By: Chris Munzing
New York State Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg and the Assembly Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation will be holding a public hearing on the subject of saltwater intrusion and water resource management issues on Long Island. The hearing will take place Jan. 23 at 11 a.m. on the sixth floor of Long Beach City Hall, One W. Chester St.
"It's an issue for the whole island, but particularly the barrier beach," said Weisenberg, who believes that this needs to be taken very seriously. "We have a limited resource of water. The purpose of this meeting is to gather information. We're making a point here to make the public aware."
About 2.6 million people in Nassau and Suffolk Counties depend on ground water for their public water supply. The sole source of potable water for those counties is the Long Island aquifer system, which provides sufficient freshwater to meet present demands. Many studies have been conducted on ground water in Nassau and Suffolk, focusing on ground water contamination, saltwater intrusion, and other water quality and quantity issues.
Over the years a number of resource management plans and programs have been instituted to ensure the long-term protection of Long Island's aquifer system. Despite these activities, contamination from a variety of sources has impacted water quality in some areas, leading to the need for increased treatment and sometimes the need to close existing wells or sink new wells. In addition, water withdrawals in certain areas have exacerbated the problem of saltwater intrusion.
The purpose of this hearing is to examine issues related to water resource management and the long-term protection of Long Island's aquifer system -- including efforts to manage the occurrences of saltwater intrusion and to manage and regulate water withdrawals.
Oral testimony will be accepted by invitation only and limited to 10 minutes. Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The committee asks for advance receipt of prepared statements. Written testimony will also be accepted and may be sent to the contact person listed on the reply form. In order to further publicize the hearing, please inform interested parties of the committee's interest in receiving written testimony from all sources.
In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy on non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities.
