings regarding your stormwater plan must be attached to the annual report
• ultimate responsibility for compliance rests with village/town boards, city councils
• EPA web site has a wealth of educational materials, www.epa.gov/npdes
• working together with other municipalities can be cost effective
• your local watershed group can help you with several aspects of your plan

Barbara
said that in the coming years the state will be taking a harder look at
progress, and she cited two areas in particular: that local stormwater
laws are in place and being implemented, and that municipalities are
showing an increase in measurable goals.

After Barbara’s
presentation, Carol asked the representatives of the municipalities in
attendance to talk about their stormwater needs and how we can work
together to find funding.

Yonkers: Illicit discharge detection
funding and community outreach/education. Jim Moran said it has been
very costly to inspect and verify illegal discharges through the sewers
on their many waterbodies. Up until now, according to Barbara, there
has been no funding source from the state for sewers systems, as the
state has been focusing on septic systems. Yonkers also noted that it
has been marking storm drains on the Bronx River and is working with
the Coalition to do the same on the Saw Mill River.

Karl Ahlen
of the Army Corps of Engineers mentioned that as part of the watershed
management plan work with Westchester County, outfall pipes need to be
checked for sedimentation sources. If municipalities want to piggyback
on this project they can negotiate to join the project as nonfederal
partners.

Town of Mount Pleasant: Funding and readdressing
ordinances. Jim Vanoli reported that the town’s attempts to clean out
catch basins, as mentioned in Phase II BMPs, has been thwarted. His
sub-contractor uses a vacuum-type method that sucks out the catch
basins and shoots the water back into the basin, but he got into legal
trouble with the county. According to Jim, it was said that the water
had to be treated before being sent back into the basin. This put a
serious financial burden on the town. This is an issue that needs to be
addressed.

Ardsley: Funding and outfall mapping. Lorraine Kuhn
said that as a small village with lack of staff and funds, they are
recruiting volunteers to map the storm system.

Elmsford: Flooding and outfall mapping.

Reports

• Army Corps/Westchester County projects: Karl
Ahlen reported that the scoping documents have been finalized and are
on the Army Corps web site. Preliminary wetland mapping of the
restoration sites will be done in May and June. Coordination of the
watershed management plan will also begin. Rep. Nita Lowey officially
requested upward of $400,000 in funding for the 2006 budget, the
results of which won’t be known until after mid-June. The Coalition and
members had sent 11 letters of support for Corps funding to the
Congresswoman in March, which was a great help in the process.

• Intermunicipal cooperation: Ann-Marie
Mitroff, pollution prevention director for the Coalition, reported on
the $15,000 follow-up HREP grant the Coalition received to work toward
an Intermunicipal Agreement (IMA). An IMA drafted by the Coalition was
handed out for municipalities to review. The wording is broad, yet
encompasses issues important to the communities in the watershed, such
as stormwater and flooding. Rather than spending a lot of time on the
wording of the document, she recommended we adopt the agreement quickly
and use the grant money for a joint project, thus putting the IMA into
practice immediately. The Coalition will write a cover letter
explaining the IMA to decisionmakers and Ann-Marie will follow up with
the municipalities.

• Coordinator’s report: Carol reported on several issues of the past quarter.

• Daylighting:
Scenic Hudson has begun the ecological study of the site, and has
offered some of the grant money to the Coalition to help in
facilitating data collection and other aspects.

• River Rats: The Saw Mill River Rats (Restoration Action Team)
program launches with training sessions starting May 14. The
restoration sites will be on county property along the river at
Woodlands Lake in Ardsley. The County Parks Department has become an
integral partner, offering landscape design, training, and biodiversity
study of the sites. The New York Times called and will be doing a story
on the program in the coming weeks. The project is being funded through
a grant from the Westchester Community Foundation and part of the
environmental benefit fund from the DA’s office and Riverkeeper.

• Stormwater outreach:
Coordination of three communities to participate in stormdrain marking
is progressing. The goal is to have the markers in place by summer.

