Environment
Environment
Palumbo hosts roundtable meeting in Riverhead to discuss environmental issues
Representatives of environmental groups, community groups and local government officials across eastern Suffolk County turned out for a two-hour, wide-ranging conversation with state legislators Thursday morning in Riverhead.
Environment
County officials announce deal on 1/8% sales tax hike to fund septic systems and sewer expansion
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine on Monday announced county lawmakers' agreement to increase county sales tax by 1/8-cent to fund sewage treatment facilities and advanced septic systems.
Environment
Riverhead Water District receives $5 million grant for Calverton extensions
The Riverhead Water District has received $5 million in grant funding for public water extensions to areas of Calverton with contaminated private wells.
Environment
Proposed water conservation law would require smart controllers for irrigation systems in Suffolk
The law would require residential and commercial automatic irrigation systems to be equipped with a weather-based irrigation controller and at least one rain sensor or soil moisture device or an on-site weather station.
Environment
Town awaits input from state environmental regulators on whether to allow use of traction compound on runways for drag racing event
The State Department of Environmental Conservation in 2021 advised against using the traction compound on the Calverton runway, citing environmental risks, and it's been prohibited for the drag racing event. The event promotor, who says the compound will make racing safer, is pushing for its use.
Environment
Yale researchers seek participants for study of 1,4-dioxane in Long Island drinking water
Scientists studying the poorly-understood “forever chemical” 1,4-dioxane are looking for volunteers on the East End, especially those whose homes have private drinking water wells, for a study of the chemical’s potential health impacts.
Environment
After three fires this summer at commercial battery storage facilities in N.Y., Hochul creates working group for safety investigation
Following the third fire at a battery energy storage facility in as many months in New York this summer, Gov. Kathy Hochul last week announced the creation of a state inter-agency working group tasked with ensuring the safety of battery energy storage systems across New York.
Environment
Republican county legislators block November referendum on 1/8% sales tax hike to fund advanced septic systems and sewer expansion
Republican legislators voiced numerous reasons for their opposition to moving forward with the news 1/% sales tax, with the strongest objections centered on what they called an unfair allocation of the new tax revenues to sewers versus advanced septic systems.
Environment
County enters into consent judgment with U.S. Department of Justice to remove 46 illegal large-capacity cesspools at park facilities
Suffolk County has entered into a consent judgment with the U.S. Justice Department requiring the county to remove and replace 46 large-capacity cesspools at county park facilities, including four at Indian Island County Park in Riverhead that were banned by the EPA in 2005. The county also agreed to pay a $200,000 penalty.
Environment
Air quality health advisory in effect Wednesday
An air quality health advisory is in effect for the Long Island and New York City Metro regions tomorrow due to ozone pollution, state environment and health officials announced this afternoon.
