Posted by: Doug K
« on: November 03, 2021, 07:36:21 pm »Once again, words matter. Please read this Supervisor Hanna statement again, with some understanding of what matters the most.
"The Erie Canal is one of our most significant cultural, natural, and historic landmarks, and we must safeguard it for the generations to come,” said Hanna. “The Town has been evaluating how to best protect the Erie Canal through our Comprehensive Plan Update given the State’s imminent plan to remove trees and vegetation along earthen embankments. By doing this, we can help ensure the Town and our residents have more input and communication with the State before any clearing occurs. I want residents to know that Perinton is prepared to protect the Canal and the safety of our community to the greatest extent we can.”
Mr Hanna hasn't said he supports the view of the Stop the Canal Clear-Cut group on Facebook. and he hasn't denied the safety issues at work here with unsafe dams, like this Facebook group continues to do.
In fact, Mr. Hanna just said that he will do what's needed, to protect the Canal in Perinton and the safety of our community to the greatest extent we can.”
What do you think matters more to Mr. Hanna?
Keeping trees where they don't belong or Removing trees to insure his Town and it's residents don't die in a flood?
Mr Hanna has also said that he does NOT support the idea of "clear-cutting" the Embankments along the Canal. And he chose his words carefully, because he DID say he supports a "pragmatic, selective, and intentional approach" to embankment maintenance. That is EXACTLY the words used by the NYS Canal Corporation, to describe their new Earthen Embankment Integrity Program. The STCC Facebook group doesn't support any changes, even those needed for public safety.
"While I understand the State wants to modify its canal embankment maintenance practice to permit easier inspection and identification of potential hazards, a clear-cut is not the answer. Instead, a pragmatic, selective and intentional approach should be taken. It is our intent to require the State to actively engage all stakeholders – from the public to property owners to the Town, and provide all with an opportunity to have more input, communication, and engagement on the State’s plan moving forward,” continued Hanna.
So maybe the truth lies somewhere closer to this:
Perinton made a smart move… by adopting a comprehensive plan, any local zoning will show up in the EEIP Program “desktop audit” of project in design.
That triggers the “community threshold” Chapter of the EEIP SEQR Documents for additional review and community engagement... so his statements are true.
Hanna is no dummy – he knows what is at stake. By going the route of the comprehensive plan, he can appear proactive to his constituents WHILE supporting an objective approach to embankment management. He also understands that when a project is identified in his area, he can show that he held the NYS Canal Corporation accountable – he solicted input from his community to add value. In doing that he has also given the EEIP program a solid path forward for work to progress.
And he stands for the SAFETY of his community...FIRST, after that he will be trying to insure the aesthetic views along the Canal remain, if they don't interfere with the SAFETY of his community.
You see the ECNA has spoken in the past with Mr. Hanna, and he does understand the seriousness of having 10 miles of unsafe canal embankments in his Township. He also understands that if trees are not removed, there is a chance that "unsafe earthen dams" may change the current Flood Zone Ratings in Perinton, and he does not want the residents that he serves, to be unduly burdened by mandatory Flood Insurance costs.
What the Canal Corporation is doing on canal embankments, is NOT a "clear-cut" by word definition.
Clear-cut is something that some group on Facebook made up to start a social media group. In fact that Facebook group started using the term because they actually believed that dead cottonwoods were being harvested for their cash value, and now they are trapped by it.
The Canal Corporation has been clear, as well as what Mr. Hanna has stated in his Comprehensive Plan... they do NOT support a Clear-Cut approach to Earthen Dam Maintenance... but they both DO support a pragmatic, selective, and intentional approach" to embankment maintenance.
That Facebook Group, well they want nothing removed, they want the canal corporation to go away, and they simply say the dams won't fail...
But what if they are WRONG?
Again, it won't really matter because most of this Facebook group simply walk along the Empire Trail at the top of the dam, they don't live below the waterline like many Canal Neighbors do. When you aren't putting your own life at risk, it seems to be very easy to treat other's lives very "casually", as evident by all these FB members that say that "safety warnings" from the Canal Corporation are just "fear-mongering".
But what is "really scary" here... a Facebook Group formed to fight AGAINST a NYS Canal Public Safety program, and the Town of Perinton, along with the Village of Fairport LET THEM DO IT!!
