Yesterday, Governor David Paterson vetoed bill S6728a/A9870a (the transfer of Pilgrim land to the Edgewood Preserve), thus caving in to special interests and ignoring a state law that says Pilgrim land no longer needed by the hospital must be incorporated into the Edgewood Preserve.

Among other things, the transfer of this land would have expanded the PROTECTED groundwater area in Western Suffolk, ensuring the sustainability of clean drinking water for Long Islanders.  Seems pretty important to us.

The bill passed the Senate 48-7 and the DEMOCRAT-controlled Assembly 143-0. We had the score wrong — it was even more astonishing than we had reported (100-0).  So, the Governor not only ignored the will of his own lawmakers, he ignored the will of the majority of Long Islanders, which is extremely disheartening.

There are some who lobbied the Governor to veto the bill.  We feel it is our responsibility, as elections approach, to inform you of those who pushed hard for a veto, who turned their backs on the will of the people, who killed the democratic process.  As you go to the polls this year or as you try to decide who to donate money to, please keep this list handy.

1.  Congressman Jerrold Nadler – represents the Upper West Side of Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn.  Lobbied hard for a veto.  Dangled federal funds for road improvements that he cannot promise, IF the intermodal is built at THIS site, even though smaller intermodals at more suitable sites make the most sense fiscally, environmentally and otherwise.

2.  Congressman Steve Israel — represents Western Suffolk County, including Dix Hills, where he lives.  Although we sought his support, he remained “neutral”.  We interpret that as supporting a veto.  Steve Israel refused to meet with Friends of the Edgewood Preserve and tried to keep us out of a recent meeting with Congressman Nadler, the NYSDOT and others.  Denis Byrne, Friends president, attended anyway.  Steve Israel not only turned his back on his constituents, he turned his back on his own neighbors.  How sad that Steve Israel has not lived up to the recent honor bestowed on him: “Environmentalist of the Year”.

3.  County Executive Steve Levy – supposedly represents all of Suffolk County but we have been saying for some time now that Steve Levy does not care about Western Suffolk County.  He lobbied hard for a veto of this bill, even though he often tried to make it appear as if he stood with other local fellow DEMOCRATS, who supported the bill.  We always knew he did not support the bill.  He finally showed his true colors.  He does not care about the environment (yet another politician who got an award for being an environmentalist) and he certainly does NOT CARE ABOUT BRENTWOOD.  I hope the Brentwood community is paying attention.

4.  Town of Islip — Supervisor Phil Nolan –  remained silent throughout this entire effort and ignored letters sent to him by Friends of Edgewood.  We take that as support for a veto.  Town of Islip planner Gene Murphy lobbied for a veto.

5.  Environmental Defense Fund — based in Manhattan and Washington, D.C. They do not represent Long Islanders nor do they fully appreciate or understand the problems facing Western Suffolk County.  Please do not support this organization as they lobbied hard for a veto.

6.  New York League of Conservation Voters — based in Manhattan. They do not represent Long Islanders and are completely ignorant to local concerns.  They not only lobbied hard for a veto, they have published their policy agenda which urges support for the Brentwood site to be used not only for an intermodal but also for a garbage waste transfer station.  Please do not support this organization.

These are the individuals and groups that the Governor chose to listen to.  Too bad. Although tired and saddened by these developments, Friends of the Edgewood Preserve will persevere.

Your involvement in this grassroots effort is commendable.  You should be proud.  We are sorry that your voice was ignored by those who are supposed to represent you and us, but we intend to keep on “hollering”. Stay tuned.

There are those who did do the right thing and fought hard for passage of the bill: [Some Democrats and some Republicans]
Senator Owen Johnson, Senator John Flanagan, Senator Caesar Trunzo, Assemblyman Phil Ramos , Assemblyman Andrew Raia, Assemblyman Steven Englebright, Assemblyman James Conte.   ALL of the Senators and Assembly members who voted for the bill (a total of 191 NYS lawmakers), which includes ALL Long Island State Senators and Assembly members. If you have a moment, please thank these individuals for doing the right thing.(The seven Senators who voted against the bill represent Brooklyn, Queens, and upper Manhattan.)

