Con Ed Offers No Information to Residents Who Incurred Damage from the Installation of the Gas Transmission Line
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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As a follow up to last week’s article on the damaged sewer laterals in Greenacres and Fox Meadow along the route of Con Ed’s recently installed 36” gas transmission line, we wrote to the Con Ed media representative.
We asked the following questions:
-What happened to the project? Did it extend to the Bronx? Is the gas line in use?
-Are Scarsdale residents able to access the gas in that line?
- Is there still a moratorium on new gas service?
- What was the cost of the project?
-Residents along Walworth Avenue have found that the gas transmission line damaged their lateral sewer lines - and estimate that it will cost each homeowner $35,000 to address the issue.
- Is Con Edison going to come back and do the repairs?
-What about people who only find out they have an issue in the years to come - when they are attempting to get an inspection certificate to sell their homes?
-What recourse do residents have?
-How can a homeowner know if their home was impacted?
Here’s the response we received:
“We halted our work on the Scarsdale stretch of our White Plains-to-Bronx gas transmission line in October 2024. Our work continues on other stretches and we will resume work in Scarsdale at an undetermined date. The line is integral to our maintaining safe, reliable service for customers who rely on natural gas for their heating, hot water and cooking needs. We always seek to complete our projects with as little inconvenience to residents and businesses as possible.”
Con Ed failed to address any of the questions about the damaged sewer laterals and how residents can have these repaired.
Letter to the Editor: Restore Quiet Weekends
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- Written by: Joshua Weisbrod
- Hits: 569
(This letter was written by Josh Weisbrod)
Today is the first nice Saturday in months. Sun is out, sky is blue, a little chilly but a lovely day to enjoy outdoor activities: a hike in Saxon Woods, a walk in the neighborhood, letting your dog run in the dog park, just sitting outside and reading a book. And, given it is now spring, we also get to enjoy the ever-present orchestra of edgers and leaf blowers.
I enjoyed their roar on the second half of my walk in Saxon Woods park at 9am. I was treated to their whine when I returned home after the farmer's market at about 12:45. And, I exulted in their buzz as I bundled up and read my book outside. They are everywhere and they never stop. And, thankfully, they're so incredibly loud (Google estimates 80-95 decibels) that we can even enjoy them indoors several blocks away through nose-cancelling headphones.
In a world with endless stimulation, the weekends present us with a time to relax a bit and avoid the constant pings. And, many of us moved to the suburbs to enjoy the outdoors - whether that's a hike or just taking a stroll after dinner. But, in Scarsdale (and many other communities) you can't even do that without the constant whir of the landscaping machines. It's constant Monday through Saturday from sun-up to sundown. (I know we have a rule saying 10am on Saturday, but how many of us have heard the noise pollution begin before 9am on a weekend?)
I think we should be able to sit outside on a Saturday and not listen to this. Come to think of it, we should be able to sit outside in the summer post-5pm and not have to listen to it either. Feels like there is something we should do as a community to restore a time when you could enjoy the outdoors (or even sit in your sunroom with the door closed) and not face the omnipresent noise pollution.
Josh Weisbrod
Scarsdale
Forum Committee Issues Report on Health, Safety, Environmental Impacts and Exposure Risks of Synthetic Turf
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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The Scarsdale Forum's Municipal Services, Sustainability and Parks and Recreation committees have issued updates to their initial Report on the use of artificial turf (AT) in Scarsdale Village recreation fields and courts, dated January 15, 2025. The Forum's March 29, 2025 Report update included additional research findings about the inherent health and environmental harms and risks associated with AT. The subsequent March 2, 2026 Report update was circulated to the Scarsdale Village Board and Manager, the Scarsdale Board of Education, and the Scarsdale School District's Superintendent, among others, and is reprinted below:
Scarsdale Forum Inc. Update to the January 15, 2025 Forum Report on the "Health, Safety, Environmental Impacts and Exposure Risks of Synthetic Turf Recreation Fields and Courts
Dear Mayor Arest, Village Trustees, Superintendent Dr. Drew Patrick, Manager Marshall, and Members of the Scarsdale Board of Education, et al.:
Scarsdale Forum Inc. is the 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to community education through discussion and analysis of issues relevant to Scarsdale residents. Since 1904, the Forum has contributed meaningfully to village affairs through written reports, prominent public speaker programs, social gatherings, and other public events. Membership is available to all Scarsdale residents, regardless of citizenship status.
