by Peggy Kurtz
Public opposition is growing against United Water’s planned desalination plant in Rockland County. Hundreds of residents packed a public hearing on March 6, spilling over into the hallway, leaving about two hundred people locked out of the room.
At the public hearing, residents overwhelmingly expressed strong opposition to a plan that would commit them to a water source three miles downstream from Indian Point, with low levels of radionuclides leaking into the river. They also spoke out loud and clear on the costs of this plant, unsustainable development and flooding, the increased energy use at a time when we must reduce greenhouse gas emissions and on the environmental impacts on irreplaceable river ecosystems.
Now residents want to know what they can do next. It is critical that the DEC hear public concerns during before April 20, the close of the public comment period. Information on how to comment is available on our website at SustainableRockland.org.
We also need to build public pressure on Governor Cuomo, to let him know the public will not let him off the hook if this plant is approved! In addition, please cc your local elected officials. We need our public officials to take a stance on an issue as basic and as critical as the drinking water for Rockland County!
Here are the key steps to stop this project NOW!
- Send a letter and cc it to your elected officials and to us. You can find a template and email addresses on the website at sustainablerockland.org. You can also create your own letter, using resources on the website.
- Sign our online petition and forward to your friends. Or print out the petition on our website, get signatures and mail in to the address at the bottom of the petition.
- Help us get information out by petitioning outside supermarkets.
- Volunteer your time and skills: email rocklandwater@ymail.com.
- Donate on the website to support our outreach and legal efforts.
- Post a link to our Facebook page and website on your Facebook page and email this page to your friends!
We’re in the home stretch on this project, with the close of the public comment period on April 20. Now we need your help in getting out the word on next steps! Please take a few minutes to send a letter, sign a petition, and forward this email! If you can give more time or if you just want to get in touch, please email, pkurtz9@gmail.com.
Peggy Kurtz volunteers with the Sierra Club of Rockland County and SustainableRockland.org.