Some local politicians who supported our efforts along the way and who stuck with us:  Legislator Steven Stern, Legislator Louis D’Amaro, Legislator Ricardo Montano, Town of Huntington Supervisor Frank Petrone, Town of Huntington Councilwoman Susan Berland.

Finally, please support these organizations.  Their support (and many others) got us this far.
Natural Resources Defense Council
Citizens Campaign for the Environment
Pine Barrens Society
Sierra Club
Parks and Trails NY
Great South Bay Audubon Society
Seatuck Environmental Association
Volunteers for Wildlife
Friends of the Massapequa Preserve
American Littoral Society
Long Island Botanical Society
Concerned Long Island Mountain Bicyclists

To all those who attended rallies, sent letters, e-mails and made phone calls…..thank you.

Patricia Burkhart
Friends of the Edgewood Preserve
P.O. Box 162
Deer Park, NY  11729
631-242-7402
www.friendsoftheedgewoodpreserve.org

Click here for PDF version of the summer 2008 newsletter.

Friends of Edgewood NEWS

The Quarterly Newsletter of Friends of the Edgewood-Oak Brush Plains Preserve: An all-volunteer, not for profit organization dedicated to protecting the natural beauty & improving the conditions of the Edgewood State Nature Preserve through advocacy and education

Summer 2008 ! Volume 2, Issue 4

The Thrill of the Whip-poor-will’s Return
By Mary Beth Tomko

It was just past dusk and our disappointment was palpable as my husband and I walked along the trail heading toward Old Commack Road. The temperature on this late spring evening felt more like Halloween than Memorial Day. We had hoped to spot an owl of any type, but what we were secretly hoping for was the vociferous sound of the Whip-poor-will. My frustration led me to wonder out loud about this seemingly invisible bird. “Maybe they haven’t returned yet”, “maybe still too early in the evening”, and finally “perhaps they were in a another part of the preserve.”

Whip-poor-wills belong to a family of birds called nightjars. Pine Barrens and scrub oak areas such as those that comprise the Edgewood Preserve and surrounding land appear to be ideal habitat for these nocturnal birds. Indeed, their loud repetitive song…whip-poor-will/whip-poorwill/ whip-poor-will…does “Jar” the quiet of the night hours, beginning just after sunset. They can make between ten and sixty calls per minute with as many as one thousand continuous repetitions. Because of this, some consider their call melancholy, others just utterly annoying. To hear their call is considered bad luck by some folks, but to Native Americans it was often a sign of good hunting and fishing.

Whip-poor-wills fly in low, short flights, turning and weaving to capture moths, beetles, mosquitoes and other night-flying insects. These unusual birds do not make a nest but lay their eggs on the ground, usually two at a time, in shady locations among leaf litter. They lay the eggs so that they will hatch as the moon is waxing, which ensures ample light for catching prey for the nestlings. Both parents participate in feeding their young. Just as we neared the end of the path, I heard one in the distance. We listened for a repeat, which came soon enough. Arriving at Old Commack Road, we decided to head north, when a bat-like object came toward us. We both stood very still, waiting for it to grab hold of our scalps, but instead it passed noiselessly a few feet Nestlings in leaf litter
above us, and veered into the woods. Soon after, we heard a loud whip-poor-will just up ahead.

Following the permeating sound we discovered the bird sitting on a branch haloed by the fading
light. We watched and listened until darkness surrounded us, then turned toward the main entrance and home. As we did, an unbroken, repeated call rang out, assuring us that yes, indeed, they had returned.

To learn more:
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Whip-poor-will_dtl.html
I
• Whip-poor-wills are #17 on the “Common Birds In Decline” list (Audubon Society)
• In the last forty years, they have lost half their populations, due to loss of habitat, pesticide use and
an increase in predators such as cats and raccoons.

