Farmingville, NY – Governor Andrew Cuomo’s decision to veto S.6157-B/A.7722-B is disappointing. This is a lost opportunity to preserve over 1,000 acres of pristine coastal forest and the headwaters of the Forge River.
This veto was the wrong thing to do and the reason why Brookhaven Town adopted a solar code that allows for both the preservation of our open space and the development of solar energy.
Brookhaven Town was committed to preserving these lands, and worked right up to the hours before this veto was issued to provide the developer with up to 60-acres of alternative, Town-owned sites that did not require the removal of a single tree. Regrettably, the developer did not respond to these offers, and the Governor did not take these alternative sites into account when issuing this veto.
I thank the sponsors, Senator Ken LaValle, and Assemblyman Steve Englebright, and their colleagues Assemblyman Dean Murray and Assemblyman Anthony Palumbo, for their hard work to preserve these ecologically important woodlands, and urge them to resubmit legislation for this in the coming session of the State Legislature.
Division of Public Information - Office of the Supervisor
One Independence Hill
Farmingville, NY 11738
Phone: 631-451-6595