Congressman José E. Serrano Continues to Oppose Power Plant at Oak Point

Washington, DC
, August 16, 2005—Today, Congressman José E. Serrano reaffirmed his opposition the siting of a proposed 1,000 megawatt power plant on a 28-acre brownfield at Oak Point, near 149th Street and the
East River
in the
South Bronx
. The following are excerpts from a letter he sent to Mayor Bloomberg on this issue in late July. For full text of the letter see Congressman Serrano’s website at http://www.house.gov/serrano.

“I clearly stated my opposition to a power plant on this site when ABB proposed a similar project in 1999.  I believe that such a plant would increase the already harmful levels of air pollution in the surrounding neighborhoods while providing few local benefits to area residents.”

“I ask that the City consult with my constituents and engage them in a community planning process to determine the best use for this, the largest undeveloped parcel in the southern half of my district.  This is especially important to me in light of the nearly $300,000 in federal funds I have helped secure for local groups to study potential reuses for this and other brownfield sites in the Hunts Point, Port Morris, and Mott Haven communities.

“The
South Bronx
bears the municipal burden of much regional infrastructure that negatively impacts the health of my constituents and the quality of life in their neighborhoods. My district is the host community for sewage and sludge treatment plants, nearly a third of the City's waste transfer stations, and the world’s largest food distribution center.  Nearly 15,000 diesel trucks enter the Hunts Point peninsula each day.  Furthermore, the
South Bronx
was targeted as recently as 2001 for the joint siting of two 79.9 megawatt power plants—just shy of the 80 megawatt standard required for an environmental review—worsening the already poor air quality.

“The proven correlation between high levels of diesel soot, power plant pollution, and the scourge of childhood asthma and adult respiratory problems is nowhere more evident than in my home district.  Understanding the direct connection between urban planning, siting decisions and the health and quality of life of a community, the people of the South Bronx can and should be involved in the decision making process for the development of the Oak Point site.”