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HEP/NEIWPCC Stewardship Grants 2010-2011 Proposal Form

NOTE: this is a fillable form and you should be able to check boxes by clicking them, and enter or paste as much text as needed in the gray areas. If you have any questions of problems, please contact gabriela@harborestuary.org or 212-637-3793. 1. Organization(s) Applying (please indicate type of organization): CEC Stuyvesant Cove, Inc. (DBA: Solar One); 501(c)(3) 2. Contact Information Main Contact: Name Christopher J. Collins Title Executive Director Affiliation: Solar One Address 37 W. 26th Street, Suite 209, NYC 10010 Phone (212)505-6050 Fax (212) 253-2467 Email Chris@solar1.org Alternative Contact: Name Jamie Paquette Title Operations Manager Affiliation: Solar One Address 37 W. 26th Street, Suite 209, NYC 10010 Phone (212)505-6050 Fax (212) 253-2467 Email Jamie@solar1.org 3. Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Please indicate if you are involved with HEP or NEIWPCC and in what capacity (e.g., participate in HEP’s Citizens Advisory Committee). NOTE: this is strictly for purposes of open disclosure; it will not preclude a potential applicant from submitting an application and will not affect the scoring of proposals:

No Yes (Please explain): 4. Project Title: Solar One's Estuary Ecology Course for NYC Students 5. Project Main Topic (Please choose one or more): Green Infrastructure Shoreline Cleanup Education Other (Please specify): If you checked “Other”, please specify which of HEP’s major goals your project addresses (see Action Plan at http://www.harborestuary.org/reports/HEP_Action_Plan-061708.pdf):

1A (pathogen pollution) 3 (improve public access) 1B (toxic pollution) 4A (sediment quality) 1C (nutrient pollution) 4B (sediment quantity) 1D(floatables pollution) 4C (navigation) 2 (habitat & ecological health) 5 (public education & community

involvement) 6. Amount Requested from HEP: $ 25,000 Total Project Cost (including other

sources): $ 77,560 Amount (requested from HEP) that can be expended by Aug 31, 2010: $ $10,000

7. Previous Funding: Please indicate in which (if any) of the previous 5 years your organization has received funding from HEP and for which grant program (e.g., public access, stewardship, habitat restoration): N/A

8. Project Summary: Provide a clear and concise summary of your project in 300 words or less:

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Solar One’s Estuary program provides unique opportunities for NYC students to explore natural spaces in and around Stuyvesant Cove Park and the East River tidal strait. This free program targets K-12 students in schools throughout the five boroughs of NYC, with a special emphasis on public school students from economically disadvantaged communities. Classes visit Solar One with their teachers to participate in the course, and lessons are tailored to suit students’ grade levels. Using a participatory, systems-thinking approach to environmental education, Solar One's Estuary program promotes young residents’ understanding and stewardship of NYC’s waterways. Students learn about the history and biology of our local estuary system while participating in water quality testing and analysis, oyster gardening, wildlife observations, and native plant studies, among other outdoor activities. Topics covered include the function of estuaries and wetlands within larger ecosystems and the kinds of human activity that jeopardize the health of the estuary, including combined sewage outflows (CSOs) and runoff caused by impermeable ground surfaces. The course inspires students to think creatively about possible solutions to such problems while introducing students to concepts in sustainable urban planning. Oyster gardening is one of the most popular and effective learning activities in our Estuary program. We currently care for around 600 oysters at our location in the Stuyvesant Cove region of the East River. Through the acquisition and installation of a FLUPSY (FLoating UPwelling SYstem) -- a 20' x 8' dock that houses oysters and circulates water to provide optimal conditions for the organisms -- Solar One will expand our capacity to cultivate oysters at our site in order to provide all students who visit us with opportunities to interact with the organisms as they learn about them. 9. Project Goals and Rationale. Briefly answer the following: What is/are the overall goal/s of your project? Dovetailing with Solar One's overall mission of educating and inspiring New Yorkers to become more energy-conscious and environmentally responsible city-dwellers, the goals of this project are: (1) to provide NYC students with opportunities to explore the estuarine ecosystem of the East River; (2) to promote greater ecological awareness in these students; (3) to encourage young people's stewardship of NYC's waterways. Why is this project needed? NYC students, especially public school students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, have very few opportunities to enjoy, spend time and learn in natural spaces. To create stimulating experiences for these students, our program brings them to the East River to participate in a variety of hands-on activities. Supplemented by engaging, classroom-based lessons on the history, ecology, and current status of NYC's waterways, these fun outdoor experiences connect students to the Estuary while increasing ecological awareness and inspiring environmental stewarship. 10. Work Plan: Please provide the following information. If more than one

organization is involved, please identify what role each will take on:

