We all in Mamakating thank the DEC District 3 office for allowing the citizens of Mamakating a voice in how the DEC exercises its technical expertise in the permit process evaluation of Yukiguni's most recent site plan revision of subject plant with their public hearing held July 15th. The DEC's expertise and oversight are vital in order to give the complex technical aspects of Yukiguni's various proposed water treatment plans the "close look" that such a project, with its serious environmental impacts to our watershed, demands.

However, the DEC Director may have gotten the feeling that his hearing was more of a referendum on the need for jobs in Sullivan County as all the speakers there to support Yukiguni's project, but one, focused primarily on jobs and not on the water treatment permits that were the subject of DEC's meeting. We citizens of Mamakating have found with these business supporters of Yukiguni and the union reps, all but one of whom live outside of Mamakating, that when they cannot defend the design flaws of the project they change the subject or try to drown out the voices and viewpoints of others. We know that the DEC will not be bullied or distracted by these tactics in making their permit decisions.

In addition, the technical experts representing the Basha Kill Area Association at the hearing seriously question the adequacy of Yukiguni's planned infiltration system and also question Yukiguni's water discharge design that needs a portion of their neighbor's property (in this case Sullivan county's D&H linear park) to contain their overflows. How is such an obvious incursion into another party's property possible? If such an incursion were allowed in the DEC permit (over the obvious objections of the county, as stated by Kathy LaBuda, as the county legislator representing our district, at the public hearing) that would create a terrible precedent that would cause chaos in site plans throughout the state. Future developers could claim the DEC's "Yukiguni Design" precedent as a basis to use the properties of their neighbors to accommodate poorly designed projects on their own property. This can't be possible!

As seemed obvious looking at the Yukiguni's site plan map at the hearing, a big part of the problem of Yukiguni's infiltration basin(s) appears to be that Yukiguni has not purchased sufficient non-wetlands acreage to accommodate a project of this size with the huge water discharge needs they propose. The 'redesigned" Yukiguni plant buildings subject of their latest site plan are still over 80% of the bulk size of their original plant design (close to one million cubic feet) and when you add the parking lots and other storage facilities they consume too much of their usable land needed to handle the discharge of the volume of water processed. Since the usable land size cannot be expanded it seems that the plant's footprint design needs to be adjusted and downsized to expand the actual usable acreage available for water discharge needs. It is vital that Yukiguni build this plant and discharge design correctly from the start, not try to "fix it" if it fails.

William Lucas, Phillipsport

As a member of the RCLC I would like to say that maybe you misunderstood our presentation. Our interest is in no way to denigrate nor devalue the Ellenville Public Library and Museum but to serve the entire Rochester community by re-adding library service, making a library available to ALL of the citizens of Rochester who choose to use libraries. We are not digging into your pocket, but rather asking that the tax dollars WE TOO spend be allocated for the good of the whole and not just the some. 856 Rochester cardholders have disappeared from the library rolls since Rochester no longer contracts with Stone Ridge Library and they have not reappeared in Ellenville. This is not an insignificant number, nor do I think it should be considered fringe.

Three of us gathered over 350 signatures in 3 weeks without much effort. Only 1 hour in front of Emmanuel's Market gathered 14 Rochester Residents' support for this cause. The petition is growing. We have not stopped our efforts to level the playing field for ALL of our residents.

At the town meeting I heard much concern about the lack of Internet access in our community. Shouldn't the lack of a library, which offers Internet access be of the same concern?

As you may also have misunderstood our town is the ONLY town in Ulster county served by two library systems. I agree, Ellenville is a GREAT library especially for those who travel south or whose sphere of influence is served in that county.

Many people were disenfranchised from library service completely when Rochester was no longer affiliated with the Stone Ridge Public Library. Mostly because the Ellenville library is just not on their weekly gas map (groceries, work, school). Personally, I use the MHL to reserve books and research so that on my way home from the day I can pick up my reserves without leaving my everyday 209 corridor. Were I to do the same in Ellenville it would cost me at least $100 a year more in gas.

The UCAT bus is a great system, but not quite the same as the school bus a middle or high school student is able to get on at the Rondout Valley Campus (which serves Rochester students) for a trip to the Stone Ridge Library. For that same student to have borrowing privileges would be better, don't you think?

I would like to add that for those who feel access to the SUNY-Ulster Library is a sufficient alternative, perhaps they do not have children or read novels or watch movies and listen to books on tape. SUNY Ulster has a very fine library (I was the artist in residence there last fall) for specific things; mostly course related research materials, few novels and no children's books, nor movies.

I am concerned that some how this is being turned into a them and us scenario. The RCLC is advocating for ALL of the citizens of Rochester and also for BOTH libraries which deserve our support and patronage.

Nicole Quinn
Rochester Citizens for Library Choice