The undersigned members of the Forum’s Board of Directors are hereby following up on recommendations made in the January 15, 2025 Forum Report on the "Health, Safety, Environmental Impacts and Exposure Risks of Synthetic Turf Recreation Fields and Courts.
As recommended in that Report, we continue to request that the Village Board, the Scarsdale School District, and the Board of Education implement an immediate moratorium on artificial turf (“AT”) installation in Scarsdale, considering that the clear health and environmental harms associated with AT has translated into New York taking aggressive legislative action.
New York’s recent legislation bans the sale of any carpet, including artificial turf, containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals,” effective December 31, 2026. The Village, School District and Board of Education should not approve the installation on Scarsdale’s fields of material that has been recognized by New York State as harmful to the health of children and the environment.
The State has undertaken comprehensive efforts geared toward phasing out "forever chemicals" from various other consumer products, as these chemicals are definitively linked to serious health issues. The state’s “carpet” law also requires manufacturers to set up collection and recycling programs to address the 515 million pounds of carpet waste generated annually, of which less than 1% was previously recycled. It aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 165,000 tons yearly, in addition to eliminating PFAS chemicals in new carpets. Yet there are additional hazards associated with AT that need to be addressed.
The Forum's recommendations made last year were supported by extensive medical, scientific, and environmental research and evidence, urging the Village and School District to (1) place a moratorium on the installation of new artificial turf athletic and recreation fields and courts, (2) consider eventual replacement of existing artificial turf with natural grass turf in view of the health, safety, environmental impacts and exposure risks of artificial turf, (3) investigate, assess and report to the community on the health, safety, environmental impacts and exposure risks associated with the use of synthetic turf athletic and recreation fields and courts in the Village, and (4) evaluate the relative durability and cost of installation, maintenance, replacement and disposal of artificial turf fields and courts compared with natural grass fields and courts. The Forum’s prior update to its Report, with additional support for the imposition of a moratorium of AT, may be forwarded separately.
Having cited in its January 2025 Report Mount Sinai’s Children’s Environmental Health Center research on this subject, the Forum would like to share with the Village, School District and Board of Education Mount Sinai’s more recent recommendations based on the hazards posed by artificial turf:
“The Children’s Environmental Health Center of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai strongly discourages the installation of artificial turf playing surfaces and fields due to the uncertainties surrounding the safety of these products and the potential for dangerous heat and chemical exposures. In addition, recent studies demonstrating the presence of PFAS and microplastics in these products raise significant concerns for both human health and environmental contamination.” See The Children’s Environmental Health Center Recommendations, "Position Statement on the Use of Artificial Turf Surfaces" (May 29, 2025), See also Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) Fact Sheet, "Athletic Playing Fields and Artificial Turf: Considerations for Municipalities and Institutions,"
Moreover, substantial cost savings are associated with natural fields over installation of AT. We therefore recommend designating only a fraction of the currently proposed/budgeted Village and School District funds for improved natural turf management, rather than for the purchase, maintenance, and replacement of exorbitantly costly artificial turf."
Sincerely,
Darlene LeFrancois Haber, MD
Chair, Scarsdale Forum Inc. Sustainability Committee
Madelaine Eppenstein
Chair, Scarsdale Forum Inc. Municipal Services Committee
Erin Rudensky
Co-Chair, Scarsdale Forum Parks and Recreation Committees
Regional Climate Advocates Host 11th Annual Climate Conference April 2026
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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As many as 200 members of Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) and other climate advocates will attend the Northeast Multistate Conference at Union College in Schenectady, NY , on April 10 & 11, 2026. Scarsdale HIgh School students Aaron Anders and Cameron Hersley are members of CCL.
