I am writing to provide clarification on the origin of the new Office of Marine Debris and Vessel Surrendering (“City makes a splash with new agency,” April 18, multiple editions).
Far Rockaway Residents Fed Up With Graveyard Of Sunken Boats, Rusted Barges Filled With Garbage
CBS New York 2 hrs ago Syndicated Local – CBS New York
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) Queens residents say they’ve asked the state and city to clean up a graveyard of sunken boats and barges for years.
Now, it’s even preventing a business from opening up.
It’s a disgusting sight that residents in the Arverne section of Far Rockaway are fed up with rusted barges filled with garbage, slowly sinking year after year.
One is way under with the crane sticking out.
“For 15 years, I’ve seen these cranes in the water, and me and my wife used to joke that they’re probably landmarked,” said Edwin Williams, president of the Heart of Rockaway Civic Association. “There’s a huge East Coast Resiliency Project, but it’s mainly focused on Manhattan. We’re like the forgotten part of New York City.”
Queens family searches for help removing abandoned barges By Angi Gonzalez Queens
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Two dilapidated barges, which are at least 100 feet long, or about the size of a 10-story building and are filled with garbage, are tied to a dock on Johann Smiley’s property.
He and his son, Johann Smiley, Jr., purchased 7500 Amstel Blvd. in Arverne a little over a year ago with a verbal understanding that the owner of the barges would have them removed.
What You Need To Know
Johann Smiley and his son purchased 75-00 Amstel Blvd in Arverne, Queens about a year ago with an understanding that the owner of two barges tied to his property would be removed “in a few weeks”