http://www.boston.com/dailynews/123/region/Delaware_considers_sinking_New:.shtml

Delaware considers sinking New York City subway cars off its coast

By Associated Press, 5/3/2001 07:41

DOVER, Del. (AP) After New York, New Jersey and Maryland rejected the idea, Delaware will be the next state to consider sinking hundreds of New York City subway cars to create a fish habitat off its coast.

A public hearing to discuss the plan is set for Monday at the Dover offices of the state Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. Department officials will be joined in explaining the plan by representatives from New York City's transit authority and the Army Corps of Engineers.

The plan Delaware is now considering could provide the state up to 1,300 cars for use in an artificial reef site 16 miles east of the Indian River Inlet.

The transit authority would pay to clean up the cars before they are sunk and would ship them to the site by barge. Delaware officials could inspect the cars before they are shipped and reject any they deem unfit.

New York, New Jersey and Maryland turned down similar proposals because of concerns about asbestos in the cars. Asbestos causes cancer when inhaled.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency has said the cars' asbestos does not pose a danger to fish or humans. Jeff Tinsman, Delaware Reef Program coordinator, said the concerns raised by other states are not supported by scientific evidence.

But a representatives from a New Jersey-based environmental group, Clean Ocean Action, questioned EPA approval of the plan, contending the agency has not thoroughly investigated it.

Delaware officials have invited local environmental and fishing industry representatives to attend Monday's hearing.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2001

Answers

hey, how bout a surfing reef? why is it always "for the fish?"

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2001