• Land use:
Coordinating intermunicipal meetings with the towns of Mount Pleasant
and Greenburgh and the Village of Elmsford to select mitigation sites
for the proposed DEP UV filtration plant at Grasslands Reserve in the
Saw Mill watershed that will remove 62 acres of trees and impact 3
acres of wetlands. Currently the DEP plans to mitigate outside the
watershed, but we are looking to direct them otherwise. Met with Dobbs
Ferry mayor regarding Akzo Nobel site. Wrote letter to
Hastings-on-Hudson outlining concerns for the proposed development on
the 9A parcel. Carol and representatives from 10 Saw Mill River
communities (including Ann-Marie Mitroff for Dobbs Ferry) are attending
the excellent four-day Pace Land Use Center Leadership Training Course,
courtesy of the DEC HREP, which is sponsoring the workshop.

New business

• Robert Goldstein announced that with part of the $100,000 received from the
Westchester DA’s office (most of which Riverkeeper has directed to the
Coalition), Riverkeeper will develop a Saw Mill River web site. He
would like input from Coalition partners as to what kind of information
they would like to see on the web site. Some immediate thoughts
included Phase II stormwater information. Carol will solicit input from
the Coalition partners.

• Allegra Dengler said that the DOT is cutting trees along the Saw Mill
Parkway, degrading the aesthetics of the parkway and the adjacent South
County Trailway, and yet they are leaving the invasive vines, which can
kill trees and lead to more hazardous situations. The safety issue
along the parkway was raised, including the deaths last year of a young
couple who were killed when a tree fell on their car on the parkway in
Yonkers. Carol will call the DOT to find out their tree maintenance
policy.

Next meeting: September. Specific date to be announced.

Saw Mill River Coalition
May 30, 2003, 10:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.
Beczak Environmental Education Center, Yonkers, NY
Minutes
Attendees: Andy Bicking, Scenic Hudson; Justin Bloom, Riverkeeper;
Carol Capobianco, Saw Mill River Coalition; Scott Cuppett, HR Estuary
Program; Joanne Dittersdorf, NPS Rivers & Trails; Sven Hoeger,
Creative Habitat; Joan Jennings, Yonkers Downtown/Waterfront BID; Pat
Korn, Beczak Environmental Education Center (BEEC); Rick Magder,
Groundwork Yonkers; Dick Manley, BEEC; Diane Miller, Westchester County
Planning Dept., Doug Reed, Hudson Basin River Watch; Marie Rippo,
Groundwork Yonkers; Lucille Sciacca, Philipse Manor Hall; Karis
Tenneson, Westchester County Planning Dept.; Bob Walters, BEEC.
Introductions: Carol Capobianco was introduced as the new project
coordinator for the Saw Mill River Coalition. All present introduced
themselves; new attendees included Riverkeeper, Scenic Hudson, and
Creative Habitat. On behalf of the Coalition, Carol presented Bob
Walters a matted photograph of the Saw Mill River, signed by attendees,
in honor of his retirement from the Beczak and his work as a founder of
the Coalition.
Review of last meeting and updates: Rick Magder recapped the history of
the Saw Mill River Coalition, one of Groundwork’s main projects,
recounting the Hudson River Estuary Grant that allowed for the hiring
of a part-time project coordinator, Carol Capobianco, who began in
March 2003. The immediate objective is to expand the coalition and to
create a 3- to 5-year action plan. Among the long-term goals are
raising the profile of the river through education, expanding
recreational opportunities, monitoring and restoring water quality.
Rick announced that the Coalition was awarded an EPA grant to establish
a wet-weather water quality monitoring program. He will need help from
Coalition members in the coming week to finalize the grant. Question
was raised whether the USGS gage on the Saw Mill River is still active.
Scott and Carol will find out. MS4s were discussed and Dick said the
Coalition should encourage the public to conserve water before large
storms to prevent sewage overflows.
Mission review: Carol presented the current and proposed Mission
Statements for discussion. Suggestions for the proposed Mission
Statement included adding terminology pertaining to sustainable land
use, low-impact development, stewardship. Wording of the statement
should be definable and relatively non-controversial. Andy will send
Carol wording from other mission statements for ideas.
Work plan discussion: Carol asked attendees to send her names of people
and groups that could be brought into or partnered with the Coalition.
Joanne, Scott, and Diane volunteered to form a committee that will work
with Carol in developing a draft watershed action plan for Coalition
approval.
Reports:
• Scott Cuppett spoke about the HREP grants. The Coalition can
apply under numerous categories. He suggested perhaps focusing on
stormwater issues.
 • Karis Tenneson spoke about the Westchester County
Water Monitoring Program. Sites will be monitored on the Saw Mill River
and other county water bodies with volunteers, who must go through a
three-session training program. Two or more Saw Mill River sites will
be determined and monitored according to interest of volunteers.
EPA/Westchester County/Hudson Basin River Watch share the same
protocols. Coalition data could be put into County Water Monitoring
Program database, which could be adapted to include storm data
parameters.. In discussing the Coalition’s planned water quality
monitoring program under the EPA grant, Sven mentioned that the project
should have relevance to get public support. We should determine “What
are we trying to find out?” Baseline? Fisheries health? Water quantity?
Doug noted that coordinating volunteers for water monitoring in
addition to other tasks is too big a job for one person. HBRW will
help. Saunders High students will do the monitoring; Irvington and
Hastings high schools have also expressed interest. Additional
volunteers may be needed, especially after storm events. Continued…
Page 2
• Pat Korn described the fish study being done on the Saw Mill
River through an Estuary Grant awarded the Beczak. John Klonowski and
Tony Pappantoniou of Lehman College will carry out the study. The study
may also compare the fish found in the Saw Mill River to those found in
the Bronx River.
• Joanne Dittersdorf reported on the meeting she and
Carol had with restoration specialists from the National Park Service.
Carol and Joanne led the group to eight sites along the lower end of
the Saw Mill River to discuss possible restoration projects. Many are
long-term challenges. Joanne shared a brochure of two “success
stories,” one in Kansas and one in Michigan, of daylighting rivers.
• Diane Miller reported that the County has been working with the Army
Corps of Engineers on a management plan for the Saw Mill River, which
will include restoration project sites. She encouraged the Coalition to
get involved in the planning process. A Reconnaissance study for flood
control and ecosystem restoration was done in 1999. The Feasibility
study will take approximately 40 months to complete. There are
preliminary designs for two restoration projects — Woodlands Lake and
the Stump Dump.
Old business: Diane would like the Coalition to revisit Streamwalk.
New business:
• Justin reported on the Draft EIS for the proposed Home
Depot in Mount Pleasant, which would denude 15 forested acres.
• Carol showed a photograph of a dumping site along the banks of the river in
Ardsley, seen from the South County Trailway bike path, to discuss the
Coalition’s role in such matters. It was noted that the Coalition needs
to become a facilitator; to coordinate all the efforts of Coalition
members, tapping into each organization’s strengths; to raise the
public’s awareness of the river and of pollution; and perhaps to have a
hotline for the public to report dumping, etc. At this time, the
Coalition does not have the staff do support a hotline. Justin
mentioned that the County has hired Ron Gatto as Director of
Environmental Security. Reports can be sent to him or to Riverkeeper’s
hotline.
 • Doug announced a training workshop in Warrensburg, NY,
August 18-24
 • Sven suggested reviewing the Center for Watershed
Conservation web site to learn the latest techniques for reducing
stormwater runoff.
Next meeting: Friday, July 25, 10:00 A.M. Location to be determined.

Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, October 24, 2007, 9:30 AM
Greenburgh Town Hall, Greenburgh, NY

Present: 
Rob Baron, Groundwork Hudson Valley
Nicola Coddington, Village of Irvington
Roni Cohen, Saw Mill River Coalition
Christopher Crane, WC BOL Committee on the Environment
Ken Greehan, City of Yonkers DPW
Peter Klein, FIDELCO Realty Group, Yonkers
Dave Kvinge, WC Planning Department
Lorraine Kuhn, Village of Ardsley
Bill Lawyer, Greenburgh Nature Center
Don Marra, Dobbs Ferry
Ann-Marie Mitroff, Saw Mill River Coalition
Jim Moran, City of Yonkers Engineering Department
Lynn Oliva, Saw Mill River Coalition
Aaron Schmidt, Town of Greenburgh
Larry Schopfer, Village of Irvington
Josh Verleun, Riverkeeper

Introductions & Handouts: 
All present introduced themselves.  In addition to the agenda,
handouts included a summary of the EPA Targeted Watersheds grant tasks,
an overview of the EPA Wetland Protection grant, a flyer for the
November 10 Free-A-Tree vinecutting and river cleanup event, a
Coalition magnet with the names of all the municipal members on it, and
a Coalition informational bulletin about environmentally sound ways to
wash cars and trucks.

