On-Hudson.com

Please Help Return Trevor To His Family

Trevor Went Missing Thursday Afternoon 2/24/11 In The Garrison Area And Has Not Been Heard From Since

 

Please Help Find Pierce Crowley ! 15 Year Old Needs Your Help NOW !

Urgent: Rye Boy Missing

The Crowley family of Manursing Way in Rye has reported their son, Pierce Crowley, missing. He was last seen Friday in White Plains. Here is the "missing" flyer you can post in your store or neighborhood.

The above Photo is PIERCE CROWLEY, HIS FAMILLY NEEDS YOUR HELP IN LOCATING HIM AND BRINGING HIM HOME SAFELY. PIERCE IS 15 YEARS OLD- 5 FEET 10 INCHES AND 150 POUNDS. BLUE EYES, LIGHT BROWN HAIR, WEARS BRACES. PIERCE WAS LAST SEEN FRIDAY 25TH MAY, 2012 IN WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK- POSSIBLY NEAR THE TRAIN STATION.

HE WAS LAST SEEN WEARING DARK JEANS, A BRIGHT BLUE FLORIDA GATORS SHORT SLEEVE T-SHIRT, AND BLACK SNEAKERS WITH LIME GREEN TRIM THERE IS A REWARD FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO HIS SAFE RETURN. Please contact the White Plains Police at 914-422-6111 with any information.

In an email to concerned friends, Gretchen Kaye Crowley wrote:

Date: May 27, 2012 1:05:10 PM EDT

Subject: re: PIERCE CROWLEY
"as some of you may already know, our dear pierce is missing.

he was not feeling well before he disappeared and is in a fragile state.  it is URGENT that we locate him ASAP.

attached is a flyer with information and a picture.  please share it with any and all.

police, taxis stands/drivers, train stations, recreation centers, playland, skateboard parks, fastfood places. typical 15 year spots.

if one of you could keep track of where the information is being shared, posted that would be helpful. don't want to duplicate and even more importantly we don't want to miss any spots.

if you need copies - i will leave a pile by my front door for you to use.

thank you all so very much for helping us find pierce as quickly as possible.

xo,

gretchen"

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Beczak Environmental Education Center 3rd Annual Fishing The Hudson April 9th -13th 2012

http://www.westchester.com/news/westchesternews/sports/16483-3rd-annual-fishing-the-hudson.html

3rd Annual Fishing The Hudson

Yonkers, NY - Experience the thrill of fishing on the Hudson River aboard a 50’ fishing vessel. Island Current II returns to Yonkers for Beczak Environmental Education Center’s third annual Fishing the Hudson during school’s spring break.

The week features daily fishing excursions Monday, April 9 through Friday, April 13 for ages 8 and up, as well as group reservations for Striped Bass Fishing Charters on April 9, 10 and 11, and, new this year, Singles Night on the Island Current II on Thursday, April 12.

Programs are sponsored by Jack’s Bait and Tackle and Island Current Charters.

For information or reservations, contact vgarufi@beczak.org / (914) 377-1900 x 12. Beczak Environmental Education Center, 35 Alexander Street, Yonkers, NY 10701. www.beczak.org

SIGNS INDICATE GREAT SPRING FISHING

Hudson River striped bass season opened on March 16. Fishermen up and down the river are talking about how this year’s catch is going to be good—and early—because of the winter’s unseasonably warm temperatures. Striped bass travel north up the Hudson and other rivers to spawn, or lay their eggs, when water temperatures reach approximately 58 degrees.

John Vargo, a 76-year old resident of Verplanck who has been fishing on the Hudson for his entire life, sums it up: “It’s going to be fabulous – in fact it’s already great. The fish are three weeks ahead of schedule.”

Bob Gabrielson, Jr., a Stony Point resident who was one of the last commercial fishermen on the Hudson before he retired three years ago, says, “This is going to be a better year. We haven’t had winter melt so the water is more brackish. That’s what stripers like. We’ve been catching 20” – 26” striped bass already, and the herring are even early—that’s a good sign.” Gabrielson predicts, “The season should peak just around April 10.”

