Daily News from New York, New York • 84

YOUR UTTITnTTTl Tl METRO T- 1 fiSr quality study leaves T4t emm chGEdinig iff'ii fin'mii IP Ml mi i ITlili --v--it i it li SUSANA BATES I Low ridership is forcing NY Waterway to halt its ferry service between Long Island City and Manhattan next month. The ferry service has shuttled an average of 200 passengers every day. Ferry to sinEi service from (Qns. By CARRIE MELAGO OMUr NEWS WRITER Seventeenth-worst in the nation might not sound so bad, but air-quality advocates say it's simply not good enough for New York City's children. Standing on a noisy and car-clogged streetcomer in Harlem, doctors and environmentalists released a national report yesterday that ranked the city 17th worst of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in exposing city dwellers to polluted air logging 69 unhealthy air days from 2000 to 2002.

The activists blamed the very cars and diesel-burning vehicles that whizzed by them for the city's poor showing in the Surface Transportation Policy Project study, which was based on Environmental Protection Agency data. "It begins with breaking our truck- and car-dependency in favor of rail, public transit, walking and biking," said Christina Hemphill, transportation justice coordinator for the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance. Poor air quality places children particularly those in low-income areas overrun by trucks and situated near bus depots at greater risk for asthma, the advocates said. They pointed to statistics from Harlem Hospital showing that about 25 of city children have asthma. "Children's lungs are exquisitely sensitive to all of the environmental factors around us," said Dr.

Benjamin Ortiz, assistant attending physician at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons-Harlem Hospital Center. Other boroughs cited The alliance also identified Greenpoint, Williamsburg and Sunset Park in Brooklyn; Jamaica and Flushing in Queens, and the South Bronx, particularly the area south of Bruckner Expressway, as communities where poor air quality contributes to health problems. Improving the city's air quality requires a multi-pronged approach, advocates said, including greater investment in public transportation, defense of clean air laws and reduction of diesel fuel emissions. "Where you find sprawl, you are going to find high exposure to fuel-related pollution," said Peggy Shepard, executive director of West Harlem Environmental Action, a group that seeks environmental justice for African-American and Latino communities. By WARREN W00DBERRY Jr.

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER Nicole Safuto will have to wake up an hour earlier for work each day come Sept. 1, when ferry service from Long Island City to Manhattan ends. Safuto, who recently discovered the service that shaved an hour from her daily commute from Man-hasset to NYU Medical Center, is upset that the commute also will cost her more money on the Long Island Rail Road. "I'm going to have to leave now at 6:30 a.m., and that's usually when I get up," said Safuto, 24, who works as a hospital project assistant. "I'm really upset." Safuto said that next month she will have to take the train to Perm Station, and walk to work at 30th St.

and First Ave. "That's a lot of avenues," she said. "It's such a hassle." Because of poor ridership, NY Waterway is ending its high-speed ferry service at the Hunters Point business," said Smith. "You don't make a lot of money in the mass transit world." John Kaehny, a spokesman for the grass-roots group tion Alternatives, said government support is needed to sustain local ferry service. "It was a good experiment that did not succeed, and without really substantial transit subsidies that would have to come from buses and subways, the ferry could not operate in some places," Kaehny said.

Dolores Rizzotto, district manager of Community Board 2, said she spoke with officials for NY Waterway on Monday, and was told that the company was operating in the red on the Queens route. Rizzotto said she will call on Borough President Helen Marshall and the Port Authority to find a new ferry operator for the Long Island CityManhattan route. Smith said that in the future, with a good economy, NY Waterway could revive the service. ferry terminal, at Second St. and Borden Ave.

The ferry service, which began nearly a year ago, has shuttled an average of 200 passengers daily to and from E. 34th and Wall Street's Pier 11. Yesterday at 1:15 p.m., Safuto was the only passenger coming ashore from the ferry in Long Island City. When proposed, the ferry landing was considered an ideal location a stone's throw from an LI-RR station and Queens West, a 74-acre, $2.3 billion development proposed for the East River waterfront at Hunters Point. "Part of the problem is that Queens West is not building as rapidly as they thought it would be," said Pat Smith, a spokesman for NY Waterway.

NY Waterway tried the route once before, in 1996. It lasted until early 2001, but the ferry operator stopped running the service then because of low ridership. "It's a high-volume, low-margin BULLETIN BLENRmore DFE into your hair. fib? WEDNESDAY, AUG. 20 OPEN HOUSE: BUSINESS SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM, Manhattan Grace Institute, 1233 Second 10 a.m.

to 4 p.m. Admission is free. Also: Aug. 27. Information: (212) 832-7605.

SILLY DOGS STORYTIME, White Plains For ages 4 and 5 without adult. Includes craft activity. White Plains Public Library. 100 Martine 2 p.m. Information: (914) 422-1476.

FAMILY NIGHT, White Plains Doodles the Clown and His Dog Dusty (puppet show). White Plains Public Library, 100 Martine at 7 p.m. Information: (914) 422-1476. THURSDAY, AUG. 21 THRIFT SHOP, Manhattan The Church of St.

Luke in the Fields, 487 Hudson St. Ground-floor entrance. Bag sale: $15. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday, 11 a.m.

to 7 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Information: (212) 924-9364. COOKIE CRAZY STORYTIME, White Plains Alligator Stories. Stories, cookies and craft activities for ages 3 to 5.

White Plains PtJblic Library, 100 Martine 4 p.m. Information: (914) 422-1476. Bulletin Board is compiled by Maxina Simpson To list an event here, please send details of the event at least two weeks In advance to: Bulletin Board, New York Daily News, 118-35 Queens 9th Floor, Forest Hills, NX 11375. You may fax information to (718) 793-2910 or send E-mail to msimpsonedit.nydailynews.com. 1 Hair Blending9 revitalizes your hair quickly, safely and naturally.

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