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October 8, 2006 In light of the recent discovery that massive amounts of highway demolition debris have been dumped into the Glenmere Lake Stream over the summer months it is apparent that Chester officials do not take stewardship of their community seriously. In fact, if the allegations are true, these actions present an egregious offense of civic duty. After all, it does not seem plausible that truck drivers and highway workers would take it upon themselves to illegally dump tons of asphalt, concrete chunks and rusty culvert pipe at a reservoir without orders from higher up. The responsible parties have all-but filled the small stream valley on the dam's downhill side, at the site of the original grist mill shaft. This reservoir supplies water for the Villages of Florida and (part of) Goshen , including the county correctional facilities and a nursing home. In what may be an effort to undermine the OC Legislature's veto of an additional park on the ( Chester ) side of the lake, the responsible parties have behaved, at the very least, irresponsibly. The degraded site's present appearance, along the only length of road frontage on the Chester lake shore, is certainly reminiscent of a municipal parking lot and, in fact, appears to be deliberate, proactive construction of parking facilities, utilizing Chester's waste materials from a nearby highway reconstruction site. In view of Chester officials' recent appeal to the Legislature to reconsider their shelved Glenmere park plan, the coincidence of a parking area at exactly this site seems a thinly disguised and furtive scheme to defiantly push the Chester park plan along. Degradation of our water resources and countryside results when those who, for their own gain, are willing to defile nature in any manner -- including dumping several tons of material onto a small stream within 20' of a reservoir. Glenmere Lake is New York State 's largest and virtually last surviving viable population of endangered Northern Cricket Frogs. Constructing a recreational park at the lake's shore would certainly destroy crucial habitat by clearing weeds and lily pads for swimming, as these water plants are used by the frogs to lay eggs and hide from predators. The Northern Cricket Frog is the smallest frog in the state. It spends most of its life in the water, but comes on land during the winter, which is why development around large populations is a concern. These frogs were observed, as recently as a week ago, within inches of the dump. The Village of Florida already has a 90 acre park on the lake, approximately ½ mile down the road, which may be utilized by everyone. There are picnic benches, a pavilion, parking and sanitary facilities, a boat launch and shoreline for fishing. There is no need for a second park! In addition to the endangered Northern Cricket Frog and endangered bog turtle, plus several threatened species, Glenmere Lake also hosts sizeable populations of large snapping turtles, carnivorous pitcher plants and sundews. Regularly observed are eagles, osprey, otter, muskrat, beaver and over 200 species of birds, both resident and migratory. A full investigation of this matter is crucial. The communities which surround this pristine natural resource should work together to preserve the integrity of Glenmere lake's drinking water, wildlife population, flora and fauna and its natural beauty -for now and far into the future. Sherry Rosso |