We finally did get a final decision by Justice Betty Stinson on the Order to Show Cause that many community groups and individuals brought against the NYC DEP for trying to go against a promise they made to the people in 2004. Now we know that 2004 is a long time ago, and that there are all new people working at the NYC DEP, but that is no excuse for thinking they could BLAST adjacent to the Jerome Park Reservoir on parkland, right across the street from the Bronx High School of Science.

You can read the decision on the WaterBlogged site at: http://www.waterblogged.org/judges-decision-dep-stated-no-blasting-issued-a-reasonable-study/

In not so many words, the decision said that the issue of blasting was withdrawn by the agency two business days before they appeared in court on September 3rd (and therefore moot). It also stated that since the DEP issued a study (also presented to the court two business days before the September 3rd appearance) and made a reasoned analysis of the impacts of the new work they expected to do, that it satisfied the environmental law requirements.

Looks like we made them do the right thing! Way to go team!
/Karen