BOARD ENTHUSIASTICALLY ENDORSES MYERS-BACKED CLEAN UP PLAN FOR DAVIDS ISLAND, MOVING COUNTY CLOSER TO ACQUIRING THE 78-ACRE UNDEVELOPED ISLAND OFF THE COAST OF NEW ROCHELLE
For Immediate Release: May 23, 2005
Contact: Judy Myers, (914) 995-7948
---Additional measure also approved authorizes County to enter into an agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers regarding historical preservation decisions---
Led by Judy Myers (D-I-WF, Mamaroneck), the Board of Legislators tonight revitalized the County's plan to purchase Davids Island, the unique, undeveloped 78-acre island off the coast of New Rochelle, for parkland.
In a 16-0 vote, the Board voted to approve the County’s participation in a NYS program to clean up Davids Island, thus removing what until now has been the most formidable stumbling block to the County’s actual purchase of the land.
In a separate but related action, the Board also authorized (16-0 vote) the County to become a party to the historical assessment process the Army Corps of Engineers is currently undertaking. The Corps, utilizing $4.1 million in federal funds secured by Congresswoman Nita Lowey, is performing a clean up operation to remove deteriorated buildings and facilities, some dating back to 1862 when the federal government leased the island for use as a Civil War hospital. Under the terms of the agreement, the County will have a decision-making role on future appropriate uses of the island, in particular with regard to its historical preservation matters.
Commenting on her success in rallying her colleagues to support these initiatives, Myers said, “The Board’s actions today are really significant because they represent substantive movement forward. The County is back on track, after a series of setbacks, to purchasing this priceless ‘diamond of an island.’ Making Davids Island a county-owned park will have tremendous positive environmental, recreational, economic, historic and cultural impacts. One in ten of all Americans live within 50 miles of the Long Island Sound and the Sound’s boating, fishing and tourism pumps $5 billion into the regional economy. Davids Island is a critical resource for the entire region.”
Funds for the clean up will come from a NYS Environmental Restoration Program grant. The Board authorized the County to jointly apply with New Rochelle for the grant. State funds will cover 90% of the costs of the investigative work, with the County and the City of New Rochelle sharing the remaining 10% of this cost. This amounts to a commitment of $60,000 by the County toward the investigation stage, which the Board authorized tonight.
After announcing its intention to purchase Davids Island as parkland in 2001, the County learned it would cost an estimated $12 million to do the environmental clean up necessary before the County could take title. This revelation temporarily idled the project and put it on the back burner while the County searched for remediation funding sources.
Myers thanked her colleagues for tonight’s bipartisan effort in bringing the dream of acquiring Davids Island closer to reality. She particularly praised Legislator Vito Pinto (D-I-WF, New Rochelle, Eastchester) and Legislator James Maisano (R-I-C-WF, New Rochelle) for their strong and continued support for this initiative.
“What we saw tonight was a bipartisan, renewed resolve on the part of the Board to get beyond the difficult environmental obstacles and acquire Davids Island for the people of Westchester County to enjoy,” Myers said.
