Letters

Once again, Southampton Town has put the real estate industry ahead of saving what is left of our natural resources and native burial grounds in the Shinnecock Hills.

The town created real estate out of what had been pristine land stolen in the 1800s from the Shinnecock Nation.

In 2018, after years of petitioning by native activists, the Shinnecock Nation and the Town of Southampton created a joint committee to identify and preserve all vacant parcels in the Shinnecock Hills using Community Preservation Funds.

Last week, one of the parcels identified as a sacred site — and which had been agreed to be preserved — was cleared, and a hole was dug for the development of a new home.

This process should not continue. We need a moratorium on building in Shinnecock Hills and ecologically sensitive areas throughout Southampton Town.

When all the ancient burial grounds are gone, will we build housing over cemeteries?

Anthony Ernst

Southampton