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July 18, 2006

PRESS RELEASE: COUNCIL OF BROOKLYN NEIGHBORHOODS WELCOMES RELEASE OF THE ATLANTIC YARDS DEIS

Timing of release strange, but “The Community is ready!”

The COUNCIL OF BROOKLYN NEIGHBORHOODS (“CBN”) today announced in response to the release by the Empire State Development Corporation of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement that “The Community is ready!”

The release of the DEIS is much earlier than local politicians and Community Boards had requested of the ESDC. “While the timing of the release during the summer vacation and while the Community Boards are in recess might strike some as a ‘mid-summer surprise’, CBN and the communities we represent are eager to dig in! The report is the first opportunity we’ve had to see project details and to address the questions that have been building up in people’s minds. This is what we’ve been organizing for over the last year and a half. We have our consultants in place, we have our educational workshops up and running. We’re ready to go!” CBN will be holding 2 meetings to introduce to the public their new “DEIS Handbook” which explains how to approach reading the DEIS. The meetings will be held:

Tuesday,  July 18  Park Slope Methodist  Church
493 8th Street
(at Sixth Avenue)

Thursday,  July 20
St. Francis  College, Callahan Center
182 Remsen Street

Tuesday, July 25   Duryea Presbyterian Church
362 Sterling Place

Additional meetings and workshops are being organized. Organizations can contact CBN at cbrooklynneighborhoods@hotmail.com to arrange for presentations to their groups. CBN will be offering the DEIS, and the CBN Guides and Handbook at local public library branches. CBN materials are available for download from their website, www.cbrooklynneighborhoods.homestead.com.

CBN also gratefully acknowledges the financial support being provided from the New York City Council through the efforts of Speaker Christine Quinn and especially of Councilmember Letitia James, as well as the ongoing efforts of Assemblypersons Joan Millman and James Brennan in obtaining funds from the legislature.

The COUNCIL OF BROOKLYN NEIGHBORHOODS is a coalition of recognized diverse community groups active in Community Boards 2, 3, 6, and 8. CBN is comprised of 40 community organizations that have joined together to ensure meaningful community participation in the environmental review of the proposed Atlantic Yards development in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. As a group, CBN has experience in civic advocacy, transportation planning, neighborhood preservation, urban planning, the development of affordable housing, safety and security improvement, quality of life promotion, and business development. CBN’s collective background enables them to represent the concerns of the area communities.

For more information please contact CBN at 718-408-3219 or via email at cbrooklynneighborhoods@hotmail.com.

Posted by lumi at July 18, 2006 6:06 PM