Smithtown East celebrated the 2019 graduation June 26.
Thomas Fanning addressed the 2019 Smithtown West graduation as honorary speaker. While attending high school, Fanning participated in Italian Honor Society, Social Studies Honor Society, robotics, pit orchestra and winter track. He will attend Stony Brook University studying computer science.
By Leah Chiappino
“Smile!” A goat named Dash steals the show as he is placed on each attendee’s back for a photo-op as they are in a table top position. When my turn comes around, Dash has a hard time staying put on my back due to my inappropriate attire of work clothes, causing him to continually adorably slip off until he is able to steady himself for the shot.
It’s early June and I’m attending a Goat Yoga class at the Smithtown Historical Society. The session, which features 10 to 15 goats of all ages, is taught by yoga instructor Kelly Mitchell of the Buddha Barn in Bellmore, who after being inspired to begin animal activism by a dog fundraiser at her yoga studio, partnered with Karen Bayha from Steppin’ Out Ponies and Petting Zoo to begin teaching these outdoor sessions.
The classes may be more sought out by those looking for an Instagramable shot that is sure to get a surge of likes than die-hard “yogis” but manage to encompass the main benefits of yoga, which are, according to Mitchell, “love, connection, and union.”
The trend is growing. According to CNBC, Lainey Morse, founder of Original Goat Yoga classes in Corvallis, Oregon, made $160,000 in just her first year of business.
Since she started last summer, Mitchell said that her classes “usually always fill and sell out fast.”
Its rise in popularity reaps benefits for the Smithtown Historical Society, which has hosted Goat Yoga since 2017 after former director Marianne Howard started it with a friend, according to its executive director, Priya Kapoor. “I’ve seen people come from as far as Queens just to do this, people who normally wouldn’t know about the Smithtown Historical Society. [Goat Yoga] has been great for community exposure,” she said.
While its popularity may be due to its appearance on shows like “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” and “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” Mitchell feels Goat Yoga is a unique opportunity to raise awareness for the goats themselves, most of whom are rescued by Bayha from slaughterhouses and neglectful pet owners.
Mitchell also hopes to bring to light the importance of animal welfare and abuse prevention. “I hope this makes people think differently about the choices they make,” she said.
On her website, www.buddhabarnyoga.com, the yoga instructor further discusses the impact Goat Yoga is having on her mission and newfound passion for animal welfare. “[Goat Yoga] has changed me as a human being. I wasn’t a big meat eater, but I am now a proud vegan. I wish my eyes were open sooner. But I will spend the rest of my life as an animal rights activist, not just a pet lover. With that being said, many practitioners left with a heightened awareness regarding animals in need. If just one person decides to reduce their meat consumption, then I’ve done my job,” she states.
Mitchell admitted that the yoga community sometimes “turns their nose up” to Goat Yoga, but she herself sees the beauty in it because “yoga itself is about connection; it’s about love. Just looking at the goats, you can see they’re so kind, friendly and silly. It’s just a beautiful way to not take life so seriously, get outside, and have fun with family and friends.”
This was evident throughout the session. From the goat that stayed put on one woman’s yoga mat to the beams across faces as a goat walked by, to the laughter when one goat relieved himself on an innocent yoga mat, the field where the class took place was filled with nothing but joy.
Perhaps the most touching aspect was the bond between Bayha and Dash, a goat whom she bottle fed and raised him “as his mother,” according to Mitchell. Now, when Bayha calls his name, he comes running with the same elation a human child would upon greeting his mother after being away from them for a weekend. The difference in this case was that Bayha was not away from Dash for even five minutes. People were in awe.
“It’s moments like this, when I see the excitement on people’s faces, that make me feel like I’m making a difference,” Mitchell said. She also feels this is a great way to introduce people to yoga. “It’s not scary. A lot of people that come into my studio are very intimidated. They don’t know what to expect, they think everybody will be twisting up in pretzels. This is a great way to get people to say ‘Wow, I might want to take a yoga class.’
IF YOU GO:
The Smithtown Historical Society hosts Goat Yoga classes for ages 18 and up in the field behind the Frank Brush Barn, 211 East Main St., Smithtown throughout the summer. All levels welcome. Please bring a mat, towel and a bottle of water.
