Senator Flanagan Moves To Speed Up Cleanup Of Nissequogue River State Park

            Senator John J. Flanagan (2nd Senate District), in a letter to New York State Deputy Secretary for the Environment Judith Enck, has decided to permit the state to utilize a portion of the $29 million he secured for the cleanup of the Nissequogue River State Park to undertake an engineering study of the property.

            The letter, which follows Senator Flanagan’s October 1st meeting with Ms. Enck and Parks Commissioner Ash, outlines his reasons for allowing the usage of this funding for the study.  He also takes the opportunity to again urge the state to public announce their intention to maintain this property as parkland.

            Since he successfully transferred the former Kings Park Psychiatric Center property into the parks system back in 2006, Senator Flanagan has continually called on New York State officials to respect the community and to begin cleaning up the expanded Nissequogue River State Park.  As outlined in that transfer, the additional 365 plus acres must be used exclusively for recreational purposes with the exception of two minor sections that will remain under the control of the Office of Mental Health and the Kings Park Fire District.    

        Senator Flanagan also is working to schedule a community meeting with Commissioner Ash to update the residents about the future of the property.  Commissioner Ash agreed to the visit during the October meeting with Senator Flanagan to help inform the community about the state’s intentions with the land and to answer resident’s questions.