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NEWS OF THE MONTH FROM THE TARRYTOWN ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COUNCIL
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SEPTEMBER 2020
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
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This month, let's turn off the car while texting -- it's good for the air we breathe. Will our dam break? Will our bees appreciate our gardening efforts? Where will you vote? What's for dinner tonight? We take a stab at answering these questions, and invite you to our meeting. It's tonight, and it's Zoom-style.
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POLLINATOR PATHWAYS:
A TROWEL IN THE GARDEN PATCH
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By Mai Mai Margules
 A few years ago, after reading yet another article about the dire state of our planet and her pollinators, I traded my anxiety for action, and armed with a trowel began to dig up a patch of our small front yard here in Tarrytown. As an amateur gardener with limited space and time I needed plants that would help the pollinators yet required minimum effort.
Orange cosmos, zinnias, sunflowers, native milkweed and hyssop have been my proven winners every year. Blooming continuously from early summer till frost, these pollinator -magnets have electrified the yard with color all the while providing a smorgasbord for wildlife.
In early spring it has been our underappreciated native “weeds”: Queen Anne’s Lace, dandelions, clover and wild violets that have sustained the early season bees. My gnarly old honeysuckle bush turned out to be the hummingbirds’ favorite hangout.
Since the pandemic the garden’s importance cannot be overstated. It has become our oasis, our Zen spot and our sanity- saver. We are not alone. On our street I’ve seen patches of lawn giving way to native plants and the block is literally buzzing. We get it. When we nourish our pollinators we nourish ourselves.
Pictures: Top, Mai Mai's pollinator garden, with verbena, Queen Anne's lace, cosmos, milkweed, coneflower, salvia and anise hyssop. Below, yellow cosmos and pink zinnias provide food for a monarch butterfly. Bottom left, a bumble bee on a pink zinnia. Bottom right, a bumble bee on native milkweed.
 
Do you have a garden that's designed to help our pollinators? Let us know, and we'll feature it in our newsletter! tarrytownenviro@gmail.com
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ASK DEAN:
"IS OUR DAM IN DANGER?"
This is our new series, presenting questions of local interest to Dean Gallea, our co-chair.
Q: The dam at the Tarrytown lakes has been deemed a “high hazard” dam, but what does that mean? It sounds ominous! Can Dean explain?
A: The “high hazard” categorization doesn’t refer to the probability that a dam will break! It’s a rating by the NY DEC on the severity of damage that could occur IF the dam failed. High hazard is class C by NY Code Title 6, Part 673, which is the highest level.
The factors used to evaluate and assign a hazard classification are:
- the height, impoundment capacity and physical characteristics of the dam;
- the physical characteristics of the location of the dam, including the areas which would be affected by a failure of the dam; and
- the potential consequences and other circumstances relevant to the failure of the dam, including, without limitation:
- personal injury and loss of human life;
- damage to developed areas, occupied buildings, or other land improvements;
- economic loss;
- damage to natural resources;
- proximity to and possible impairment of access to emergency services; and
- other site-specific characteristics or factors which the department determines are necessary to consider.
https://govt.westlaw.com/nycrr/Document/I4ed7566ecd1711dda432a117e6e0f345
The High Hazard category indicates that “A dam failure may result in widespread or serious damage to home(s); damage to main highways, industrial or commercial buildings, railroads, and/or important utilities, including water supply, sewage treatment, fuel, power, cable or telephone infrastructure; or substantial environmental damage; such that the loss of human life or widespread substantial economic loss is likely.”
Looking at this Google Map with the “Terrain” option enabled, you can see contour lines spaced at 40-foot intervals. The one passing through the base of the Lake’s dam is at 240 feet.
Guess what that contour line running right around the Landmark/Eastview complex is? Right, 200 feet, a full 40 feet below the base of the Lake’s dam!
So, if the dam were to fully and suddenly breach, the Lake would flush down the valley, under the Sawmill Parkway overpass, and flood the complex built on the plain below, including Regeneron and the other pharma labs, the ConEd Eastview plant, the Knicks’ and Rangers’ Training facility, etc.
