As East Northport housing project inches forward, opponents seem committed to fight.
The crowd cheered as Greg Malgraff, representing the group, “Stop Matinecock Court,” stepped up to the podium.
The organization, whose motto is “the wrong project, in the wrong place, at the wrong time” has both a dedicated website and a Facebook page, boasting more than 1500 members.
Malgraff said that his organization will continue to oppose the development.
“Talk about ‘taxation without representation’–it is an absolute insult to the residents of this community to force this upon us, and use our tax dollars to fund it as well, when the general consensus and overwhelming opinion is that it has the potential to do untold damage to this area,” Malgraff said.
According to Malgraff, the site where Housing Help hopes to break ground is heavily contaminated with a myriad of chemicals and pesticides indiscriminately used on potato farms in decades past, including arsenic.
Such toxins could be released and impact the air quality near the schools and beyond when the contaminated soil is moved and then capped.
Northport resident Chris Triolo said that Stop Matinecock Court has taken up where ABC left off 13 years ago. He believes that there are actions that the town can still take, and his group plans to fight the development on environmental and safety issues.
It’s not a case of not wanting the project in East Northport’s backyard, but rather a matter of social responsibility, he explained.
“What town, county or state agency would approve a sewage treatment plant in such close proximity to two schools and two main city roads? I wouldn’t want any loved ones, any members of my family or anyone who I know living on that site,” Triolo said, referring to the contaminated soil, the proximity to the LIRR tracks, the power station and the high tension wires.
Here is the link to the full story:
Huntington Patch
