“This potentially could have been the equivalent of Three-Mile Island and Chernobyl – all mixed into one,” State Assemblyman for the 70th District Keith L. T. Wright said regarding a recent report that showed that Harlemites were under an explosive threat during the blackout of August 2003.
The question of basic safety has become a very serious concern to Harlem presidents, as federal court papers recently revealed that faulty operations at North River Plant during the blackout of August 14, 2003, could have resulted in a cataclysmic explosion, which could have engulfed parts of Harlem in a fireball.
U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia wrote, “We have been advised that this situation created the risk of a catastrophic explosion near a residential neighborhood.”
According to the report, the back-up power generators were not operational during the blackout period, they were supposed to produce a flame that would have safely burned the methane gas produced at the plant. So instead, an environment was created for the potential build-up of excess methane gas. Experts in the field of wastewater treatment indicate that high concentration levels of methane gas equates to highly explosive conditions. Fortunately, as revealed in the court papers, an un-named New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) employee was able to reignite the burner with an old broomstick, thus averting a potential calamity. The city of New York, however, did not report this incident until it was recently revealed in federal courts, following a plea bargain, nearly three years later.
In response to this new revelation, attempting to quell fears, the NYCDEP granted a tour of the treatment facility to State Assemblyman Keith Wright (D-Manhattan) and other community leaders. They pointed out the existing engineered mechanisms that would restrict the build-up of methane gas concentration to dangerous levels.
Charles Sturcken of NYCDEP’s public and inter-governmental affairs division in discussions with the Amsterdam News assured that there was “no possibility for a catastrophic explosion in West Harlem community.” He added that measures are currently in the developmental stages to assure such an incident does not repeat itself again.
Assemblyman Wright told the Amsterdam News that he was not completely satisfied. “I toured the facility myself last week and was told everything was safe. However, I am concerned. I want to find out about the gentleman who lit the burner so Harlem didn’t blow up. This potentially could have been the equivalent of Three-Mile Island and Chernobyl – all mixed into one, considering the density of the population upon which the North River Wastewater treatment is located. With all of the concentration concerning homeland security, this should be a priority just as much as Indian Point is a priority. Harlem should receive no less attention.”
An official NYCDEP document obtained by Amsterdam News, titled “NYCDEP Operating Data for Fiscal Year 2003,” reveals the magnitude of this danger. The document, which shows historical records of the volumes of gas generated by the North River plant daily, shows that for the month of August, the plant produced an average of more than 2,000,000 cubic feet of this highly explosive gas equivalent to 1,200,000,000 BTU daily.
Community Board 9 chaired by Jordi Reyes Montblanc has scheduled a meeting for March 24, 2006 with NYCDEP mitigation plan for the facility.
