By: Jason Scheer
On Aug. 24, however, Nassau County legislators took steps to ensure what's left of Long Island's natural beauty will be enjoyed by generations to come. Meeting in an emergency session, lawmakers unanimously approved a $50 million bond referendum dedicated to clean water, open-space protection and parks. Voters will decide on the referendum during the November elections.
Legislator Joe Scannell (D-Baldwin) issued a statement in which he acknowledged the urgency of passing such a referendum. "We have a unique opportunity here to take a stand in the protection of our environment for future generations," he said. "A year from now, two years from now, it could be too late."
Legislator David Denenberg (D-Merrick), who heads the committee for Planning, Development and the Environment, said that the referendum is just one measure in an ongoing effort to improve the environment that began in 2000, when the county began taking inventory and assessing its environmental assets. "We've taken logical steps, and we have moved a great distance in less than five years," Denenberg said.
Local civic leaders and envoronmental activists are glad to see the county continue such an important initiative. "This is Nassau County's last chance to preserve what little open space and farmland it has left, if only to save it and show it to our children and grandchildren," Richard Amper, executive director of The Long Island Pine Barrens Society, said.
Rob Weltner, president of Operation Stop Polluting Littering And Save Harbors (SPLASH), is pleased with the referendum. "I love it," he said. "It's going to greatly reduce the pollution going into the bays from stormwater runoff."
Weltner applauded the bipartisan effort of the Legislature. "Nassau County is very far behind when it comes to the environment," he said. "I hope this is the start of the trend. They got past their differences and they did something very good for the county."
The passage of the referendum marks the culmination of a expeditious five weeks for the Legislature. Earlier in the summer, local environmental groups asked the Legislature to pass a $100 million bond, which was later cut to $50 million by Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi.
However, according to the Legislature's presiding officer, Judith Jacobs (D-Woodbury), in order to get the referendum on the ballot in November, the board of elections must have a final copy of the referendum, in both English and Spanish, by Sept 2.
The county gave the duty of drafting the legislation to the leader of a local environmental group and, when it was finished, Jacobs called the Legislature into emergency session. "A lot of people have indicated to me as presiding officer, 'Why now?'" Jacobs said. "And our answer to them has been, 'Why not?' It is imperative at a time when, just literally by driving through our areas, we know that space is disappearing. We need to be very cognizant of the fact we have within our hands right now the ability to make the difference for future generations to come."
The ability to make a difference ultimately lies in the hands of the voters. The referendum requires a simple majority in November to pass, and members of the Legislature are confident that it will.
Greg Williams, of the Long Island Environmental Voters Forum, a non-profit organization that actively campaigns for pro-environment candidates for public office, said he is confident that voters will be sympathetic to the cause of environmental groups. "We're just glad that the Nassau County Legislature is putting this on the ballot for the voters of Nassau county to decide upon," he said. "Time is running out on all of Long Island, and it is high time that the Nassau County Legislature realizes what's best for Long Island, and that's preserving all the open space we can."
"I think, since this is a big election year, there will be a fairly large turnout this year in general," Williams said, "and I think, seeing what good it will do in Nassau County, a lot of voters will be in favor of it."
It is estimated that the referendum will cost the average taxpayer $7 a year.
