Environment

A collection of 23 posts

Environment

Step By Step in Lake Peekskill

Lake Peekskill residents moved one step closer today to final resolution of the septic problems that have plagued their neighborhood for months, some say years. At a hearing this morning at Putnam County's Department of Health, Administrative Law Judge Eric Zaidins finalized the stipulation of Jemab Family Limited

Environment

Progress in Abele Park

For what feels like an eternity, residents of the Abele Park district of Lake Oscawana have been watching two buildings essentially fall into the lake right next to their children's beach. They are more than just an eyesore. Residents worry that there could be asbestos, lead, black mold,

Environment

Environmental Updates

• At last night's Commission of Lakes meeting, Town Supervisor Alison Jolicoeur said that John Tucci's firm, EverBlue Lakes, which was hired to improve water quality conditions at Lake Peekskill, is going out of business. Tucci installed ultrasonic sonar units on the lake to try to reduce

Environment

Who Is Eileen Myers Really?

To Putnam Valley residents, Eileen Myers is the person most associated with three homes on Lake Drive whose troubled septic systems have long plagued that Lake Peekskill neighborhood and the town, county and state regulators charged with enforcing their use. By all appearances, she is a frail, older wisp of

Environment

Fireworks: Love 'em or hate 'em

For some residents of Floradan Estates, July 4th and Town Day are days to dread rather than to look forward to. That's because they hate the smell, the smoke and the pollutants that descend on their neighborhood and its 98 homes after the fireworks are set off at

Government

Camp Combe at the Zoning Board

It was a full house last night at Town Hall, when residents attended a Zoning Board of Appeals meeting to learn more about Camp Combe's plans to expand its operations. Before opening the public comment period Board Chair William Maskiell went to great lengths to assure the audience

Government

Progress in Lake Peekskill!

The owners of the three homes at 62, 64 and 66 Lake Drive in Lake Peekskill signed an agreement today with the Putnam County Department of Health to remediate the ailing septic systems at those properties. Heath Gurinsky, representing Jemab Family Limited Partnership and its partner Eileen Myers, admittted to

Environment

Camp Combe, Again

Last year Putnam Valley faced the prospect that Camp Combe on Peekskill Hollow Road would become the site of Kingdom Faire, bringing with it hundreds of visitors, scores of vendors and even overnight camping. As word of that arrangement and questions about its legality grew, the idea was ultimately quashed.

Environment

The Town Acts

At a recent "Meet the Building Inspector" session with residents, Richard Quaglietta said he wasn't able to do anything to stop people from living in homes where there were serious septic issues because he hadn't received the necessary paperwork from Putnam County's

Environment

Lake Peekskill Septic Issue Update

Another administrative hearing took place at the Putnam County Department of Health yesterday regarding septic issues at 64 Lake Drive in Lake Peekskill. Eileen Myers, a partner of Jemab Family Limited Partnership, which owns the property, attended along with Jemab's attorney Heath Gurinsky. Seven members of the county&

Environment

Attorney for Troubled Lake Peekskill Property Responds

The attorney representing Jemab Family Limited Partnership, which owns homes in Lake Peekskill that have been subject to violations of septic systems, sent a letter to Watching Putnam Valley. It is being reproduced in its entirety below. Dear Ms. Bartlett, I am the attorney for the Jemab FLP and I

Environment

Whoops, Not So Fast!

It looks like Christian Russo jumped the gun when he announced at Wednesday's Town Board meeting that Lake Peekskill and Barger Pond had been added to the state's list of water bodies eligible for septic replacement funding. In that meeting, he attributed the information to Rian

Environment

Some Help From the State

Putnam Valley homeowners are finally about to get some help from the state to combat environmental problems many have been contending with. New York's Department of Health has begun offering free testing of private wells for PFAS in six counties, plus rebates for up to $5,000 if

Environment

Septic Issues at Lake Peekskill

There's trouble in Lake Peekskill. Residents have been growing alarmed by reports on Facebook of homes with septic runoff coming out of properties and leading into storm drains, and ultimately, their lake. To quell the concerns, on February 13th the town issued a public statement: "The Town

Environment

Why Zoning Matters

If ever Putnam Valley needed an example of why zoning matters, the case involving Citywide Automotive & Towing on Peekskill Hollow Road is it. Last May, the owners of that well-regarded auto repair company submitted an application to the Planning Board for permission to construct a 100 ft. by

Environment

What a Mess!

Thirty-eight years ago, Christie Kroll and Peter Kirchner bought a little red house on 39 acres directly across from Camp Combe on Peekskill Hollow Road. Although their attorney warned them that living across from a children’s camp could be challenging, they decided they were game. They became regular

Environment

An End to the Landfill Dispute

For years, Putnam Valley residents have bemoaned the dumping of contaminated landfill at the construction site of the town's Volunteer Fire Department and watched as litigation has dragged on. Resolution may finally be at hand, though not one that will likely bring satisfaction. For a detailed summary of

Government

A Look Back - And Ahead

When asked to summarize how this year went for her, Town Supervisor Jacqueline Annabi was uncharacteristically at a loss for words. After a long pause and obvious consternation, she finally exhaled, saying "2024 was a whirlwind." It certainly started off badly, with the death on January 15th of

Environment

Seeking Albany's Help

On September 23rd, Town Supervisor Jacqueline Annabi took an important step forward seeking funding support from New York State to help lakeside homeowners defray the cost of replacing their aging septic systems. Supervisor Annabi invited NY State Senator Rob Rolison and NY Assemblyman Matt Slater to join in conversation at

Government

New Public Hearing Scheduled

At Wednesday's work session, Town Supervisor Jacqueline Annabi announced that she would be adding a third public hearing to the agenda for the June 19th Town Board meeting. This new hearing will focus on the board's desire to impose a 12-month moratorium on applications for

Environment

Town Hall water is contaminated too!

Residents of Putnam Valley who are trying to gauge the extent of water contamination in their town have a new data point: the well at Town Hall! On four occasions since September 2021, the level of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for the water at Town Hall has exceeded the maximum standard

Environment

Water contamination update

Fireworks erupted at the February 15th town board meeting over who knew what when about the 2016 illegal dumping of contaminated materials at the site of a planned new fire house on Oscawana Lake Road. Before the beginning of the public comment period, Councilman Louie Luongo, a longtime member of

Environment

How safe is Putnam Valley's drinking water?

Over the last few weeks, The Examiner News has been doing a great job raising awareness about drinking water quality issues in Putnam Valley. The first story, published on January 10, 2023, detailed a lawsuit that the town school district filed against 23 chemical companies in December. The lawsuit contends