Issue Position: Protecting Our Environment
Issue Position
I am a strong supporter of the Lake Ronkonkoma Improvement Group and all that they have done to clean up our lake. When our government failed to act, dozens of community members stood up and took matters into their own hands. It is up to all of us to protect our environment and clean up our parks and beaches.
As your New York State Assemblyman, in 2018 and 2019, I fought for and supported legislation that was enacted into law that prevents offshore oil and gas drilling off the coast of Long Island. I strongly support protecting our beautiful state parks and pristine shoreline.
I support increasing penalties on criminals who destroy our environment with illegal dumping and sand mining. In 2015, I stood with the people of Holbrook and Holtsville in putting a stop to a mining operation on Furrows Road and continue to work to cleanup and restore the land to it's previous condition.
In 2017, I stood with our community to fight a Waste Transfer Station that was being proposed at this same location. I am happy to say with increased pressure, we won that fight and the Waste Transfer Station was defeated.
In 2019, I stood with District Attorney Tim Sini in proposing new legislation which creates new penalties for those who engage in illegal dumping and illegal sand mining on Long Island. This new law will allow the Suffolk County Department of Health Services to have greater ability to regulate what activities can take place on Long Island and will give law enforcement the tools they need to finally be able to prosecute those who destroy our environment.
I strongly believe our New York State DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation) needs to be reformed. In the span of several weeks the DEC failed to take meaningful action against the criminals that devastated acres of land in a residential community while they chased away and threatened to fine the community members who took initiative to clean up Lake Ronkonkoma. That's wrong, and we cannot accept an Environmental Agency with such misguided priorities.
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