We are grateful for your support to protect 1,000 environmentally sensitive acres at EPCAL from sale to Calverton Aviation & Technology (CAT).

It turns out that the only way to truly save this precious land is to stop the whole discredited deal.  Otherwise, the Ghermezian family plans to build an air cargo distribution hub at EPCAL.   We need to alert and mobilize all 7,027 petition signers, including those who can be present at an important public meeting Wednesday evening (see below).

When the Ghermezians made their case to the Riverhead Industrial Development Agency (RIDA), everyone discovered that their actual intended use of the land is no longer high paying technology jobs or creating a Silicon Valley of the East Coast.  

As you can see in their own architect's rendering, they want to build ten million square feet of warehouses and support buildings around the 10,000 and 7,000 foot runways. Large cargo jets will land to unload on one side of the warehouses.  Tractor trailers that line up on the other side will clog our roads.  (A 680,000 sq ft Amazon warehouse in California and a smaller warehouse next door together generated nearly 6,000 vehicle trips per day, including more than 2,300 diesel truck trips.)

Imagine the contamination from noise and jet fumes of EPCAL's natural treasures and the impact on the quality of life (and property values) of thousands of east end residents.   Aviation reports say jet cargo planes will be at 1500 to 2000 feet of altitude within five miles of the runways,  i.e. as far east as Mattituck and Hampton Bays and as far west as  Pt. Jefferson and Patchogue.  By the time they are over Calverton and Rocky Point, the planes will be flying at less than 1000 feet.

We know this only because the Riverhead Town Board without precedent handed over its authority to RIDA to avoid the mess it got into with the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Suffolk County Water Authority about subdivision of the land.   

RIDA is supposed to objectively evaluate the development plan of the Ghermezians and their financial viability to complete it--despite the debacle of their heavily indebted American Dream mall in New Jersey and allegations of fraud, trademark violations and chemical contamination of an imported sanitizer product during Covid.

RIDA could not begin its investigation because the Ghermezians were late in transferring operating funds and financial information.  But RIDA foretold its conclusion prior to any due dilligence by telling an auditor that the deal would close in October.   It needs to honor its own deadlines and find the Ghermezians in default which will bring the EPCAL nightmare to an end. 

All IDAs are inherently compromised by dependence on applicant fees from closings and follow-up. RIDA was explicit to the auditor that it relied on the EPCAL closing to "continue as a going concern".

RIDA has given the Ghermazians the opportunity to once again put lipstick on a pig and explain why their representatives didn't mean what they said. 

We urge you to come hear their case for yourself at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 3, at the Hotel Indigo, 1830 West Main Street in Riverhead.  Bring questions and comments.  We expect a big turnout, including of the media.  This event offers a great chance to show the breadth and depth of community opposition.

Whether you can join us or not Wednesday evening, please send an e-mail or a letter before then to Tracy Stark-James, director of the IDA  <director@riverheadida.org>  and copy it to the Town Board <wilhelm@townofriverheadny.gov>   

The IDA must turn down all tax abatements and refuse to authorize the CAT project. The Town Board, as constituted now, or on taking office after the November election, must commit itself to declare null and void this unfortunate contract.  

The newly elected Supervisor and Board must start fresh in discussion with the public to conceive and sell environmentally self-sustaining, economically productive, and community responsible use of the 600 acres of developable land at a fair market price.  They must guarantee for our children and grandchildren the undamaged preservation of the 1,000 irreplaceable acres,

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RESOURCES

• A summary of the last six years of the EPCAL saga is here   
• "Air cargo logistics hub in Calverton planned by Triple Five affiliate to enhance package delivery services on Long Island"  Riverhead Local
• "Audit reveals Riverhead IDA anticipates October closing with Calverton Aviation & Technology, for major boost to agency’s sagging bottom line"
• The latest version of the Ghermezians' plan for public consumption is here
• "Town Board members claim they didn’t see controversial EPCAL air cargo plans before they were publicly presented to Riverhead IDA"  Riverhead Local
• Letters and  articles from EPCAL Watch are here