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Rockland Water Coalition To Present Petitions To Elected Officials

Organization opposed to Hudson River Water Desalination Plant collected 24,000 signatures

 

The Rockland Water Coalition announced 24,000 Rockland residents signed petitions opposing United Water's plans to construct a $189 million desalination plant to supply the county’s drinking water.  Members of the Coalition will present the petitions to local elected officials including State Senator David Carlucci and Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee on Monday in New City.  According to the Coalition, it will also call on New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo to oppose the plant. 

The Rockland Water Coalition consists of 23 local and regional environmental and civic organizations, including Riverkeeper, Clearwater, Scenic Hudson, Rockland AARP and New York State Sierra Club. The proposed Haverstraw Water Supply Project would produce drinking water for Rockland County residents from the Hudson River and would be sited 3.5 miles downstream from the Indian Point nuclear power plant. 

Numerous local officials have registered concerns and raised questions about the proposed treatment plant.

"The increased energy use and cost, the risk of overdevelopment, all run contrary to Clarkstown’s Comprehensive Plan,” said Clarkstown Councilmember Shirley Lasker. “In addition, I have safety and health concerns with a plant within 3.4 miles of Indian Point.  There are more cost effective, and environmentally friendly methods to increase Rockland County's water supply and those should be implemented first." 

"If we're going to invest in filtering polluted water to make it drinkable, let's start with fixing up our aging sewage treatment infrastructure and sell to United Water some of the 14 billion gallons per year we're dumping into the Hudson River,” said Orangetown Town Supervisor Andy Stewart. “I'd like to know - can advanced waste water treatment technology, such as is in use today on the Ramapo River, be implemented on the Hackensack River to augment water supplies for New Jersey while preserving Lake DeForest for local use and flood prevention?"

The plant would provide 7.5 million gallons of water per day. On its website, United Water states, Rockland County is currently served by groundwater supplies and reservoirs. The Haverstraw Water Supply Project would improve the reliability of the water supply system while meeting future demands for water by providing a supply of water that is less dependent on climate conditions. Including a drought-tolerant river source adds to the diversity of the water supply portfolio and provides greater flexibility in managing the system.

 

The water coalition has been critical of the NYS Public Service Commission (PSC) mandate to expand Rockland's water supply, which it believes was based on incomplete and inaccurate information available at the time. Additionally, the coalition has stated it believes desalination would discourage water conservation, add to unsustainable overdevelopment, result in higher water rates for Rockland from increased energy and water costs, and contribute to more energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. The Coalition points out there would be little longstanding economic benefit to the county as United Water's environmental impact statement predicts 10 permanent jobs will be created once the construction is completed.

The Rockland Water Coalition is urging Rockland residents to call or write Governor Cuomo's office to share their opinion on United Water's proposed desalination plant.

 

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Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
Kathleen May 21, 2013 at 08:55 am
CANDLE Night at the Rockland Boulders Game Join CANDLE for a fun(d)raising game on May 23rd as theRead More Rockland Boulders take on the Trois-Rivieres Aigles. Proceeds from tickets purchased through CANDLE* will support programs that educate & empower youth and reduce substance abuse and violence in Rockland County and beyond.
Heywood Jablohme May 21, 2013 at 02:48 pm
I agree with most of your points, but surely you are not implying that teachers are expected toRead More produce funding to correct school roofs, right? I think you got a bit off topic here, but I agree that our educational infrastructure is in disrepair and is in desperate need of rehabilitation. Maybe if our teacher's unions allowed a little more leeway we could allocate funding a little more appropriately and fund the important things instead of overpaying paying dinosaur teachers who lost interest a long time ago and fight any and all forms of teacher benchmarking.
WGMom May 20, 2013 at 09:10 am
It's entirely true that every professional has out-of-pocket expenses. But as someone who worked asRead More a corporate trainer, I can guarantee you I NEVER had to pay out of pocket expenses for supplies to teach classes. Every piece of paper, supply, and even snacks for the participants were fully covered expenses. If I had to spend out of pocket money to procure supplies, I could submit for a reimbursement, and receive it, no questions asked. I am now in school to become a high school teacher and I can see the stark difference in how the education of folks in a corporate environment is incredibly different, and privileged, than the public school environment. I've sat through numerous classes in the Clarkstown and Ramapo districts, doing observations required for my education certification, and while Clarkstown certainly benefits from certain advantages, the shabbiness of being a public school is still there. Furniture, such as teacher desks, that looks like it was purchased in a garage sale 30 years ago... faculty bathrooms that are dark and dingy, nearly crumbling, and sorely in need of updating. Etc. The public expects teachers to have professional training, act professionally, but they lack sometimes basic resources and are expected to function in an environment that feels more like a dungeon than an institution of learning. The citizens of Clarkstown, if they could get a tour of some of the facilities they are expecting children to learn in, and teachers to teach in, would be very surprised. We do supply some great technology, but then we put it in classrooms with windows that won't stay closed when it's windy, as one example. I spent most of my time in South, which is the best of the bunch, facilities-wise. Clarkstown North is a mess, Woodglen's woods are littered with fallen trees no one's cleaned up after Sandy, Laurel Plains had to be shuttered thanks to that whole foul stench... the district is in a situation where there are major capital improvements that are going to be needed. Buildings are aging, and it seems it's only the most basic of upkeep that happens. The district can't even fix the roofs of the buildings without applying for a state grant.
Heywood Jablohme May 18, 2013 at 07:17 am
What professional doesn't spend $500 per year on out of pocket expenses related to their jobs?Read More Staples offering 10% (or 5 in some cases) is hardly an example of the community getting involved. Thankfully, there are other examples of the community and PTA's getting involved and providing needed services. Clarkstown and surrounding areas hardly have substantial unmet needs in their classroom, thankfully.
Truth4all May 16, 2013 at 11:37 am
I guess better late than never. LaCorte is serving his 4th year as Mayor and was Trustee for I thinkRead More 4 years before that. This year is the only time he has brought the idea to the village about participating in this program. He is motivated by the opportunity of getting positive press for his County Executive campaign. The village should have been involved in this program ( as well as the Americorps program) long before this. On a positive note, hopefully the Village will continue this worthwhile partnership for many years to come.