The city of Rye and village of Rye Brook are considering developing a series of berms along the Blind Brook to address flooding issues in their low-lying downstream areas. If this project is pursued, these berms will be built in part or in whole on the SUNY Purchase campus. This project will result in the disruption of important forested wetlands, impairment of stream connectivity along the Blind Brook, and the loss of a contiguous 100 year old floodplain forest — land that was previously designated as permanently-preserved open space in the Broadview Senior Living Community's Environmental Impact Statement. But while the Ramboll study notes that the SUNY and Doral berms would decrease downstream water surface elevation by several inches in a 100-year flood, the benefits may be diminished by the presence of multiple feet of standing floodwater.

In signing this petition, you will be:

1. Voicing your opposition to the proposed SUNY and Doral berms projects on the Blind Brook, and holding SUNY Purchase College to its environmental promise made in the Broadview EIS to protect an important and ecologically sensitive ecosystem,
2. Imploring the city of Rye and village of Rye Brook to not pursue funds dedicated to studying the feasibility, design, or construction of any dams or berms across the Blind Brook located in part or in whole on the SUNY Purchase Campus, and
3. Advocating that FEMA and the New York State Department of Conservation both preclude any financial, legal, or technical support in pursuit of proposed water control structures on the Blind Brook located in part or in whole on the SUNY Purchase Campus from any flood resiliency funding offered to the City of Rye or Village of Rye Brook.

We encourage all to sign regardless of your relation to Purchase College as we know this is an issue cared about by individuals both on campus and off. Even if you are not a student of SUNY Purchase, please add your name and comment if you feel passionate about the preservation of this sensitive ecosystem.

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