Chris Cullen, Captain of Island Current Charters, agrees. “We have had such a mild winter the bait concentrations are already in motion and looks to be a solid early run for spring fishing.”

Vargo, who runs the website boatingonhudson.com, says, “Some lucky person is going to win $100,000 for his or her striper this year.” He’s referring to the Hudson River Fishermen’s Association Striped Bass Derby, held on April 28 and 29 this year, with prizes ranging from $25 for seventh place to $100,000 for “Catch of a Lifetime.” His tip: “Fishing at night will increase your odds of catching larger striped bass by a factor of 50%.”

FISHING THE HUDSON APRIL 9 – 13

- Daily Excursions April 9 -13, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM daily, ages 8 and up (including adults), $300 for five day program / $75 a day; Yonkers Public School Students Special: $250 for five day program / $65 a day; reservations with vgarufi@beczak.org / (914) 377-1900 x 12

- Evening Charters / Group Reservations Only: April 9, 10, 11, 6:30 – 9:30 PM / $1200 per evening, reservations with vgarufi@beczak.org / (914) 377-1900 x 12

- Singles Night on the Island Current II / April 12, 6:30 – 9:30 PM, online reservations only athttp://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/234917

There’s nothing else like Fishing the Hudson in the lower Hudson Valley for hands-on, on the water adventure and learning. It was created by Beczak Environmental Education Center to show children the magnificent river in their backyard and introduce them to the life in its waters. Beczak’s staff work with Capt. Chris, a third grade teacher in Irvington, NY, who operates Island Current, a fishing fleet in City Island.

Fishing the Hudson participants gather at Beczak Environmental Education Center, a nature center along the Hudson River in Yonkers, NY. From there, it’s a short walk to Yonkers’ historic pier, a stately, century-old structure that is in daily use by commercial tugboats. There, children and Beczak’s educators board Island Current II, a 50’ United States Coast Guard certified fishing vessel that’s fully equipped withfishing gear, safety equipment, heated cabin and head and the latest navigational tools. Experienced crew helps people bait their own rod and reel. The day also includes setting and hauling up trawl nets—to see what’s living at the bottom of the river—and opportunities to take the helm and blow the horn.

“Kids love being on the boat, and especially catching fish,” says Captain Chris, the owner of Island Current Charters.

Vicky Garufi, Director of Education for Beczak Environmental Education Center, is equally delighted to be taking children out onto the river. “There’s no better way to see how rich the Hudson’s aquatic life is than by boat.”

Garufi adds, “Beczak is always thinking about river programs that young adults would be interested in. That’s why we created Singles Night on the Island Current II this year. It’s a great value--$60 for an evening on a boat. And you just never know what you’ll catch!”

 

 

Millions Of Pounds Of Toxic Chemicals Dumped In New-York WaterWays In 2010

http://www.dredgingtoday.com/2012/03/25/usa-5-7-million-pounds-of-toxic-chemicals-dumped-into-new-yorks-waterways-report-says/

USA: 5.7 Million Pounds of Toxic Chemicals Dumped into New York’s Waterways, Report Says

Industrial facilities dumped more than 5.7 million pounds of toxic chemicals into New York’s waterways in 2010, making the Hudson, Genesee, and Seneca Rivers among the 40 worst in the nation, according to a new report released by Environment New York.

“Despite the great progress in cleaning up the Hudson River, industries are still dumping millions of pounds of toxic pollution into it,” said David VanLuven, Director of Environment New York. “More than 1.6 million pounds were discharged into it in 2010, which is simply unacceptable. We must stop the flow of toxic pollution by restoring Clean Water Act protections to our waterways and making polluters clean up their processes.”

“Clearwater applauds Environment New York for sharing the truth about our Toxic releases into the Hudson River,” said Clearwater Executive Director Jeff Rumpf. “Many people who love the river will be surprised to see how poorly we are doing adhering to the Clean Water Act. We must do more to stem toxic and sewage releases on the river. It is time for the swim-able fish-able, potable and boat-able river we all want!”