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Course of action: Describe the specific actions needed to carry out the project from start to finish and (when appropriate) who will be responsible for performing them:

Solar One is developing our FLUPSY project in collaboration with numerous organizations. This project grew out of a smaller-scale oyster gardening partnership with the NY/NJ Baykeeper; we currently harbor close to 600 oysters provided by Baykeeper at our site. Baykeeper will give Solar One an initial stock of 2,000-5,000 organisms for the FLUPSY in summer 2010. When the oysters reach maturity, they will be donated back to Baykeeper for use on their reefs.

The FLUPSY consists of several components, including a 20' x 8' wooden

frame that houses the upwelling system and the fiberglass silos where the oysters are kept. The Urban Assembly New York Harbor School has agreed to donate a FLUPSY frame to Solar One in exchange for classes on the topics of Estuary Ecology and Renewable Energy. This FLUPSY frame is currently on Governor's Island. The Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance (MWA), a long-term partner of Solar One, has volunteered to help us tow the frame from to Stuyvesant Cove using one of their boats.

Contingent upon funding, Solar One will purchase supplies necessary for

operating the FLUPSY. These include a pump, fiberglass silos, and materials for a solar array that will power the pump: photovoltaic panels, battery bank, and charge controller. The FLUPSY will be installed just north of Solar One's site at the NY Skyport Marina, a sea-plane company that has agreed to let us float the FLUPSY from their pier and conduct classes at the site. Dave Gibbs, a professional PV installer who teaches students in our Green Jobs program, has volunteered to oversee the assembly and installation of the solar-powered FLUPSY. Students will also be engaged in the assembly and installation of the FLUPSY, which should be completed by the end of September 2010.

Throughout the project period (5/1/10 - 4/30/11), Solar One will deliver the

Estuary course to approximately 1,000-1,200 NYC schoolchildren. During our busiest months, we host up to 10 classes each month. In addition to classroom learning, students participate in a number of hands-on, outdoor activities including manual water quality testing using LaMotte saltwater aquaculture kits, plankton nets, and Secchi discs. Students compare their findings to the measurements recorded by our sonde station, which are published in a live feed on our website. As a course highlight, students measure the growth of the oysters in the FLUPSY and record this data to report to Baykeeper.

We solicit feedback from students and teachers throughout the year to help us

evaluate the course and revise for the following year. In collaboration with our partners, Solar One will perform all maintenance activities necessary to the continued successful functioning of the FLUPSY.

For green infrastructure projects:

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- Make sure to describe in detail (above) how you will design and install the chosen practice. - Please indicate whether you have already conducted a site assessment and if you have compiled other relevant documentation associated with the project design (e.g., conceptual plan, plant lists, etc.): N/A - Please indicate if your project includes a monitoring component:1 N/A - Describe provisions for the short- and long-term maintenance/management/protection of the project: N/A

a. Permits: List any permits, clearances, or insurance required to conduct the project and describe any other possible issues and how they will be addressed. Solar One has applied for a permit for the FLUPSY from DEC. For green infrastructure projects: Is your project required by a state permit (New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System [NJPDES] or New York State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System [SPDES])? 2 No Yes

b. Location: In what communities/geographic area will you be working? Solar One is based in Stuyvesant Cove Park, a 2-mile stretch of beautifully landscaped green space bordering the East River between 18th and 23rd Streets in Manhattan. Our educators work with students in grades K-12 from schools throughout the five boroughs of NYC both in their classrooms and at our site in the park. Solar One's FLUPSY will be docked on a pier belonging to the Skyport Marina just north of our site. Describe your organization’s relationship to/ interest in this site or area: As part of a 30-year lease agreement with the City that began in 2002, Solar One is responsible for the care and maintenance of Stuyvesant Cove Park, NYC's only public park that is both organically managed and landscaped entirely with native flora. Solar One is closely networked with local residents, elected officials and community organizations. These organizations include Community Board 6, whose actions were instrumental to the restoration of our site, a former brownfield, and the creation of Stuyvesant Cove Park in 2001. Many of the local residents who frequent Stuyvesant Cove Park also log hours as park volunteers to help us maintain its unique beauty. If the project will take place at a discrete location, please attach an annotated map For green infrastructure projects: - Describe how you will select, or have already selected the site for your project: N/A - What are the current uses of the site and how will they be affected by your project? N/A

1 Please be aware that any projects including any collection and/or analysis of environmental data require completion of a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP). 2 If yes, your project is NOT eligible for funding under this program.

