Letter to the Heads of National Park Service (NPS), the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR)

Letter

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and Staten Island Borough President James P. Molinaro today urged the National Park Service (NPS), the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to sign a Cooperative Management Agreement (CMA) for fuel management treatment to allow phragmites mitigation work to begin on city and private lands on Staten Island. In November of 2011, Schumer secured a $110,000 grant which can be transferred to local city agencies to combat brush fires, but only once a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) is completed.

While a draft plan currently exists, it does not appear likely to be executed by the time wildfire season starts. Currently, NPS can only use this funding on federal land, the least affected by phragmites. However, a CMA is the short term solution. By signing a CMA, the agencies can allow work to begin on city and private land immediately, and Schumer and Molinaro called on the agencies to do so immediately so Staten Island residents can be protected from unnecessary wildfires.

"While many of us can't wait for spring, the season brings peril for those Staten Island residents who live with the threat of brush fires," said Schumer. "In November we secured much needed funds to finally address the phragmities problem on Staten Island, but unfortunately the long term community plan may take some time. In the meantime, we need to deal with the phragmities problem now, before the brush fire season begins again, and so I urge these agencies to implement a short term solution to allow work to begin. We have the money, now let's use it."

"We deeply appreciate all the help that Senator Schumer is giving and for his concern for the people of Staten Island affected by the phragmites and with the Senator leading the charge, our confidence is reassured that we will put this all together," said Molinaro.

Over the past 14 years there have been 7,389 reported brushfires on Staten Island, with some of the most severe incidents occurring in the past couple years. Phragmites are especially a problem on the South Shore of Staten Island, from the Verrazano Bridge to Great Kills Park.

In November 2011, Schumer announced that the Department of Interior had awarded Gateway National Park $110,000 in federal funding to address these longstanding brushfire issues on Staten Island. The funding for Hazardous Fuel Reduction will allow phragmites mitigation to begin at Gateway National Park, which is federal land, but the funds will also be available to city agencies to combat the problem on non-federal land throughout Staten Island, but only once the CWPP is completed -- and that could take until well after the wildfire season has begun on Staten Island.

Schumer and Molinaro noted, however, that a Cooperative Management Agreement for FY 12 would allow NPS to begin mitigation on city and private lands which are the most affected by Phragmities, providing immediate relief to Staten Island residents. Today, in a letter today to the heads of NPS, DEP, and DPR, Schumer urged the agencies to sign an agreement as soon as possible. A demonstration project coordinated by the Borough President, NPS and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation was successfully completed in the fall and this Agreement would follow the same model that is known to work.

Schumer has a long history of working to combat phragmites on Staten Island. Schumer successfully secured a concession from DEC to issue a permit to cut down on phragmites after the DEC had dragged its heels for months. On the day Schumer was to have a press conference on Staten Island on the issue, the DEC finally relented and granted the permit.

A copy of Schumer's letter is below.

We write to urge National Parks Service (NPS), Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to sign a Cooperative Management Agreement (CMA) for fuel management treatment. This agreement will allow the NPS to use funding from an FY12 Hazardous Fuel Reduction Grant on city and private lands. Executing the agreement is vital to hundreds of residents of the South Shore of Staten Island that are facing the threat of wildfires from phragmites.

In November of 2011, Senator Schumer announced that a $110,000 Hazardous Fuel Reduction Grant from the Department of the Interior was secured for Gateway National Park. This funding, to combat brush fires, can be transferred to local city agencies but only once a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) is completed. While many agencies, including NPS, DEP and DPR, have been actively collaborating on a draft CWPP, it does not appear that the plan will be executed by the time wildfire season begins in the spring. This leaves Staten Island residents vulnerable to wildfires, particularly after a mild and dry winter, while federal funds are going unused. Without the CWPP NPS can only use this funding on federal land, the least affected by phragmites.

The short term alternative is to execute a Cooperative Management Agreement for FY 12, which will allow NPS to begin mitigation on city and private lands which are the most affected by phragmites. While the preferred funding method is to transfer the money to local city agencies once the CWPP is in place, the Cooperative Management Agreement will permit immediate relief to Staten Island residents. A demonstration project coordinated by the Borough President, NPS and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation was successfully completed in the fall and this Agreement would follow the same model that is known to work.

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and Borough President James P. Molinaro

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