Group, Community Encourage Town Board to Look at PDDs

Group staff and community members were recently successful in persuading the Southampton Town Board to focus their attention on Planned Development District (PDD) reform. The law currently permits zoning exemptions that allow developers concessions (e.g., extra density), if they can provide a valuable community benefit in exchange. Unfortunately, the law has a history of loose interpretion, putting the community and the local environment at risk. The Town Board considered revisions to the law at a public hearing on January 18. The new version improves transparency and public participation, and provides stricter standards that will guide any proposed changes in zoning.

Get Involved! A second public hearing on the legislation will take place on February 15, 2011 at 6:00PM in Southampton Town Hall. Please attend!

Need more information? Download the legislation.
 

Read more in the Southampton Press. 

Summer Field Ecology Programs Expand for 2011 
 

Even though it is wintertime, here at the Group we are already thinking ahead to summer fun. To meet demand this year, our professional educators are offering seven sessions of the Summer Field Ecology Program for young outdoor enthusiasts. The program connects children and young adults (ages 8 to 15) to nature through exploration, adventure, hands-on learning and FUN!

To find out more, download the Program Brochure.

You may also contact Steve Biasetti, Director of Environmental Education at (631) 765-6450, ext. 205.

There's Water Beneath Our Feet 

One of the goals of our environmental educators is to teach students of all ages about a local, fragile, and essential resource  -- our drinking water. In Suffolk County, all of our drinking water (whether from private or public wells) comes from water stored in the ground.  Living on top of and using that resource are approximately 1.5 million people! According to Newsday, a five-year study by Suffolk County revealed a "gradual decline in water quality." Group educators are inspiring students to come up with solutions to this problem through the classroom lesson, Water Beneath Our Feet. 
 

Read more in a blog by Anita Wright.

Bigger, Heavier Trucks Contribute to Pollution
 

The Coalition Against Bigger Trucks (CABT) is a national non-profit, grassroots organization that is leading the public campaign against heavy truck size and weight increases. These larger trucks contribute significantly to the problems of air and noise pollution.  

To learn more or to get involved, please contact Paul Schipul at (646) 242-7640 or pschipul@cabt.org.