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c. Education/outreach: Who are the target participants and why? New York City students in grades K-12, with a special focus on public school students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. These students have the fewest opportunities to spend time learning outdoors and the greatest need for high-quality environmental education. How will you recruit/engage them in this project? Solar One maintains a network of hundreds of teachers in schools throughout NYC who engage with our programming for their students. The Estuary course is so popular that we can barely accommodate current demand for classes. How many participants are you seeking to attract? 48 classes x 22-25 students/class = ~1,000-1,200 students from 5/1/10 - 4/30/11 What message/information will you communicate? (address request for proposals Section 6. Project Objectives, item 3) This course is designed to connect NYC students to our city's waterways through engaging, hands-on lessons on the past, present and future of the East River and the greater Hudson River estuary system. Topics covered include estuary ecology, water quality and the filtering role of oysters; the function of estuaries and wetlands within larger ecosystems; and the kinds of human activities that jeopardize the health of the estuary. Using a participatory, systems-thinking approach, this program promotes young New Yorkers' stewardship of our city's estuarine waterways. Describe how you will interact with the participants you recruit to realize the goals of the project. Students receive classroom instruction on the history and ecology of the estuary. They also participate in a number of outdoor learning activities, including: water quality testing and analysis, wildlife observations and native plant studies, and oyster gardening. This is a fun, hands-on course that connects students to the estuary and inspires them to think creatively about ways to improve its health. 11. Project results and evaluation:

- Outputs: List the material things to be produced by your project (e.g., a rain garden, 100 flyers, 2,000 feet of clean shoreline): The FLUPSY is a 20' by 8' floating frame that circulates water around the oysters it houses. The dock is floated on either end, leaving the middle open for fiberglass silos where the oysters are kept. Water flows from the upweller and is pumped out of the system at one end of a central trough. This draws water up from the bottom of the silos, which are made of mesh, and the flow of water carries with it

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the microscopic algae that oysters feed on. By supplying the oysters with better-than-average feeding oportunities, the FLUPSY enables them to grow faster and reduces their mortality rate. Furthermore this system encourages the oysters to develop more robust feeding habits, improving their chances of survival once they are planted on reefs. Solar One will cultivate up to 5,000 oysters from NY/NJ Baykeeper in Stuyvesant Cove. In addition to the FLUPSY, this project will produce printed educational materials for participating students and will record information on the growth and mortality rates of the oysters in reports to NY/NJ Baykeeper.

- Outcomes: List the expected behavior changes, improvements/benefits to the Estuary ecosystem and community, and other benefits resulting from your project (e.g., decreased wildlife entanglement, increased rain water infiltration, community members informed about stormwater pollution): (below) What specific change(s) in knowledge, behavior, skills, and/or environmental conditions will result from your project? Approximately 1,000-1,200 students will learn about NYC's estuary system while having the opportunity to interact with and study oysters in the East River. Students will receive comprehensive lessons on the past, present and future of the estuary and will learn about the negative consequences of human activities on estuary health, including sewage from CSOs and rainwater runoff due to NYC's impermeable ground surfaces. Additionally, the oysters cultivated in the FLUPSY will improve local water quality through their filter-feeding. What are the measurable changes? (e.g., number of participants engaged, amount of debris collected at a cleanup event, number of visitors to a public access site) - Number of students engaged - Number of new oysters cultivated - Growth and mortality rates of oysters How will you keep track of these changes? (explain how you will collect any data/information) Solar One keeps track of the number of students who participate in our Estuary program. Students will be directly engaged in measuring the growth and mortality rates of the oysters. This information will be reported to NY/NJ Baykeeper. Will you be collecting or using any environmental data as part of your project? No

Yes. If yes, what data will you be collecting and how will you use it?3

3 If environmental data will be used to inform decisions, you will need to develop a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP).

