PEOPLE’s Petition to Erie City CouncilTo be delivered Wednesday, October 21, 2020 at 5:30PM in front of Erie City Hall, 626 State St., Erie, PATo Councilmembers Liz Allen, Ed Brzezinski, David Brennan, Michael Keys, Kathy Schaaf, Jim Winarski and Mel Witherspoon:Whereas PennDOT has released its plans for an Erie Bayfront Parkway Improvements Project, including removal of CSXT railroad tracks; Whereas Erie City Council will soon be discussing and voting on a Resolution that approves the removal of said railroad tracks and authorizesPennDOT to proceed with its Parkway Project;Whereas to date there has been no NEPA Environmental Assessment of this Project;Whereas the City of Erie has continued the 20th century practice of “Redlining” by repeatedly causing harm to the marginalized urban residentsof zip codes 16503 and 16501 via well-meaning but short-sighted infrastructure projects;Whereas the City of Erie was identified in 2017 by Wall Street 24/7 as the nation’s “worst” City for African-Americans;Whereas world events of 2020 are causing organizations to reflect on their roles in systemic oppression and social injustice;Whereas Erie County has declared racism a public health issue;Whereas Mayor Joe Schember has stated his intention of eliminating “racism and prejudice in Erie;”We the PEOPLE request your NO vote in opposition to the Resolution that would authorize the Mayor and City Controller to allow PennDOT toproceed with the controversial Bayfront project without first completing the appropriate NEPA Environmental Assessment to assess the cumulative andindirect effects of PennDOT’s massive project on the air, water and on the lives of the marginalized urban residents of the downtown and the Eastside ofthe City of Erie. We ask for a NO vote because PennDOT’s February 2020 application to the Federal Highway Administration for a CategoricalExclusion falsely claimed that PennDOT’s project: is not controversial and will not impact the environment or social justice populations. We ask for a NO vote because PennDOT has yet to explain why, in light of the false representations given above, that PennDOT’s project should be granted aCategorical Exclusion (a status normally granted to roadway repaving or bridge repair projects), and, because PennDOT has not justified thecircumvention of the normal procedure and studies provided by a NEPA Environmental Assessment. We ask for a NO vote because PennDOT’slengthy environmental report (which PennDOT falsely claims is an equivalent to a NEPA Environmental Assessment) does not assess the cumulative and indirect effects of their project on the residents or the environment. We ask for a NO vote because numerous individuals, experts and organizations, including those indicated by their logos below have requested a NEPA Environmental Assessment:We ask for a NO vote because PennDOT’s project will sever city pedestrians and bicyclists from the waterfront via an estimated $100M constructionproject featuring highway style ramps, an underpass and two massive, double-lane roundabouts along Presque Isle Bay and because PennDOT’sproject will not create convenient, safe and direct access to the waterfront and will instead prioritize vehicular traffic via proposed pedestrian overpassesand dismisses the better alternative (providing more numerous, direct and convenient traffic-calming, at-grade pedestrian crossings).We ask for a NO vote because Council is charged with protecting the city’s long-term economy and the health of present and future residents (and theirnatural and built environment) against the polluted barrier of a PennDOT arterial highway – a project antithetical to increased public access and to betterpublic health and to effective urban planning.We ask for a NO vote because PennDOT’s project will reduce quality of life for existing residents and discourage new residents that are needed for thecity’s future viability.We ask for a NO vote because the October 21, 2020 Resolution has no enforceable provisions benefiting the people of Erie, which therefore rendersthe provisions meaningless and irrelevant.We ask for a NO vote because this October 21, 2020 Resolution would be the final approval required on the project by City Council.The PEOPLE acknowledge with grateful appreciation that on July 1, 2020, Erie City Council boldly moved to undertake “good trouble” by Tabling theResolution that would have granted PennDOT permission to proceed on their Bayfront project and that Council subsequently held two lengthy StudySessions and the Public Hearing that PennDOT refused to hold. At these events, the testimony from environmental and social justice experts, along withvarious community organizations, businesses and residents strongly supported the completion of a NEPA Environmental Assessment, opposed thecurrent PennDOT plan and advised on numerous flaws in the preliminary design process that resulted in the many harmful elements in the current plan.For these reasons we respectfully request that Council continue to be a voice of the PEOPLE, and begin to change Erie and support the creationof a sustainable and just city, by voting NO on the Resolution that would permit PennDOT to proceed without a NEPA Environmental Assessment.