Friends of the Bay is Calling on All Nassau County Residents to urge their legislators to approve the Intermunicipal Agreement between the Town of Oyster Bay and Nassau County to connect the homes in the area known as The Birches to the Glen Cove Sewage Treatment plant. 
 
This is an issue of concern to everyone who uses the waters of the Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor Estuary!
 
Thank you to the dedicated group of Friends of the Bay supporters and Bayville residents who addressed the Planning, Development and Environment Committee regarding the Intermunicipal Agreement on August 4 at the Nassau County Legislature.  The hearing, originally scheduled for 2:30, did not begin until 6:00 pm.  We appreciate your dedication to attaining a resolution to this long standing issue.
 
The collaborative and creative solution developed by Nassau County and The Town of Oyster Bay will result in improved water quality for Mill Neck Creek and the entire estuary.  This is an opportunity to address a long-standing problem with unacceptable environmental impacts that has gone on for too many years.
 
The inadequate sewage treatment plant at the Birches is a known and documented impairment to the water quality of Mill Neck Creek, the Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and estuary in general.  Friends of the Bay's water quality monitoring results for Mill Neck Creek consistently reflect high coliform levels resulting from effluent released from the inadequate chlorination tank that has been in place since 1983.  This has resulted in the discharge of untreated sewage into the tidal wetlands.  A solution to this environmentally damaging plant has been negotiated by the Town of Oyster Bay and Nassau County.  Please urge your legislators not to let the opportunity to resolve this problem pass. 
 
A pump station to connect homes in the Birches to the Glen Cove sewage treatment plant is to be funded jointly by Nassau County and the Town of Oyster Bay.  This project will be implemented in two phases over the next two years. The Town of Oyster Bay has already agreed to this plan.  Now the Nassau County Legislature must approve it.  The voting will take place on Monday, August 18 in an evening session beginning at 6:00 pm.  The legislative office building is located at 1550 Franklin Avenue, Mineola.  Please attend this session to show your support.  If you cannot attend the meeting, write, call or email your legislator.
 
There are many examples of the County Legislature being supportive of environmental improvements that, while in a particular part of the county, are wildlife habitat and recreational areas that all county residents enjoy.  Just to name a few: Massapequa Preserve, Tanglewood Preserve, Roosevelt Preserve Park, Milburn Pond Park, Silver Lake Park, Lofts Pond Park and Baxter Pond Park.
 
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the creation of the Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge, as well as the 150th anniversary of President Theodore Roosevelt's birth.  President Roosevelt was the founder of the National Wildlife Refuge system.  There cannot be a more appropriate way to honor both these occasions by finally attaining a solution to a long standing environmentally damaging situation. 
 
You may send your letter of support to Honorable Diane Yatauro, Presiding Officer, Nassau County Legislature, at 1550 Franklin Avenue, Mineola, NY 11501.  Legislator Diane Yatauro, of Glen Cove, represents the 18th Legislative District. The district covers Bayville, Brookville, Centre Island, Glen Cove, Glen Head, Lattingtown, Locust Valley, Matinecock, Mill Neck, Old Brookville, Old Westbury, Sea Cliff, Upper Brookville, and parts of Greenvale, Hicksville, Jericho, and Oyster Bay.    You may also write to Honorable Judith Jacobs at the same address.  Legislator Jacobs represents Legislative District 16, which is comprised of the communities of Bethpage, Cove Neck, East Norwich, Jericho, Laurel Hollow, Muttontown, Oyster Bay, Oyster Bay Cove, Plainview, Syosset, and Woodbury.  If you prefer to send an email, or are from a different legislative district, go to the Nassau County Legislature website at http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/legis/index.html and follow the links. 
 

Patricia Aitken
Friends of the Bay