Southampton Town Board members, left to right: Tommy John Schiavoni, John Bouvier, Supervisor Jay Schneiderman, Christine Scalera, Julie Lofstad and Southampton Town Attorney James Burke. GREG WEHNER photo, 27 East

Guests:

• Christine Scalera, Southampton Town Councilwoman

• James Burke, Southampton Town Attorney
  

  Discussion and Q&A topics including:

• The Sand Land Mine and contamination of our aquifer beneath the Mine. (The Mine requested a variance from the ZBA (Feb. 21, 2019), but then asked for a 6 month postponement)

• Airport and Helicopter Noise Abatement

• The Town’s New Accessory Apartment Law

• Town’s Ban on Plastics

• New Septic System Rebates

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Items of Interest:

• Several NCC Executive Committee members, along with members of the North Sea and Bridgehampton CACs, met with our Town Supervisor and Town Attorney on Jan. 25 about the water contamination issue at the Sand Land Mine, but many questions remain. The Town says it is limited as to what it can regulate as it pertains to the sand mining and restoration activities at the site due to a permit from the NYSDEC. A public discussion is needed. PLEASE ATTEND TOWN HALL MEETINGS AND DEMAND ANSWERS.

  • What has the Town done to ensure that Sand Land meets the code?

  • How can we get Judge Molia to act on documents that have been sitting with her since 2016?

  • Has the Town seen a site plan to validate the requested CO that keeps appearing on ZBA docket?

  • Can a CO be revoked due to illegal and harmful environmental practices? Why was the illegal processing allowed for so long?

  • Has the Town been in contact with the DEC over the SL contamination found by the Health Dept.?

  • NYS law (Oct2018) allows Town of Southampton to require monitoring of groundwater impacts resulting from mining/reclamation of mining. What is the Town of Southampton doing to adopt and enforce the law?

  • What is being done to clean up the site? (i.e. remediate contaminated pools, etc.)

  • The photos below were taken in January and February 2019. Has the Town or DEC seen and approved of a reclamation plan?

Town designated trails have been blocked

• On Feb. 6, 2019, an eastbound cement truck overturned in front of the Whalebone. The NCC has been in contact with Sup. of Hwy Alex Gregor on what, can be done to improve the safety of Noyac Road at that intersection.

• Is it time to attend a School Board meeting?
  • SHUFSD’s architect for the Stella Maris project offered the school board a revised construction budget about $1.48 million OVER the previous budget of $6.901,805. (Express, 31, Jan. 2019). The new budget of $8,385,964 needs more transparency in the process.
  • Three BOE seats will be up for election in May. Community members are invited to run!
  • The District will present their 2019-2020 budget at our next meeting on April 9. SHUFSD accounts for about 80% of your property taxes. Please attend and ask questions. Be an informed voter.

• Great East End Cleanup is May 4th! Please join the NCC clean up our hamlet along Noyac Road and Long Beach. We supply lunch to all who participate with the NCC.

• The public outcry against the helicopter noise by North and South Fork residents has gained momentum with our elected officials, but not with the FAA. A Nov. 13 “workshop” type of meeting “failed to comply with the public hearing mandated Rep. Lee Zeldin’s legislative proposal which is now law.” Leg. Bridget Fleming and Assemblyman Thiele want an all water route on both Forks and "reasonable restrictions" on the East Hampton airport. Register your helicopter noise complaint on the Federal Register (See Noyac.org/action-items)

• Click to see flyer on Community Choice Aggregation, regarding pooling electric utility accounts to negotiate better energy deals for lower costs to communities. Questions can be sent to Lynn Arthur: Larthur@southamptontownny.gov 631.871.8877

• Sand Land Mine update: The DEC is allowing them to continue mining activities (including illegally mining below the 160 foot floor of the mine) and allowing them to bring in uninspected (and potentially contaminated) fill. The DEC refused to issue a stop work order during the appeal…which will take years, all after the DEC admitted that the facility had contaminated the aquifer. The DEC is NOT protecting the health and safety of the public.
  Please call and write to our Governor, Town officials and DEC to seek an immediate injunction and demand that the DEC do its job to protect our water. See below for contacts.

  CONTACTS RE: SAND LAND:

  The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo 518-474-8390
  Governor of New York State
  NYS State Capitol Building
  Albany, NY 12224

  DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos 518-402-8545
  625 Broadway, 14th Floor
  Albany, NY 12233

  Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman 631-283-6055
  116 Hampton Rd.
  Southampton, NY 11968