Get the Facts on United Water’s Proposed Hudson River Desalination Plant

When:

February 23, 2012: 7:00PM to 9:00PM

Where:

Clarkstown Town Hall, 10 Maple Avenue, New City, NY 10956 map

The Rockland Water Coalition is hosting a public information forum about United Water’s proposed Haverstraw Water Project, a desalination plant that would draw as many as 10 million gallons of water from the Hudson a day for drinking water.

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Riverkeeper is supporting the Rockland Water Coalition‘s efforts. Concerns about the project include:

• Environmental Impacts: Impacts to Haverstraw Bay, a spawning area and nursery important for fish throughout the Hudson River Estuary and the Atlantic Coast. The plant would draw up to 10 million gallons per day of water from Haverstraw Bay, a spawning area and nursery for fish throughout the Hudson River Estuary and the Atlantic Coast, including the Atlantic sturgeon, which has recently been listed as an endangered species. It would discharge up to 92,000 gallons per day of wastewater.
• Cost: Desalination is among the most energy-intensive and costly ways to produce drinking water. The energy demand would also result in increased emissions linked to climate change.
• Health: The proposed plant’s water intakes are 3.5 miles from Entergy’s Indian Point nuclear power plant, which has a long history of proven radioactive leaks.

The Department of Environmental Conservation is hosting a public hearing March 6. The deadline for public comment is April 20.