For the 11th year, volunteers with one of the nation’s most effective, nonpartisan climate lobbying organizations will gather to learn from experts and each other how to enact meaningful climate legislation and educate the public on proposed solutions. This year the conference expands its reach beyond New York and New England to include climate advocates from New Jersey and Pennsylvania. All climate advocates are welcome to attend; membership in CCL is not required.
“Because the sources of climate change and air pollution are one and the same, if we reduce our local dependence on fossil fuel burning we can achieve both a healthier Westchester AND a healthier planet,” said Dr. George Thurston, Professor of Medicine and Population Health at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and a member of the Westchester chapter.
One of the chapter co-leaders, Elizabeth Brigham, added, “Events like these help get more people involved in hands-on ways we can work with our community
The conference begins with a social gathering Friday evening. On Saturday, the opening session “Bridge Building” will set the tone for the conference. Following that will be twelve information- and strategy-packed lectures, panels, and workshops designed to build climate advocacy and collaboration skills. Attendees will understanding of subjects ranging from carbon pricing to regional energy policy and building political will.
A few topics featured in this year’s conference include:
-Advanced Nuclear: What Does It Actually Mean?
-Building Political Will for a Powerful Carbon Price
-Climate Advocate Training
-Community Engagement for Permitting Renewables
-How to Create a State Policy Working Group
-Organizing for Climate with Higher Education
Legislators on both sides of the aisle appreciate CCL’s non-partisan approach to lobbying—focusing on science and solutions, not blame. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) has said of CCL, “You guys are the best. There is no better environmental group.”
As a keynote speaker at the 2024 CCL National Fall Conference, Senator-elect John Curtis (R-UT) noted, “I can’t think of any group I’d rather speak with today.”
The conference is produced by volunteers of Citizens’ Climate Lobby / Citizens’ Climate Education. Register at https://cclnortheast2026.eventbrite.com. Don’t delay! The early bird rate of $110 ends on March 8. The student rate is $30. A $20 late registration surcharge will begin on April 1. Registration includes light fare both days.
Members of the media are invited to attend. Please contact David Ruekberg at [email protected] to make arrangements.
CONTACT: David Ruekberg, CCL Northeast MultiState Conference Coordinator, [email protected] 585-789-1865.
JCC Mid-Westchester Celebrates Community, Culture and Connection on Sunday March 8: You're Invited
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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On Sunday, March 8, from 4:30 to 7:00 PM, the JCC Mid-Westchester in Scarsdale will celebrate 70 years of community, culture, and connection with a specialevent for all! The Annual Benefit will celebrate JCCMW’s rich history, vibrant present, and inspiringfuture with a special program honoring both their founding families as well as their current teenleaders. The program will be followed by a cocktail-style dinner and live music by The Oren Neiman Trio.
The JCCMW will simultaneously be hosting a Kids-Only party onsite with gymnastics games and obstacles, hands-on crafts, a fun-filled game room, and delicious pizza dinner so families with children can participate and enjoy the celebration!
JCCMW Founding Families will be represented by The Arnow Family, David Raizen, Jill and Robert Serling, and Elaine and Alan Weiler. Eli Friedlander, Kate Glick, Micah Granwetter, and Alexis Levine are the teen leaders being honored for their volunteer work and commitment.
To learn more about the JCCMW’s 70 Year Celebration, visit here. Purchase tickets, sponsorships, and journal ads or simply make a donation to support JCCMW’s vital mission of strengthening community, enriching families, connecting friends, and helping people lead joyful lives.
The JCC Mid-Westchester is a nonprofit organization that supports the community by offering outstanding recreational, cultural, educational, and human services programming to all people regardless of age, background, religion, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Programs are grounded in Jewish values and are open to all! Learn more at jccmw.org.