Upcoming classes include July 19, July 26, Aug. 13, Aug. 19, Aug. 20, Sept. 5, Sept. 9 and Sept. 17. A 45-minute session is held at 5:30 and again at 6:45 p.m. Each session is $25 per person and must be paid in advance through www.eventbrite.com. For more information, call 631-265-6768 or visit www.smithtownhistorical.org.
An unexpected storm hit Long Island on Sunday, causing severe damage to areas within the township of Smithtown. Destructive straight-line winds up to 60 m.p.h. caused downed power lines with uprooted, fallen and large tree limbs causing multiple power outages in the area. The Town of Smithtown was one of the three towns in Suffolk County to be hit the hardest.
All emergency response units are still working to clean up and address the needs of the community. Residents who are still without power, or with spoiled food and tree debris have a number of resources available to them to ensure quality of life is restored before the holiday weekend.
“It was a fun day with the whole family, that quickly became frightening. I ran up to Main Street, Kings Park after the storm passed to survey trees on top of cars, power outages and to assess the damage,” said Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R). “I was very pleased to see Public Safety & the Highway Department were on scene shortly after… Residents without power, spoiled food to dispose of, or storm debris in need removal, are reminded to contact the appropriate departments so we can help get your home ready for the July 4th weekend. Please know we are working around the clock to cleanup in this unexpected event and we will not rest until your standard of living has been reinstated.”
Municipal Services Facility (MSF) will be open to residents who wish to dispose of spoiled food from the power outages, during regular business hours. Private garbage carters do not pick up waste on holidays, which includes Thursday, July 4. Residents with a larger than normal amount of garbage may wish to drop off solid waste to MSF which is located at 85 Old Northport Road in Kings Park. Hours are from 7 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. five days a week. No hazardous waste will be accepted.
Tree and debris removal operations have been underway since the storm passed Sunday afternoon. While the highway department’s fleet continues efforts to remove all “right-of-way” town tree debris, residents should be mindful to place neatly piled branches, cut to no longer than 6 feet in length, at the roadside. Smaller branches should be tied and bundled.
“If you still have trees waiting to be picked up, please call the highway department with the address of the removal,” said Robert Murphy, Superintendent of Highways. “I would just ask that residents have patience as we get through the cleanup, after this unexpected storm. Our team is dealing with lots of landscapers dumping debris on the street, not adhering to the town code. This causes delays in our operations as we need to stop to cut large stumps and trees. However, We won’t stop until we’ve gotten to every call.” –
The Smithtown Highway Department addressed approximately 250 to 300 fallen or uprooted trees reported to the Department. That number is expected to increase as cleanup is still underway.
Storm Damage Totals:
According to PSEG Long Island, over 17,000 residents in the Commack and Hauppauge areas experienced power outages. The majority of those customers now have power. On Tuesday, July 2, there were approximately 1,800 PSEG customers in the Town of Smithtown affected by outages, primarily in Commack. As of this morning ,July 3, that number has been reduced to 80 customers affected. PSEG estimates that power will be restored to every customer in Smithtown by 7PM this evening.
Last night, PSEG briefly shut down power in the Pickwick Drive area (between Veterans Memorial Highway and Jericho Turnpike) and along Harned Road and Wyandanch Boulevard, in order to cut down damaged trees leaning on power lines.
Power Outages – PSEG Information: View PSEG Long Island’s outage map Click Here
To report and receive status updates on an outage Text OUT to PSEGLI (773454) or to report an outage online visit www.psegliny.com.
To register, have your account number available and text REG to PSEGLI (773454)
Downed wires should always be considered “live.” Do not approach or drive over a downed line and do not touch anything contacting the wire. To report a downed wire, call PSEG Long Island’s 24-hour Electric Service number: 1-800-490-0075.
Tree Debris, Flooding or Road Concerns: To report tree debris for pickup, flooding and other storm related conditions along the roads, please contact the Highway Department at (631) 360-7500.
Stranded Vehicles: If there is an emergency, please dial 911 immediately. All non life-threatening calls can be directed to the Department of Public Safety by calling (631) 360-7553.
Suffolk 311: Suffolk County 311 is a central call center available to residents who do not know which number to call for any non-emergency. Residents can reach the 311 line Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or leave messages after hours.
Animals & Family Pets: Outdoor animals should be sheltered indoors for the duration of any storm. To report animals in distress, strays or other loose domestic or wild animals please call (631) 360-7575.
