Including a 305-acre land grab of what one legislator called Suffolk County's "last great park," county leaders voted on Tuesday to purchase and preserve roughly 600 acres of land on Tuesday in eastern Brookhaven, Riverhead, and Southampton.
The county will spend $17.8 million in , nearly $5 million preserving — which at one time had a 49-lot subdivision proposed on it — and another $1.7 million preserving 140 acres in East Moriches. The latter two properties are slated for passive recreation in order to preserve the county's drinking water aquifer.
County Executive Steve Levy expressed his intent to sign off at least on the Riverhead and East Quogue properties, payment for which will all come from funds devoted to preserving land.
The North Fork Preserve currently located in Yaphank. A 2009 study by a committee intended to find alternative locations for the range listed the North Fork Preserve as one of eight worth considering for moving the range, and Legis. Kate Browning, WF-Shirley, attempted to convince the legislature to give the idea further consideration.
But with a 14-3 vote, the land will instead contain both passive and active recreation areas - in time. Considering the county's current fiscal situation, Legis. Ed Romaine, R-Center Moriches, said it may take up to 10 years to begin work on .
North Shore Communities Take in Grants to Restore Long Island Sound
Eighteen communities along the North Shore of Long Island - from Lloyd's Neck to Southold - from the Long Island Sound Futures Fund to help clean up the environment.
Over $900,000 in matching funds have also been pledged by the grant's recipients. Twenty one communities in Connecticut also received funds to clean up the north shore of the Sound as well.
"Protecting and restoring Long Island Sound have long been priorities for EPA," EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck said. "These grants will support vital and diverse projects throughout the region to improve water quality and remove pollution from the Long Island Sound watershed and involve the public in the protection of one of the nation's most important natural treasures."
Demos to Occupy the Hamptons Crowd: Comb Your Hair
George Demos, a former and current candidate for the Republican nomination for first congressional district candidate, attending on Saturday.
Demos, a former lawyer with the Securities and Exchange Commission who finished second in a three-way primary against Randy Altschuler and Chris Cox in 2009, told the protestors with tongue-in-cheek: "Before breaking out the Crayolas to draw up Christmas lists of demands, have an adult spell-check for you," and "The press will come to interview you. (In fact, there are usually more members of the media than there are of you.) So comb your hair and don't smell."
'Occupy the Hamptons' is planned for Saturday on the in Sag Harbor, starting at 4 p.m.
