L.I. Pine Barrens Society February Update

From: Pine Barrens Society victoria@pinebarrens.org>

Date: February 16, 2011 5:52:06 PM EST

Subject: [PineBarrens] February Update!

Long Island Pine Barrens Society – February Update

The Carmans River Protection Plan: What Is It? What’s In It?

Good news for the future of the Carmans River and its surrounding community! A draft of the Carmans River Watershed Comprehensive Protection and Management Plan has been submitted to Brookhaven Town Supervisor Mark Lesko and the Town Board for approval (Click here to see the draft plan on the Town’s website). This undertaking to prevent further degradation of the river concludes over three months of work by an appointed Study Group composed of leading environmentalists, builders, town government and Pine Barrens Commission. The plan seeks to protect 9,100 acres of the Carmans River Watershed, and redirect development to areas away from the river and residential communities. In addition, it would preserve water quality, save natural habitat, reduce impacts of current land use, remediate contaminated groundwater and allow monitoring of possible future degradation of the river and the surrounding land.

What Happens Next? How the Public Can Participate.

To help ensure that the Town Board votes to formally adopt the current plan, it’s important for residents and concerned parties to remain informed and stay involved in the process. There will be three public information forums held, prior to a public hearing on March 29^th, 6 PM, at Brookhaven Town. The first forum will be hosted by the Carmans River Partnership on Saturday, February 19, 12:00 PM, at Longwood Public Library in Middle Island. Brookhaven residents are encouraged to attend.

For more information on the Carmans River protection plan, please visit the Town’s website for more information:

Below are links to recent press:

Newsday Article from 2/8/11

Newsday Editorial from 2/9/11

News 12 TV coverage from 2/9/11

Sunday Newsday- Rick Brand column 2/13/11

Town of Brookhaven’s Carmans River Protection Plan press conference coverage from 2/10/11

As always, we’ll continue to keep you updated and strive to do our part to help keep Long Island healthy and clean!

In Memory of a Friend and Environmentalist

On a very sad note, Dan Morris, an ardent and effective environmental advocate has died of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma at the age of 63. He and his wife, Marilyn England, created and led the Open Space Council to a long series of environmental victories and made enormous contributions to the enactment of the Pine Barrens Protection Act of 1993. He will be sorely missed.

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