EPA Targeted Watersheds Grant: 
Ann-Marie Mitroff indicated that the Coalition was recently notified by
EPA that its grant application was among 15 selected nationwide from
approximately 140 submissions.  Prior to a final and formal award
announcement, the Coalition must submit a detailed work program and
budget to the EPA Region 2 office.  The Coalition staff intends to
submit that by the end of November with the formal award expected in
early 2008.  A big part of today’s meeting is to get input from
Coalition members on the scope of the various tasks.  Meeting
participants also handed in their suggestions about work program
elements.

The following grant tasks were discussed.  Fecal Coliform “Hot Spots” Reduction: 
Elevated levels of fecal coliform have been found in locations in
Yonkers and New Castle during non-storm events.  Ms. Mitroff
indicated that the Town of New Castle has already contacted her about
meeting to address this problem.  Ken Greehan suggested that baggy
dispensers, receptacles, and signs about the need to properly dispose
of pet waste be placed along the South County trailway as a lot of pet
waste can be observed there.  Floatables and Car Wash Public Education:   
The Coalition hopes to work with schools on developing a public
education program with an emphasis on reducing plastics.  Maybe
schools could have fundraisers by selling permanent/reusable water
bottles with the school’s name on it.  Don Marra felt this should
be approached the way Westchester County did with recycling 25 years
ago by working with schools and students who helped bring the message
home to parents.  The environmental problems from fund raising car
wash events will also be a focus.  Ms. Mitroff noted that a recent
Washington State report discussed the severe impact of driveway car
washing on Puget Sound.  David Kvinge stated that this is also a
problem in Westchester because of the high level of phosphates in car
washing detergents.  Unfortunately, there are no readily
available, mass produced and cost effective alternative products. 
The recently released Croton Plan recommended the joint purchase of
some inflatable vehicle washing equipment that could be shared by
municipalities.  Registering public car wash events and giving out
green car wash certificates were other ideas.  Best Management Practice Demonstration Sites: 
Ms. Mitroff asked municipalities to think about sites they could make
available for the installation of on the ground conservation and
restoration practices which can be viewed by residents, businesses, and
officials in the watershed.  Potential projects include green
roofs, rain gardens, gutter and parking lot retrofits.  Aaron
Schmidt stated that Greenburgh has been making a concerted effort to
get developers and businesses to incorporate these types of things as
part of the Town’s permitting and approval process.  Peter Klein
noted that it is often easier and more cost effective for big
organizations such as his to do this than small businesses. 
Fidelco has a LEEDS (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
green rating systems) trained staff which a Mom and Pop organization
would not.  Nicola Coddington urged the Coalition to prepare and
distribute a simple toolkit of regulations and practices which
residents and officials could easier refer to solve these
problems.  Mr. Kvinge stated that the County received an EPA
Stormwater Public Education grant which will do exactly that.  He
expects the materials to be available in Spring 2008.   Ms.
Mitroff  that having projects in neighborhoods is a goal so the
public can see how things can be done in a residential setting. 
Daylighting of the Saw Mill River in Yonkers: 
A series of brainstorming meetings is being organized to get input on
the design parameters for a trail along the proposed daylighted Saw
Mill River from the proposed Chicken Island/Riverpark Center through
Larkin Plaza. South County Trailway Site Restoration:  Restoring an area between the
River and the South County Trailway just north of the Farragut Avenue
(Exit 13 north), Hastings trailway parking lot is planned.  An
investigation of additional sites in Dobbs Ferry and  Ardsley is
also anticipated.  Community Benefits Agreement (CBAs): 
Ms. Mitroff indicated that the Coalition wanted to explore this concept
wherein municipalities in the watershed would get together and come up
with a list of priority restoration projects.  As part of the
process for getting their construction projects approved, developers
would be asked to financially contribute or physically undertake one of the restoration or stormwater improvement projects on the Coalition’s restoration priority list.
Watershed Tour:  A day long or series of bus tours will be
organized for Coalition members to see first hand and get a better
understanding of the land uses and natural features contributing to
watershed wide stormwater and flooding problems.

Wetlands Study Overview: 
The Coalition has received a grant from EPA to review existing
information on the location of major wetlands within the watershed as
well as municipal wetland regulations.  This is in the early
stages of preparation and municipalities are being contacted for
information.