FRIENDS OF EDGEWOOD NEWS
Volume 2, Issue 4, Summer 2008
Published by:
Friends of the Edgewood Preserve
P.O. Box 162
Deer Park, NY 11729
Tel: (631) 242-7402
E-mail: info@friendsofedgewood.com
Website: www.friendsofedgewoodpreserve.org

Board of Directors
Denis Byrne, President
Paul Tomko, Vice-President
Sid Cherry, Treasurer
Patricia Burkhart, Secretary
Mary Beth Tomko, Board Member

Newsletter Design/Editor: Patricia Burkhart

The Edgewood-Oak Brush Plains Preserve is an 850-acre nature preserve, situated within the towns
of Babylon and Huntington. It is a rare and irreplaceable pitch-pine scrub oak wildlife habitat, home to a wide array of bird and plant species, as well as other animals and reptiles, including red fox, rabbits, chipmunks, frogs, and turtles.

The trails and paths are ideal for hiking, walking, birding – passive and unobtrusive activities. Old
Commack Road, a paved 1.6-mile road that runs north south is great for jogging and biking. Hunting is
not allowed, nor are all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes, snowmobiles, or any motorized vehicles, except for
those authorized by the NYS DEC.

HELPFUL INFORMATION:

• Permits are required, but they are free and are valid for three years. For an application, go to:
www.dec.state.ny.us/website/reg1/accessperm.pdf or ask us and we will send one to you!
• To report ATV activity or other trespassing at the preserve: 1-877-457-5680. Other Edgewood
concerns/problems? Let us know via phone or email and we will notify the DEC. Thank you!

President’s Update
On several recent walks through Edgewood in June, I was treated to that distinct otherworldly and noisy chatter of the cicadas. These amazing creatures live in the soil for approximately seventeen years, doing little else but drink sap from tree roots. At some point, their biological clock alerts them that it’s time to burrow up out of the ground, shed their exoskeleton, climb or fly into trees and look for a mate. That noisy hum is the sound of the males, singing to attract females. Once they mate, they die and their offspring larvae will crawl into the ground and begin another seventeen-year hibernation cycle. This year the Edgewood Preserve was alive with the glorious hum of the cicada! What a delight. We would like to extend a big thank you to Assemblyman Robert Sweeney for his incredible commitment to the Edgewood Preserve. Assemblyman Sweeney secured a total of
$725,000, which will enable the NYSDEC to build a visitor and educational center at Edgewood – dare we say soon? Preliminary plans include a visitor area, bathrooms, office, meeting room and small lending library.

We are hopeful that the grant of $350,000 secured by Senator Owen Johnson a few years ago will finally be released to the DEC soon, so that they can begin much-needed grassland restoration at the preserve.

Finally, it just wouldn’t be Long Island if there weren’t some battle to fight. This time, Friends of Edgewood Preserve is preparing for a confrontation with Suffolk County DPW, which has gotten approval to demolish the arch concrete bridge on Commack Road. Two years ago, with the help of Legislator Steven Stern, we obtained TEP funding to restore the bridge. This bridge is a crucial link in the planned regional trail and if demolished will alienate the preserve from Otsego Park and nearby communities. If you can help in any way, please contact us. We will keep you posted about this important effort. In the meantime, stay cool, think green – and have a safe and happy summer!
Denis Byrne

THANK YOU TO OUR FRIENDS
Donations Volunteers
Helen Alexander $25 Charles Chi Martial Arts Academy
John Byrne $25 Brentwood Boy Scout Troop 371
Sid and Sherrell Cherry $200 Deer Park Girl Scout Troop 1163
Mr. Digital Printing $25 West Babylon Boy Scout Troop 104
Geier Bindery $100
Home Depot Deer Park $300
Victoria and Robert Ruvio $100
Danielle Shuffler $50 Grants
$1,000 Community Support Initiative Grant (Legislator Steven Stern)
Above and Beyond
Florence Findley and Vicky Russell (Town of Babylon)
2nd Assistant Chief Tom Richardson (Deer Park Fire Department)
Anthony Gries (Deer Park Home Depot)
Peter Scully, Chuck Hamilton, Henry Doll, Captain Tim Byrnes, Bill Fonda, Ron Gelardi and Chip
Hamilton (NYSDEC) for their commitment to Edgewood and their support of Friends.

