Richmondtown & Clarke Avenue Civic Association

Staten Island is a diverse and richly cultured borough of New York City, separated from Long Island by the Narrows and from mainland New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull. Carol Donovan leads the Richmondtown & Clarke Avenue Civic Association, Staten Island, NY in a constant effort to curb irresponsible development and preserve important ecosystems, including wetlands, as well as making sure public hearings and comment periods are accessible to the communityStaten Island is a diverse and richly cultured borough of New York City, separated from Long Island by the Narrows and from mainland New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull. Carol Donovan leads the Richmondtown & Clarke Avenue Civic Association, Staten Island, NY in a constant effort to curb irresponsible development and preserve important ecosystems, including wetlands, as well as making sure public hearings and comment periods are accessible to the community.

Currently, the group has joined with the Staten Island Coalition for Wetlands and Forests to protect the Graniteville Wetlands which is being threatened by the construction of a large BJ’s Warehouse store, gas station and parking structure. These wetlands were instrumental in protecting the community against the devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy. The coalition working to protect the Graniteville Wetlands are advocating for it to become a New York State park and are suing the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to force the department to redo its environmental assessment of the site. Hundreds of homes and an area of approximately 30 acres, of both freshwater and tidal wetlands, are at stake.