With the MTA/LIRR's recent decision to expand the comment period on its proposed Main Line Corridor Improvements Project, which, among other things, suggests adding an additional track to the LIRR Main Line, Trustee Nick Episcopia, chair of Garden City's Environmental Advisory Board, suggested the board invite Floral Park Mayor Phil Guarnieri to speak on the project's background.

During a recent meeting in Floral Park, Trustee Episcopia, along with Village Clerk Brian Ridgway and Western Property Owners' Association President John Traxler gathered with residents from other villages, including Floral Park, Bellerose and Stewart Manor, to try and ascertain why the MTA/LIRR extended the comment period.

"The people from Floral Park and Bellerose Village know more about the MTA, its politics and exactly how things are happening more than you can possibly imagine," Trustee Episcopia said. "They came to the conclusion, and it seems logical, that the railroad is not doing this because they want to be nice to the people. The railroad is doing this to properly mark up their forces to go forward to get this thing approved."

Trustee Episcopia believes the railroad was "knocked over" by the several thousand people that attended this summer's six scoping sessions. "If there was one percent of the population that spoke in favor of this it had to be a lot," he added. "It was one group after another after another who did not want this and was firmly convinced it's being done for the purpose of increasing freight on the Long Island Rail Road. It's pretty clear that in Brentwood, at the old Pilgrim State Hospital facility, they are putting in a very large freight yard. What would be the purpose of that if not to increase freight traffic?"

Trustee Episcopia believes the project could be overturned if handled properly. The next phase - bombard the MTA/LIRR with more letters. Officials from Floral Park, Bellerose Village and Stewart Manor suggested the Environmental Advisory Board, which is closely following the proposal, provide a presentation for Garden City trustees. Trustee Episcopia admitted he doesn't have nearly as much knowledge on the issue as other mayors, namely Mayor Guarnieri, do.

Mayor Guarnieri, who, among others, has been at the forefront of the fight to stop the project dead in its tracks, will provide an overview and field questions from Garden City residents at the Dec. 1 board of trustees meeting. He said he looks forward to working with Garden City and Floral Park's other sister villages to defeat what he dubs an ill-advised plan.

The original deadline for residents to submit written comments was Aug. 31. It has now been extended to Dec. 31 "based on the number of comments received," according to the MTA's website.