As a downstate stakeholder of the New York City water supply shed, it would be imperative for the City to acquire certain properties upstate for the safety and sanitation of the water shed. The necessity to prevent the contamination or degradation of the water supply is vital to reliably provide clean and usable water to the metropolitan area. Furthermore, the campaign to utilize the Filtration Avoidance Determination condition would save all parties both time and resources to construct a filtration plant for the reservoirs, as per the Safe Water Treatment Rule.
The land acquisition program is fairly generous. It is done on a voluntary basis; only those who wish to offer their land for purchase (or a like agreement) are solicited. Numerous compensation techniques, included reduced taxation, are just, as assessed by market value and appraisal; even further financial mechanisms have been established to address certain issues. The power of eminent domain is withheld from being used for watershed land acquisition.
Should we forgo the option to take full advantage of the FAD, we would then be forced to establish a filtration plant. Such a facility would have costs in the billions, with millions more required for operating and maintenance expenses; both upstate and downstate stakeholders will surely suffer economically in order to foot the bill. Utilizing the FAD, lessor costs are required to maintain programs and land; in fact, most of the expenses are paid by the government, not the stakeholders.
Thus, I implore others to allow for the land acquisitions to continue. It would protect the water supplies of the acknowledged areas, the destruction or desecration of which would be severely detrimental to economy and health for both upstate and downstate stakeholders.
Pires, Mark. “Watershed protection for a world city: the case of New York.” Land Use Policy 21.2 (2004): 161-175.
