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State lawmakers call for state to abandon rail facility at former Pilgrim State site Three Long Island Republican State Senators have called upon the state to abandon a plan to construct an intermodel truck and rail facility for Pilgrim State. Senators Senators John J. Flanagan (2nd District), Owen H. Johnson (4th District) and Caesar Trunzo (3rd District), cited major concerns about traffic as a result of three other approved local projects in the area that are already underway. Two Assembly lawmakers, Republican Andrew Raia and Phillip Ramos of Brentwood are being asked to join the effort against the project. In addition, the project has been criticized by S.C. Leg. Steve Stern who called the area a "textbook example of a perfect storm." In a joint letter, the lawmakers said that three projects-the Tanger Mall in Deer Park, the Pilgrim State Heartland Project and the Big Box retail Center north of the Long Island Expressway in Dix Hills-have "so overburdened this area with traffic and congestion that the State should not be complicit in further exacerbating ...the problem with yet another project." Instead, said the lawmakers, the state should be setting an example in this instance by refraining from further development in an area where local traffic problems have caused much consternation for community residents. "This is a residential community already under severe development and this is an inappropriate location for this facility," he said. Residents from each of the three areas have expressed similar concerns and have pressed county, town and state officials to take a broader look at development, particularly in their areas. And some have cited other concerns. Deer Park resident Jack Coughlin said he believes the plan is a veiled effort to use the facility to truck garbage off of Long Island. He cites figures that show that currently Long Island sends 1 percent of its products off the island by rail, compared to the national average of 15 percent. But DOT officials said that is precisely the reason the intermodal facility is being considered, to increase those figures by taking the trucks that currently use Long Island's roads to transport goods. "All of the feasibility studies to date have not indicated that this site would be used as a trash facility," said DOT spokeswoman Eileen Peters. Currently the DOT is in the process of gathering comments "and listening to everyone's concerns," said Peters, who added that the DOT has extended the comment period to September 24. "We want to ensure that the public has ample time to consider this proposal and comment on it," she said. "Following that, we will complete the review and make a decision. That may mean we will move forward or that the issues raised force us to look for alternatives." Despite a stakeholders working group that was designed to bring the community together on the project, opposition is growing. "The proposed intermodal facility at this location is less than two blocks away from residential Dix Hills and adjacent to the Edgewood Preserve," said James Ptucha, of the 4-Towns Civic Association and a resident of Dix Hills. "Diesel emissions from trains, cranes and trucks, 24/7, as this facility is proposed will blanket the entire area with a toxic plume of carcinogenic, heavy particulate matter. The people of Dix Hills and surrounding communities are no longer complacent. The sleeping giant has awoken and we will do whatever it takes to protect our health, safety and quality of life and property values." Like Coughlin, Ptucha believes there is much more to this project than officials have indicated. And, he says the projects in total represent not the Smart Growth philosophy, but rather "Stupid Growth. "Unfortunately the people in Babylon were sold a bill of goods by Babylon Town Supervisor Steve Bellone and the Town sold its soul to the Devil with this Tanger project," he said. "While there's not much we can do about that but we certainly can make sure that they don't make things worse." Tanger mall is expected to generate 2,800 vehicles during peak hours, he said. The Heartland project calls for the construction of 9,000 apartments, 3 - million square feet of office space and a millionsquare foot retail center. In addition, a project at the corner of Deer Park Avenue and Commack Road is under consideration, which would add to the traffic in the area, says Ptucha.
Bellone countered that it was the DOT that allowed this project to get away from it by taking more than a decade to move on it. And he added, while he has also not seen any reports to indicate that the site, if developed, could be used for a garbage transfer station, that he shares residents concerns about it. "It's not out of the realm of possibility," he said.
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