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BI-PARTISAN RESOLUTION
DIRECTS PINE BARRENS COMMISSION REVIEW OF TRAP & SKEET
RANGE
FARMINGVILLE, NY – The Brookhaven Town
Board overwhelmingly approved a resolution at their May
6 meeting to direct the Town’s representative to the
Central Pine Barrens Joint Planning and Policy
Commission to take action regarding the reopening of the
Suffolk County Trap and Skeet Range. The bi-partisan
resolution (#439-08), sponsored by Town Councilwomen
Jane Bonner (District 2) and Constance Kepert (District
4), was approved 6-1. Supervisor Brian Foley was the
sole dissenting vote.
“There is no greater responsibility of a public official
than the health, safety and welfare of those we serve.
That is why we are asking Supervisor Foley to properly
use his role on the Pine Barrens Commission to determine
whether the re-opening of this facility is prohibited
under the Pine Barrens Act, which would make its
operation unlawful,” said Councilwoman Bonner.
“Numerous Brookhaven Town residents consider this
facility to be a nuisance and health threat to our
community. Asking for this review is clearly in the
public interest, to determine whether the re-opening of
this firing range constitutes prohibited development
under the Pine Barrens Act, and whether it’s operation
negatively affects the quality of our drinking water.”
The Suffolk County Trap & Skeet Range, operated within
Suffolk County’s Southaven Park in Yaphank, is located
within the Core Preservation Area of the Pine Barrens.
This area was designated a “Critical Environmental Area”
by the Town, the County and New York State in 1988, due
to it’s location in the Carmans River watershed and
above Long Island’s sole source aquifer. The range,
long a source of concern about potential lead and noise
pollution by residents in the area, was closed to the
public in October of 2001, but re-opened in July of
2006. Because the range was not operated for more than
five years, environmental, civic and community
organizations have maintained that its operation must be
evaluated under the jurisdiction of the Pine Barrens
Commission.
“This Town Board resolution has been the biggest step
forward in this two-year battle,” said Richard Amper,
Executive Director of the Pine Barrens Society. “If the
Supervisor now introduces a resolution for the
Commission to assert jurisdiction over this matter, who
cares whether he did it voluntarily or the Town Board
forced his hand? This action is long overdue.”
The Long Island Pine Barrens Society and the South
Yaphank Civic Association have claimed in court and in
meetings with public officials that the risk of lead
contamination of drinking water, intolerable noise and
violations of the Pine Barrens Protection Act all
required a Commission determination as to whether or not
re-opening the Trap & Skeet range is permitted under the
Pine Barrens Act. Previous efforts by Brookhaven
officials to enforce the Town’s noise ordinance in the
area of the range have been unavailing.
Through the efforts of Councilwoman Bonner, Supervisor
Foley has agreed to go before the Pine Barrens
Commission on May 21, 2008 to ask the commission to
assert jurisdiction over the Suffolk County Trap & Skeet
Range. The South Yaphank Civic Association would like
to thank Councilwoman Bonner and Councilwoman Connie
Kepert for introducing and co-sponsoring Resolution
439-08,” said Johann McConnell, president of the South
Yaphank Civic Association.
Mary Ann Johnston President of ABCO joined with the
South Yaphank Civic Association and the Pine Barrens
Commission in pushing the decision forward. Johnston
said, “Redevelopment within the Pine Barrens would
establish an unacceptable situation for Brookhaven
Civics who wholeheartedly support the Pine Barrens Act.”
At the meeting, Supervisor Foley stated he would direct
his representative to bring this issue up at the next
meeting of the Central Pine Barrens Commission,
scheduled for Wednesday, May 21 at Brookhaven Town Hall.
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