Hello Sierrans,

Yes, the Diller Island fiasco had to go—2.7 acres of performance spaces on
the hurricane-prone Hudson River would have been an environmental
disaster. But — what about the other 490 acres of water that are just as likely
to suffer from Irma – or Harvey-like wind and rain and flooding? The water
part of the Hudson River Park needs to be protected.

We must let our elected officials know that it’s time to stop wasting public
money building in the highest risk evacuation zone. The lower Hudson River
is an environmentally critical, disaster-prone marine habitat that must be
protected from development–on its piers or between them or on floats or fills,
all of which have been proposed. The river is no place for buildings.

Call or write to Senator Chuck Schumer, 322 Hart Senate Office Building,
Washington DC 20510, 202-224-6542 and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, 478
Russell, Washington, DC 20510, 202 224-4451, Fax 202 228-0282.

And contact your local officials. Assembly Member Deborah Glick opposed
Diller Island and should be thanked and encouraged to keep protecting the
river. But Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, Congressman Jerry
Nadler, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Governor Andrew Cuomo, Assembly Members
Dick Gottfried and Linda Rosenthal, Public Advocate Tish James,
Comptrollers Scott Stringer and Thomas de Napoli, State Senator Brad
Hoylman, and Council Member Corey Johnson either were silent or supported
Diller Island and/or other real estate development sites in the river. They must
be stopped from throwing public funds at buildings likely to be destroyed by
the weather.

Friends of the Earth, NYPIRG, the Sierra Club (18,000 members in NYC
alone), and Clean Air Campaign all opposed Diller Island—not a small
group! Let the river be a river.

Allison Tupper
Chair
Sierra Club New York City Group