August 24, 2015

Emily Lloyd, Commissioner

New York City Department of Environmental Protection
59-17 Junction Boulevard, 13th Floor
Flushing NY 11373
Dear Commissioner Lloyd:
We are writing to thank you for working in cooperation with the Ulster County Legislature and
Ulster County Executive Mike Hein to bring a multipurpose trail, with parking, stormwater
upgrades, and other related support features, to the Ulster & Delaware corridor (U&D Corridor)
along the northern bank of the Ashokan Reservoir. The newly signed Ashokan Trail agreement
(MOA) between the New York City Department of Environment (DEP) and Ulster County
promises new and important access for the public along an 11.5 mile segment of the corridor
next to the Ashokan, while preserving Ulster Countys perpetual railroad right-of-way and
providing enhanced environmental protection for New York Citys drinking water supply.
We appreciate the participation of the DEP in public reviews of potential uses in the corridor
going back decades, and we understand and endorse the conclusion provided in writing as part of
a county-wide planning study in 2005 that the DEP can accommodate either train use or trail use
in this segment of the U&D Corridor along the Ashokan Reservoir but not both. We accept
and appreciate the concrete stipulations contained in the MOA between NYCDEP & Ulster
County providing $2.5 million dollars in direct grants to Ulster County that may only be used to
build the trail: the funds provided by DEP are designated for projects that provide watershed
protection, and can only be used for building the trail, which will meet or exceed watershed
protection standards and address localized erosion issues. (NYCDEP press release: 12/13/2013)
The environmental constraints in the Ashokan segment of the U&D Corridor are similar to but
more extensive than constraints in other sections of the corridor. Between Basin Road (Milepost
10.0) and Boiceville (Milepost 21.5), there are extensive stretches, including on top of the
Glenford Dike, where the railroad tracks run within 100 feet of the Reservoir. In one area, the
tracks run on a very narrow (less than 20-foot wide) causeway, with the reservoirs drinking
water for over 9 million people in New York City held on both sides of the causeway. Since the
tourist train currently leasing the corridor has suffered derailments, both at its operations in
Kingston as well as at its site in Mount Tremper and Phoenicia, we cannot imagine anyone
advocating for diesel locomotives running over that causeway, nor on the Glenford Dike nor
over the Esopus Creek in Boiceville.
The results of a recent privately commissioned professional preliminary planning study for the
Ashokan Trail confirm the water supply protection hurdles and environmental infeasibility of
maintaining rail along with trail next to the Reservoir. Attempting to preserve tracks while
constructing a trail compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act would involve the
disruption and movement of many, many tons of earth and the destruction and removal of
thousands of trees, along with their root systems, which are critical to soil stabilization and
erosion control.
As part of the transition to a trail, we expect to work with the DEP to remove miles of degrading
and degraded toxic creosote-laden ties. In addition, removal of track in this section of the
corridor will lead to improved drainage and stormwater management going forward.

Support for the Ashokan Trail Agreement is enthusiastic and growing, as demonstrated by both
Ulster County residents and visitors. In less than two weeks prior to the Legislatures vote on the
Ashokan MOA on May 19, 2015, more than twelve hundred people signed our online petition
supporting approval of the Ashokan MOA; of these 80% (1000) of signers are residents of Ulster
County. In addition, during the same time period over 250 influential local business owners,
professionals and residents endorsed the Ashokan Trail proposal (see attached Letter of Support).
When the Ulster County Legislature approved the MOA with a strong, bipartisan majority, they
did so before a standing room-only crowd overwhelmingly supporting the Ashokan Trail. We
believe all this already visible support represents just the tip of the iceberg and will prove to be
only a fraction of the support the Trail will see once construction begins.
We look forward to seeing residents of Ulster County, as well as visitors, using this section of
the restored corridor, free of charge year-round, without permit, for healthy, enjoyable active
recreation. We appreciate your cooperation in providing an environmentally suitable surface that
nonetheless provides for wheelchair access and for use by people pushing strollers and riding
bicycles. Indeed, we expect people of all ages to enjoy the Ashokan Trail and to help improve
and protect what is sure to be a wonderful and incredibly beautiful asset.
We congratulate you and the DEP for finding a way to open the northern banks of the Ashokan
Reservoir to increased public access in a manner consistent with your mandate to protect the
drinking water supply for New York City, and we look forward to working with you to make this
great trail a reality.
Sincerely yours,
Friends of the Catskill Mountain Rail Trail
Co-Chairs:
Kathleen Nolan, MD, MSL Senior Research Director, Catskill Mountainkeeper
Kevin Smith Chairman of the Board of Directors, Woodstock Land Conservancy
www.catskillmountainrailtrail.org
focmrt@gmail.com
cc: Deputy Commissioner of New York City DEP Paul Rush
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio
First Deputy Mayor of New York City Anthony Shorris
Speaker of the New York City Council Melissa Mark-Viverito
Governor Andrew Cuomo
United States Senator Charles Schumer
United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
United States Representative Chris Gibson
New York State Senator James Seward
New York State Senator George Amedore
New York State Representative Kevin Cahill
New York State Representative Peter Lopez
Ulster County Executive Michael P. Hein
Clerk of the Ulster County Legislature Victoria Fabella
City of Kingston Mayor Shayne Gallo
Kingston Alderman-at-Large James Noble