We know people make the difference !!
Cortlandt W.A.T.C.H. Inc.
We Are the Cortlandt Homeowners Since 1985
CURRENT TOPICS
Natural Gas wells have operated with relative safety in many parts of the country including here in New York State. However, fracking involves blasting millions of gallons of water, sand, and chemicals, many of them toxic, into the earth at very high pressures to break up rock formations where natural gas is trapped. A much more invasive method of gas recovery!
Since 2005 gas and oil companies have been exempt from our U.S. Clean Water Laws: The Clean Water Act, The Safe Drinking Water Act, The Superfund Clean up Act and other Federal environmental laws.
Citizens in the Town of Cortlandt get their drinking water from the Catskill-Delaware water system which starts its journey north and west of the Hudson River. This system also supplies drinking water to New York City, Philadelphia, and parts of New Jersey and Delaware, a total of 15.6 million people.
Our water is in the area in danger of fracking!!
In areas of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia forest and farm lands are being replaced by the wells over the extraction points and the industrial sprawl around them has devastated the land. Unless we are vigilant, it is possible that New York forests, the Adirondaks and the Catskills, could be leased to these companies at the expense of our trees, water, clean air and natural beauty.
In New York State, by executive order there is a moratorium on fracking until July, 2011, to allow a full review of the effects on our water and air. The US Environmental Protection Agency will study Dimock, PA., an area particularly hard hit by fracking. This report is expected in late 2012. New York's moratorium needs to be extended!
In New York we look on our environment as an entity that needs to be protected from damage so devastating that it will not recover. The DEC has not yet taken a stand and we will have some newly elected officials to convince beginning in January. We need to be diligent and watchful to be sure that this doesn’t happen to our drinking water.
Cortlandt WATCH has donated two copies of the award winning movie "GASLAND" to each of five libraries in the area: Hendrick Hudson in Montrose, Peekskill Library, The Hart Library in Shrub Oak, Croton Library and Putman Valley Library. More information can by found at catskillcitizens.org We urge you to become familiar with FRACKING. To see a graphic of fracking go
185 Kings Ferry Road,
Montrse, NY 10548
914-739-5654
or contact the NYSDEC
Congratulations: With the help of a group of committed citizens, Railroad Pond and the dam that impounds the water (Furnace Brook Lake) is one step closer to being saved from destruction. Con Edison, which owns the dam and ten acres of land has a spoken agreement with the Town of Cortlandt to investigate transferring the ownership to the Town. For much more information use the following link:
Susan McDonnell Karen Jescavage Bernard
Radu Dumitrescu Dick Nelson Shirley Lashinsky
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Invasive plants are of great concern because they overtake native plants, need more water and deprive some species of food. For a view of the most prevalent invasives in our area go to www.westchestergov.com and click on Soil and Water District then look for the invasive plant PDF (8-08-08).
WETLANDS AND TREE ORDINANCES:
If you are planning to build, expand or more barriers on your property we recommend you consult the town codes. The town of Cortlandt has recently adopted new ordinances for trees and wetlands.
