request to extend comment deadline for DC Water's 1st St Tunnel EA denied (but community input still welcome); eager for DC Water's submissions to DDOT

From: John T. Salatti <john.salatti@gmail.com>

To: John Lisle <John.Lisle@dcwater.com>
Cc: Emanuel D. Briggs <Emanuel.Briggs@dcwater.com>; Carlton M. Ray <Carlton.Ray@dcwater.com>; William Levy <William.Levy@dcwater.com>; Andrea Williams <Andrea.Williams@dcwater.com>; Mark Mueller <anc5e08@gmail.com>; neighbors
Sent: Wednesday, May 15, 2013 5:36 PM
Subject: Re: EA Comment deadline and DC Water submissions to DDOT

Thanks, John, for your response.  A few comments.

First, although work needs to start in some short order to address the possibilities of further failure of he CSO during rain storms, because the start of construction is months away, I find citing "urgency" and "continued risk" unhelpful.  DC Water is going to have to work closely with these residents for several years to come and good relations and cooperation will go a long way to seeing that the agency's task goes forward as smoothly as possible.  Without pointing fingers or ascribing blame, whether you or I like it or not, DC Water for the second time in less than 12 months faces a huge PR problem.  This situation requires a certain deftness, and giving residents 7 to 14 more days would go a long way towards building what is going to be a long relationship.   And I sincerely doubt that some extra time for comments is going to slow the start of the construction schedule or affect the urgency to move forward.

                       

Second, although I am aware of the effort that DC Water has made, for various reasons as we all have learned, that effort has not worked.  Yes, meetings have been held and reports posted, etc.  The problem is that the form of the communication effort (the meetings, letters, etc.) and the substance of that effort (the message that got through) did not match up.  The way that the materials were presented and the meetings conducted would lead one to think that the agency's expectation has been that the average (or even above average) person should have dug out of the EA what was going to happen on Flagler.  I would say that expectation was a bit unrealistic.  

                 

I know you don't want to blame the residents for not paying attention (although paragraphs 3 and 4 hint at that), you're just trying to lay out what the agency did to get the word out, and I get that.  I'll even grant that they probably weren't paying attention.  But as someone who has served the community for almost seven years now, I have learned what I can expect and what I should not expect.  

      

What might have attracted more attention and been more open communication with residents would have been in Dec. 2012, someone from DC Water or the Mayor's Task Force getting up and saying, "we are going to tear up entire blocks and leave them inaccessible for two years or more."  Yes, I think you would have gotten residents' attention very quickly and gotten more response.  

     

But instead, the focus of letters and meetings was First Street and the relief the work would provide the sewer system during intense rain events in the years leading up to the completion of the Clean Rivers Project.  When I asked about street construction, I was told everything would happen deep underground and no one on the surface will even know what was going on.  Well, regarding First Street that appears to be the case, but clearly that was not the whole story.  Perhaps when I asked that was all the story that anyone was really thinking about:  First Street.  I have no reason to think that anyone at DC Water intentionally misled me.  My point is that if that was an answer I got directly from the agency about surface construction, why should residents away from First Street have thought to have searched through obscure reports for references to destruction of their blocks?  Clearly, no one should have had that expectation of residents.  And I attended some of those earlier meetings and my colleague Comm'r Mueller probably went to more; I don't suspect extensive surface construction was ever raised by the DC Water team.  

        

And if DC Water knew in Dec. or Jan. the extent of the construction on streets like Flagler and Thomas and didn't expressly (1) state that in bold letters in materials, (2) inform residents on those blocks directly of that construction specifically, and (3) have PowerPoint slides in your meetings with residents and the ANC etc. stating the extent and gravity of construction on those blocks, then I find it hard to say that residents should have taken action sooner.  As we have seen, as soon as someone pulled out of the depths of the EA what DC Water intends to do (even in the obscure terminology of engineer-speak), residents have moved quickly.

       

So again, given that understanding of the communications effort, I still say that DC Water would do everyone a favor (particularly the agency itself) and officially give neighbors a few more days to present their concerns.  

          

That said, I will let residents know that they still can forward their comments to DC Water after today.

