LaValle Carmans River Protection Bill Sent to Governor

New York State Senator Kenneth P. LaValle announced that his bill to add additional parcels to the Pine Barrens and protect the Carmans River has been sent to the Governor for his signature. The Governor has 30 days from his receipt of the bill on July 19 to sign or veto the measure.

“The Pine Barrens Protection Act of 1993 successfully protected tens of thousands of acres in the Long Island Pine Barrens,” said Senator LaValle. “The protection afforded by inclusion of parcels from within the Carmans River watershed under provisions of the Pine Barrens Protection Act will extend the Act's protection to this environmentally sensitive, natural resource.”

The Carmans River is one of the most pristine on Long Island. Protecting the river’s watershed will prevent the river water from being contaminated.

The river is 10 miles long and is located in the Central Long Island Pine Barrens Region, which is publicly protected and managed land. Sections of the Carmans River are designated by New York State as a wild, scenic, and recreational river and a New York State Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat. The Carmans River and the Peconic River are Long Island’s only rivers in the Pine Barrens Region and two of Long Island’s four major rivers. The other two are the Nissequoque and the Connetquot Rivers. The headwaters of the Carmans River are in Middle Island and it descends to Shirley.