Elderly Neighbors & Special Needs individuals: Always check on your neighbors living with disabilities, special needs or senior citizens. Make sure they have an emergency phone, plenty of water, food and blankets. Ask if they have someone to call in the event of an emergency.
Photo by Mark Stevens
This past weekend, several parts of Long Island was hit by an unexpected flash wind and rain storm that took down numerous large trees, branches and electric wires across parts of Long Island. In the Town of Huntington, much of the northern and eastern parts of town were affected.
Over 80,000 homes and businesses across Long Island lost power due to the storms. 26,000, nearly one third of the total power outages, were spread across Huntington, Smithtown and Islip.
Huntington’s Highway, General Services and Maritime Services Departments worked through the night to clear roads and waterways of hazards created by the storm, working on over 750 service tickets.
Crews from Nassau County, upstate New York and out of state, including 48 Con Edison personnel and approximately 400 tree trim and line workers assisted.
General services crew leaders are completing damage assessment at all
Huntington town facilities and parks, municipal & commuter parking lots.
Tree and limb removal will take place at Veterans Park, Henry Ingraham Preserve, Heckscher Park, Caravan Park, Elwood Park, William Byrne Park, Cedar Road Park, Commack Park, Dix Hills Park & Golf course, and the Washington Drive Parking Lot.
The most extensive damage is at Crab Meadow Golf Course where approximately 35 trees are down, and hundreds of broken branches are on the ground or hanging in trees. The golf course is currently closed, and officials hope to have it opened for play by this Wednesday, June 3, even though tree removal operations will continue for several weeks.
The Dix Hills Pool was closed July 1 due to a power outage.
Officials said they expected half of all outages would have been restored by July 1 and 95% restored by midnight, July 2.
To report a downed wire and receive status updates on power call PSEG Long Island’s 24-hour Electric Service number at 1-800-490-0075.
To report downed trees blocking roads or branches suspended over roads, contact the Highway Department at (631) 499-0444 or huntingtonny.gov/highway.
Residents without power can keep cool at these Town of Huntington facilities:
For the fourth year running, Kings Park students are working to bring the Smithtown community together to raise funds for the upkeep and improvement of Nissequogue River State Park. All residents are invited to participate July 13 in the annual canoe, kayak and paddleboard regatta at the park’s South Marina at 799 Saint Johnland Road in Kings Park.
The Nissequogue River State Park Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the park for future generations, is coordinating the event with students. The event, called Regatta on the River, is sponsored by the Reichert family, owners of the East Northport and Fort Salonga IGA supermarkets, and will feature both a competitive 10-mile race that begins at 9 a.m. and a leisurely five-mile excursion that begins at 9:30 a.m. This year the event includes a barbecue and picnic.
Three co-presidents of the foundation’s student board, Emily Dinan, Caleigh Lynch and Juliana Quigley, have worked together to organize this year’s event. Last year, the regatta event raised a total of more than $2,500. Lynch, a senior at St. Anthony’s High School in Melville, said the student board makes decisions about the regatta for the organization, which instills leadership qualities among board members.
“Knowing that our involvement with the board is making a difference right here in my own community is an amazing feeling,” she said. “It will be amazing to see all of our hard work from January to July go into full effect.”
Dinan, a senior at Kings Park High School, said being on the board allows her and others to give families in the community a fun activity to do and helps them raise money to beautify and help clean up the park.
“We are excited to see how big our event grows each year,” she said. “I love seeing new faces among the familiar ones as they gear up and get ready to go out on the river.”
In preparation for the event, the group files the necessary permits for the event, designs T-shirts and obtains event sponsors. Dinan said everyone is responsible with helping spread the word about its events. Quigley, also a senior at Kings High School, said it feels great to help maintain the park.
“There comes a sense of pride in the work we’ve done to contribute to this jewel in our backyard,” she said. A third-generation resident, the senior said she has been visiting the park all her life since her grandparents took her there when she was young.
Dinan said many people have told them they didn’t even know how big the park was or that there was so much you could do. Last year, paddleboarders were included in the regatta for the first time, and the group hopes they can get even more participants this year.
Lynch said the park often gets a bad reputation for being located on the waterfront portion of the former Kings Park Psychiatric Center, stopping people from realizing how beautiful the park is.