It’s Officiall! Edgewood is a ““BEST HIKE”” with dogs!
Hiking with Fido in and around New York City:
Trails that are dog friendly, dog fun, dog safe!
Tammy McCarley and her canine companion, Sienna, have been exploring and
hiking New York’s trails for years. In BEST HIKES WITH DOGS: NEW
YORK CITY & BEYOND, she presents her favorite 55 dog friendly trails.*
These options are sure to delight any New York pet-owner with the desire to
get beyond the five boroughs and experience beautiful rolling hills or forested
areas. “The benefits that both you and your dog will reap from a day spent in
the fresh air together are limitless.”
Along with a list of ways to get to each trail destination, including any and all
options for public transportation, Tammy gives a detailed description of what
you can expect to enjoy along each trail. She provides historical facts, views that
shouldn’t be missed, and canine concerns to watch for.
About the Author
Tammy McCarley is the owner and founder of Blue Sky Dogs, LLC, a dog-friendly
travel and adventure company based in New York City. Founded in 2003, the
company offers canine friendly travel services and information, in addition to
outdoor activity services for city-based dogs. Tammy and her husband adopted
Sienna, a golden retriever/chow mix, in 2002 from a New York rescue group.
Since then, they have happily covered miles and miles of trails together as
research for this guide.
The Mountaineer Books, April 2007, $16.95 softcover, 240 pages, 90 b&w, 55
maps. For more info: 206-223-6303 or ashleyk1@mountaineerbooks.org
Description of book and cover photo are the property of The Mountaineer Books and
are included here with the permission of the author and publisher.
*The Edgewood Preserve is featured
on page 213 as one of fifteen places
on Long Island with dog-friendly trails.
Thanks Tammy, we agree! This book
makes a great gift for the adventurer
in your life. Grab your four-legged
friend and get hiking!
SUMMER 2008 EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
All events are f ree and take place at the Edgewood Preserve (unless otherwise noted) .
Meet just inside the parking area. Rain cancels all events, clouds do not.
The Edgewood Preserve is located on Commack Road in Deer Park.
All hiking trails are f lat and easy to walk. No exper ience is necessary for any of our events.
For all events, we suggest br inging water and insect repellent.
AUGUST
Saturday, August 2, 8:00AM-10:00AM
Mountain Biking Adventure
Get up early to ride the mountain bike trails at Edgewood.
Approximately 8 miles. We’ll ride from Edgewood to the
old bridge to Otsego Park, then to site of proposed
intermodal facility and finally to the Sagtikos Woods.
Info: Denis at 631-836-2616 or denisbyrne@yahoo.com
Saturday, August 2, 9:30AM-11:30AM
Seatuck To Lead Hike at Edgewood!
Come explore the Edgewood property with Tom Vitti,
a naturalist with Seatuck Environmental Association.
Space is limited; registration is required for this hike.
Info: 631-356-3681 or www.seatuck.org.
Saturday, August 16, 9:00AM
Bird Walk
Come walk with us and learn about the birds of Edgewood.
You will see and hear some extraordinary birds.
No experience necessary. Binoculars are helpful.
Info: Mary Beth at 631-838-4801 or tww77@optonline.net
Sunday, August 17, 8:00AM-10:30AM
Summer Hike
Hike from Otsego Park to Edgewood Preserve with
interesting stops along the way. Approximately six miles.
Info: Denis at 631-836-2616 or denisbyrne@yahoo.com.
SEPTEMBER
Saturday, September 13, 10:00AM-12:00PM
Field Trip led by Long Island Botanical Society!
Come learn about the diversity of plant life at Edgewood
from Dr. Andrew Greller, Professor of Biology Emeritus
at Queens College. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to
walk the preserve with an award-winning botanist and
ecologist. Wildflower guide and camera are helpful but
not necessary. Long sleeves/pants are recommended.
Sunday, September 21, 9:00AM
Bird Walk See 8/16 for information.
NYSDEC ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATORS TO LEAD
FAMILY WALK
AT EDGEWOOD PRESERVE!
SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 10AM
ECO-EXPLORATIONS
This is a hike for students of nature from 7
years old and older, with a parent.
NYSDEC Educators will lead a hike at Oak
Brush Plains at Edgewood, exploring the
different habitats there. We will find wildlife,
forests, and the remnants of human
habitation being swallowed up by the fields
and forests.
Dress for hiking – long pants and socks
are strongly recommended. Bring binoculars
and something to drink.
For more info: NYS DEC at 631-444-0347
or Friends of Edgewood at 242-7402, box#3
EDITOR’S CORNER: THE PLAIN AND SIMPLE TRUTH
The legislation to transfer additional land to the Edgewood Preserve passed the Senate on June
