The end of election season is always a welcome thing. No more incessant political ads, no more shrieking talking heads, no more anxiety over what the outcome of any given race may or may not be. But this year, here in Suffolk County, we have a very great reason to feel good about this past election, as the Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act was passed. As part of a larger coalition – which included other groups like The Nature Conservancy and Group for the East End, among many others – we at the Long Island Pine Barrens Society worked hard to raise awareness of the ballot proposition, and urged our followers (including you – yes, you!) to vote YES. And when the dust settled, we woke up on November 6th to see that the measure had passed with about 72% support! While we’re not about to tell you that the passage of this lone ballot proposition means that Long Island’s very own Eden has been restored, or that the fight to protect its land and water has ended, we will say that this was a tremendous, crucial step in the right direction.
As a brief aside, if you want to get a sense for why this act is so important, and what problems it’s aiming to solve, check out last month’s blog! This month, though, it’s time to look forward, to get a sense of what’s to come, and when it’s coming.
If you’ve only been affording a passing glance to news about the Water Quality Restoration Act, you might see certain news sources referring to it more broadly (and with an agonizingly negative slant) as a “tax.” While this is true in the strictest sense of the word, it vastly overstates the cost of this incredible piece of legislation. The tax that has been approved is a whopping eighth of a percent on sales tax. Not income tax, not property tax. Sales tax. One eighth of a percent. That’s an eighth of a penny per dollar spent. Hardly a noticeable hit to the wallet. And if you’re really pinching those pennies, then it’s an encouragement not to spend as much on frivolous purchases (an encouragement which we all could use now and then, right?). The tax will go into effect in March of 2025, thus beginning the collection for the fund.
The fund won’t be accessible until 2026, at which point the county can begin upgrading its wastewater infrastructure, and the next phase in the work to improve Long Island’s water quality begins. We’ll surely keep everyone posted regarding the progress of this initiative as we move through the next two years and beyond. The estimate now is that this sales tax – one eighth of one penny – will provide future funding for these wastewater infrastructure projects. In addition, this approved proposition will result in the continuing support of the Drinking Water Protection Program through 2060. This program has been the source of land acquisition for over 30 years. Personally speaking, I struggle to envision next Thursday, let alone 35 years from now, and so it’s no small comfort to think that one single vote, one small ballot proposition, will hold the line for Long Island’s water quality for that great a time. But, of course, it is still just one proposition, just one act.
To paraphrase Jane Goodall, the work to preserve planet Earth – its natural beauty, its diverse array of critters, the health and well-being of its populace – is one great, big puzzle. It’s such a big puzzle, in fact, that all any of us can do is work on filling in our own little piece. And when one piece is filled, there’s always – always – another piece that needs filling. The passage of the Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act marks the filling in of a very large piece of Suffolk County’s puzzle, but there’s always more to do, and we at the LIPBS hope you’ll stick with us as we continue the work.
By Travis Cutter, Long Island Pine Barrens Society