"The Erie Canal is one of our most significant cultural, natural, and historic landmarks, and we must safeguard it for the generations to come,” said Hanna. “The Town has been evaluating how to best protect the Erie Canal through our Comprehensive Plan Update given the State’s imminent plan to remove trees and vegetation along earthen embankments. By doing this, we can help ensure the Town and our residents have more input and communication with the State before any clearing occurs. I want residents to know that Perinton is prepared to protect the Canal and the safety of our community to the greatest extent we can.”
Mr Hanna hasn't said he supports the view of the Stop the Canal Clear-Cut group on Facebook. and he hasn't denied the safety issues at work here with unsafe dams, like this Facebook group continues to do.
In fact, Mr. Hanna just said that he will do what's needed, to protect the Canal in Perinton and the safety of our community to the greatest extent we can.”
What do you think matters more to Mr. Hanna?
Keeping trees where they don't belong or Removing trees to insure his Town and it's residents don't die in a flood?
Mr Hanna has also said that he does NOT support the idea of "clear-cutting" the Embankments along the Canal. And he chose his words carefully, because he DID say he supports a "pragmatic, selective, and intentional approach" to embankment maintenance. That is EXACTLY the words used by the NYS Canal Corporation, to describe their new Earthen Embankment Integrity Program. The STCC Facebook group doesn't support any changes, even those needed for public safety.
"While I understand the State wants to modify its canal embankment maintenance practice to permit easier inspection and identification of potential hazards, a clear-cut is not the answer. Instead, a pragmatic, selective and intentional approach should be taken. It is our intent to require the State to actively engage all stakeholders – from the public to property owners to the Town, and provide all with an opportunity to have more input, communication, and engagement on the State’s plan moving forward,” continued Hanna.
So maybe the truth lies somewhere closer to this:
Perinton made a smart move… by adopting a comprehensive plan, any local zoning will show up in the EEIP Program “desktop audit” of project in design.
That triggers the “community threshold” Chapter of the EEIP SEQR Documents for additional review and community engagement... so his statements are true.
Hanna is no dummy – he knows what is at stake. By going the route of the comprehensive plan, he can appear proactive to his constituents WHILE supporting an objective approach to embankment management. He also understands that when a project is identified in his area, he can show that he held the NYS Canal Corporation accountable – he solicted input from his community to add value. In doing that he has also given the EEIP program a solid path forward for work to progress.
And he stands for the SAFETY of his community...FIRST, after that he will be trying to insure the aesthetic views along the Canal remain, if they don't interfere with the SAFETY of his community.
You see the ECNA has spoken in the past with Mr. Hanna, and he does understand the seriousness of having 10 miles of unsafe canal embankments in his Township. He also understands that if trees are not removed, there is a chance that "unsafe earthen dams" may change the current Flood Zone Ratings in Perinton, and he does not want the residents that he serves, to be unduly burdened by mandatory Flood Insurance costs.
What the Canal Corporation is doing on canal embankments, is NOT a "clear-cut" by word definition.
Clear-cut is something that some group on Facebook made up to start a social media group. In fact that Facebook group started using the term because they actually believed that dead cottonwoods were being harvested for their cash value, and now they are trapped by it.
The Canal Corporation has been clear, as well as what Mr. Hanna has stated in his Comprehensive Plan... they do NOT support a Clear-Cut approach to Earthen Dam Maintenance... but they both DO support a pragmatic, selective, and intentional approach" to embankment maintenance.
That Facebook Group, well they want nothing removed, they want the canal corporation to go away, and they simply say the dams won't fail...
But what if they are WRONG?
Again, it won't really matter because most of this Facebook group simply walk along the Empire Trail at the top of the dam, they don't live below the waterline like many Canal Neighbors do. When you aren't putting your own life at risk, it seems to be very easy to treat other's lives very "casually", as evident by all these FB members that say that "safety warnings" from the Canal Corporation are just "fear-mongering".
But what is "really scary" here... a Facebook Group formed to fight AGAINST a NYS Canal Public Safety program, and the Town of Perinton, along with the Village of Fairport LET THEM DO IT!!