12th (48-5) and the Assembly on June 24th with a remarkable vote of 100-0. However, there are
some who are hoping Governor Paterson will veto this important legislation. They are mostly
individuals and organizations that purport to care about the environment, some who do not
reside on Long Island, and do not represent the voice of the majority of Long Islanders.
What everyone keeps forgetting about is a New York State law that says this parcel of land
must be transferred to the Edgewood Preserve; it is off limits to this and any development. It is
not a bargaining chip for money, roads, etc.
The current legislation – the one that passed both houses of our state legislature – is there to
uphold and enforce that law. The law has been ignored for some twenty years and counting.
What is important is that this land be transferred according to the current legislation to ensure
that our protected groundwater area be expanded before it is too late. I have said it before and
will continue to say it: more roads will not sustain us. It’s a grand illusion. What will sustain us is
clean drinking water. And what enable us to have clean drinking water, now and forever, are
protected, wild, open spaces. What sustains us and the planet is clean air, and without forests,
without the trees that absorb all the carbon that we humans spew into the atmosphere, we will
eventually choke to death. Brentwood already has the highest rate of childhood asthma on Long
Island. Destroying more open space will not heal those children’s lungs.
Clean water and preserved native habitats are perhaps two of the greatest gifts we can offer to
future generations of Long Islanders. That’s what this legislation is about.
Please write to Governor Paterson and ask him to kindly sign the bill soon.
QUOTE FOR THE SEASON:
I think the environment should be put in the category of our national security.
Defense of our resources is just as important as defense abroad.
Otherwise, what is there to defend?
~Robert Redford, Yosemite National Park dedication, 1985
A
Bullfrog on Pilgrim land parcel
July 2008
ACTION ALERT AND UPDATE!
The legislation to transfer the parcel of land set aside for the intermodal facility (LITRIM) to the
Edgewood Preserve passed the Senate on June 12th (48-5) and the Assembly on June 24th (100-0).
The bill has been sent to Governor Paterson for his signature.
CONTACT GOVERNOR PATERSON TODAY by MAIL, PHONE or E-MAIL and
ASK HIM TO PLEASE SIGN BILL S6728-a / A9870-a.
Go to: www.friendsofedgewoodpreserve.org. There is a sample form letter you can use.
E-mail the Governor via this link: http://161.11.121.121/govemail
Call the Governor’s office at 518-474-8390. Just state your name, where you are from, and that it is
important to you and your family that the Governor sign the bill.
Image shows the Edgewood Preserve and overdevelopment in the area. Clean dr inking water ONLY
comes f rom land that i s UNDEVELOPED. The Edgewood Preser ve i s the larges t expans e of open
space wes t of Brookhaven. We mus t expand the PROTECTED groundwater areas on Long I s land
before i t i s too late. Protec tion of our water supply should be a top-order pr ior i ty .
We never know the worth of water t i l l the wel l is dry.
~Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia, 1732
WITH A LOT OF HELP, A PRESERVE GROWS PROUD
Assemblyman Robert Sweeney with Charles Chi Academy volunteers at the preserve on Earth Day.
Town of Babylon Supervisor Steve Bellone with volunteers A baby bird peers out from its new digs.
from Brentwood Boy Scout Troop 371 on Earth Day.
The bats have a home too…thanks to Tom Richardson (far right) and the DPFD who enabled us to install them.
Paul Hartmann (West Babylon Troop 104) and his parents (center) gather at Edgewood in June to celebrate the completion
of his Eagle Scout project with Senator Owen Johnson, Supervisor Steve Bellone and DEC Regional Director Peter Scully.
Project Bluebird was funded by a grant obtained by Suffolk County Legislator Steven Stern.
YES! I want to help!
Friends of the Edgewood Preserve is an all-volunteer not-for-profit organization. If
you believe in the work we do, please consider a donation of any amount today.
With thanks…
Name_____________________________________E-Mail______________________________
Address_________________________________________Telephone_____________________
Amount enclosed:
_____$10 ______$15 ______$25 _____$50 _____$100 _____$250 ____Other
Make check payable to: Friends of the Edgewood Preserve, P.O. Box 162, Deer Park, NY
11729
_______I cannot donate at this time, but please add my name to your mailing list.
!————————————————-
FRIENDS of the EDGEWOOD PRESERVE
P.O. Box 162
Deer Park, NY 11729
On the Pretty Path at Edgewood Preserve
TO:

