Stay in touch on social media

and connect your friends too.

Dear Legislators:

Please protect our water!

Please tell the Putnam County Legislators that you want our small streams protected by the Streams Protection bill. Proposed by our own Senator Pete Harckham, the bill has been passed with overwhelming support by both the NYS Assembly and Senate, and is ready to be signed by Governor Hochul. But our County Legislators intend to pass a resolution asking the Governor to veto it.

This Thursday at 5:30, they will meet at Tilly Foster Farm to discuss the resolution and to allow Putnam residents to express their views on the topic. Please join us in clearly voicing our wishes: Protect our streams! Protect our ponds, lakes and reservoirs! Protect our drinking water!

Please read the post below, written by Joe Montuori on behalf of Sustainable Putnam, and its Board of Directors, which was also sent to several local newspapers. You can help by writing to your legislators and/or joining with us at the meeting. Learn more about why it's so important that you stand with us and be counted.

It's our hope that if enough residents demonstrate concern about the protection of our streams and lakes, that the Legislature will back away from this Resolution.

Take action now:

1. Send an email to your County Legislator. See the sample letter below to get started:

Sample Letter

2. Attend the Legislature's Physical Services Committee meeting this Thursday evening (8/25) at Tilly Foster Farm. Click Meeting Information below to learn more:

Meeting Information

Dear County Legislature: Please protect our water.

Sustainable Putnam was concerned to learn of County Legislator Amy Sayegh's proposed resolution urging Governor Hochul to veto Senator Pete Harckham's water protection bill, overwhelmingly passed by both Houses of the NYS Legislature.

Are these little Class C streams so important?

Yes, they are! They often feed our private wells, pick up septic system effluent, and run directly into Class A waterways, such as reservoirs (AA) and recreational lakes such as Lake Mahopac (A). Many Class C streams also provide recreational paddling, fishing, and wildlife habitat.

This New York State Department of Environmental Conservation GIS maps illustrates the point. The highlighted stream running by and through the county-owned Putnam National Golf Club (above) is a Class C stream: currently less protected under NYS law. When an even smaller stream flows into it, the same water is now a Class A stream with full protection! Many Putnam County streams are designated in this same way.

Clearly, what happens to our water in a Class C stream is just as important as when it's in a Class A stream. It's just common sense that Class C streams be protected with the same quality standard. Let your legislators know. Write them today and attend the August 25 meeting at Tilly Foster Farm.

Take action now:

1. Send an email to your County Legislator. See the sample letter below to get started:

Sample Letter

2. Attend the Legislature's Physical Services Committee meeting at this Thursday evening (8/25) at Tilly Foster Farm. Click Meeting Information below to learn more:

Meeting Information

We're committed.

Our mission is to develop sustainable communities across Putnam County, NY — ecologically sound, socially equitable, and economically responsible — today and for future generations.

Go Solar!

100% Renewable Energy

Donate

P.O. Box 412

Mahopac Falls, NY 10542