Development Council. Hudson River Foodway Corridor

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1 Lower Hudson-Long Hudson-Long Island Island Resource Resource Conservation Conservation Lower & Development Development Council Council Inc. Inc. & Hudson River Foodway Corridor

2 Project Supporters: Glynwood Center United States Department of Agriculture New York State Canal Corporation New York City Soil and Water Conservation District New West Technologies, LLC Customized Energy Solutions Inc. Rondout Valley Growers Association Partnerships for Sustainable Ports LLP American Farmland Trust New York City Mayors Office of Long Term Planning and Sustainability New York City Borough President NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Office of Climate Change NYS Department of Agriculture Office of Urban Food Systems Senator Kristen Gillibrand Prepared By: Joseph Heller, USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service 652 Route 299 Suite 202 Lower Hudson Long Highland, Island RC&D NY Council Inc. (845) Extension Extension 104

3 Executive Summary: This project seeks to demonstrate that locally grown New York agricultural products can be distributed from upstate New York farms to urban centers downstate using intermodal transportation systems as an energy efficient approach, establishing a Hudson River Foodway Corridor. The energy efficient transportation approach we propose to explore is the utilization of hybrid electric refrigerated tandem trailers transported via waterborne systems, commonly known as Roll On Roll Off (RO/RO). The goals are to reduce energy inputs for local produce distribution and decrease the quantity of truck traffic entering the New York City Metropolitan Area. The additional benefit of this initiative is to identify valid recommendations for sustainable New York farming and thus rural economies. The strategies are to (a) establish a supply chain that links farmers with an upstate distribution point (center) on the Hudson River (b) coordinate weekly deliveries of RO/RO refrigerated trailers of agricultural products barged directly to market in NYC within a 24 hour period. (c) Identify the amount of agricultural related emissions reductions that are offset by transporting plug in hybrid refrigerated trailers d) stimulate the creation green collar, local jobs. New York State is home to some of America s most productive yet endangered farmland. Admired for having good soils and a long growing season our farms produce a bounty of products for urban /suburban markets. According to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, Agricultural production returned over $3.6 billion to the farm economy in This seemingly impressive figure is daunted by diminishing economic factors facing our farms. An American Farmland Trust study ranked areas of the state, specifically the Hudson Valley, within the 10 th most threatened agricultural areas in the Country. Many factors have contributed to a steady decline in farming including relentless development pressure, which weakens community agricultural infrastructure, specifically transportation and product distribution systems. Barge transportation represents a low cost method of moving bulk commodities long distances and has been the focus of several national studies including the 2004 Hunts Point Waterborne Freight Assessment that describes Ro/Ro as a floating Highway. The assessment states that initial investigation indicates that there may be reasonable competitive performance with this strategy yet further analysis would need to be identified, specifically the origins of products and destinations. New York City and the Metropolitan Area is a critical transportation center and present an enormous demand for the sale and distribution of locally grown and processed foods. New

4 York State farmers are dependant on trucking as means of transportation into this region. This proposal aims to close the gap for agricultural producers to distribute their products to downstate markets in a more cost effective, efficient and environmentally responsible way. The proposed project is a feasibility study that will lead to a strategy for improved use of the metropolitan New York region s waterways for transporting New York State agricultural produce and products to urban consumer centers, such as New York City, as a means of reducing dependence on trucks for freight movement. Our strategy will begin to maximize and link the use of existing hybrid electric refrigerated trailer technology with intermodal transportation for the region s freight movement, particularly agricultural produce and related products from upstate New York to the metropolitan region. This is critical in reducing the region s transportation energy consumption while meeting the demands for more food resulting from the population increase that is expected in New York City. Photo source: NYSERDA Hybrid Electric Trailer The strategy will not only utilize the most obvious existing transportation asset, the Hudson River, but will also develop a plan for cost effective landside agricultural infrastructure. However, before such a strategy can be developed, we need a feasibility study that will evaluate: 1) the origin and availability of produce 2) The ability for change to occur within current local food distribution networks in the region 3) The energy efficiency of a barge transportation system. The metropolitan New York region currently moves approximately 20% of freight traffic (by weight) via waterways. With the Hudson River and an extensive network of inland waterways supporting barge and ferry services in the region, waterborne transportation could have a higher share in the freight movement of the region. The volume of vehicular and truck traffic into the New York metropolitan region is steadily increasing. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials report estimates the volume on the nation s roads is expected to double by The transportation sector being impacted is the trucking industry. The majority of New York Lower Hudson Long Island RC&D Council Inc. Agricultural products are being trucked to markets in New York City and the tri state region. (845) Extension 104 There are many areas of the state where trucks involved with agricultural distribution are

