Newtown Creek Superfund Site Community Advisory Group (CAG)

The Newtown Creek Superfund Site Community Advisory Group (CAG) is a diverse group of concerned residents, affected property owners, local governments, community groups, environmental groups, public health experts, the business community, and others from Brooklyn and Queens who have an interest in the cleanup of Newtown Creek. CAG members believe that the cleanup is an important opportunity to increase access to the Creek for recreation, restore wildlife habitats and the ecosystem of the Creek, and keep the channel as a working waterfront.

The CAG meets approximately once a month with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and others.  The CAG’s meetings are open to the public.  Members share information, hear presentations from city, state, and federal agencies, discuss options to proceed, and build community consensus about decisions affecting clean-up of the site. Everyone is welcome to attend meetings.

Leadership

The Newtown Creek CAG is led by two co-chairs and a steering committee, consisting of individuals and organization representatives who are recognized as community leaders interested in remedial activities at the Newtown Creek Superfund site. The CAG co-chairs organize and lead the CAG’s efforts. Co-chairs serve one-year terms and are eligible to serve an unlimited number of terms.

For further details on the roles and responsibilities of co-chairs and steering committee members, and for an explanation of how steering committee members and co-chairs are nominated, see the CAG’s operating procedures.

Current CAG Co-Chairs

• Willis Elkins

Past CAG Co-Chairs

• Kate Zidar (2012-2013)
• Mike Schade (2013-2016)
• Ryan Kuonen (2012-2022)

Current Steering Committee Members

• Leah Archibald
• Lisa Bloodgood
• Mike Dulong
• Sarah Durand
• Willis Elkins
• Quincy Ely-Cate
• Christine Holowacz
• Louis Kleinman
• Paul Pullo

Current Membership

• Leah Archibald, Evergreen*
• Tony Argento, Broadway Stages
• Erik Baard, HarborLAB
• Frederick Baker, St. Nick’s Alliance
• Patterson Beckwith, North Brooklyn Boat Club
• Ronald Blendermann, Retired Assistant Commissioner DSNY
• Tanya Bley, Resident
• Lisa Bloodgood, Newtown Creek Alliance*
• Ryan Cagle, Maspeth Industrial Business Association (MIBA) (alt.)
• Kendall Charter, Greenpoint YMCA
• Steve Chesler, Brooklyn CB1
• Mike Dulong, Riverkeeper*
• Sarah Durand, LaGuardia-CUNY*
• Willis Elkins, Newtown Creek Alliance**
• Katie Ellman, Green Shores NYC
• Quincy Ely-Cate, Maspeth Industrial Business Association (MIBA)*
• Stephen Fabian, Evergreen
• Jessica Ford, Resident
• Ted Gruber, LIC Boathouse
• Michael Haskell, North Brooklyn Boat Club
• Michael Heimbinder, Newtown Creek Alliance
• Brett Herman, Resident
• Laura Hofmann, Barge Park Pals/NCA/NCMC
• Michael Hofmann, Barge Park Pals/NCA/NCMC
• Christine Holowacz, NCA/NCMC*
• Joby Jacob, LaGuardia-CUNY
• Ed Kelly, Maritime Association of the Port of NY/NJ*
• Bradley Kerr, North Brooklyn Boat Club
• Louis Kleinman, Environmental Consultant
• Ryan Kuonen, CB #1 Brooklyn, North Brooklyn Neighbors
• Steve Lang, LaGuardia-CUNY
• John Lipscomb, Boat Captain/River Keeper
• Rich Mazur, North Brooklyn Development Corporation
• Dorothy Morehead, Queens CB 2 Env. Comm. Chair, NCA HarborLab
• Jan Mun, Resident
• Erica Pajerowski, North Brooklyn Community Boathouse
• Johanna Phelps, Resident/Landscape Architect
• Julia Pienkowska, Resident
• Sophie Ploegh, Resident
• Holly Porter-Morgan, LaGuardia Community College, CUNY (Environment Science Program Director), SWIM Steering Member
• Paul Pullo, United Metro Fuels*
• Dina Rabiner, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce
• Chrissy Remein, Riverkeeper
• Nicholas Russell, CUNY (student)
• Jason Sinopoli, Resident
• Dewey Thompson , North Brooklyn Boat Club
• Teresa Toro, Resident
• Mitch Waxman, Newtown Creek Alliance
• Frank Wu, Queens CB2
• Charles Yu, Long Island City Partnership
• Judith Zelikoff, NYU
• Kate Zidar, Newtown Creek Alliance
• Marina Zurkow, Resident

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* Steering Committee Member

** Steering Committee Chair