If the breach was gradual enough, the Sawmill River could probably manage the outflow, though no doubt there would be some flooding downriver, such as the Coca-Cola plant, Sam’s Club, etc.
But the State’s rating must assume a sudden failure, so that municipalities – and insurers – know what the worst-case scenario could be. It’s not set in stone (pun intended), either.
The regulation includes a review provision: “A dam owner may contest the department's assignment of or change to a hazard classification. … The director of the department's Division of Water, or duly authorized designee, will review the owner's request for review and supporting documentation and issue a written decision either denying the request or changing the hazard classification.”
-- Dean
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CLEAN THE AIR AND
TAKE THE PLEDGE
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TEAC members have reported seeing lots of people sitting in their idling cars while texting, sometimes for long periods. Not only is this unnecessary - running the engine isn't needed for phone charging - but is harmful to the environment, and - beyond 3 minutes - is illegal. We hope our readers take this to heart, and remind others as well!
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LET THEM GET DIRTY
TEAC FOR KIDS?
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TEAC may start a kids' environmental group (ages 5-10 yrs old) and is currently gauging interest. Socially distanced activities would depend on the leading volunteers and parental participation would be required. Please email tarrytownenviro@gmail.com if interested.
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YOU MAY BE INTERESTED TO KNOW...
CLEAN RIVER NEWS
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The latest Riverkeeper water sampling of the Hudson at Tarrytown Marina showed very low enterococcus, which is an indicator of pathogens from sewage. That, even though there was a lot of rain, which usually raises entero levels.
SAVE THE DATE!
Please save the date for October 17th 9am-12pm for a Riversweep cleanup... details and signup sheet to be posted in October’s newsletter.
(photo ©Suzy Allman)
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STOP BY
TEAC AT THE FARMERS MARKET
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TEAC will be at the TaSH Farmers Market the last Saturday of the month and we encourage peeps to stop by! Upcoming date is Saturday, Sept 26 8:30am-1:30pm
DON'T FORGET: Green Tree textile recycling is back every week. This recycling service takes your unwanted clothes -- typically those that can't be accepted and resold by Goodwill or other clothing donation outlets -- and sells them for re-use by environmentally-minded manufacturers and designers.
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SCRAPPY!
COMMERCIAL COMPOSTING FACILITY UPDATE
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 The long-awaited commercial organics and food-scrap composting facility in the Town of Cortlandt is almost finished with their construction.
They will be running system tests over the next week or so, and as long as the tests run as expected, they anticipate opening within the next several weeks.
The facility will be run by Sustainable Materials Management, a division of CRP Sanitation [ https://smmcompost.com/how ].
If Westchester municipalities collecting food scraps – including Tarrytown – cart them to this facility rather than one currently being used in Ulster Co, it will save significant energy and expense.
Also, we have learned that Westchester County plans to pick up the costs to municipalities for carting their food scraps to composting facilities. TEAC will update you on further progress.
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ELECTION 2020
WHERE TARRYTOWN VOTES (EARLY)!
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Voting in the 2020 fall election is critical to our battle to save the planet. Please make a plan to cast your vote. We encourage you to VOTE EARLY, using the guidelines below.
EARLY VOTING is a safe, easy way to vote. Registered voters can vote at any of the early voting locations listed below. You will be voting in person, at ANY of the Westchester County early voting locations listed below. Please note that these locations may be different from your usual polling place.
Polls are open from SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24TH through SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1 for early voting.
Please note, early voting is just one of three ways to vote. If you are registered to vote, you may:
- Vote Early (Sat., October 24 - Sun., November 1):
- Vote By Mail (Request by October 27; Return by November 3):
- Vote on Election Day (Tuesday, November 3)
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WHAT WE'RE EATING NOW:
MEATLESS AND FABULOUS, A VEGGIE BOWL RECIPE
BY JAMES CARSEY
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Cauliflower, Asparagus, Mushroom Bowl With Wilted Mixed Greens and Sesame Ginger Dressing
For some of us, grocery shopping is not the therapeutic outlet it once was. Aggressive crowds, directional arrows, panic buyers, and coronavirus concerns makes stocking up on provisions a little less fun. Home cooks are relying on improv cooking and food substitution to prepare meals for family and friends.
