After a deep dive on the Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) website, our team has uncovered interesting information that has been conveniently left out of the conversation until now: The proposed site for Neil Gold's Orange County Dinosaur Park, across Orange Turnpike from Mansion Ridge Golf Club, involve protected Freshwater Wetlands. Our town owned 131-acres appear to be home to NYS Freshwater Wetlands, which are cross-registered as part of the National Wetlands Inventory-- meaning they are also Federally protected (Images sourced from DEC Environmental Resource Mapper).

From conversations with a source inside the DEC, the protected area spans what looks like the entire lot -- or at least the entire buildable area, due to the extreme elevation on one side. The rocky hillside may also be protected as developers are typically prohibited from filling in wetlands or their run off sources. According to the DEC website, "Wetlands provide critical flood and stormwater control functions. They absorb, store, and slow down the movement of rain and melt water, minimizing flooding and stabilizing water flow."  Claims that these types of theme parks go belly up within 5 years seem to be validated, as it looks like Gold's park will be underwater from the start.

Not only will Gold's animatronic dinosaurs be treading water if this project were to pass, in spite of intense restrictions and modifications typically made to any project near a wetlands, nearby neighbors would experience untold environmental impact without the protection that these wetlands provide to Monroe. Our neighborhoods and roads bordering these wetlands could experience severe flooding or erosion if deprived of the benefits of this natural resource. Given that our source within the DEC confirmed that the proposed site for Orange County Dinosaur Park appears to contain a State protected Freshwater Wetlands and is a convergence site for 3 Federally protected Class B streams that intertwine with Mombasha Lake, citizens should seriously consider how this project could impact what is the Village of Monroe's main water source. 

Currently pristine due to generational efforts by local governance, Mombasha Lake does not allow any types of recreation, including boating and swimming, in our town's reservoir due to contamination concerns. These strict regulations also control activities nearby the reservoir with purity concerns in mind. Allowing a frivolous and potentially unregulated use of land that could disrupt the flow of water to Mombasha Lake or interfere with its purity is irresponsible. According to the DEC, "Wetlands often serve as ground water discharge sites; maintaining base flow in streams and rivers; and supporting ponds and lakes. In some places, wetlands are very important in recharging ground water supplies. Wetlands cleanse water by filtering out natural and many man made pollutants, which are then broken down or immobilized." Any disruption or pollution that Orange County Dinosaur Park would create in this area could potentially contaminate the shared groundwater between this site and Mombasha lake--contaminating Monroe's water supply irrevocably. 

In fact the Village Code addresses this serious concern in Article X Section 195-42 through -47, where it lists prohibited acts near a WATERCOURSE: "every spring, strewn, marsh or channel of water of any kind which flows or may flow into the Village of Monroe water supply." Now that we've established evidence that these wetlands are defined under this code as a regulated watercourse under the jurisdiction of the Village of Monroe, the prohibited acts would include: "no privy receptacles or facilities of any kind for the deposit, movement, treatment, or storage of human excreta or sewage can be constructed placed, maintained, or allowed to remain, within a linear distance of 75 feet of any reservoir or watercourse." In plain English, it is prohibited by the Village to build a bathroom within 75 feet of these wetlands--which encompass nearly the entire property. Additionally, "no refuse disposal area shall be located within a linear distance of 1,000 ft of any reservoir or water course."  While single family home owners are exempt from this policy, Neil Gold's commercial sized refuse needs would not be permitted anywhere on this land under this code. 

If at the end of the day Neil Gold dodges hundreds of concerned citizens against the location of this park in a residential zone attempting to recall this vote, along with strict water regulations by the Village of Monroe, State regulations from the Department of Environmental Conservation who prohibit activities within 100 ft of a wetland, and Federal Regulations by the Environmental Protection Agency including the Army Corp of Engineering... it would still call into question Neil Gold's judgment to risk the lives of current significant species and potentially rare plants and animals for replicas of extinct ones-- all while using DEC granted funds based on his original Wallkill site to do so. Will the DEC still provide his grant if he attempts to construct on a protected biome? In order to be considered for a permit, Gold would have to "first demonstrate that impacts to the wetlands cannot be avoided entirely." Would the DEC fund the destruction of our local wildlife, while our town has the option of preserving the donated land entirely? I feel this is a question for Governor Kathy Hochul who as one of her first initiatives proposed historic reforms to the DEC Freshwater Wetlands Regulatory Program which was enacted on 4/8/2022 due to NY State's acknowledgement of the crisis wetlands face today.

Let's reach out to her and see if we can make a difference today.

Twitter- Kathy Hochul: @KathyHochul @GovKathyHochul 
Twitter- NYS Wetlands Coalition: @savenywetlands #savenywetlands

Signed,
Your Neighbor