Save the Sound applauds the decisive vote taken Monday by the New York City Council to reject an application from the Bally’s Corp. to rezone at least 19 acres of Ferry Point Park for the proposed development of a casino complex. It appears that without approval for rezoning, Bally’s application for one of three downstate casino licenses to be awarded this year by the New York State Gaming Commission will be unable to move forward to the next stage of the process.
“We are very happy to see the City’s land use review procedure conclude as it should: with the rejection of an application that, together with the inadequate Environmental Impact Statement, left far too many questions unanswered,” said Dara Illowsky, New York staff attorney for Save the Sound. “Bally’s failed to convince the City Council that after taking public land away from the community for its private benefit it would be capable of mitigating the environmental impacts of a 3.1 million-square foot casino complex so near to the shores of the upper East River, including increased stormwater runoff and worsened air quality in state-designated disadvantaged communities. It is our understanding that unless Mayor Adams vetoes City Council’s disapproval, this is likely the end of the line for the Bally’s Bronx Casino project.”
In May, Save the Sound submitted comments to the Mayor’s Office of Environmental Coordination in response to Bally’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement, expressing concern over insufficient analysis regarding the management of increased stormwater runoff and wastewater generated by the casino project. Those comments also raised concerns about the impact of increased vehicular traffic on air quality and potential exposure of the public to hazardous materials when breaching the cap of the landfill on top of which the complex would be built.
Some of those concerns were addressed in Bally’s Final Environmental Impact Statement, but too many questions remained unanswered. Save the Sound submitted a second set of comments to the City Council last week.
“We have consistently expressed our concern about the degrading environmental impacts this project would have, particularly on the water quality in Westchester Creek and the upper East River. The increased stormwater runoff created by a complex of this size would have made reducing pollution in New York City waters an even greater challenge than it already is,” said David Ansel, Vice President of Save the Sound’s Center for Water Protection.
“Monday’s vote represents an important win for the community of Council District 13, who decisively voiced their opposition to a project that would have taken away their public parkland and future aspirations for Ferry Point Park,” said David Abreu, clean water advocacy specialist for Save the Sound. “From the countless residents who delivered passionate testimony alongside us at the Bronx Community Board 10 public hearing to everyone who submitted written comments during the City Environmental Quality Review, this process has been a testament to how important it is to get involved and use your voice to shape your community’s future.”