“This report spells out in stark detail how our environmental regulators are failing to make real progress toward achieving the ‘fishable, swimmable’ goal of the Clean Water Act,” said Phillip Musegaas, Hudson River Program Director for Riverkeeper. “While the Hudson River is much cleaner than it was forty years ago when Riverkeeper was founded, it is clear New York State must do much more to address industrial discharges. After forty years, the public deserves better from our environmental regulators.”

Environment New York’s report documents and analyzes the dangerous levels of pollutants discharged to America’s waters by compiling toxic chemical releases reported to the U.S. EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory for 2010, the most recent data available.

Major findings of the report include:

- The Finch Paper facility in Glens Falls discharged more than 1.4 million pounds of toxic pollution into the Hudson River in 2010, making the Hudson the 24th most polluted river in the country (compared to more than 1,800 rivers and lakes analyzed).

- The Genesee and Seneca Rivers are also among the nation’s dirtiest, ranking as the 32nd and 33rd worst in America, respectively.

- In 2010, more than 18,000 pounds of cancer-causing toxins were discharged into Lake Champlain.

Environment New York’s report summarizes discharges of cancer-causing chemicals, chemicals that persist in the environment, and chemicals with the potential to cause reproductive problems ranging from birth defects to reduced fertility. Among the toxic chemicals discharged by facilities are arsenic, mercury, and benzene. Exposure to these chemicals is linked to cancer, developmental disorders, and reproductive disorders.

In order to curb the flow of toxic pollution into New York’s rivers and lakes, Environment New York recommends the following:

- Pollution Prevention: Industrial facilities should reduce their toxic discharges to waterways by switching from hazardous chemicals to safer alternatives.

- Protect all waters: The Obama administration should finalize guidelines and conduct rulemaking to clarify that the Clean Water Act applies to all of the waterways – including the 45,533 miles of streams in New York– for which jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act has been called into question as a result of two polluter-driven Supreme Court decisions in the last decade.

- Tough permitting and enforcement: EPA and state agencies should issue permits with tough, numeric limits for each type of toxic pollution discharged, ratchet down those limits over time, and enforce those limits with credible penalties, not just warning letters.

“The bottom line is that New York’s waterways shouldn’t be a polluter’s paradise, they should just be paradise. We need clean water now, and we are counting on the state and federal government to act to protect our health and our environment,” concluded VanLuven.

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New York Harbor WebCam Records UFO Hovering Over Battery

http://news.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981219103

UFO Caught on Hudson River Web Cam (Video)

by Tom Rose

 

A UFO was caught on a web cam trained on lower Manhattan as it hovered in the sky before zooming out of view. What is it?

The unidentified flying object suddenly appears at the 2:00 minute mark on the 4 minute video, casting a reflection in the waters around the Battery Park section of lower NYC. It hovers, motionless, for another minute before flying off out of camera range in the westering sky.

While the object may be a helicopter, the enlarged image doesn't match up with that profile. Also, the object flashes multi-colored lights, some of which are not the standard running lights for aircraft flying over the city.

The UFO suddenly appears on what looks to be a condensed, time-lapse outtake from the webcam video and seems to change shape and color as it floats in the sky. It makes for a spooky, mysterious sighting.

Here's the video:

Image courtesy of Blogger

 

 

 

Mint One Bedroom Apartment For Rent Cold-Spring On-Hudson

 

1 Bedroom-Hidden Gem in the Heart of the Village
Windowed Kitchen  Hardwood Flooring   GE Appliances Microwave, Dishwasher, Stove,      Refrigerator   Recessed Lighting   Kohler Bath Fixtures   Pre-wired for Phone, Cable and Internet   Great Windows allow for lots of natural light  Double Closet in Bedroom  Crown Molding	Parking Available  Large terrace with moutain views  Laundry in Building   Walk to Train and Riverfront Call 845 265 6300 for more information

 

 

Oil Sets New All Time Highs Vs Euro & Sterling

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-28/oil-records-in-u-k-europe-spell-destruction-chart-of-the-day.html

Oil Records in U.K., Europe Spell Destruction: Chart of the Day

By Matthew Brown and Grant Smith 

Oil prices breached records in euros and pounds and are approaching all-time highs in Indian rupees and Brazilian reais, raising the prospect that consumer demand will deteriorate, according to Morgan Stanley.

