Public Input Sought on River & Shoreline Restorations for Smith Street Habitat

ERIE COUNTY, NY— The Erie County Department of Environment & Planning (“DEP”) has announced a public meeting to be held on Tuesday, May 26, 2015 at 6:00 PM at the Valley Community Center, 73 Leddy Street in Buffalo to receive public input on concept designs for river and shoreline restorations at Erie County’s Red Jacket Natural Habitat Park at the foot of Smith Street in Buffalo.

The DEP received funding from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to design and construct shoreline and habitat restorations at three of its natural habitat parks, all of which are situated along the Buffalo River. Following years of industrial contamination, the river is listed as a toxic water body and known as an “Area of Concern”, but has already begun seeing improvements.

In 2014, contaminated sediment was dredged from the navigable channels of the Buffalo River to spur efforts to restore in-water habitat, rebuild natural shoreline and reestablish native plant species to the Red Jacket Natural Habitat Park riverfront site.  These improvements will revitalize fish and wildlife populations, while helping to restore healthy ecosystems in the Buffalo River and provide an enhanced experience for all Erie County residents.  

Public meeting on concept designs for Red Jacket Natural Habitat Park:

• Tuesday, May 26, 2015
• 6:00 PM
• Valley Community Center, 73 Leddy Street, Buffalo