Land Use Project: 
The Coalition received a grant from the Hudson River Estuary Program to
prepare maps and collect data on land uses along the River.  The
focus will be on identifying vacant and industrial type lands within
500’ or so of the river.  The study will include field work to
identify environmental site conditions such as presence of garbage and
pollutants as well as lands that might be candidates for special
protection and/or development guidelines.  Ms. Mitroff asked for
suggestions on criteria to help judge what parcels might need
protection.  David Kvinge suggested that the Coalition first
identify what its priority goals are for the river (eg flood abatement,
pollution prevention, biodiversity, open space preservation, wetlands
protection, safety, recreation, increased ratables, improve traffic
flow).  Once the goals are agreed upon and prioritized, you can
better define the attributes you want to protect and the criteria
associated with them.  Peter Klein noted that there will probably
be different priorities and values for different areas within the
watershed.  For example brownfields contamination would be an
issue in Yonkers but not in other communities.  Bill Lawyer stated
that based on projects he has done, the fieldwork could be very time
consuming and that many people would probably be needed to work on
it.  Greenburgh has a Seniors WISE group that helped him on a
project.

Other: 
The next free-a-tree vinecutting is scheduled for November 10.  A
list of dates and location will be posted on the Coalition’s
website.  The Coalition has also been awarded a grant from the
Westchester Community Foundation to do a fish survey.

