Brooklyn’s Penn and Fountain landfills reclaimed
The New York Times chronicles developments at the Pennsylvania Avenue and Fountain Avenue Landfills in Brooklyn. New York City”s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has completed the first phase of ecological rehabilitation of the site, which began in 2004. After the landfill capping procedure was complete, DEP seeded the 400-acre area and planted shrubs and trees into a landscape of ecological islands. Planting was performed at a density double of what typically would grow in a non-engineered environment; DEP reports a 93% survival rate.
Penn and Fountain, located directly beside each other on the north shore of Jamaica Bay, were filled with residential and commercial waste until 1980 and 1985, respectively, but were not properly closed until 1995, after local residents complained about health concerns. Though no plans for future use of the space have been set, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is quoted as saying that the former landfills could be reclassified as safe for public access as early as next spring.
