Storm Update: One way in, no way out
The bigger picture surrounding the Christmas Blizzard that hit December 26th 2010 has started to emerge. Mitchell Freedman and Bill Bleyer’s article in Newsday, “Erosion Worries Heighten on the East End” , January 1st 2011, drew some strong responses, seemingly dividing the east from the west, and sending homeowners scurrying for government assistance, only to be pushed back by a force stronger than winds that tore apart the east end over the holidays. Emotions are running high.
Emergency Southold Trustee Permit Toolkit
In cooperation with the Trustee Office, Southold VOICE has prepared the following information for those who need to apply for an emergency Town of Southold Trustee permit due to damage from the last storm.
Concrete Solution to Cleaner Waterways
One solution to the problem of storm water runoff in our creeks, bays and sound.
Member Jack Gold put me on to this the other day and I have to share it, this is a game changer:
All of Southold’s roads were built so that they drain into adjacent low lying land or waterways. That was the technology for several hundred years. Within the last half century, growing ecological awareness began to change that methodology so that catch basins would capture the storm runoff and only the overflow in heavy rain events would drain into adjacent waterways. That’s better, but all the pollutants and garbage on the road still go into the drain and get carried into the creeks.
A better way
Trustee’s Meeting April 22
At the previous nite’s Town Board Hearing about the Dock in the Bays regulations, I objected that the proposal would eliminate the 41 existing docks over time because if they were damaged by a Hurricane or winter ice, they would have to conform to this new standard and, that being impossible, would be prohibited from being rebuilt. Supervisor Russell responded that he believes in grandfathering and would not support that. I said Chapter 275 as it was revised eliminated grandfathering and the Trustees have not honored any grandfathering since I have been monitoring the meetings for over a year. He disagreed and made me think that I have been misunderstanding what I have been hearing. So before the meeting I asked the board of Trustees this question:
Ecosystem-Based Management
Report by Dave Bergen on the Ecosystem-Based Management Seminar, Feb 26th in Greenport
First off, I apologize in advance for the length of this post, but like the program, the information was (is) very complex, complicated and difficult in some ways to grasp.
I attended the seminar last night (Wednesday 25th) in Greenport which was put on by NYDOS. Given the fact that it was only marketed this week, attendance in numbers was very poor (13 people). But, what I found very impressive was the diversity of the participants who attended. There were two marine business owners, a couple of people from the Sierra Club, several commercial fisherman, a marine contractor, a former College professor of sciences, and SoutholdVOICE’s own representation from the Lanes! Read More
DEC Roundtable Discussion
Phragmites
DEC Roundtable Discussion with Commissioner Pete Grannis
By John Kramer
I attended a meeting at Town Hall on Wednesday September 3rd 2008 with John Betsch and Doug Rose, at the invitation of Assemblyman Marc Alessi, who arranged the meeting. It was good to meet the commissioner and Regional Director Peter Scully who is in charge of all Nassau and Suffolk.
The agenda included sewer systems, dredging windows, aquaculture, farms, wineries, and Greenport Village. Then others such as SoutholdVOICE, Inc., could ask questions or raise issues in our areas of interest.
Read More
DEC Roundtable Discussion
Phragmites
DEC Roundtable Discussion with Commissioner Pete Grannis
By John Kramer
I attended a meeting at Town Hall on Wednesday September 3rd 2008 with John Betsch and Doug Rose, at the invitation of Assemblyman Marc Alessi, who arranged the meeting. It was good to meet the commissioner and Regional Director Peter Scully who is in charge of all Nassau and Suffolk.
The agenda included sewer systems, dredging windows, aquaculture, farms, wineries, and Greenport Village. Then others such as SoutholdVOICE, Inc., could ask questions or raise issues in our areas of interest.
Read More