URGENT – ask Gov Paterson to sign the EDGEWOOD bill!

!!ACTION ALERT!!

from Friends of the Edgewood Preserve

The legislation to transfer land to the Edgewood Preserve

passed the Senate (48-5) on June 12^th
and passed the Assembly (100-0) on June 24^th!

Thank you to everyone who supported and helped get this far.

We would not have been able to make this incredible journey without you and would not have accomplished what we have without your efforts.

BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP ONE MORE TIME!

The bill will soon be sent to Governor David Paterson for his signature.

There are some powerful forces out there pushing for a veto of this bill, including the editorial board of Newsday – bowing to pressure from the DOT.

It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that the Governor hear from you,

your family, friends, co-workers and neighbors ASAP!

Here’s how YOU can make a difference:

1. Send a letter by mail to the Governor. Signature and address a must! If you can, send a copy to Judith Enck, the Deputy Secretary for the Environment. You do NOT need to send Friends of Edgewood a copy this time around!

1. Fax a letter to the Governor. 518-474-1513.

1. Call the Governor. 518-474-8390. State your name, where you are from and just say that you want the Governor to know that it is important to you and your family that he sign the Edgewood bill – S6728-a / A9870-a. The receptionist will likely ask for your zip code and that is all. It’s an easy phone call!

1. E-mail the Governor. http://161.11.121.121/govemail. Click on this link and it will take you to directly to the e-mail page for the Governor.

PLEASE DO IT TODAY. WE ARE ALMOST THERE. Thank you!

See sample letter on page below…

PO Box 162 Deer Park, NY 11729 • 242-7402 box#3 • patricia@friendsofedgewood.com

[Sample letter]

Simply cut and paste into a blank document. If you are a professional or represent an organization or group, please consider putting this on letterhead. Personalizing the letter will have even more impact. It is very important to sign and print your name and address.

July 2008

The Honorable David Paterson

State Capitol

Albany, NY 12224

Dear Governor Paterson,

I am writing today to kindly ask that you sign S6728-a/A9870-a (“the transfer of certain lands to the Edgewood-Oak Brush Plains Preserve”) into law.

The Edgewood-Oak Brush Plains Preserve is the second largest parcel of pitch-pine scrub oak barrens in New York. It is an irreplaceable and fragile habitat, home to numerous species of migratory birds, as well as a wide variety of other wildlife. It is one of nine areas in New York that comprise the State Nature and Historic Preserve, as outlined in our State Constitution. The preserve and adjacent lands provide prime nesting for New York State’s Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern species.

The transfer of these lands will not only preserve more open space in a region of Long Island that has long-experienced environmental neglect and overdevelopment, but also ensure the sustainability of Long Island’s clean drinking water supply by significantly expanding the groundwater protection area, thus satisfying the requirements of the Sole Source Aquifer Act of 1987, which limits development in Deep Flow Recharge Areas.

This is a rare opportunity to ensure that Western Suffolk County remains a place where families can look forward to a bright future, one that includes: clean air, safe drinking water and “forever wild” habitats that future generations of children can both enjoy and learn from. As you know, so much of Long Island’s natural beauty is vanishing at a rapid pace. It is up to each of us to do our part to protect it before it is too late.

Please do not let this moment slip away. Long after specific projects have come and gone, areas preserved in their natural state will continue to attest to the foresight of those who helped protect them. I hope I can depend on you to sign this measure into law.

Thank you for your kind consideration of this important issue and for the work you do every day on behalf of all New Yorkers.

Sincerely,

Cc:

Judith Enck, Deputy Secretary for the Environment

Hello all,

Click here for the PDF of the Spring 2008 newsletter. Hope you will read and pass on to others.

Enjoy the warmer, longer days…be well and happy.