                  

Finally, let's stay in touch about the Traffic Control Plan.  After all, the fact that it hasn't yet been approved means this is the very time to discuss it with the people who will be most affected.  Once it is approved and then residents' protests force DDOT back to the drawing board, well, that wastes the very time you are saying we urgently cannot afford to waste.  And why DDOT should have any issues about the agency releasing the agency's own draft TCP strikes me as odd.  But that is an issue I can take up with Terry Bellamy.  

            

Thanks again for your detailed response.  Only by continuing an in-depth dialogue can we reach solutions that work for everyone. 

John

  

John T. Salatti
(202) 986-2592
"Together, Building a Better Bloomingdale"

   

On Wed, May 15, 2013 at 1:32 PM, John Lisle <John.Lisle@dcwater.com> wrote:

John,

    

My apologies for the delay in getting you a response – I was out of the office yesterday.

     

Thank you for sharing your insights and suggestions.  While we understand and appreciate the community concerns, we are unable to extend the Draft First Street Tunnel Environmental Assessment (EA)comment period due to the continued risk of future flooding and the urgency to mitigate that risk in the Northeast Boundary area. 
     
Please be assured that  citizens may submit comments at anytime and DC Water will continue to work closely with residents in the area to address their concerns about the proposed construction.  
     
As you  know, DC Water implemented an extensive public outreach campaign to ensure the Bloomingdale community was  notified that the Draft First Street Tunnel EA was available for review and comment.  These outreach efforts included a series of mailings, meetings with ANCs and neighborhood  associations, as well as website, blog and listserv posts, media relations, Washington Post ad placement and targeted door hanger distribution.  The Draft EA was placed in public libraries and the announcement of its availability was disseminated directly to DC Councilmembers, ANC and SMD officials, neighborhood and civic associations. 
  
A public meeting for residents to provide comments on the Draft EA design plans was held on April 24, 2013 and was attended by 31 residents.  In addition, a Ward 5 Town Hall meeting - attended by 55 residents - and a dedicated meeting for the residents of Flagler Place - attended by 29 residents - were held on April 30 and May 7 respectively.  Hard copies and CDs of the Draft EA were made available to residents during the EA Public Meeting and Ward 5 Town Hall. 
       
However, let me reiterate that even after the EA comment period closes, DC Water strongly encourages neighborhood input and plans to hold a communitywide public meeting in early July to further discuss project impacts and mitigation.  Based on feedback received to date, the project team is already reviewing the construction footprint to identify possible means of reduction and to provide safe parking alternatives. Please be assured that your  input and support  is very much appreciated and we look  forward to continuing to work with you.

       

As for your second request, we have submitted a draft Traffic Control Plan (TCP) to DDOT. Since the TCP is preliminary and has not yet been approved, we need to consult with DDOT before making it publicly available.

  

Thanks again John.

      

John

  

From: John T. Salatti [mailto:john.salatti@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, May 13, 2013 11:40 AM
To: Emanuel D. Briggs; John Lisle
Subject: EA Comment deadline and DC Water submissions to DDOT

       

Good morning, Gentlemen,

      

Thank you again for your outreach to the neighborhood and your willingness to sit down and talk with neighbors about the Flagler-Adams, Thomas, V projects.  Clearly, those affected residents are very concerned about what these projects will mean to them, their families, their homes, and the life on their blocks and with some reason.  And right now, as you have experienced, their ire is squarely aimed at DC Water.  Let me offer two suggestions that might help with relations between the agencies and neighbors.

       

First, as neighbors have rightfully complained, the deadline for comment on the DC Water Environmental Assessment is this week.  Given that most of them learned of the EA only last week, rightly or wrongly, that deadline comes across as DC Water wanting to limit public comment.  To address that perception, I would suggest giving residents until the end of the month to comment.  

           

Second, I hear that DC Water has recently submitted document to DDOT about the First Street Tunnel project.  Again, I think neighbors would be very gratified if DC Water made those documents available to them directly.

       

From my perspective doing these things costs DC Water nothing and could go a long way to bolster the view that DC Water wants to be actively engaged with neighbors. As ever, if I can help with either of these issues or others related to your projects in Bloomingdale, please let me know.

  

All the best,

John

    

John T. Salatti
(202) 986-2592
"Together, Building a Better Bloomingdale"