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Philipstown Code Enforcement is a Joke
Dear Editor:
The letters of the last few weeks have reminded me why
left the CAC last summer, after being a member for 10 years. I grew up on Long Island and saw the results of over-development, and I had hoped that by joining the CAC here I could prevent that from happening here. While I was on the CAC
took it upon myself to review the town's aquifers. Mid to western Suffolk County, where I'm from, developed one of the highest rates of cancer in the country, and it was linked to contaminated/polluted well water. I quickly learned what I was up against when I expressed my concerns to the Town Board and one response was "Pollution is inevitable."
From there I worked on the timber harvest law, which was not completed until after Harold Lyons allowed a logging company to put a road through wetlands to harvest trees on his property. We took former Wetland Inspector Steve Coleman to see those violations and Mr. Lyons got nothing but a slap on the wrist. I bring these up because although the Town Board has spent time and money on the Comprehensive Plan, in reality wetlands are still being polluted, dissected and destroyed throughout Philipstown.
I left the CAC in frustration because it had no power to stop the destruction of our wetlands. The CAC was recently merged with the Wetlands Committee. This body only reviews wetland issues. What happened to steep slopes? The new CAC is supposedly becoming a board, but if environmental violations are not addressed, what's the point?
The people who work long and hard to destroy our environment here make money, while most of the time the people who work to protect it spend their money, time and effort for nothing. And although
am normally a defender of property rights, I can understand the frustration of people who may encroach on the property of those who are degrading and destroying our wetlands, hoping to stop some of the carnage. Philipstown allows roads to be built through wetlands (in exchange for "mitigation" which statistics show doesn't work most of the time) saying owners must be able to access their property. But when CAC directs how it should be done and the person ignores them causing even more destruction, the Wetlands Inspector can step in - but where is Code Enforcement Officer Tom Monroe? Philipstown code enforcement is a joke.
This town should be educating residents about their septic systems. Many former city dwellers are used to discarding household cleaners, latex paints etc. down the drain. When these items leach into our water table and the surrounding land, you end up drinking whatever you or your neighbor has dumped down the drain. Put that septic system next to a wetland, and follow the logic. If we continue to chop up our valuable wetlands, the contamination of our well water "is inevitable" and eventually Philipstown will become another Long Island. When I think of this, I think of Tim Miller stating that every piece of land that can be developed in Philipstown will be developed. Not a wise choice in my opinion. When was the last time you had your well water tested?
Rodney Dow
Philipstown
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