|
What are Philipstown's Wetlands Worth?
Dear Editor:
An article on page one of the NY Times Metro Section from 5-21-07, states that due to the scarcity of wetlands (unfortunately, the majority or our State's original wetlands have long since been destroyed by development) in NY State, it is estimated that the annual value of each remaining acre of wetlands is approximately $20,691.
I live on a 70 acre watershed/ Class II NYDEC protected wetland above the Beacon- Cargill Reservoir on East Mountain called OL-2. If left untouched, this wetland would have according to the aforementioned article been worth $1,448,370 to Philipstown/NY State in flood control annually.
Unfortunately, we as a community are allowing this and other Philipstown wetlands to be destroyed and fragmented in order to construct single family dwellings (ironically, in a real estate market where there is little interest in the existing inventory.)
In an attempt to understand why these bogs and marshes are so invaluable, I've requested documentation from the EPA that have helped me to better understand why Phililpstown's wetlands must be aggressively protected, if we as a community are going to effectively deal with the ongoing and increasingly intense climate change that we as a society are finally beginning to take seriously.
The following statistics are from an EPA Document called Economic Benefits of Wetlands; "One of the most valuable benefits of wetlands is their ability to store flood waters. Maintaining only 15% of the land area of a watershed in wetlands can reduce flooding peaks by as much as 60%. "
On East Mountain as an example, due to the fact that there is allegedly no other way to control our storm-water runoff, we've (those of us who make up Philipstown) had to cut jagged trenches from the road in order to direct polluted runoff into sensitive forests, wetlands, and brooks (Trout Brook.)
Take a drive up E. Mtn. Road South from Rte. 9 to the Putnam-Dutchess border and you'll see many said trenches. Request and read a copy of the flyer "After the Storm" from Town Hall and you'll understand as I do why this is so allarming. If this is the only way to control our runoff, why are we continuing to develop our irreplaceable wetlands? Why are we, as a community not outraged that William Scherer is building a large home approximately 20 feet from Trout Brook? (I've asked our BI Tom Monroe why this construction is legal and am still awaiting the answer.)
Construction of a home in Manitou was stopped because it exceeded height restrictions and yet it's ok to build a home just feet from a Hudson River tributary. Perhaps, Mr Scherer, if Philipstown code were being effectively enforced, concerned citizens could just leave it to the "experts" So we can get on with other matters.
Either we as a community become actively involved, or we will wake up in the not too distant future and be forced to ask ourselves, "How, when, and why did we let Philipstown turn in to this?
Russ Cusick
Philipstown
| 