The CHART OF THE DAY shows the cost of a barrel of Brent crude in dollars, British pounds, euros, Indian rupees, Chinese yuan and Brazilian reais, expressed as a percentage of the previous record in those currencies. The price rose to 79.28 pounds on Feb. 23, 2 percent higher than the previous record set in April. Oil climbed to 93.71 euros yesterday, compared with a high of 93.46 euros in July 2008.

“Oil prices are already at record highs in many important places that have already been struggling with slowing growth,” Hussein Allidina, head of commodities research at Morgan Stanley in New York, said in a telephone interview yesterday. “That is demand destruction. I wouldn’t rule out the likelihood of seeing no demand growth this year.”

The International Energy Agency cut its 2012 global oil demand forecast for a sixth month on Feb. 10 as a “darkening” economic outlook reduced prospects for growth. Worldwide oil consumption will increase by 800,000 barrels a day to an annual 89.9 million barrels a day, the agency said, after the International Monetary Fund last month cut its global economic growth prediction.

Europe accounted for 25 percent of global crude imports in 2010 and India 8.6 percent, according to BP Plc (BP/)’s Statistical Review of World Energy.

To contact the reporters on this story: Matthew Brown in London at mbrown42@bloomberg.net; Grant Smith in London at gsmith52@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Stephen Voss at sev@bloomberg.net

 

Lundqvist earned his NHL-best eighth shutout of the season and the 43rd of his career

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1083396-king-henriks-eighth-shutout-of-the-season-propels-surging-rangers-past-devils

King Henrik's Eighth Shutout of the Season Propels Surging Rangers Past Devils

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

After much speculation of trade rumors surrounding Columbus Blue Jackets' starRick Nash, the Rangers decided not to pull the trigger on what was a quiet deadline day across the NHL. 

As the old saying goes: if It's not broken, don't fix it. The Rangers organization held true to that saying and wisely didn't risk toying with a successful team. There were questions about Nash fitting into the system, not to mention the six years left on his $7.8 million dollar contract—making him one of the most expensive players in the league.

At the end of the day, The Rangers weren't willing to ship off a first round pick, Brandon Dubinsky and either Michael Del Zotto, Ryan McDonagh or Tim Erixon.

On what was a highly anticipated Monday night in New York City, Rangers general manager Glen Sather backed out of the talk for Nash, and it was finally time for some hockey.

The New Jersey Devils traveled to Madison Square Garden riding a seven game road winning streak to face off against the Conference-leading New York Rangers. Prior to the game, the Rangers were 6-3-1 in their last 10 and held a seven point lead at the top of the division over the second-place Boston Bruins. 

But how would the night turn out?

Immediately after the puck dropped onto the Rangers logo at center ice, the intensity could be felt between the two division rivals. The Devils have had the Rangers' number this season, winning two of the three previous meetings, including a 1-0 win on February 7th.

Putting the past in their rear view mirror, however, the Rangers came out hungry. Just before the three-minute mark in the first, rookie Carl Hagelin netted the first goal of the night from teammates Dan Girardi and Captain Ryan Callahan. The Rangers were fired up and would never look back. 

The second period featured 11 penalties, but as the horn sounded, the score remained 1- 0 in the Rangers favor. 

With 2:26 left in the third and the Devils desperate for a goal, Lundqvist dove across the net and robbed Illya Kovalchuck with a tremendous glove save that left the Garden crowd in awe. As fans stood out of their seats, chants of 'Henrik!' were louder than ever. At the 1:06 mark, Cally sealed the deal with an empty-netter from Hagelin that sent all Devils fans packing.

Lundqvist earned his NHL-best eighth shutout of the season and the 43rd of his career. After a much needed team win against a physical Devils team, the Rangers now hold a nine point lead over the Bruins and Penguins in the Conference. 

