A proud acquisition

To the editor:

On Sunday afternoon, my sister and I visited the deck in Narrowsburg and discovered the recently installed, brand-new viewing scope, a proud acquisition of the town and the Narrowsburg Beautification Group. My sister, a bird watcher, soon found one of the eagles, sitting in her tree, surveying the waters below. Later, the eagle was joined by her mate. Their young, still in their nest, were hidden from view but could be heard. We were joined by some visiting families and we became instant nature guides and historians. What a thrill it was!

Burning ban amounts to a tax

To the editor:

As the Town of Tusten Conservative leader and a local taxpayer, it has been brought to my attention by fellow taxpaying residents that they are upset with the idea of taking on another financial burden when the DEC bans the use of burning barrels at their homes. This is just another form of taxation on an area that is already heavily taxed.

The transfer station has regulations posted that they do not accept grass clippings, tree limbs or bagged leaves. So how does the DEC expect us to get rid of these items if there is a ban on burning?

People have been using burning barrels for a very long time, since it is both practical and more economical than going to a transfer station. The price per bag has doubled in the last two years to $2.50 each. Then, add the current price of gasoline at over $4 a gallon. It is just not fair or practical to the residents of Sullivan County. Most of us live in rural areas where travel is over five miles one way to the local transfer station, which would drive the cost well over $20 dollars per trip.

Here in Sullivan County, the residents are compliant with the recycling policies and then some. When you visit one of our local transfer stations, you see the recycling containers are filled to the brim by the end of each month. This goes to prove that the residents who live here are not burning recyclables and hurting the environment as claimed. Maybe our local town and county elected officials should listen to the local taxpaying residents who live here instead of outsiders. Here is another instance where outside interferences are costing and hurting the local taxpayer when they claim that they are here trying to save the environment from us.