“I believe the park is one of Mother Nature’s greatest hits,” she said.
All proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation for use in the park. To register for the many different options available for participation visit www.ourstatepark.com/4th-annual-regatta-on-the-river.
After the Izzo family leased their 26-acre Kings Park property to the Town of Smithtown for a landfill during the 1970s, the place was declared uninhabitable. Today, the site is revered as one of Long Island’s largest solar farms.
The 4-megawatt project was showcased on June 20 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, an event that unexpectedly coincided with New York State’s sweeping new clean energy legislation promising to become carbon neutral by 2050.
“It’s almost like we knew what we were doing,” said Tom Falcone, Long Island Power Authority CEO, who attended the event along with county and town elected officials. The achievement, he said, entailed a cooperative effort. “It took a village, a town, a state and the Izzo family.”
The state’s ambitious new energy plan renders the privately owned Kings Park solar farm a shining new example of what the future may look like with private landowners and non-developable property transformed to serve a public utilitarian purpose.
“It takes a lot of gambling but, wow, was this a good project,” said Paul Curran, founder of Wappinger Falls-based BQ Energy, a company committed to the sustainable redevelopment of environmentally contaminated sites known as brownfields. “Once you see it, people say it makes so much sense.” He expects the site to inspire additional projects.
Curran first approached the Izzo family with the idea of using their property for a solar site in 2013. RECOM Solar leased the development rights from the family to construct the project. NextEra Energy Resources, which claims to be the world’s largest supplier of renewable energy took over in December 2018, when the site became operational.
The solar project, which consists of 18,000 solar panels, created 50 jobs, mainly in the construction sector, according to Bryan Garner, NextEra’s director of communications. NextEra signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with LIPA, which will ultimately result in nearly $800,000 in revenue for Smithtown. That’s $33,000 per year for the first 15 years in payments in lieu of taxes and $296,000 in tax revenue for the final five years.
The project will offset more than 4,500 metric tons of carbon dioxide, the equivalent of removing 800 cars off the road.
Unlike fossil fuel plants, the facility operates silently and requires very little maintenance. “We check it about four times a year, so it’s maintenance free,” said Aaron Benedict, who monitors the project for NextEra. His cellphone includes an application that remotely monitors the operation 24/7.
Suffolk County and Smithtown government officials attended the event with Town Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R) arriving in one of the town’s two all-electric vehicles.
“We are all in with renewable and clean energy,” he said. The town, he said, expects to systematically transform the Old Northport Road corridor. The roof on its recycling center, which is located near the solar farm, is fitted with 50-kilowatt solar system and has a 10-kW wind turbine. The town is also discussing the development of a solar farm on the closed landfills, which could eliminate the town’s need to purchase electricity, according to Russell Barnett, Smithtown’s Environmental Protection director. Additional town projects are also under discussion and will be considered during the town’s 2020 budget process.
The financial terms of the arrangements between NextEra and the Izzo family remain confidential.
“This is all about what good this site can do for years to come,” said Robert Izzo Jr, whose family has owned the property for decades.
PSEG reports that 161 MW of its energy supply is generated from renewable projects, mainly solar panels.
By Donna Deedy
“It’s more than a pretty garden,” said Chris Clapp, a marine scientist for The Nature Conservancy. “It’s a biological process that relies on plants, wood chips and microbes to remove nitrogen in wastewater before it flows back into the environment.”
On June 24, County Executive Steve Bellone (D) joined Clapp with a conglomerate of representatives from both government and the private sector at The Nature Conservancy’s Upland Farms Sanctuary in Cold Spring Harbor to unveil a state-of-the-art method for reducing and eliminating nitrogen from wastewater.
The county expects the new system to be a replacement for cesspools and septic systems, which are blamed for the seeping of nitrogen into Long Island waterways, causing red tides, dead zones and closed beaches.
The issue is a serious concern, Bellone said, as he introduced the county’s Deputy Executive Peter Scully, who is spearheading the county’s Reclaim Our Water Initiative and serves as the Suffolk’s water czar. “Anytime a government appoints a water czar, you know you have problems to address.”
Scully, formerly the director for the Long Island region of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, said six other septic alternatives are currently approved.
