Res. No. 867
Resolution calling upon the United States Congress to support the appropriation of $5 million in the National Park Services FY 08 Construction Budget for the remediation of hazardous materials at Governors Island National Monument.
By Council Members Nelson, Brewer, Gennaro and Gerson
Whereas, Governors Island, consisting of 172 acres and occupied by 225 structures, is located in the Upper New York Bay, off the southern tip of Manhattan; and
Whereas, Governors Island has a long and distinguished history as a military facility, first used by the British in 1664 as a means of fortifying the New York harbor, and later by the United States Army and the United States Coast Guard; and
Whereas, The 92-acre northern section of Governors Island, consisting of 102 buildings, including Fort Jay and Castle William, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is also a New York City Historic District; and
Whereas, In January 2001, President Clinton designated the Island’s historic district, including Fort Jay and Castle William, as a National Monument and on January 31, 2003, the federal government transferred the Island’s National Monument property to the Department of the Interior, to be managed by the National Parks Service (NPS), and the remainder of the Island to the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation (GIPEC); and
Whereas, Visitors are currently able to tour the Parade Grounds and fortification exteriors and courtyards yet, before Governor’s Island National Monument (GINM) and its two landmarks can be fully opened to the public, certain health and safety issues need to be addressed, including the remediation of asbestos and lead paint conditions in Castle William and Fort Jay; and
Whereas, While the funding request for hazardous material remediation of GINM had been on the National Park Service’s Line Item Construction 5-year plan (2006-2010) and scheduled to be funded in FY 2007, the project was removed last year from the Line Item Construction priority list; and
Whereas, According to the Governors Island Alliance, between $2.1 and $8.25 million is needed in federal funding for FY 2008 to address the hazardous materials issue in Castle William and Fort Jay; and
Whereas, A $5 million NPS contribution would enable the public to enjoy these historic monuments by making them safely accessible and attractive to visitors; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the United States Congress to support the appropriation of $5million in the National Park Services FY 08 Construction Budget for the remediation of hazardous materials at Governors Island National Monument.
CFP
LS 2605/2007