Passaic River Coalition Highlights 2012 Success

To the Editor:

Season’s greetings from the Passaic River Coalition! After a long year of hard work, we hope that we made the “Good” list this year. In case you have forgotten, some of the major initiatives we have completed this year include:

• The preservation of the 221-acre Emerald Forest property complete with an extensive trail network and home to many endangered species
• The preservation of Yapewi Park, a name that is complimentary to the mutual conservation feelings of both the Ramapough Indians and the PRC, which translates to “by the river”,
• The submission of an impressive and closely argued report to the EPA’s National Remedy Review Board detailing the remedial alternatives and solutions to the cleanup of the Lower Passaic River
• A major World Environment Day cleanup, together with the Newark-based Anheuser Busch/InBev facility, in which six badly damaged trees were removed from the Willow Hall Property as well as a cleanup of the grounds

Currently we are working with the City of Paterson on the creation of Mary Ellen Kramer Park, which will become part of the Great Falls National Park, as well as a parks brochure for the residents.

We welcome you to visit us this year to see all the wonderful work we have done, but be sure to use the front door, as we need to replace our chimney liner. Did you know that our building was home to the financier of the telegraph? If your elves are feeling up to it, a sign in font of Willow Hall could tell everyone this and a National Registry Plaque would show its importance. Maybe your elves, with their impressive mechanical skills, could work on our two furnaces, as they need to be repaired or remove the small amount of asbestos in our basement.  

2013 will be a very busy year for the PRC. Climate change and wind damage are real problems that affect everyone, without easy answers. Sandy caused a lot of damage on our Land Trust properties, so we would like to add a chainsaw to our list, with a supply of gasoline, so we can manage our properties appropriately without having to pay someone for there services.

We are also now closer than ever to a shift from serious conversation to immediate action on the Lower Passaic. The need for us to keep up this momentum is urgent, and we need your help!

The Passaic River Coalition is a 501(c) 3 charity so your generous donations are tax deductible even if it happens to be a gift card. Thank you for thinking of us this holiday season.

Happy Holidays!

—Ella Filippone
Executive Director