Legislation Expected to Pass Next Week Would Nearly Complete 400-Acre Tract Targeted by Levy for Preservation in 2004

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy will be joined by environmental advocates Thursday morning to announce the anticipated acquisition of more than 160 acres of property in central Brookhaven’s Overton Preserve – a 400-acre swath of open space first targeted to open space preservation by Levy in 2004.

“The Overton Preserve represents a significant investment by Suffolk County and its taxpayers to protect our groundwater,” said Levy. “Through county efforts, and in some acquisitions partnering with the Town of Brookhaven, we have nearly completed the preservation of 400 acres in this woodland which sits over the Central Suffolk Special Groundwater Protection Area.”

Two resolutions, authorizing the purchase of 162 acres for $14.5 million and a second to authorize $432,000 for 3.75 acres, passed the Legislature’s Environment committee earlier this week and are expected to be approved Tuesday, August 4 by the full Legislature.

Also on the Legislative agenda Tuesday are resolutions Levy has proposed to:

Purchase farmland development rights to 35.3 acres of the Wojewocki family farm in the Town of Riverhead;

Purchase farmland development rights to 18.8 acres of the Mitchells Lane Farm in the Town of Riverhead;

Begin the initial evaluations of targeted farms in the Towns of Huntington, Riverhead, Shelter Island and Southampton for purchase of development rights, totaling more than 145 acres.

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