Can’t find several key ingredients for tonight's family dinner recipe? Don’t panic! Make a bowl!
 Bowls are the anti-recipe. There is nothing to measure, simmer, set, or reduce. It is a catch-all meal because you can throw just about anything in a dinner bowl. It is perfect for hot summer nights because you can serve it cold or room temperature. Serve it hot and you have a hearty meal to satisfy any picky eater. This recipe is an ALL VEGGIE bowl that is easy on the environment and great for your body.
Ingredients
Asparagus - 1 bunch - cut into 2 inch pieces
Cauliflower - 1/2 to 1 head - cut into uniform size pieces (not too small)
Mushrooms - 10 ounces ( 1 container) - Quartered
Spinach, Kale, Swiss chard mix (or any dark leafy vegetable mix)
Salt
Pepper
Granulated garlic
Olive oil
The key to this dish is cooking the vegetables just right. Its easy to overcook vegetables, SO DON’T! You want them crisp and crunchy so they give a nice texture throughout the bowl. For best results, try sautéing each vegetable type separately. Although the extra step adds a few minutes to the meal preparation you are guaranteed perfect veggies every time.
Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until very hot (avoid teflon-coated skillets - they can't take the heat.) Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Ensure the oil is hot but not smoking. Add the cauliflower, and let cook, undisturbed, until deep golden on one side, 3 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and garlic. Give the pan a shake to flip the cauliflower. Continue to cook. Be careful with the hot oil splatters. Rotate the pan back and forth or stir with a wooden spoon until the cauliflower has turned over and is nicely browned evenly.
Shut off burner and remove the cauliflower from the sauté pan with tongs. Transfer into large bowl. Save the olive oil in the pan. Turn on stove to medium high heat and heat up the olive oil again. Add the cut asparagus. Add a pinch of salt and let cook for 5 minutes. Remove asparagus and transfer into same bowl as cauliflower. Again, be sure to save the olive oil in the pan. Continue sauté process with the quartered mushrooms add salt and pepper and cook on medium high heat for 5 minutes. They should be browned and sizzling. With tongs, transfer the mushrooms to same bowl with cauliflower and asparagus.
Without breaking or smashing the vegetables lightly stir with wooden spoon. Add the mixed greens one handful at a time and gently mix into the sautéed vegetables. The greens should wilt a little from the heat of the sautéed vegetables and reduce in size. It’s not a salad so be sure not to add too much greens. You are creating a nice balance of sautéed vegetables and greens. Portion the desired amount to a serving bowl and drizzle sesame miso dressing on top.
Miso Sesame Dressing
1 1⁄2 tablespoons miso paste
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1⁄4 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 1⁄2 teaspoons lime juice
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Whisk miso paste into rice vinegar in a bowl until smooth. Stir honey, ginger, sesame oil, lime juice, and sesame seeds into the vinegar mixture.
Variations and substitutes
The great thing about bowls in general is that they are very forgiving and there is always lots of room for variations and substitutes. Try adding fresh cut tomatoes or toasted nuts on top for added texture and flavor. If your market is out of the produce listed in the recipe don’t fret, just replace it with something else.
The rule of thumb for vegetables is if it grows together, it goes together.
Many home cooks make a standard bowl with fresh greens and quinoa and then add leftovers or anything else lying around the fridge. If you don’t have the time or resources to make the dressing, any savory store-bought dressing will go well with this dish.
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LOVE YOUR VILLAGE
JOINING TEAC IS EASY. JUST COME TO A (ZOOM) MEETING.
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TEAC relies on volunteers to keep things moving, and we usually meet on the 1st Thursday in Village Hall, One Depot Plaza, at 7:00 PM.
Since the Covid, we've moved our monthly meetings online -- Zoom-style for now -- so you can still pitch in. The next regular TEAC meeting will be on SEPTEMBER 3 (TONIGHT!), 2020. The meetings are open to all.
To join the meeting, launch your Zoom app, then use the following login credentials:
Meeting ID: 811 2440 6742
Passcode: 998057
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