Long Island is reportedly one of the most densely populated locations in the country without adequate wastewater treatment. Currently, there are 360,000 antiquated cesspools and septic systems. The county expects to set nitrogen reduction targets for watershed areas where replacement holds the most benefit.
The technique, called a vegetated circulating gravel system, is composed of an underground network that essentially connects the drains and toilets of a home or office to plant life and microbial action. It works in two stages to denitrify the wastewater. The first phase discharges wastewater into an underground gravel bed covered with a surprisingly small garden of native plants that takes up nitrogen through its roots. The water is then circulated into an underground box of wood chips that convert the remaining nitrogen into gas, before it’s circulated back to the gravel bed. Once the water is denitrified, it’s dispersed through a buried leaching field.
The county partnered with the Nature Conservancy to develop and implement the system for its Upland Farms Sanctuary. The sanctuary is located a half-mile from Cold Spring Harbor, where water quality has worsened during the last 12 years to the point where the state is officially proposing to designate it an impaired water body.
“The Conservancy is proud to stand alongside the county and our partners to celebrate this exciting new system that taps into the power of nature to combat the nitrogen crisis, putting us on a path to cleaner water,” said Nancy Kelley, Long Island chapter director for The Nature Conservancy.
During the experimental phase the system reduced by half the amount of nitrogen discharged from wastewater. A similar technique has been effective at removing up to 90% in other parts of the country. The system’s designers at Stony Brook University’s Center for Clean Water Technology aim to completely remove nitrogen from discharges. The Upland Farms offices and meeting hall system, which encompasses 156 square feet, serves the equivalent of two to three homes.
Suffolk County Legislator William “Doc” Spencer (D-Centerport) said that denitrification efforts work. The Centerport Yacht Club’s beach was closed for seven years due to water quality issues and reopened in 2015 after the Northport sewer plant upgraded to a denitrification system. Improvements to the harbor storm drain discharges, and a public lawn care campaign about curbing the use of fertilizers, also reportedly helped.
The county has reached a critical juncture and beginning July 1, its new sanitary code for septic systems takes effect, which permits only denitrifying technology.
Justin Jobin, who works on environmental projects with the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, said that he expects to gain approval for a pilot program to accelerate the vegetated circulating gravel system’s public introduction, which could be approved as soon as this summer. The design can be modified, its developers said, to serve single homes or large businesses. In addition to removing nitrogen, the system can also naturally filter out pharmaceuticals and personal care products. Its impacts on 1,4-dioxane are being studied.
Visit www.ReclaimOurWater.info for additional information.
Photos by Donna Deedy
On June 11, the Smithtown Central School District board of education appointed veteran educator Russell J. Stewart as interim superintendent, effective July 3. Stewart joins Smithtown from the Center Moriches School District, where he currently serves as superintendent of schools. He will be filling in for the position left by James Grossane.
“Mr. Stewart is a highly respected administrator who brings with him the professional experience, educational knowledge and interpersonal communication skills the board requires to effectively lead our school district during this transition period,” said Smithtown BOE president Jeremy Thode.
During his nine years as superintendent of Center Moriches, Stewart successfully oversaw the introduction and expansion of a number of programs, including the implementation of a districtwide International Baccalaureate endeavor, creation of a community service involvement program for high school students and expansion of a comprehensive K-12 8:1:1 program. He was also responsible for the enhancement of school safety through various efforts, such as increased security protocols and the promotion of a positive school culture and social-emotional wellness programs. Additionally, he oversaw the successful completion of a comprehensive capital improvement project.
“I thank the board for this opportunity and am excited to work with them and confirm my commitment to the students of Smithtown,” Stewart said. “I also look forward to collaborating with the community, students, staff and my central office colleagues to create a unified vision and further enhance the educational opportunities for all students.”
As part of his more than 30 years of educational experience, Stewart has served as principal, assistant principal, dean of discipline and chairperson for health, physical education and interscholastic athletics at Commack High School. He was also an assistant principal and principal at Western Suffolk BOCES Consortium. Stewart spent his first 10 years in education as a health and physical education teacher.
A resident of Manorville, Stewart holds a bachelor’s in health and physical education from the University of Sioux Falls and a master’s in school administration and supervision from New York University.
The board is actively continuing its search for a permanent superintendent of schools and will keep the community updated as the progress continues.
