Conservation Coalition policy based on latest data

To the editor:

I was a bit disturbed by your article “Critics blast DRBC’s new watershed plan,” concerning the hearing on March 27. The information provided by Craig Findley lacks accuracy. The article appears to be inflammatory and prejudicial, thereby rendering a skewed perception of the scientific data.

The Conservation Coalition’s policy (CP2) is based on two years of modeling using the most current flow and habitat models available. We request that you contact any of the coalition members, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) or the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to provide you with accurate information. We also invite your readers to visit the Conservation Coalition’s website at drarp.org. This will allow them to ascertain and evaluate the issues/information for themselves.

CP2 provides more cold-water releases than any previous policy, and will benefit all users of the Delaware River. CP2 also allows the basin to enter hurricane season with larger voids in New York City reservoirs.

Thank you for your attention to this letter.

Why give away our water?

To the editor:

The United Nations has declared March 22 World Water Day, to highlight the largest public health issue of our day—the global scarcity of clean water. Experts estimate that in the next 20 years between 35 percent and 60 percent of the world will experience a shortage of potable water.

Yet the Town of Mamakating’s planning and zoning boards gave permission for Yukiguni Maitake Manufacturing Corp. of America to use an enormous amount of free water. They did so based on a mid-1970s study of the aquifer from which the company will draw water to operate its mushroom factory. U.S. Congressman Maurice Hinchey strongly recommended that a new study be mandated before approval was given for this project. His recommendation was ignored.

Instead, the zoning board okayed a daily draw of up to 600,000 gallons of water when Yukiguni only asked for 425,000. Why? We’re still waiting for an answer. And, recently advertised water rates indicate that if Yukiguni had to pay for 600,000 gallons of water per day, the cost would be over $1 million annually. So, town officials not only gave away our water, they did so without even mitigating compensation for it.

Have town officials put the needs of one company above the future health, safety and welfare of community residents? No one really knows.

Hate the sin; love the sinner

To the editor:

I was born in Miami, FL to teenage parents, put up for adoption and raised in Queens, NY. When I was a youth, my family vacationed in the Poconos in Pennsylvania.

I tell you this because I am sharing my personal convictions. Today, people want rights more than anything. People want the right to gamble, the right to have an abortion, the right to be gay, the right to live together outside of marriage, the right to bear arms and hunt, the right to freedom of speech and religion, the right to not be offended by others’ right to freedom of speech and religion, and so on. Not all rights are good for the individual or community, but we must all learn to live together in harmony.

I believe our youth are headed for disaster if the church—by which I mean Christians—does not intervene.

I am holding an evangelical youth event at 6:00 p.m. on April 14 in the Callicoon Depot on Main Street in Callicoon, NY, because I care for all people, especially teenagers. It is not because I hate anyone or that I am a bigot. I am simply following the Great Commission that was given by Jesus, and it is the answer to the world’s problems. He died and rose again at Easter because we all mess up (we are sinners). Even people who are Christian, they hurt people and are hurt by people, which is why we must “love one another.” That is why Jesus said in the Our Father (the Lord’s Prayer), “forgive us our trespasses (sins) as we forgive those who trespass (sin) against us.”

Our youth need to be empowered to succeed in life and to love and respect all people, but also to truthfully know, deep down inside, right from wrong, and to hate the sin but love and respect the sinning person.

May God be with you this Passover and Easter.