The Pennsylvania and Fountain Avenue Landfills which are no longer in service today, were located in the historic neighborhood of Jamaica Bay, Brooklyn. The Fountain Avenue Landfill which closed in 1985 was a 297-acre land, located south of Belt Parkway and the Starrett City residential complex. At its height the landfill received up to 8,200 tons of garbage a day, and was only second to the Fresh Kills Landfill. Majority of the trash that went to the Fountain Avenue consisted of residential trash, construction debris, asbestos and ash residue from local incinerators. The Pennsylvania Landfill which neighbored the Fountain Avenue Landfill, was 110-acre territory opened for immediate use in 1956. It received between 1000-2000 tons of waste a day, and was used for depositing construction and demolition waste, as well as sewage sludge. The plant was closed in 1979 due to environmental hazards that it inflicted on the local ecosystem. In fact both the Pennsylvania and Foundation Avenue Landfills created highly hazardous conditions not only for the residential areas in proximity to the landfills, but also to the detriment of the Jamaica Bay waters. When the Pennsylvania and Fountain Avenue Landfills closed, the garbage that would have normally been taken there was now destined for Fresh Kills Landfill. Although, better waste management could have been implemented to prevent the overwhelming of the Fresh kills Landfill, the Jamaica Bay ecosystem was in a fragile state, and was in dire need for restoration. Jamaica Bay has an ecosystem made up of tidal and fresh water wetlands, woods, upland fields, parkland and ample of open space. Despite the disruption caused by water pollution, dredging and other industrial activities, over 300 species of birds can still be found on Jamaica Bay. Many of these birds use the area as a rest stop in their migratory journey. The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge serves as a sanctuary for the diverse species of animals living there; the wild life includes many rare species of birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles. Because the ecosystems surrounding the landfills are heavily compromised by historic habitat degradation and pollution, Jamaica Bay is one of landmasses designated as Critical Environmental Areas (CEA) in New York State. Today great efforts are being made by the Department of Environmental protection (DEP) to create a long term plan for recovery of the Jamaica Bay Landfills. The DEP will work to reintroduce many rare or endangered species of shrubs, grass, more than 25 different species of trees and 20 different species of flowers. The 400-acre land will face many challenges during the restoration process, but once it is complete the park will be a great gain for the residents of Jamaica Bay and a tremendous benefit for the wild life living there.