Letters

Proposition 3 presents an opportunity to improve the water quality of Lake Agawam, yet it demands careful attention to details of how this land will be used and funded.

Under this proposition, Southampton Town seeks to alienate a smaller parcel — 69,989 square feet (1.6 acres) — to house an algae harvester, a project I helped initiate in 2019 in partnership with the State Department of Environmental Conservation and then-Governor Andrew Cuomo. The harvester will remove the lake’s legacy load of nitrogen, phosphorus and harmful microcystin. This project will address nutrient buildup temporarily; however, Lake Agawam needs a long-term solution.

It’s important to note that this alienation requires a 209,864-square-foot (4.8-acre) parcel of land as part of the swap. This land, strategically located near Lake Agawam, offers a rare opportunity to implement a permanent water quality project: an engineered constructed wetlands capable of filtering thousands of pounds of nitrogen and hundreds of pounds of phosphorus annually, in perpetuity.

Back in 2019, I asked the Paulson Foundation to preserve this land, understanding its potential to serve as a vital water quality asset.

However, the success of this initiative hinges on using the correct funding source. While current plans are to purchase the larger parcel using the original Community Preservation Fund monies designated for park, hamlet and green, this approach is insufficient. Instead, we must use some funds from the Water Quality Improvement Project within CPF, designated specifically for projects that directly impact water quality. This will allow us to develop a wetland uniquely suited to the parcel’s topography, elevation and natural characteristics, ensuring maximum benefit to Lake Agawam’s ecosystem.

The village argues that available WQIP funds should be used exclusively for a sewer. But with the likely passage of Proposition 2, Suffolk County soon will gain additional funds specifically for sewers and septic upgrades. Furthermore, the $4.2 billion 2022 New York State Clean Water, Clean Air, Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act provides resources for sewer infrastructure — and the village has access to a $3.7 million clean water sewer infrastructure fund that I set aside from budget surpluses.

Given these resources, there is ample funding for the sewer project, which will unfold gradually over the coming years.

In contrast, the window to secure this land for water quality is brief. If we fail to act decisively now and use the appropriate WQIP funding, we risk losing this once-in-a-generation opportunity to implement a permanent solution for Lake Agawam’s water quality.

I strongly urge both village and town officials to allocate some water quality funds specifically for acquiring the 4.8-acre parcel included in this proposition. Without this commitment, our efforts will fall short of achieving the long-term impact needed.

Jesse Warren

Southampton Village

Warren is a former mayor of Southampton Village — Ed.