Columnist Robert McMillan's March 3 opinion supporting open space preservation in Nassau County, itself deserves support.

The county open space program prepared for the Nassau County Planning Commission identifies more than 40,000 acres of "open space," though admittedly this includes existing parks, golf courses and college campuses. Most important of all are the privately held parcels that are threatened by future development, such as the Underhill Property in Jericho.

In addition to its attributes and wildlife and plant habitat, Underhill lies in a state-designated Special Groundwater Protection Area (SGPA). With open space diminishing in Nassau, it is essential that we keep some open space to allow recharge of our drinking water aquifer from rainwater, free of human activity that would introduce contaminants into our purest groundwater sources.

Unfortunately, public and private entities seem hell bent on developing these water-shed sensitive areas. The Underhill Property is targeted for a 270 unit housing project. The Town of Oyster Bay recently sold town-owned land in the SGPA for still more housing and Assemblyman Tom DiNapoli and Senator Carl Marcellino sponsored legislation to develop hundreds of acres at SUNY Old Westbury - also in the groundwater recharge area.

Our neighbors in Suffolk have regularly voted to tax themselves a few dollars per household to protect drinking water and preserve habitat by acquiring the land before it is lost to further development. Nassau County and town governments should do the same. Citizens are rightly annoyed at their politicians' bungling of fiscal matters, but the chance to protect drinking water will soon be lost without immediate government action.

Oyster Bay and Nassau County should leverage New York State funds to preserve Underhill and other parcels in the Special Groundwater Protection Area. It's never the wrong time to do the right thing.

Joe Lorintz, president

Society To Preserve Underhill