Martin Wilbur, the respected editor of The Examiner News and a fixture in Hudson Valley journalism, covered the proposed development – and the effort to protect the land and waters from environmental destruction – in The Examiner's first full article on the issue, dated August 24, 2021. Writes Wilbur,
"If the development is built, hundreds of trees would be cleared, not only destroying the view from around Pocantico Lake but habitats as well, [Mount Pleasant citizen and environmental defender Todd Shapera] said. It could also jeopardize the quality of the water in the lake, which is a tributary to the Hudson River and is a backup drinking water source after having served as New Rochelle’s main source of drinking water until the late 1970s."
- and -
"[T]he town’s Conservation Advisory Council Chairman Steven Kavee said . . . a key issue that will need to be addressed is the Critical Environmental Area. While the developers provided some separation between the houses and the lake, there is still the chance of fertilizers and chemicals washing off the lawns, he said, Therefore, the project merits a positive declaration."
The article quotes Kavee, “It does go to the possibility of significant adverse conditions, which would call for a deeper SEQRA Environmental Impact Statement."
*******
We agree! Pocantico Lake and its surrounded unspoilt lands are an irreplaceable treasure in a dense county that has already suffered heavy environmental burdens for more than a century and is adjacent to New York City. Rather than allow the development of this land, local government officials should protect it for the sake of future generations.