Saw Mill River Coalition
Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, October 28, 2003, 10:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M
Pace University, Pleasantville, NY
PRESENT: Justin Bloom, Riverkeeper; Carol Capobianco, Saw Mill River
Coalition; Scott Cuppett; NYSDEC Hudson River Estuary Program; Ray
Curran, Scenic Hudson; Allegra Dengler, Dobbs Ferry and Sierra Club;
Joanne Dittersdorf, NPS Rivers & Trails; Ron Gatto, Westchester
County Environmental Security; Joan Jennings, Yonkers
Downtown/Waterfront BID; Dave Kvinge, Westchester County Planning
Dept.; Rick Magder, Groundwork Yonkers; Dick Manley, Beczak
Environmental Education Center; Diane Miller, Westchester County
Planning Dept.; Ann-Marie Mitroff, Dobbs Ferry; Charlene Paden, Beczak
and Dobbs Ferry LWRP; Bob Pavone, Westchester County Environmental
Security; Marie Rippo; Groundwork Yonkers; Lucille Sciacca, Philipse
Manor Hall State Historic Site; Angelo Spillo, Pace Environmental
Center
INTRODUCTIONS: All present introduced themselves. There were many new
faces among the attendees. Carol thanked Angelo Spillo, director of the
Pace Environmental Center, for hosting the coalition at the university.
This was our first meeting at this new venue, fulfilling the mandate to
move the meetings to a more central location within the watershed.
Angelo spoke briefly about the Environmental Center. Marie Rippo of
Groundwork Yonkers once again recorded the minutes.
REVIEW OF LAST MEETING AND UPDATES:
Minutes of last meeting were accepted.
• The coalition now has a wonderful 30×40 map of the Saw Mill River
watershed, courtesy of Diane Miller and the Westchester County Planning
Department. It was on display at the meeting.
 • The fish study of the
Saw Mill River, conducted by Dr. Tony Pappantoniou of Lehman College
and the Beczak, has been completed. Tony will send a copy of the report
to Carol. He noted in an email that “very little has changed since the
last survey,” which was in 1989.
• Carol reported on the environmental
debate between the Yonkers mayoral candidates, Joe Farmer and Phil
Amicone, sponsored by the League of Conservation Voters, which Carol
and Rick attended. They had provided the League with questions for the
candidates relative to the Saw Mill River.
REPORTS:
 • Dave Kvinge, the new director of Environmental Planning for Westchester County, reported
on the management plan the County and Army Corps has begun for the Saw
Mill River. The plan started as a capital improvement project centered
on creating the missing link of the bike trail. And while ecosystem
restoration is the focus, at the request of a Greenburgh resident,
flood control will be looked at as well. The plan is scheduled for
completion in 2006. The county will be deciding on strategy and
responsibilities in the next month or two. A kick-off meeting will
follow at which time the coalition will be invited to take part. Justin
asked if the scope of the study has already been defined and if other
issues can be brought up. Dave recommended that the coalition get its
concerns on record by writing him a letter with our comments and ideas
so that it can be on file and shown to the Army Corps. Rick requested
that the coalition be involved in the planning process, since we
reflect a good working group of parties in the watershed, and asked if
Dave could facilitate this. Other coalition members voiced concerns of
the Army Corps’ history in flood management; encouraged the county to
incorporate stormwater measures and retrofits; suggested that the
coalition can be helpful in community outreach on stormwater issues;
and encouraged signage for the trail. Dave said he would have more
information at our next meeting.
• Ron Gatto, Deputy Sheriff and
Director of Environmental Security for Westchester County who was
accompanied by officer Bob Pavone, reported on the work of the
relatively new department, his background, and of his patrol of the Saw
Mill River watershed. The department was created about a year and a
half ago by the County Executive, who Ron said feels that Westchester
should be
No. 1 in protecting the environment. Providing security for wastewater
treatment plants and protecting the rivers of the county are a large
part of Ron’s job. He works with environmental groups and does some
outreach to the community. He has been over the Saw Mill River by
helicopter and will follow-up on sightings that looked improper. He
said that coalition members should call him if they see something that
needs investigating. Carol will write a letter to the County Executive
thanking him for starting the environmental unit and in support of the
program.
• Rick Magder, executive director of Groundwork Yonkers,
sponsor of the coalition, reported on grants. HREP grant 2001: This
grant provided the initial funding for Carol’s position and calls for
expanding the coalition beyond Yonkers and throughout the watershed and
for developing an action plan. Carol and Joanne have created a rough
