OLIVE, N.Y. â Years after the New York City Department of Environmental Protection was fined for dumping vast quantities of muddy Ashokan Reservoir water into the Lower Esopus Creek, the agency has issued a permit application that attempts to encompass the impact it was accused of ignoring for a century. State Department of Environmental Conservation officials have scheduled a Feb. 4 video conference public hearing on a draft environmental impact statement and proposed water release permit. A written comment period for the documents will also be open through March 16. New York City had ignored environmental impacts on the Lower Esopus Creek as part of its permit process until 2012, when large scale releases ultimately resulted in penalties following complaints from Ulster County officials, municipal boards, environmental groups, business owners and residents.