Do You Want To Help Stop The 600-Unit Proposed Housing Development in Blooming Grove?
It's possible. You just need to do this one simple thing.
Call me old fashioned, but if your business is fined nine times by New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation … Maybe you shouldn’t be allowed to move forward with a multimillion dollar housing development in an area experiencing a water shortage?
I’m not against building more housing. We have a housing shortage both in America and here in New York. We need housing.
But any new housing needs to be constructed in such a way that there is minimal impact on the environment, and that means following the same rules and laws everyone else does.
If you, as a business, don’t want to follow those rules, then you can’t build.
It’s a very simple discussion to have.
The problem is, people want to complicate it.
That’s always been the problem in Southern Orange County.
And when you complicate it, that’s when you get buried in baseless lawsuits and accusations.
I am encouraging you — Yes. You reading this — not to complicate things.
Keep It Simple
So, you’re probably wondering what you can do, and the great news, is that it’ll take you less than two minutes: You just need to send someone an email.
All you gotta do is copy and paste the below email and send it to Tracey L. O’Malley at the New York State DEC - Region 3 office before 5pm on April 5th. The email to send your comment to is: DEP.R3@dec.ny.gov
I’ve included the email text below.
The email will be incorporated as part of the public comment period. If you don’t email or participate in the public comment, then this project will be allowed to go forward. It’s as simple as that.
As the DEC itself says:
“Following the hearing, NYS DEC will determine whether substantive or significant issues have been raised, as defined in 6 NYCRR Part 621 Uniform Procedures, and whether an adjudicatory public hearing should be scheduled before an administrative law judge. In order to raise substantive and significant issues, written comments expressing objections or opposition to the pending applications must explain the basis of that opposition and identify the specific grounds which could lead NYS DEC to deny the pending applications or impose significant permit conditions.” [Emphasis Added]
So, here’s the email to send. Tell your friends in the community to send a copy as well.
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Email Subject Line: Deny Keen Equities All Further Permit Requests
Dear Mrs. O’Malley,
According to a press release issues from New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation in March of 2023, DEC Regional Director Kelly Turturro is quoted as saying, “DEC is committed to holding violators accountable for damaging the environment and, for months, Keen Equities ignored the requirements necessary to protect water quality and habitat.”
The release also states, “DEC has recorded ongoing violations at 505 Clove Road in the village of South Blooming Grove since May 2022. DEC issued several Notices of Violation that included Cease and Desist directives. The Consent Order addresses violations of the Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) and its implementing regulations for:
adverse impacts to habitat for a threatened species (timber rattlesnake);
engaging in construction activities without the required DEC Permits; and
violating water quality standards for turbidity.”
According to State Senator James Skoufis, the fine issued to Keen Equities of $228,007 is one of the largest in recent years. However, In March of 2023, The Albany Times Union reported that, according to residents of the area, illegal work continued at the site despite the DEC’s most recent action.
Keen Equities has applied to your office for the following permits:
-Article 15, Title 15 Water Withdrawal Public
-Part 182 Endangered/Threatened Species (Incidental Take)
-Article 17 Titles 7 & 8 P/C/I SPDES - Surface Discharge
Given DEC Regional Director Kelly Turturro’s statements that the DEC is committed to holding violators accountable for damaging the environment, I believe it’s incumbent on your office to deny the request for these permits.
Doing so would be a true measure of the DEC’s commitment to holding parties accountable who do not comply with repeated citations by your office and of the law.
For this reason, I also request that all further permits requested by Keen Equities for this property be denied.
Thank you.
(Put your name here.)
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I’ll have more to say about this project soon. But first thing is first, if you want to help stop business interests from wrecking an already strained ecosystem, you have to speak up. Sending an email like the one above, that sticks entirely to the facts, is the best way to get the ball rolling.