draft plan that is being worked on by committee. Rick said the
coalition is much stronger than it was a year ago. He said we would
hold meetings quarterly rather than bimonthly, beginning with our next
meeting. HREP grant 2003: The coalition has received this additional
grant through the estuary program to create an intermunicipal agreement
in the watershed. EPA grant: This grant is for creating a stormwater
monitoring program. Besides Saunders High students, we may get an
Americorps volunteer for four to eight weeks in the spring. The grant
provides some money for interns and for transportation as well. Carol
will convene a committee that will develop the methodology by the end
of February. To find more funding for the coalition’s work, members
suggested looking into corporate sponsorship and approaching United
Water, a drinking water supplier. Ray Curran, senior planner for Scenic
Hudson, and Justin Bloom, staff attorney for Riverkeeper, reported on
their adventure walking the underground section of the Saw Mill River,
a length of about one-third of a mile, from just above Chicken Island
to the river’s mouth at the Hudson River, in Yonkers. Ray and Justin
described their journey of what is known as The Flume. The discussion
was highlighted by pictures of the trip taken by Hudson River
photographer (and Carol’s husband) Joseph Squillante, who had
accompanied them. The walk was a “challenging voyage,” because of the
darkness, the rocky bottom, the rapidly flowing water, and the drop of
about 50 feet, half of that along the last 800 feet. Though they did
not note any illegal discharge pipes, they did see plenty of garbage.
Opportunities are ripe for public access, restoration, and improved
water quality. Joan Jennings said she has a PowerPoint presentation of
the river and Yonkers before 1922, the year the Army Corps built The
Flume.
• Ray Curran reported on his investigation of daylighting
possibilities of the Saw Mill River. He sees two sections as having the
most potential. — Chicken Island, site of the proposed stadium. Ray did
an analysis of the current plan and found that if the stadium was moved
10 feet and 2 degrees and if some of the retail was relocated, the site
could accommodate opening the river. He acknowledged that the project
is far along, but a developer has not yet been selected so the
possibility still exists. — Larkin Plaza, city owned property. This is
a good site for daylighting: No buildings are atop the area, just a
parking lot, and the new municipal lot can replace the lost parking
spots. Scott suggested that if it can be shown that daylighting would
increase habitat, DEC Hudson River habitat people would be interested.
Rick said to be more persuasive with the city’s administration, we need
to provide a summary of case studies from other cities that have had
success daylighting their rivers, such as San Antonio and Providence,
so that we can show the economic benefits. Joan will work with Ray on
the development of such a fact sheet. Lucille would like to see an
educational element about the Saw Mill River incorporated at the
site, making the stadium area viable year-round not just during the
baseball season. This could be an adjunct to the Philipse Manor Hall
program. Ray will let us know what the coalition can do to help the
daylighting project. It was agreed that nothing should be done until
after the November elections.
ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
• Action plan:
In committee for further development. Carol will solicit specific
project ideas from members to be included in the plan.
 • Logo: Design
has been put on hold until the group has decided on its name.
• Name change: Those present voted for their top three choices of the
submitted name candidates. Carol will collate the ballots and send the
top three choices to all coalition members for the final selection of a
name.
NEW BUSINESS: Allegra Dengler reported on the Village of Dobbs
Ferry’s plans to develop a DPW garage at the old Carvel site near the
Saw Mill River, along the parkway. The project, which has been sent out
to bid, would include the excavation of a significant portion of a
steep rock face. Justin submitted a FOIA request, which he will review.
The town did a negative declaration on an earlier EIS, but there is a
question on whether a new EIS should be done to include the larger
scope of the project. Riverkeeper is concerned about the impacts on
water quality, especially because of the steep slope and significant
acreage involved and because the activity of a garage is associated
with pollution. At the very minimum, Diane suggested that because of
the new stormwater regulations, Dobbs Ferry needs to be persuaded to
institute best practices, state of the art equipment, low impact
development, etc. to keep the river from being polluted. Carol will
draft a letter from the coalition to the Village of Dobbs Ferry listing
our concerns.
NEXT MEETING: End of January. Specific date to be announced.

