Hunts Point residents fuming over plant expansion

The City Council's decision to expand and upgrade the Hunts Point water pollution control plant has residents fuming Tuesday. Residents say they are not opposed to the expansion, but are concerned about

News 12 Staff

Sep 11, 2007, 11:19 PM

Updated 6,231 days ago

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The City Council's decision to expand and upgrade the Hunts Point water pollution control plant has residents fuming Tuesday.
Residents say they are not opposed to the expansion, but are concerned about the odor emitting from the plant. They say the odor is a major source of health worries.
"They have to do something about it because people are getting sick," said resident Lydia Sanchez. "There are a lot of people with asthma and they can't breathe."
However, the City Council voted Monday in favor of the Department of Environmental Protection's plan to upgrade and expand. The DEP said it was a measure needed to comply with federal and state water regulations. Under the proposal, the plant would include two 130-foot, egg-shaped structures. The site would also be landscaped along the western edge of Barreto Park.
DEP officials said the expansion will help clean city waterways, enhance water quality protection and replace outdated facilities. The DEP has also committed to reducing the odors coming from the facility.