Gold Vs Oil Ratio

http://fintrend.com/charts/gold-vs-oil-chart/

Which is Over Priced? Oil or Gold?

Updated 2/17/2012

With commodities in general skyrocketing in price (or the dollar devaluing) is there any way to tell what the real value of something is? How much is it really worth? Is Oil overpriced? How about Gold? Is it overpriced? Looking at these commodities in the standard way it is often difficult to tell.

We could look at the inflation adjusted price of Gold but that requires that we rely on the government stated inflation index.

But that is just one way to look at the price by comparing it to U.S. dollars. We could also look at its price in Euros or at what the price looks like to the people in China or India. And each of those are based on the values of their currency and how much they are inflating.

Oil Priced in Ounces of Gold:

Click Chart for Larger Image

 

But a different way to look at it would be in comparison to the price of other commodities. Theoretically in an ideal world, if the supply of currency is inflating, then all commodities should increase equally.

But in the real world that isn’t true. There are inequalities partially because money doesn’t flow equally initially. Eventually it will even out as traders arbitrage high priced commodities against lower priced ones.

But how do you know which commodities are over priced and which are under priced?

Very simply you just divide one price by the other to get a ratio. If we look at the ratio of Gold to Oil we will see how they relate without bringing dollars into the equation.

Assume for a moment that an ounce of gold is exactly $1000 and a barrel of oil is $100. Lets look at how many barrels of oil an ounce of gold would buy. You can just as easily divide it the other way but the numbers come out messier.

So we are looking at barrels per ounce of Gold. So if Gold is at $1000 /oz and Oil costs $100 per barrel it is obvious that one ounce of gold would buy 10 barrels of oil, right?

And if several years ago, gold was at $500 an ounce and oil was at $50 the ratio would be the same. So we need to look at the historical ratio and see what a reasonable number of barrels per ounce is.  (Another way to look at it would be in ounces of Gold per hundred barrels of oil.)

We used the free market price of gold rather than the government fixed price of $35 / ounce. We also used the free market price of oil (called stripper) rather than the government fixed price for the period it was fixed.

From that we come up with the following table:

Annual Average Gold and Crude Price 1946-Present			# of bbl Oil 1 OZ Gold will buy
Year	Average $/bbl	Average $/oz	Ave bbl / oz
1946	$1.63	$34.71	21.294
1947	$2.16	$34.71	16.069
1948	$2.77	$34.71	12.531
1949	$2.77	$31.69	11.440
1950	$2.77	$34.72	12.534
1951	$2.77	$34.72	12.534
1952	$2.77	$34.60	12.491
1953	$2.92	$34.84	11.932
1954	$2.99	$35.04	11.719
1955	$2.93	$35.03	11.956
1956	$2.94	$34.99	11.901
1957	$3.00	$34.95	11.650
1958	$3.01	$35.10	11.661
1959	$3.00	$35.10	11.700
1960	$2.91	$35.27	12.120
1961	$2.85	$35.25	12.368
1962	$2.85	$35.23	12.361
1963	$3.00	$35.09	11.697
1964	$2.88	$35.10	12.188
1965	$3.01	$35.12	11.668
1966	$3.10	$35.13	11.332
1967	$3.12	$34.95	11.202
1968	$3.18	$39.31	12.362
1969	$3.32	$41.28	12.434
1970	$3.39	$36.02	10.625
1971	$3.60	$40.62	11.283
1972	$3.60	$58.42	16.228
1973	$4.75	$97.39	20.503
1974	$9.35	$154.00	16.471
1975	$7.67	$160.86	20.973
1976	$13.10	$124.74	9.522
1977	$14.40	$147.84	10.267
1978	$14.95	$193.40	12.936
1979	$25.10	$306.00	12.191
1980	$37.42	$615.00	16.435
1981	$35.75	$460.00	12.867
1982	$31.83	$376.00	11.813
1983	$29.08	$424.00	14.580
1984	$28.75	$361.00	12.557
1985	$26.92	$317.00	11.776
1986	$14.64	$368.00	25.137
1987	$17.50	$447.00	25.543
1988	$14.87	$437.00	29.388
1989	$18.33	$381.00	20.786
1990	$23.19	$383.51	16.538
1991	$20.19	$362.11	17.935
1992	$19.25	$343.82	17.861
1993	$16.74	$359.77	21.492
1994	$15.66	$384.00	24.521
1995	$16.75	$383.79	22.913
1996	$20.46	$387.81	18.955
1997	$18.97	$331.02	17.450
1998	$11.91	$294.24	24.705
1999	$16.55	$278.98	16.857
2000	$27.40	$279.11	10.186
2001	$23.00	$271.04	11.784
2002	$22.81	$309.73	13.579
2003	$27.69	$363.38	13.123
2004	$37.41	$409.72	10.952
2005	$50.04	$444.74	8.888
2006	$58.30	$603.46	10.351
2007	$64.20	$695.39	10.832
2008	$91.48	$871.96	9.532
2009	$53.48	$972.35	18.180
2010	$71.21	$1,224.53	17.196
2011	$87.04	$1,571.52	18.055
		Average	14.771

