Last Chance to Give Clean Water a Chance

I know it’s a “Casablanca” moment to argue that politics is the reason Republicans on the Suffolk County Council punchbag the Clean Water Restoration Act, but that’s what happened recently in Riverhead. “Sewerage Project Is ‘Fast Sinking’,” News, June 23].

Counties voted to introduce a resolution authorizing a referendum to fund homeowners to upgrade their old, nitrogen-polluting cesspools with low-nitrogen systems to protect ports, bays and rivers from harmful substances It’s disappointing to see members of Congress choosing partisan politics over clean water. Algae will form and the fish will die.

One thing Long Islanders agree on, regardless of political affiliation, is their love of beaches, harbors and bays. But 10 Republican and Conservative lawmakers voted to ignore voters’ love of water and jeopardize the county’s ability to protect it.

Lawmakers have one more chance to put the Clean Water Act to a vote in November. But they have until July 25th to act. Hopefully they will put partisan politics aside and do the right thing.

— George Hoffman, Setauket

The author established the Setauket Port Special Committee.

Suffolk County Council has given up an opportunity to ensure our children and their children have clean, healthy drinking water and clean, clear water to swim in.

They withdrew a bill in November that required county residents to approve a 0.125% sales tax hike. Funding will be limited to replacement of cesspools and septic tanks, construction and expansion of sewers.

All the scientists, the experts, and the 2020 County Council-approved study say this is what we need now.

Suffolk County Deputy Sheriff Peter Scully said he believes there is too little money going to the sewer system and said at the hearing that the sales tax hike, combined with a separate fund, the Assessed Stabilization Reserve, would: He said $2.1 billion would be provided for sewerage construction. By 2060, the total volume will be “almost split in half” between sewerage and purification systems.

It took a hard fought legislative battle to give Suffolk voters a chance to make a decision. Rather, we now face the prospect of many more years with dirty water and little action.

I say let the voters decide. It’s a democratic way.

— Stephanie Quarles, Northport

The author is the director of the Suffolk County Women’s Voters League.

Court Water Ruling Discourages Navajos

Disappointing that the Supreme Court recently voted 5-4 against the Navajo Nation in a water rights case that rejected the tribe’s desire to keep more water for its people from the Colorado River. was. “Superior Court Rules Against Navajo in Water Case,” Nation, June 23].

It’s so disparate. Arizona, Colorado, and Nevada have attempted to protect their own access to water from the Colorado River system.

The Navajo Nation is the largest American Indian reservation in the United States. More than 340,000 people live there.

The average American household uses about 80-100 gallons of water per day. The average Navajo household uses about 7 gallons. Unfortunately, her 30% of households on the reservation do not have running water.

A court ruled that when the Navajo Nation was established in 1868, it contained enough water to sustain life. In this case, the Navajo asked the federal government to assess the amount of water the Navajo would need. Government lawyers countered that the treaty did not require such a thing, but it did not seem like a big or controversial requirement.

In American Indian countries, disappointment with the federal government is nothing new.

— Chet Lukaszewski, Huntington

The author taught a course in American Indian Studies in high school.

Greenway planners should check out Tucson

Will Long Island trails expand?The concept is good, but the execution results always seem to be bad [“Major green for Greenway trail,” News, July 2].

Direct intersections on all these roads are dangerous and painful to brake for rollerbladers and cyclists.

Planners should see what’s going on on the trails in Tucson, Arizona, where bridges and tunnels are used everywhere. Last year, when I went on a 20+ mile rollerblade trip, I only skated one road in and out. And the driver stopped for me.

— Andrew Coren, Callum