PRESENT: Chair: M. Kaplowitz. Members: U. LaMotte; V. Pinto; J. Maisano.

STAFF: Steve Bass; Charlotte Ryer, Sec’y.

ALSO PRESENT: Gudrun LeLash (FCWC); Katharine McLoughlin, S. Sklar (NYLCV); Marion Rose (CWCWC); Bill Randolph (CEO).

The meeting was called to order at 3:35 p.m.. The minutes of May 25^th and June 1^st were corrected and approved on the motion of Legislator Pinto, seconded by Legislator LaMotte, with a vote of 4-0.

The members reviewed the amended draft Act to create a Westchester County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board. Chair explained that some language was added to the standard NYS Farmland Board policy to include the vacancy clause for the County. Chair entertained a motion to accept the amendments and opened for discussion. After a brief discussion, the amended draft was approved on the motion of Legislator Pinto, seconded by Legislator LaMotte, and carried 3-0, (Legislator Maisano was out for the vote.) The Act will be placed on the Board Agenda for the meeting to be held July 26^th.

Next for review was the NegDec for the GE Hangar. The following agenda items were received and filed on the motion of Legislator Maisano, seconded by Legislator LaMotte, with a vote of 4-0: P-4, R-4, V-4, Y-4, Z-4, C-5, D-5, H-5 and Special Item #9. Chair noted that items P-4, R-4 and SI- #9 were related to the GE Hangar. GE has withdrawn their appeal of the lawsuit, and declined their building a new hangar. Chair thanked the Environment Committee for their dedication to this issue over the past year. Legislator LaMotte added

that a lot was learned about the airport which will be valuable, and enable the Committee to move forward on Airport issues, in the years ahead. She also stated that positive things can come from negative results such as; DOT cleaning the Airport site, and the reconfiguration of Route-120 exits and entrances to the Airport. Legislator Pinto mentioned that as part of the master plan, GE has agreed to abide by the voluntary restraint from flying for a term of five (5) years commencing April 1, 2000. Should GE violate the restraint, GE will pay the County $600 for each departure.

Chair Kaplowitz explained a report presented at an earlier committee meeting by Eric Goldstein of NRDC, for protecting the Kensico, and a portion related to the protection of wetlands, and outlining the permitting process, on a regional basis, that would be done by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for lands, and residential and commercial properties one third of an acre or greater. The law currently states that parcels of 12.4 acres or greater currently needed U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ permission. Parcels less than 12.4 acres, did not need permission. Chair Kaplowitz added that he attended a press conference this morning in NYC where people spoke on this issue and it will be the topic for discussion at next week’s meeting. Steve will prepare the material and arrange for speakers to attend and discuss this issue in detail. Marion Rose stated that Nationwide Permits are issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with about 40 being referred to wetlands throughout the nation for various wetland activities. Nationwide Permit #26 was the most destructive, and the environmental community successfully persuaded the Army Corps to abolish this permit.

With no further business to discuss, on the motion of Legislator Maisano, seconded by Legislator Pinto, the meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m.