Senator Gianaris and Community Rally to Protest Placement of Asphalt Plant in Long Island City

The Western Queens Gazette wrote about a rally to protest the placement of a dirty asphalt plant in Long Island City.The rally was hosted by Senator Gianaris along with Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer and Community Board 2 Chairman Joe Conley.

Elected officials and community leaders are asking the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to rescind a permit it issued to an asphalt plant in Long Island City until a proper Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is issued.

Community Board 2 said in a statement that the so-called Green Asphalt Company plant at 37- 98 Railroad Ave. will have a negative impact on the community because the heavy volume of asphalt it will deliver for local construction projects will create additional truck traffic through the community causing congestion and pollution.

Besides that complaint, CB 2 Chairman Joseph Conley said in the statement, “No one in the community received notification of this licensing and the city Department of Transportation, which recently completed a study of a truck By- Pass Project in the same area, was unaware of the plans for this plant.

State Senator Michael Gianaris (D–Astoria) has stated, according to press reports, that the community did not receive proper notice of Green Asphalt’s application for a permit to the DEC for the Railroad Avenue plant.

Gianaris added there was no chance for public comment by the community. Gianaris, Assemblymember Catherine Nolan (D–Ridgewood) and Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer (D–Sunnyside/LIC) have joined Conley in calling for revocation of the DEC permit.

Read the full article here.