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We will be reporting the growth and mortality rates of the oysters to NY/NJ Baykeeper. Additionally, Solar One's sonde station - part of a network of water quality stations around the city - provides a live data feed of important water quality parameters from the East River Tidal Strait. This data can be accessed via our website. How will you evaluate the success of your project once it is completed? Low mortality rates and high growth rates of the oysters; positive feedback from students and teachers who participate in the course; high demand for the course. 12. Continuity and dissemination: How will this project be useful for future activities by your organization? (e.g., do you plan to repeat it in the future? Will its results be used for other projects?) The FLUPSY will be used as a highlight of our Estuary course for years to come. How will you share project outcomes, materials, or models with other organizations within the Estuary? Many partners are directly involved in this project and will learn about the outcomes through their participation. Solar One publishes information about our public programs on our website and in our weekly newsletters. 13. Expertise and Experience: Briefly describe your organization’s mission and past experience with similar projects Solar One, incorporated in 2004, is a 501(c)(3) not-for profit organization created to be NYC's Green Energy, Arts, and Education Center. Our mission is to empower people with the knowledge and resources to unleash and build sustainability in their communities. From thin film solar to cellulosic ethanol to efficient buildings, we are dedicated to developing innovative, complete and effective ways to encourage people to re-examine, through critical thinking and scientifically proven information, the ways we live and work in order to reduce our impact on the environment. We seek to set the standards on how to make our urban environment -- specifically New York City -- more sustainable; catalyze the movement to reduce carbon emissions; educate the public about innovative solutions to our environmental challenges; connect people to all the good work being done about current energy, environmental and sustainability issues; and to do all of this in an engaging, intellectually honest, meaningful and entertaining way that leaves people inspired and empowered, facilitating community-wide change. In 2008 and 2009 Solar One ramped up our Estuary program for K-12 students thanks to a grant from the NY DEC. We installed a solar-powered water-quality monitoring sonde and weather station in the East River at our site. We also developed a more comprehensive curriculum for the course; held estuary ecology teacher training sessions; began cultivating oysters at our site; and expanded the K-12 enrichment

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program to engage more students from schools throughout the city. This is our most popular course with NYC teachers and students. Provide a short bio (one paragraph) for each team member summarizing any relevant skills/qualifications and previous experience with similar projects: Alex Smith, Solar One's Estuary Educator, will complete his Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Studies at the New School in May. After interning at Solar One during the summer of 2009, Alex started working part-time as an educator while finishing his undergraduate education. Alex Smith has been the Solar One Estuary Educator since September of 2009. While working at Solar One, Alex developed Estuary curriculum, worked with students in grades K-12 as well as university students, and initiated plans to construct a FLUPSY to increase Solar One's oyster gardening capacity at its East River site. Alex got his start working with children as a camp counselor in high school, and his love for the environment began as a child growing up on the east end of Long Island. In 2009 Sarah Pidgeon joined Solar One to take on the role of Education Coordinator. Prior to joining Solar One, Sarah worked as an educator for several years at the Center for the Urban Environment in Brooklyn, where she taught classes in Urban Design and Ecology and facilitated its environmentally-based service learning program. Some of her other experiences include: organizing the after-school apprenticeship program at KidsCreative in Manhattan, coordinating an after-school program in Canarsie, Brooklyn, and working as an after-school specialist for the St. Nicholas Neighborhood Preservation Corporation. Sarah holds an MFA in Design from the School of Visual Arts in NYC. 14. Project Schedule: Include a complete, draft project timeline describing when

different tasks will be performed and by whom. Activity Time Period Teach Estuary classes (Alex ) May 2010 Teach Estuary classes (Alex); Tow FLUPSY dock to S1 site (Alex with help from MWA); Obtain new oysters from Baykeeper (Alex and Sarah)

June 2010

Teach Estuary classes - summer camp students (Alex) July 2010 Host Estuary classes - camp students (Alex); Order equipment and supplies for FLUPSY (Alex, Sarah); Begin assembling FLUPSY (Alex, Sarah, students)

August 2010

Teach Estuary classes (Alex); Complete assembly of FLUPSY (Alex, Sarah, Dave Gibbs, students)

