meeting minutes

June 26, 2003

I. Opening

Meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance at 7:35 p.m.

II. Reading of the Minutes

Minutes of May 22, 2003 meeting were distributed, read through and accepted.

III. Committee Reports

A. BNL: NEAR (federally recognized organized by EPA) has offered a $50,000 grant for technical assistance for ordinary people around lab to hire a consultant to read any and all materials relevant to clean up and report back. Also, Peconic River was chosen spot by the department of energy - rushing cleanup process there. Letter written by CAC (citizen’s action committee) asking energy department to act in an efficient manner, but not to leave anything out.

B. Pondscape update: Committee members met with Steve Brown, chairperson of Brookhaven CAC and Charles Bartunek, Brookhaven Parks Commissioner regarding pond clean up. They have committed to improved drainage on Zophar Mills Road, install “barley grass pots” to address algae problem and install a Blue Martin House to deal with mosquitoes. Dredging has become “silt remediation.” Representatives from Brookhaven agreed that cooperation between towns is necessary.

C. Waterways: Members of this committee attended meeting of the “Ferries Coalition” organization on June 10. Shoreham was not highlighted as a ferry site to ease congestion from roadways. Security was a large issue at this meeting.

(Gordon Danby sent a statement read by Mary Gardner. The gist of the statement was that the power incinerator plan for the Shoreham site is the worst idea to come to this area for 20 years. He cited many reasons including that this type of power production is inefficient, and that it is a terrible answer to garbage disposal).

* Brought the meeting to New Business Item from agenda:

Garbage incinerator at Shoreham: Survey was done including some residents of Wading River and Shoreham re: renewable energy. Shoreham Civic Association ahs met on this issue and are, obviously, VERY against this. Mary Daum (Shoreham Civic President) and Sid Bail (WR Civic Pres) will be sending a letter to Richard Kessel, Keyspan and State Senator Ken LaValle stating that the Civics are categorically against it.

IV. Correspondence

Rose Sanders, Riverhead Councilwoman and The Thaddeus Hill Camp for Children have embarked in the Youth of Tomorrow (YOT) Club. They are trying to enlist local groups (like our Civic) to sponsor activities for youth. Another meeting will be held in July on this Club.

V. Unfinished Business

A. Elections/Amendments. Motion to approve slated candidates and new amendments (see May minutes), voted and approved.

B. Riverhead Master Plan update:

1. July 7th hearing on Master Plan and environmental impact statement (EIS).

2. June 27 Planning Board Recommendations will be available.

3. Moratorium has expired – there has been no influx of new applications.New moratorium will be voted on July 1.

4. There is a new coalition including LI Farm Bureau, LI Builders Institute, North Fork Environmental Council, and the Environmental Defense Fund that is creating a TDR (Transfer of Development Rights) program to supplement the Master Plan. The program would encourage the sale of development rights on agricultural land. These rights would be transferred to a receivingarea (north of Sound Avenue) where homes could be built with higher density. This will reduce build out and population growth even more than the draft Master Plan suggested. This coalition gave a presentation of their program to the Town Board today, and admitted it could be “tweaked.” Master Plan could be adopted by Town Board and TDR program adopted later – so this process should not lengthen the Master Plan process any.

VI. New Business

A. Temporary Generators at the LIPA plant. A brief history was given – in 2002 LIPA put 10 generators on LI- 7 of them in Shoreham. This year there are 3 in Shoreham. Environmental review was sent to Sid Bail by Ed Grilli. LIPA sent a letter to residents informing them of this.

B. Guest Speakers: Bill Lewis, plant coordinator at PPL Power plant in Shoreham, and Brad Piatt, PPL Manager, Peaking Power.

1. Construction efforts are done, according to Bill Lewis. A new access road is being built and landscaped. Other landscaping around plant is completed, aside from minor soil stabilization project. All trailers, temporary facilities are gone

2. PPL is considering an open house at the plant.

3. PPL is trying to assist with duck pond improvements and with Woodhull House.

4. Follow up sound survey was requested by Sid Bail, Mary Daum, et al. It has been completed, but no report has been made yet. Bill Lewis continued by explaining that this is an “energy complex.” There may be noise problems coming from other places. Most noise issues are not related to PPL.

5. A discussion ensued of Keyspan and air and noise emissions.

VII. Member Concerns

A. Eileen Drower expressed concern about the new parking lot – who will be responsible for landscape maintenance? Also, there are not enough spots – only 33. She was assured that the landscaping would be maintained by the town and that the project was something the Civic Association should be proud of. There are the same number of spots as before.

B. Another member asked about the “Rail to Trail” transition – A project that would create bike paths on LIPA trials. She was informed that this was a Suffolk County Grant and that she could contact Marty Haley or Michael Carraciola for an update.

This concludes the minutes of the WRCA for June 26 24, 2003.