Oyster Bay Councilman Anthony D. Macagnone's letter in the July 28 issue contains many inaccurate and disturbing misrepresentations. He makes it sound like a moratorium would affect a vast area and have dire financial consequences when in fact the portion of the Oyster Bay Special Groundwater Protection Area (SGPA) actually in the zoning jurisdiction of the town is relatively small. The greater portion of the SGPA lies within the zoning jurisdiction of the several incorporated villages in the northern part of the town. And these incorporated villages have done a far better job of limiting unbridled development than the town. Their zoning usually calls for building lots of two to five acres. Meanwhile, the town's antiquated zoning laws in conjunction with the town board's approval of so many rezoning and special use permit applications over the past several years has resulted in an overdeveloped condition which seriously threatens our drinking water supply.

The Town of Oyster Bay has never implemented the recommendations of the 1992 Long Island Comprehensive Special Groundwater Protection Area Plan. This has resulted in far too much development occurring in the SGPA. The town has no comprehensive groundwater management plan and any mechanisms currently in place have proven not to work. Thus, a moratorium (something quite common) would give the town the breathing room it needs to adapt much needed devices to protect our drinking water supply, something it has failed to do. This should be done quickly and not in two to three years.

Before elected to the town board, Macagnone campaigned that he would balance economic considerations with the very real environmental concerns which were not being addressed by the town board. Even after elected, at a demonstration to protect drinking water on Earth Day on April 22, Mr. Macagnone stated that he fully supported efforts to protect drinking water in the SGPA. Why the sudden turnaround? Is Councilman Macagnone being misguided by special interests or does he suddenly believe that the town is doing a good job protecting our drinking water supply? This turnaround is quite disconcerting, since Mr. Macagnone chose to make his statements even after a stinging opinion was rendered by the Appeals Court in the Underhill case. The Appellate Court criticized the town for its "environmental disingenuousness."

If Macagnone is being influenced by special interests, he should admit that he cannot be sensitive to the environmental concerns of the citizens of the Town of Oyster Bay. And if he truly believes that the town is doing a good job protecting our drinking water, well, he's simply out of touch.

Many groups support the imposition of a moratorium in the Oyster Bay SGPA. A resolution calling for a moratorium was passed by the United Civic Associations of North Oyster Bay. It is supported by the following organizations: Birchwood Park at Syosset H.O. Associates; Chanteclaire at Muttontown Homeowners Association; Concerned Citizens of Plainview/Old Bethpage; East Norwich Civic Association; Gates Ridge Plainview Road Civic Association; Hamlet East Condominium Association; Hunting Hill Civic Association; Locust Valley Civic Association; Oakwood Park Civic Association; Oakwood Princeton Park Civic Association; Residents For a More Beautiful Syosset; South Woodbury Taxpayers Association; Syosset Woodbury Road Civic Association; White Birch/Old Jericho Civic Association; Nassau County League of Women Voters and the LI Neighborhood Network. The United Civic Associations of North Oyster Bay invites any other groups to join with us in calling for this much needed moratorium.

Finally, it is a myth that growth automatically equates with a strong economy. Most growth only serves to increase the cost of municipal services which are never made up by the taxes derived from the particular development. A healthy economy can only occur when growth does not strangle the community and negatively impact the environment. Balancing economic growth and environmental concerns is a delegate process, but one that has to put the health of our children first.

Matthew T. Meng

Vice President, United Civic

Associations of North Oyster Bay