(NEW YORK, NY) New York State Senator Kenneth P. LaValle and Assemblyman Bob Sweeney announced that their bill to add additional parcels to the Pine Barrens and protect the Carmans River has been signed into law by the Governor.
“The Pine Barrens Protection Act of 1993 successfully protected tens of thousands of acres in the Long Island Pine Barrens,” said Senator LaValle. “The protection afforded by inclusion of parcels from within the Carmans River watershed under provisions of the Pine Barrens Protection Act will extend the Act’s protection to this environmentally sensitive, natural resource.”
“This is a huge step forward in our efforts to implement the Carmans River Watershed Protection and Management Plan, a plan which acknowledges the delicate balance between environmental protection and economic development of the watershed,” said Assemblyman Fred Thiele. “I thank the Town of Brookhaven, the Central Pine Barrens Joint Planning and Policy Commission, the numerous community and environmental organizations who came to the table, and the Long Island Delegation for their past, current, and future efforts in restoring this remarkable ecosystem.”
“The Pine Barrens and Carmans River Watershed are Long Island treasures,” said Assemblyman Sweeney, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation. “Preserving this land will help protect the Carmans River and also provide important protections for Long Island’s groundwater.
The river is 10 miles long and is located in the Central Long Island Pine Barrens Region, which is publicly protected and managed land. Sections of the Carmans River are designated by New York State as a wild, scenic, and recreational river and a Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat.
This legislation adds approximately 3,875 acres to the Central Pine Barrens Area , with approximately 1,660 acres being added to the Core Preservation Area and the remaining 2,215 acres being added to the Compatible Growth Area.
