The Concerned Citizens of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Community, Inc. sponsored a community forum, which was held at the Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library on July 15.

The purpose of the forum, which is the second educational forum that Concerned Citizens has sponsored, informed residents how to maintain quality of life and safeguard children as well as inform the public about public health issues.

The forum featured speakers from Long Island Neighborhood Network, who updated residents on local news regarding Pesticide Notification Legislation and shared their expertise on Organic Lawn Care Alternatives, SHARED, a local alliance of business and community members who discussed KeySpan's proposed 250 Megawatt Power Plant on Spagnoli Road including insights into public health concerns over this project and the Plainview Water District who reported on the status of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's monitoring and clean-up of the MTBE spill at the former Mobil gas station at the corner of Old Country Road and Manetto Hill Road.

Assemblyman David Sidikman stopped by the forum to congratulate Carol Meschkow, president of the Concerned Citizens of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Community, Inc. and to thank those attending for their support.

Representatives from the Long Island Neighborhood Network alerted residents to the Neighborhood Notification Legislation that was signed by Governor George Pataki on Aug. 21, 2000 after the Neighborhood Network proposed the idea. This law requires that at least 48 hours prior to spraying, notice must be given by the professional applicator, not by the homeowner. Written notice must be given to residents in properties immediately adjacent to the property being sprayed. If the property line of the neighbor is more than 150 feet from the area being sprayed, no notice is required. This law went into effect on March 1, 2001. For more information about this law, please visit the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's website at www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dshm/pesticid/neighbor.htm/

Also included in Neighborhood Network's presentation was information on organic lawns and the dangers associated with pesticides and chemically controlled lawns. There are four steps to a toxic-free, organic lawn - Maintenance, Promote Soil Life, Soil Amendments and Pest Control. Also, alternatives for certain pest controls and other lawn care problems were suggested. All of this information is available at www.neighborhoodnetwork.org.

Patricia Hsu-Park and Mark Schwartz from the South Huntington Alliance for Responsible Energy Development (SHARED) spoke to those in attendance about KeySpan and LIPA's proposed 11-story, 250 megawatt, natural gas-fired power plant with a 200-foot high smokestack on Spagnoli Road in Melville. SHARED, an alliance of area businesses, was formed to oppose the Spagnoli Road plant based on health, zoning, property value and employee-retention issues. This proposed plant is located only half-a-mile away from the nearest Old Bethpage resident.

The site for the proposed facility is located on property owned by KeySpan at Spagnoli Road in the Town of Huntington. The proposed facility would occupy approximately 4 acres of the 31-acre site located on the south side of Spagnoli Road, approximately one-half mile west of Route 110.

"According to KeySpan's Article X Application, over 300,000 pounds of pollutants per year, including Carbon Monoxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Particulate Matter and Nitrogen Oxides, would be emitted from the plant," said Mark Schwartz, executive director and general counsel to SHARED.

SHARED and the other groups against this project, oppose the power plant based on several grounds - they say it is in violation of Huntington Town Zoning, Noise and Height Restrictions Ordinances.

"Citizens need to step up for what our future holds - for us and our kids," said Schwartz. "My request to you is to make some noise and write a letter. The Town of Oyster Bay will be more affected by this power plant than the Town of Huntington (where the proposed location is located is)."

Schwartz said that Town of Oyster Bay officials have done a great job regarding this matter and have opposed the plant on record. Both Schwartz and Hsu-Park strongly suggest that local residents write to their elected officials and voice their opinions on the proposed power plant before it is too late. The two suggest looking at the SHARED website which is located at www.lishared.org for further information.

Plainview Water District Commissioners Edward Shulroff, chairman; Kevin Langberg , treasurer and Joel Kessler, secretary, along with Plainview Water District Superintendent Paul Granger were present at the community forum to update the community on the status of their litigation with Mobil/Exxon.

"Good news - all wells are MTBE free," said Granger.

According to a newsletter from the Plainview Water District, "At this time, the Plainview Water District is undertaking prompt proactive legal action against Mobil to ensure that the spill be cleaned and MTBE does not encroach on our supply wells. Furthermore, our legal action will rightfully shift the enormous financial burden of wellhead treatment onto the responsible party rather than onto the ratepayer."

Many of the residents in attendance were alarmed by the water district's information and were unaware of the spill until the recent forum. The Plainview Water District supplies residents with contact names to ask any questions. For legal questions regarding the Mobil/Exxon litigation- please call Marc Bern at 212-267-3700; For water supply and safety questions, please contact Paul Granger, superintendent of the Plainview Water District at 931-6469; For health related questions, please contact David Fitzgerald at the Nassau County Department of Health at 571-3323 and for spill cleanup status please contact Raymond Cowen at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation at 631-444-0345.

The Concerned Citizens of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Community, Inc. have been involved in many different environmental actions in the area and need the community's support in order to continue their involvements. For more information please call 433-6001 or visit their website at www.concernedcitizenspob.org.