On February 12 at 2:30 pm, a short meeting is planned with the Town Supervisor, Jay Schneiderman to discuss the Sand Land Mine’s application to expand. Concerned members are asked to come.
If you value protecting our water supply, I urge you to email our Town Supervisor, Town Council and Town Attorney IMMEDIATELY. This week the NCC sent you a notice on ALJ Judge James McClymonds’ decision on the Sand Land Mine’s application to expand its mining operation. The Judge determined that the Chief Administrative Officer, Supervisor Jay Schneiderman, is the ONLY person who has the authority to tell the DEC whether or not mining is permitted in the Town. Based on the application, the Judge ruled that the application “constitutes a material change…and therefore a new application."
- FACT: The 1977 Town Code declared that no new mines shall be allowed in Southampton.
- FACT: Carcinogens, heavy metals, Chlordane, DEET, and other pesticides were found in a water sample taken from the Sand Land site in 2015.
- FACT: The Sand Land site is above our sole-source aquifer—everyone's supply of water on the East End, even for those who have Suffolk County Water.
- FACT: Sand Land wants to expand by 4.9 acres and excavating 40 feet deeper, which is closer to our aquifer.
- FACT: Sand Land processes vegetative, organic, construction and demolition wastes on site.
Suggestions for your email to Supervisor Schneiderman and the Town Council:
Based on Judge McClymonds’ ruling, the Town Supervisor is the one person who can protect our water supply from possible pollution from the Sand Land Mine. The Sand Land Mine is directly above our sole-source aquifer for the Town and the East End. Pollutants were found in a pool of water on the Sand Land site and this pool of water collects from the runoff at the mine. The Town Code clearly says that there may be no new mines in Southampton. Therefore, I urge you, Supervisor Schneiderman, to tell the DEC that no mining is allowed in Southampton Town and that the proposed permit to expand the mine be denied. Protect our ground water today.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Email addresses:
Jay Schneiderman: JSchneiderman@southamptontownny.gov
John Bouvier: jbouvier@southamptontownny.gov
Christine Preston Scalera: cscalera@southamptontownny.gov
Julie Edwards Lofstad: jlofstad@southamptontownny.gov
Tommy John Schiavoni: tjschiavoni@southamptontownny.gov
James Burke: JBurke@southamptontownny.gov
Call—631-283-6000.
UPDATE 9/13/17:
Supreme Court Justice Joseph Santorelli ruled in favor of Suffolk County officials to allow test wells to be installed at the Sand Land Mine. The test wells will test the groundwater for contaminants. Surface testing of accumulated pond water at the vegetative waste processing site showed that the water contained chlordane, pesticides, carcinogens, radio nuclei and other pollutants. The Health Department and residents are concerned if the pollutants are seeping into the groundwater. The mine sits atop our sole-source aquifer.
The Suffolk County decision follows over two years of obstruction by the owners of Sand Land to prevent water testing and allow access by health officials.
Most interesting is that Sand Land began grinding, manufacturing, storing and selling mulch again starting yesterday Sept 11. They have been going full bore for two days. We have repeatedly called the town to get code enforcement out there as these are clear violations of court rulings and affidavits filed by Sand Land saying they no longer manufacture mulch nor have the machinery on site to do so. Please call Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman and also code enforcement about this violation.
ARE YOU CONCERNED WITH WHAT IS IN YOUR DRINKING WATER?
The Sand Land Mine Corporation, located on Middle Line Highway and Millstone Road, has applied to the DEC for a major expansion of its non-conforming 50+ acre site, for an increase of 4.9 acres and an additional 40 foot depth.
This mine sits directly on top of our sole source aquifer for the East End, impacting both wells and Suffolk County Water.
Sand Land is permitted to mine sand, but now operates mainly as a solid waste processing center for vegetative waste and grinding concrete. Sand Land’s unpermitted operations have been the subject of multiple lawsuits in both the Supreme Court and Appellate Division.
Why is this a problem?
Standing pools of water leach into the aquifer from football field-size areas of mulch and are the main reason for concern.
No one knows which pollutants leach into our aquifer, because it is not monitored.
The Department of Health conducted a study of these types of mulching facilities in 2013, and found that they can have serious adverse affects on water quality. Of the 12 sites on Long Island like Sand Land, 11 have been rigorously tested and analyzed. Ten have tested positive for carcinogens, pesticides, and heavy metals that contaminate ground and surface water. Sand Land is the only facility that does not have test wells or lycemeters to monitor and test what is in the surface and ground water.
Because the land has been over-mined, Sand Land now actually trucks in sand from its other facility in Quogue to fill the cavity where sand used to be, along with acres of mulch. There is not supposed to be any standing water at the site, but there are large pools of water, plainly visible, that contribute to the leaching.
A “negative declaration” on this “major project” was declared by the local DEC, which said an environmental impact study was not required. Only after residents, the Town Board, the Town Supervisor, Highway Supervisor, NYS Assemblyman Thiele, NYS Senator LaValle, scientists, geologists and numerous environmental and citizen groups have universally voiced their strong opposition to the project, did DEC Commissioner Joseph Martens schedule a public hearing before ALJ Molly McBride.
PLEASE:
Alert public officials of your concern of this major hazard to our aquifer!
Demand that test wells and lycemeters be installed at this site.
Test your well Water, especially if you live northwest of the site. Click here: Suffolk County's Private Well Water Testing Program. Mention your proximity to Sand Land
Sincerely, Noyac Civic Council and the Sag Harbor CAC
