State Senator Owen H. Johnson (4th Senate District, Babylon), Chairman of the Finance Committee, announced today that legislation he sponsored (S.6728A) to put an end to plans to locate the proposed Long Island Truck & Rail Inter Modal (LITRIM) Facility in an already congested area of Brentwood has passed the State Senate. Senator Johnson authored the 1987 legislation that created the Edgewood-Oak Brush Plains State Preserve.
Johnson’s bill is cosponsored by Senators Caesar Trunzo (3rd Senate District, Brentwood) and John Flanagan (2nd Senate District, Northport), who represent areas that would also be negatively impacted by locating LITRIM at this site.
The bill requires the State to transfer lands totaling approximately 118 acres that had been set aside for LITRIM to the Edgewood Oak Brush Plains State Preserve by December 1st 2008.
“While I continue to believe that Long Island needs a truck-to-rail facility to reduce long haul truck traffic, I am adamantly opposed to such a facility being located in this already overcongested location,” said Johnson. “This land, which is above the recharge area for Long Island’s groundwater aquifer, must be protected from threats like LITRIM and any future commercial development.”
“I have been working with Senator Johnson and Senator Flanagan to preserve the brush plains and protect our community from dangerous traffic risks inherent to the LITRIM project,” said Senator Caesar Trunzo. “I am especially pleased that today we succeeded in passing legislation to achieve those goals.”
“While the LITRIM project is well-intentioned, allowing it to move forward would create significant traffic congestion when combined with locally approved projects. Today’s passage is a great step in the fight to protect the quality of life for this community and to preserve vital open space for our entire region. I look forward to the Assembly passing this legislation before the end of session,” stated Senator Flanagan.
The Senators said that the legislation is being sponsored by Assemblyman Phil Ramos (D-Brentwood) in the Assembly, and they are optimistic that it will be passed there by the close of the legislative session. From there, the bill will go to the Governor for his consideration.
“We need to have this bill become law this year,” said Senator Johnson. “Our neighborhoods and the environmental integrity of the Edgewood Preserve are at stake.”
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