To address the critical shortfall of skilled young and beginning farmers and ranchers, congressional leaders, including Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley), introduced June 13 the Young Farmer Success Act. If adopted, the bill would encourage careers in agriculture, by adding farmers and ranchers to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, an existing program that currently includes teachers, nurses, first responders and other public service professions. Under the program, eligible public service professionals who make 10 years of income-driven student loan payments can have the balance of their loans forgiven.
“Our country’s farmers are part of the backbone of our nation, and while they are critical to ensuring American families have food to put on the table, all too often the next generation of farmers is finding that a career in agriculture makes it difficult to put food on their own table,” Zeldin said. “After graduating college, aspiring farmers are saddled with crippling student loan debt and the daunting costs of agricultural businesses, oftentimes driving them from a career feeding our country.”
The new legislation will allow the next generation of farmers to pursue a career serving the American people, eliminating the disincentive to study agriculture in school and getting them on the farm when they graduate.
Farming is an expensive business to enter, in part because of skyrocketing land prices. Young and beginning farmers often see small profits or even losses in their first years of business. With the majority of existing farmers nearing retirement age, and very few young people entering the farming or ranching profession, America is beginning to face an agricultural crisis. Since the Dust Bowl, the federal government has taken steps to support farmers, and the Young Farmer Success Act supports farmers through a different approach — finding a tangible pathway to pay off student loans that will offer incentives to a new generation of career farmers.
“Eighty-one percent of the young farmers who responded to our 2017 national survey hold a bachelor’s degree or an advanced degree,” Martin Lemos, National Young Farmers Coalition interim executive director, said. “This means there is a very small population of beginning farmers without student loan debt. With the average age of farmers now nearing 60 years, and farmers over 65 outnumbering those under 35 by 6:1, we need to do more for the next generation of farmers to succeed. We are grateful for the bill’s bipartisan champions, Representatives Joe Courtney (D-CT), Glenn ‘G.T.’ Thompson (R-PA), Josh Harder (D-CA) and Lee Zeldin. With the support of Congress, we will encourage those who wish to pursue a career in farming to serve their country by building a brighter future for U.S. agriculture.”
In 2011, National Young Farmers Coalition conducted a survey of 1,000 young farmers and found 78 percent of respondents struggled with a lack of capital. A 2014 follow-up survey of 700 young farmers with student loan debt found that the average burden of student loans was $35,000. The same study also found 53 percent of respondents are currently farming, but have a hard time making their student loan payments and another 30 percent are interested in farming, but haven’t pursued it as a career because their salary as a farmer wouldn’t be enough to cover their student loan payments.
At the end of the 2019 legislative session, New York State officials in both the Senate and Assembly passed a bill looking to fully adopt the Kings Park Psychiatric Center as part of the Nissequogue River parkland.
“I am thrilled this legislation has passed both houses of the legislature so that this important property is protected for future generations,” said New York State Sen. John Flanagan (R-East Northport).
Originally in 2001, only 155 acres of the former psychiatric center were designated as state parkland to create the Nissequogue River State Park. In 2006, Flanagan led the effort to have the remaining 365 acres of land administratively transferred to the jurisdiction of New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to be protected as parkland in perpetuity.
The latest legislation, sponsored by Flanagan and New York State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), would effectively fully protect the additional 365-acre parcel into the future by codifying it into statute and officially designating it as part of Nissequogue River State Park.
Under the new legislation, state parks officials would develop, adopt and implement a master plan for the full 520 acres in cooperation with Nissequogue River State Park Foundation and other interested parties with input from the general public. The plan will consider a series of preferred alternatives for the future development and use of the Nissequogue River State Park, but only after conducting public meetings to gather useful information and input. Factors such as the historic, natural and recreational resources of the park will be considered.
“I look forward to Governor Cuomo’s ultimate approval of this bill so we can ensure a bright future for this wonderful local resource and preserve some of the limited open spaces we have left on Long Island,” the state senator said.
Flanagan’s office said he has secured more than $31 million for the demolition of buildings, remediation and redevelopment of the tract of open space. The state senator has been working to have the additional land protected since he stopped in 2006 the sale of the land to developers.
Flanagan announced that the legislation that passed would require state Office of Parks officials to prepare a master plan for the Nissequogue River State Park.
The legislation will be sent to Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) for final approval.
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