Suffolk County, NY is the 26th most populous county in the United States and the last thing this county needs is a new 40-home cluster development. This section of Pine Barrens, located on the northeast corner of the intersection of Wading River Hollow Road and Cliffwood Lane in Ridge, NY., is a “compatible growth” area. It is slated to be destroyed ASAP in order to make room for this proposed development. The major impact would be to the natural flora and fauna that exists within this 46.55 acre parcel of land. There is wildlife on this land that is on the New York State DEC’s list of endangered, threatened, and special concern species. I discovered a vernal pool in this parcel 5 years ago which provides life-sustaining water for wildlife and serves as a nursery for the amphibians I have found there. 2 years ago I discovered a tiger salamander under a rotten log, an endangered species, and on Friday, July 30th, 2021, while carefully trying not to step on a bunch of baby Fowler’s toads, I witnessed an eastern hog-nosed snake sunning itself before quickly retreating into a hole, a species of special concern.  The DEC has been made aware of all my discoveries as has the Town of Brookhaven. Our councilman for our district, Michael A. Loguercio, Jr. has expressed his concern in this matter and is doing all he can do to assist us and we all appreciate his and his team’s efforts.

This development will also have an impact on our ground water and add additional noise and air pollution. An increase in traffic is expected as well, especially because there is only one way to enter and exit this proposed development (across the street from the 3rd house on Cliffwood Lane).

15 years ago, this proposed development was approved after an environmental impact study was conducted. That was the one and only study conducted. Unfortunately, the rules state that no new study needs to be conducted and that the 15-year old study is perfectly acceptable to allow this development to be constructed. The environment changes on a constant basis, and with all the building going on in Suffolk County, wildlife is forced to find other areas that aren’t developed, such as this area. This parcel also serves as a green belt for animals to traverse from the Turtle Rock Preserve (east of the parcel), then across Wading River Hollow Road to property owned by the Town of Brookhaven, and then on to Cathedral Pines owned by Suffolk County.

Let our representatives, Town officials, and DEC know about our concern for the preservation of one of Long Island’s remaining undeveloped parcels of land before it’s too late.