Saw Mill River Coalition
Meeting Minutes
August 1, 2003, 10:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.
Beczak Environmental Education Center, Yonkers, NY
Present: Carol Capobianco, Saw Mill River Coalition; Ray Curran, Scenic
Hudson; Joanne Dittersdorf, NPS Rivers & Trails; Diana Hesse,
Hudson Valley Regional Council; Rick Magder, Groundwork Yonkers; Dick
Manley, Beczak Environmental Education Center; Tony Pappantoniou,
Lehman College; Marie Rippo; Groundwork Yonkers; Lucille Sciacca,
Philipse Manor Hall
Introductions: All present introduced themselves. New faces included
Dr. Tony Pappantoniou of Lehman College, who is leading the fish study
along the Saw Mill River, and Ray Curran, senior planner for Scenic
Hudson. Marie Rippo of Groundwork Yonkers once again recorded the
minutes.
Review of last meeting and updates: Minutes of last meeting
accepted as amended. In answer to a question at our last meeting, Carol
reported that the USGS gage on the Saw Mill is not active, but might be
reactivated with federal money during the next National Water Quality
Assessment program. The decision will be made after October 2003.
Operation and maintenance cost for a standard gage is $18,000. Carol
passed around the photo of a dumping site she had shown at the last
meeting and a Westchester County news release forwarded by Justin Bloom
of Riverkeeper, which reported that the owner of the Ardsley property
was issued a summons and faces a fine and/or jail. Ron Gatto, the
county’s Director of Environmental Security, carried out the
investigation.
Those present agreed with Justin’s suggestion that the
coalition write a letter to the county executive thanking him for
increased environmental enforcement. Carol will draft the letter and
also invite Ron Gatto to a future coalition meeting. Tony reported that
there is a lot of trash caught in downed trees in the river near the
Lawrence Street exit and Azko Nobel, south of Ardsley. Sites such as
these need to be cleaned up, under the guidance of the coalition, with
the help of volunteers, state agencies, and local businesses. Joanne
suggested that a management plan for the river would help set criteria
for how to maintain the river. Question arose about who is responsible
for such cleanups — the DEC, the DOT, private property owners?
Discussion ensued on who owns the land and water. Need clarification.
Dick mentioned that small steps increase visibility. Rick mentioned
that this year the coalition aims to expand and develop an action plan
and outreach.
Identity: Joanne is contracting with a designer to create a logo for
the coalition. Dick noted we should make sure the logo can still be
readable when reduced for envelopes and clear enough to be faxed,
copied, etc. Dick then shared his belief that the name Saw Mill River
Coalition is ill defined, and proposed that we change the name of the
group to one that reflects who we are and what we do. He used the
Hackensack Riverkeeper as an example of an effective name and
organization and suggested we consider becoming a “Riverkeeper.” Ray
agreed that names are important and should describe who we are and what
we do, Saw Mill River Restoration Coalition, for example.
The group indicated that when you have an action verb in the name it gets people
more involved. Joanne mentioned that the Bronx River Alliance was
called the Bronx River Working Group until deciding on its current
name. It was readily agreed that the name of the coalition should be
changed. Carol will get feedback from others in the coalition, and we
will discuss it further at a future meeting. Some suggestions: Saw Mill
River Restoration Coalition — Saw Mill River Stewards — Saw Mill
Riverkeeper (or River Keeper) Riverkeeper is trademarked; Joanne will
research. Dick thought we should continue working on the logo and
substitute the name change when it happens. Some suggested that perhaps
we could design just the words “Saw Mill River.” Joanne noted that we
should make a decision about what words are needed in the design before
we start the design process.
She will work with the designer on this. In the interest of time,
discussion of the mission statement was tabled for a future meeting.
Carol asked for input on letter-writing protocol. The need for a
process arose when she and Rick were drafting a letter on behalf of the
coalition in response to the Final EIS for the Yonkers stadium. The
coalition had not previously discussed a response, but Carol felt it was absolutely
in order, since the planned project would be built on the Saw Mill
River’s banks just a few blocks from the coalition’s headquarters.
Considerations include whether (and when) to get involved in a
particular issue, what the tone should be, who should sign on to the
letter, etc. Suggestions included keeping abreast of issues so that the
coalition can discuss them ahead of time, and sending out action alerts
so that member organizations can draft individual letters as well, such
as Riverkeeper did in the Yonkers stadium instance. The subject will be
discussed further at a future meeting. Some requested a copy of the
coalition’s letter. Carol will email a copy to all members. Ray asked
if the coalition would like to daylight the river; it was determined
yes, most definitely. Rick mentioned his discussions on the subject
with the city. Ray will ask the Planning Dept. for a map of the
underground portion of the river.
Reports:
• Rick Magder said funding for the EPA grant that has been awarded won’t begin until December or
January, later than expected. However, we can begin project planning
before then. He also submitted a proposal for another HREP grant, to
develop an intermunicipal agreement. He also emphasized the need to
keep Carol’s staff position funded.
• Tony Pappantoniou reported on the
findings to date of the Saw Mill River fish study. He and John
Klonowski have collected 16 species this year, down from the 22 they
had identified in the 1989 fish study. He’s not particularly worried
about the difference, because it may reflect a later start and shorter
collecting period this time around. They found 2- to 3-inch brown
trout, which are smaller than the size of the stocked trout, leading
him to believe that some of the stocked trout survived and spawned. The
most prevalent species have been white suckers and black-nose dace. The
most diverse area so far has been in Hastings-on-Hudson, across from
the Manor House, where six or seven species were found, as were 12
sunfish nests. He’ll have a full report at a later date. Tony suggested
the coalition seek publicity for the study. Carol mentioned that she
and Pat Korn had spoken about doing so at the end of the study, as a
lead-in to the talk Tony and John will be giving about the study at the
Beczak. Tony showed a copy of a study guide for students and teachers,
“An Illustrated Field Guide to the Aquatic Fauna of the Bronx River,”
produced by Lehman under a NOAA grant. He suggested we look into NOAA
funding. He also recommended that to get a good understanding of what
lives in the river, the fish study should be done continuously for
three to four years. He welcomes partnering with the coalition for
future projects.
 • Carol reported that she and Justin Bloom tubed the
Saw Mill River from Chappaqua to Pleasantville, and that Justin
documented pipe drainages into the river along the way.
 • Carol reported that the Saw Mill River won’t be monitored this summer through
the county’s Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program because only
two people showed up at the training session at the Beczak. Karis
Tenneson from the planning department, who attended last meeting, said
that if the coalition can rally at least 10 interested volunteers, she
will consider doing a special training session.
 • Carol reported that Diane Miller said the Army Corps proposal is not yet finalized.
Old business: Dick asked if the coalition has a map of the Saw Mill
River watershed. Carol has been attempting to find a good map of such.
Rick indicated that the county has a map, though
it may not be up-to-date. Ray will find out how Scenic Hudson designs
maps of watersheds. Both he and Dick mentioned that there is a
Westchester County Atlas/Roadmap that shows the Saw Mill River.
New business:
 • As a follow-up to the coalition’s desire to hold its
meetings in a more centralized location, Carol has been scouting out
new venues. Possible sites include Rockefeller Preserve (winter months
to avoid parking fee) and Pace University, Pleasantville. She will
continue looking into these and other possibilities.
• Carol has been alerted to a proposed public works garage in Dobbs Ferry. She will look
into the issue.
• Carol has compiled a list of Saw Mill River studies
and asked that coalition members look at the list and see if they know
of additional studies that have been done. She will email the list to
all members.
• Joanne announced that the coalition must apply to the
Rivers & Trails program by September 1 to continue receiving
support and assistance from the program. Carol will submit the request.