5 becoming prohibited from travel. For example, in the Hudson River Valley milk trucks are limited by road weight limitations reducing farm access to markets. One of the most recently highlighted circumstances facing agricultural distribution is the Finger Lakes truck restrictions. Kendra Adams, executive director of the New York State Motor Truck Association, said the new proposal would increase costs, eliminate jobs and hurt businesses. "These roads have always been used by commercial vehicles and are essential to the industries that form the backbone of the regional economy, especially agriculture and forest products" Adams said. Newsday August 6 th The Hudson River was utilized for barge transport of goods coming into the Port of New York through the Port Inland Distribution Network of Port Authority of New York New Jersey. The movement of goods was one way from the Port of New York to the Port of Albany. Empty containers returned to the Port of New York often on trucks. The barge transport was replaced by rail after three years due to lack of demand by customers and expiration of government subsidy. There are limited rail systems in New York State for distributing agricultural products. Farmers are competing with a highly successful Railex System, bringing weekly rail cars of produce from the West Coast. Although it has been discussed that backhauling of New York State agricultural products would support local Farms, little has developed in this area. Overall we see the Railex System as an inspiration and that with public and private interests alternative modes of agricultural distribution for NY farm products are possible. Several national reports on the use of waterborne transportation suggest that niche market developments such as agriculture would be a viable starting point to serve as proof of concept to ascertain success of waterborne systems. In 2003 The Lower Hudson Long Island RC&D Council in partnership with the City of Yonkers and New York State farmers carried out Fresh off the Barge a floating farmers market. This pilot project became iconic for the recognition of buy local but was not a sustainable method of produce distribution. It did however demonstrate that farmers have a significant interest in viable economic distribution strategies. In particular those efforts that reduce energy costs, time spent off the farm and avoids the interstate system for transportation of their products to market. One of the greatest challenges in addressing truck traffic on New York City is the region s dependence on trucking to make the City function, with nearly 99% of the goods being delivered by trucks. In addition, New York City is faced with an arterial system that is more conducive to automobile traffic than trucks. Between the limited system of interstates and the geometric constraints on the Parkway system, most of the City s truck traffic is relegated to the arterial street network, much of which is nearly a century old if not older. Truck Route

6 Management and Community Impact Reduction Study Executive Summary 2 March 2007 This intermodal system will demonstrate that a higher volume of agricultural products transported via barge on the Hudson River will reduce traffic congestion on Interstate 90, 87, bridges and local roadways that are impacted by commerce entering New York City limits. This study seeks to reduce inland costs of transportation of agricultural products by identifying and overcoming the barriers to distribution of local farm products. It is anticipated that farmers will be able to increase their on farm productivity and meet the ongoing demand for healthy food choices. The increased use of hybrid plug in refrigerated trailers by agricultural producers is also a rising opportunity that will help farmers improve efficiencies. The trailers can serve as on site and on demand cold storage facilities taking the place of off site cold storage located a distance from the farm, forcing farmers into freight forwarding contracts. With the extensive system of existing inland waterways and the Hudson River, waterborne transportation should capture a greater share of the freight transport in the region, particularly in the face of a population increase. Plug in hybrid refrigerated trailers are considered a move toward air quality improvement. The ability to utilize this technology for fresh produce is more than intriguing it appears to be a necessity. Recent NYSERDA partnerships, through the Diesel Idling Reduction Program, have advanced this technology for food service distributors and it is imperative to investigate the most appropriate format for carrying this technology to the farmsteads where local fresh produce can be picked and packed directly from upstate New York farms and then proceed for distribution. The barge, in concept, can be equipped with a large Energy Storage Battery that can be charged while in port using electricity from the New York power grid during off peak hours or potentially offset from solar energy panels located on the barge itself (an investigation of the feasibility of solar would be necessary and part of this study). While traveling down the Hudson to New York City the Energy Storage Battery provides the electricity to the plug in refrigerated trailer unit that is made by the Carrier Corp (NY company), thus reducing the use of Diesel fuel for the refrigeration unit also reducing cost and emissions. Once the barge arrives in New York City the barge can be docked and connect to the Power Grid and the Electrified Refrigerated Trailers can be used as a Cold Storage facility while waiting for the produce to be taken to its final destination. Again the Energy Storage Battery can be charged during transportation. Lower Hudson Long Island RC&D Council Inc. (845) Extension 104 Creating the Hudson River Valley Foodway Corridor fits well into New York City Plans to

7 reduce traffic congestion. The February 2009, New York City Borough Presidents Report Food in the Public Interest seeks to Improve upstate farmers access to New York City as a market destination, explore freight options that reduce reliance on vehicular traffic and advocate for transportation funding to reduce pollution created by food transportation. According to the National Transportation Study trucking long distances causes endemic vehicular congestion, deteriorates roadway infrastructure and diminishes air quality. By barging produce down the Hudson River transportation energy efficiencies will be improved. The deployment of this logistics system will reduce the quantity of trucks entering NYC, reduce costs associated with trucking and improve the quality of air, removing potentially large quantities of carbon. Having a system in place to move fresh food provides for food security and increased traceability of foods sources. Port of NYC and New Jersey would be extremely well served by barge. The combination of refrigerated trucks loaded fresh daily at farms makes for a highly efficient distribution system supplying a consistent fresh healthy foods in areas of New York City that are considered food insecure. Food insecurity is defined by the USDA as limited or uncertain access to nutritious, safe foods necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle. Some researchers speculate that the lack of access to healthful food is at the rood of the current obesity epidemic in this country. Clearly there is an urgent need for a reliable supply of fresh produce. Katama, Roll On / Roll Off Freight Vessel 235 x 40 carrying trucks to Marthas Vineyard.

8 Conceptual Barge Arrangement Ramp for Trucks Hudson River Foodway Corridor Lower Hudson Long Island RC&D Council Inc. (845) Extension 104