If we look at the ratio of Gold to Oil since 1946, the average turns out to be 14.771 barrels of oil per ounce of gold. Or 1 ounce of gold will buy almost 15 barrels of Oil on average.

If we look at the average ratio during 2011 one ounce of gold would buy 18 barrels of oil or slightly more than normal. This tells us that either Gold was slightly expensive or Oil was slightly cheap (or both).

Unfortunately, since we pay for things in dollars we can’t tell whether (in dollars) gold is too expensive or oil is too cheap.

Back in 2008 when the ratio was less than 10 the ratio was the other way around with oil expensive and/or gold cheap.

But this is where arbitrage comes in… what we could done if oil is cheap, is buy oil and sell gold hoping the ratio would move toward normal. That way if oil rises in price and gold stays the same you make money. If gold falls in price and oil stays the same you make money. If both rise in price because of inflation but oil rises more so the ratio normalizes you make money, etc.

Quiz # 1

If could go back to 1985 and be given a choice to invest in Oil or Gold which would you choose?

If you bought 4 ounces of gold in 1985 at $317.00/ oz and a ratio of 11.776 bbl/oz it would have cost you $1268. or you could have bought 47.10 barrels of oil. Three years later you could have exchanged your 4 oz of gold for $1748 and bought 117.55 Barrels of oil. So although your dollars increased by 37.8% your number of barrels of oil increased by 149.6%. Had you held your oil until 2000 when the ratio was back down to 10, your 117.55 barrels would be worth $3220.87 while four ounces of gold would only be worth $1116.44 or about $150 less than you had paid for it!

In 1988 oil was extremely cheap at over 29 barrels per ounce. But if you had bought oil in 1986 at 25 (also very cheap) it would have appeared that you were losing money for two years until the ratio turned around.

Quiz # 2

In 1998 Gold is $294.24 an ounce and Oil is $11.91 a barrel you have $1200 to spend… Which do you buy?

Based on this chart at 24 barrels to an ounce of gold, Oil was cheaper. You could have bought 100 barrels for  $11.91 x 100 = $1191  and sold them when oil was expensive in 2008 (once again less than 10 barrels per ounce. At that point you could have exchanged your 100 barrels for $9148 and bought 10.49 ounces of gold. Had you bought gold in 1998 you could have used your $1191 and bought only 4.047 ounces.

Warning: Don’t just go out and start buying oil and selling gold based on this chart. We are using Annual averages for easy comparison. These ratios change on a daily basis. So you need much more up to date information than what an annual chart will tell you.  As of today 2/17/2012 oil is $95/ bbl and gold is $1723.80 so the ratio is 18.145 barrels per ounce. So the price isn’t over 20 or under 10 so the price isn’t truly extreme but oil is slightly cheaper than gold.

For more information:

• How to Forecast Gold and Silver Using the Wave Principle
• Inflation Adjusted Oil Price
• Inflation adjusted Gold Price
• How High will Gold Get?