Thanks for your support.

Cheers,
Patricia

action action
URGENT UPDATE-protection for Edgewood Preserve

Last week, the bill (S6728-A) to add additional land (the land that the DOT wanted to use for their Intermodal) to the Edgewood Preserve passed the Senate 48-5 (7 absent). The companion bill (9870-A) in the Assembly needs your help ASAP!

It is being held up in the Ways and Means Committee and we need you to make ONE PHONE CALL ONLY
edge
Call Assemblyman Farrell (chair, Ways and Means Committee) at 518-455-5491. His assistant will answer.

All you need to say is this:

Your name, that you are a resident of Long Island and that you are calling about bill #9870-A.
Say that this bill is extremely important to you, your family and your community and that you want Assemblyman Farrell to pass the bill through committee as soon as possible and send it to the floor for a full vote.

That’s it. The assistant will likely ask you for your zip code.

No one will ask you any other questions.

Please do this FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. The legislative session ends on 6/23. We only have a few days left. Please, do not delay. This one phone call —– can mean the difference between victory or defeat.

If you have more than one person in your house, please — get as many to make the call as possible! We need to get at least 100 people to call. Pass this on to others too.

PLEASE HELP — it’s now or never time — and, of course, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Patricia

Patricia Burkhart
Friends of the Edgewood Preserve
www.friendsofedgewoodpreserve.org
P.O. Box 162
Deer Park, NY 11729
631-242-7402

Impressions from some amateur photographers and nature lovers, from their cell phone camera. Please consider coming by the preserve. A short drive and no money allows you a sense of being in the wild. The musical sound of various and distinct bird songs is amazing. Makes you understand right away the biodiversity of the preserve.

There are currently proposals to build a Truck to Rail Intermodal Facility or TRIM adjacent to the Edgewood Preserve and 1/4 mile from residential areas (mainly Dix Hills, Deer Park and Brentwood). The Friends of the Edgewood Preserve believes that building this facility would be illegal, based on NY State laws, and also a bad idea.

The Friends of the Edgewood Preserve have been discussing, debating and opposing the TRIM for many months now. There is some movement towards defeating the project. And, the passage of the Edgewood Preserve legislation is part of the work that needs to be done.

The current bills in the NY State Legislature that would help to underscore the protection of the preserve are:

In the Assembly: A09870

and

In the State Senate: S6728

Please contact your State Assemblyperson and State Senator in order to show your support for this positive and proactive legislation. In addition, there is a focus on communicating the importance of this legislation to Speaker of the Assembly Sheldon Silver. Click here for a sample letter which we are asking people to sign and send. The address for Assemblyman Sheldon Silver is:

The Honorable Sheldon Silver
Speaker of the Assembly
Legislative Office Building 932
Albany, NY 12248

If you write to Sheldon Silver, please send a copy to the Friends of Edgewood Preserve, so that we can hear from you, and copy your letter to key legislators. The sample letter includes his address and our address to make this step simple.

The Edgewood-Oak Brush Plain State Preserve is part of the State Nature and Historic Preserve and is the largest parcel of open space west of Brookhaven and the second largest remnant of pitch-pine scrub oak habitat in all of New York State.

The Preserve is an irreplaceable and fragile ecosystem that is home to a wide variety of migratory birds and other wildlife. The preserve and adjacent lands provide prime nesting for plant and animal species that are on New York State’s Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern lists.

The Preserve and adjacent lands are part of a Special Groundwater Protection Area, a major source of drinking water for both Nassau County and Suffolk County.

Friends of the Edgewood-Oak Brush Plains Preserve, is a not-for- profit, all volunteer organization dedicated to improving and maintaining the 813-acre rare pitch pine scruboak state nature preserve, which is located on Commack Road in Deer Park.

The group works both independently of and in cooperation with the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation (who owns and manages the land) on various projects and programs. Through education and advocacy the group hopes to increase public awareness of the importance of this particular parcel of open space and encourage more meaningful public stewardship, especially by young Long Islanders.

Welcome to the new website for Friends of the Edgewood Preserve. We are working on a more detailed web-site, to feature natural scenes from the preserve. Though, for now, we are glad you stopped by, and hope you will contact us.