September 2010

Teach Estuary classes (Alex) October 2010 Teach Estuary classes (Alex) November 2010 Solicit feedback from teachers (Alex) May-November, 2010 Evaluate / revise estuary curriculum (Alex, Sarah, Chris) Dec. 2010-Feb. 2011 Teach Estuary classes (Alex) March 2011 Teach Estuary classes (Alex) April 2011 Share oyster growth/mortality rates with Baykeeper entire project period

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(Alex, Sarah) Publish oyster and water quality data on Solar One website (Alex, Sarah)

entire project period

15. Project Budget: Please provide an itemized budget in a separate page using the table provided below. The budget should include total project cost, the amount requested from HEP, and costs covered by other sources of funding (e.g., other grants, donated materials, in-kind services, and volunteer labor). If the project involves multiple partners, please clearly indicate which portions of the budget are for which organization. If your project is part of an ongoing program by your organization, the budget must demonstrate that HEP funds will be used to implement a new of different initiative above and beyond existing efforts.

16. Attachments (optional): You may include other relevant information or materials only if directly related to your project. This could include items such as pictures, letters of support, and press articles (all attachments, except for letters of support count towards the page limit).

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* Please list the source(s) of these funds and if they are in-hand, expected, or will be sought: Expected: David Rockefeller Fund, Lily Auchincloss Fdn, FJC Fdn, Ward Family Fdn.

BUDGET CATEGORY (Add/remove itemizing lines below major categories as necessary, but please do NOT delete major categories)

FUNDS REQUESTED FROM HEP

FUNDS FROM OTHER SOURCES*

TOTAL BUDGET

A. PERSONNEL (list individual names and titles below) TOTAL:

$ 19,500 $ 22,500 $ 42,000

Alex Smith, Estuary Educator (100% of time) $ 19,500 $ 18,500 $ 38,000 Sarah Pidgeon, Lead Educator (10% of time) $ $ $ 4,000 $ $ $ $ $ $

$ $ $

B. FRINGE BENEFITS 32% of total personnel costs (e.g., 10% of total personnel costs) TOTAL: TOTAL:

$ 0 $ 13,440 $ 13,440

C. TRAVEL (estimate number/purpose of trips below) TOTAL:

$ 0 $ 2,000 (in-kind) $ 2,000

Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance (MWA) tow of FLUPSY frame from Governor's Island to Solar One (in-kind)

$ $ 2,000 (in-kind) $ 2,000

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

D. EQUIPMENT (itemize below) TOTAL: $ $ $

$ $ $ $ $ $

$ $ $

E. SUPPLIES (itemize below) TOTAL: $ 5,500 $ 2,867 $ 8,367

FLUPSY: pump, central trough & fiberglass silos $ 2,500 $ 0 $ 2,500 FLUPSY: wooden frame, donated by Harbor School (in-kind) $ $ 500 (in-kind) $ 500 Supplies and installation of solar array to charge FLUPSY $ 3,000 $ 0 $ 3,000 Manual water quality testing supplies (plankton nets, secchi disks, saltwater aquaculture test kits, etc.)

$ 0 $ 2,367 $ 2,367

F. CONTRACTS (identify & itemize below) TOTAL: $ $ $

$ $ $ $ $ $

G. OTHER (identify & itemize below) TOTAL: $ 0 $ 4,702 $ 4,702

Shipping of equipment and supplies $ $ 250 $ 250 10% supplies replacement costs $ $ $ 942 Paper & computer supplies $ $ $ 500 DEC License $ $ $ 10 Dave Gibbs FLUPSY installation (volunteer labor) $ $ 3000(in-kind) $ 3,000

H. TOTAL DIRECT COSTS (SUM OF A-G) $ $ $ 70,509

I. INDIRECT COSTS 10% of total direct costs(e.g., 10% of total direct costs) TOTAL:

$ $ $ 7,051

J. TOTAL PROJECT COST (SUM OF H+I) $ 25,000 $ 52,560 $ 77,560

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Checklist:

Complete and attach this checklist (it does not count towards the page limit) Complete and attach Proposal Form (including budget and project schedule) Attach annotated map, if applicable Letters of support, if applicable Other attachments directly related to the project Application package (all of the above except checklist and letters of support) does not exceed 10 pages (15 pages for green infrastructure projects)

If project requires a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP), it is contemplated in the budget and timeline

Solar One Project Location