 

Metropolitian RoofTop Farms Smart Innovation... For A Sustainable Future

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens/rooftop-farms-expand-queens-brooklyn-article-1.1028098

Rooftop farms looking to expand in Queens and Brooklyn  

Farms searching for big rooftops on industrial buildings

Clare Trapasso / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Robert Mecea for New York Daily News

A worker tends to lettuce at Gotham Greens, a commerical greenhouse in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

The bucolic farms of middle America are getting some stiff competition from the rooftops of New York City.

A growing number of commercial farms housed several stories high throughout the city are producing crops year-round — in many cases without even using dirt.

Several city farms are looking for more rooftop space to grow their local food businesses. And swaths of Queens and Brooklyn with large expanses of industrial rooftops are prime candidates for the urban agriculture expansion.

“In dense cities like New York, there isn’t an enormous amount of vacant land,” said New School Professor Nevin Cohen, who specializes in urban agriculture.

But “there are thousands of acres of rooftop space in New York City potentially suitable for agriculture — with more than 1,000 acres in Queens,” he said.

The Brooklyn Grange, a 40,000-square-foot organic farm that sits on top of the Standard Motor Products building in Long Island City, Queens, plans to open a new rooftop operation each year over the next five years.

The group is set to open a 45,000-square-foot farm in the Brooklyn Navy Yard this spring.

“On the ground level, either the space is too small or you’re under the constant threat of development,” said Grange Partner Gwen Schantz. “The roof is the next best option. “They’re these big open spaces [and\] they’re not being utilized.”

The farms are also a boon for building owners who can collect rent on previously unused space and reduce energy costs, she said. Farms typically insulate buildings, trapping in heat in the winter and cool air in the summer.

Her group is looking for roofs that are at least 30,000 square feet and no higher than 15 stories. The buildings must also be structurally sound enough to support about 1.2 million pounds of soil.

“We’re looking at old, industrial buildings or factory buildings,” Schantz said. “They can bear a certain load.”

Several rooftop greenhouse operations, such as Gotham Greens and BrightFarms, are also looking for elevated space.

Gotham Greens, a 15,000-square-foot, hydroponic operation built on a Greenpoint, Brooklyn, manufacturing building, is searching primarily in Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx.

“We’re just starting to look at sites,” said Gotham Greens CEO Viraj Puri. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to expand within the next couple years.”

The enclosed farm currently provides a year-round supply of greens and herbs to local restaurants, Fresh Direct and supermarkets, such as Whole Foods Market and D’Agostino.

Plants are grown without dirt using nutrient-enriched water.

“More New Yorkers are interested in greening the city and trying more innovative technologies,” Puri said. “There’s potential for growth, but the industry needs to take it one step at a time.”

BrightFarms, a Manhattan-based company that builds and runs greenhouses, is particularly interested in sites in Long Island City and Sunset Park, Brooklyn, said spokeswoman Kate Siskel.

Susana Bates for New York Daily News

Viraj Puri, founder and CEO of Gotham Greens, on top of a roof in Jamaica, Queens — one of the locations he had been eying for a rooftop greenhouse.

Courtesy of Gotham Greens

Gotham Greens, in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, grows leafy vegetables and herbs in its hydroponic rooftop greenhouse.

 

“Our goal is to produce food in a way that conserves land, water and the environment,” she said.

Seth Bornstein, executive director of the Queens Economic Development Corp., said rooftop farms are a great way to use space and create green jobs.

“It’s local produce, it’s better for the environment and it helps us create a sustainable economy,” he said.

ctrapasso@nydailynews.com

 

EYEWITNESS FUKUSHIMA: Regional Conference for Emergency Responders Monday, March 5, 6:30 PM Manhattanville College, Purchase, NY 2900 Purchase Street, Purchase, NY

EYEWITNESS FUKUSHIMA: Regional Conference for Emergency Responders Monday, March 5, 6:30 PM Manhattanville College, Purchase, NY   2900 Purchase Street, Purchase, NY    March 11, 2012 will be the first anniversary of the nuclear catastrophe at Fukushima. As we remember and mourn the terrible human toll of the accident, it is also time to heed the lessons learned from the disaster and to spread the information widely.   EMTs, medical personnel, firefighters, police, transportation providers, disaster relief organizations, those responsible for the evacuation of schools, hospitals, nursing homes, prisons and similar institutions are invited to attend "Eyewitness Fukushima: What Emergency Responders Need to Know," a regional conference for First Responders and interested others. We hope you will join us for this important conference and meet Japanese experts who participated in the response to the devastation at Fukushima-Daiichi and a hear panel of American experts who will discuss how the ongoing crisis in Japan relates to disaster planning and response for Entergy's Westchester nuclear facility in Buchanan. The presentation will be followed by a question and answer session.   People who live within the 50-mile radius of Indian Point will also be interested in hearing how such a major nuclear accident could impact their community from an emergency responder's perspective.   Sited in the most densely populated area of any US nuclear plant, 25 miles north of Manhattan, Indian Point is riddled with safety issues; it is an aging, leaking, deteriorating facility built near the intersection of two earthquake fault lines and a gas pipeline. As it ages and continues to make more and more highly radioactive spent fuel, which must be stored storing on site, it poses a growing threat to public health and safety.     This meeting offers an opportunity for First Responders and the public at large to better understand the lessons learned from the Fukushima-Daiichi disaster, how they can be applied here - particularly within the Indian Point 50 mile zone - and to take inventory of our own disaster preparedness and response capability.   Click here to view the Eyewitness Fukushima Conference Agenda.Please take a copy to your local firehouse, police and EMT squad and personally invite their participation. Please click here to register.Pre-registration is strongly encouraged; seating is limited to 80 participants. This event is free.   Cosponsors: Connie Hogarth Center for Social Action, District Council 37 (DC-37) of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc.; New York Committee for Occupational Health and Safety (NYCOSH); NYS Psychological Association (pending); Physicians for Social Responsibility, National and NY City Chapter. We hope to see you March 5th at Manhattanville College.  For more information, please contact mannajo@clearwater.org, or (845) 265-8080, Ext. 7113   Recent photo of the  Unit No. 4 at the Fukushima-Daichi nuclear ruins provided by Akio Matsumura

Get involved! Urge your community, civic and religious organizations, local and county municipal officials to pass the Public Health and Safety Resolution Regarding Indian Point Nuclear Plants. The resolution calls for  extending the emergency planning evacuation radius from 10 to 50 miles, addressing the evacuation deficiencies identified in the Witt Report, seriously considering the potential for seismic activity along the two earthquake faults and addressing the safety issues regarding spent fuel storage are critical to public health and safety.    Click here to download a copy of the proposed resolution Contact Manna Jo Greene Clearwater Environmental Action Director,  mannajo@clearwater.org, 845 265-8080, ext 7113 to find out about volunteer opportunities for the Indian Point Campaign.

In the Media   NYT OpEd Indian Point: The Next Fukushima?      Australian 60 Minutes: Fukushima Now Radiating Everyone: 'Unspeakable' Reality 'Will Impact All Of Humanity   MidHudson News Network: Clearwater, challenging Indian Point relicensing, alleges evacuation plan biased against certain groups   WAMC, Northeast Public Radio: Indian Point Licensing Renewal Challenged New York Times: Vision for Affordable Energy Even if Indian Point Nuclear Plant Is Shut Down    * * *

Resource Links on Indian Point Impacts

 

Read Clearwater's written recent testimony before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Atomic Safety Licensing Board, pointing out how Indian Point emergency planning violates the principles and the legal requirements of environmental justice

 

Read the report Nuclear Accident at Indian Point: Consequences and Costs 

 

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Resource Links on Replacement Energy

 

Read Clearwater's written comments submitted at the New York State Assembly hearing on replacing Indian Point's Power

 

Read the

The Mid-Hudson Regional Energy Solutions Road Map laying out step-by-step directions for transitioning to green energy future

 

Read the
Synapse Report
on the ample availability of electricity to replace Indian Point

 

Read these Stanford University Reports: 
Wind, water and sun beat other energy alternatives  

Providing all global energy with wind, water, and solar power

 

 NY Legislature looks at Indian Point Alternatives

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