Next Steps for Our Community Involvement

• Attend the Public Hearing

Join us on March 27 at 4PM Exhibit and 5PM Presentation at Brookhaven Town Hall. Your presence is vital for expressing our community’s commitment to protecting our health and environment. Let’s fill the room with residents who care about our waters and the well-being of future generations.

• Gather Community Support

Organize with neighbors and fellow community members to rally support. Consider hosting a pre-meeting gathering to discuss key points and concerns that you’d like to raise at the hearing. Strength in numbers will amplify our message.

• Prepare Your Voice

Think about what you’d like to say. Whether sharing personal stories about how the contamination has affected you or voicing concerns about its ecological impact, every voice matters.

Thanks to our neighbors in BLARG for your unwavering advocacy, action, and providing many of these resources.

Resources:

https://tbrnewsmedia.com/brookhaven-environmental-group-calls-for-action-on-landfill-plume/

https://brooklyn.news12.com/brookhaven-residents-call-for-landfill-closure-after-contamination-concerns

https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/waste-management/solid-waste-program/brookhaven-landfill

BLARG PLUME FACT SHEET

Citizens Campaign for the Environment  ToB Landfill’s Plume Information

Aquilogic Technical Memorandum ‐ Review of Draft Emerging Contaminant Plume

Investigation Report Brookhaven Landfill

• Share Information

Utilize social media, community boards, and word of mouth to share details about the hearing. Encourage friends and family to join you. The more people we engage, the stronger our collective voice.

• Advocate for Long-Term Action

After the hearing, continue advocating for ongoing measures to address the contamination issue. Look to Brookhaven Landfill Action and Remediation Group (BLARG) and Citizens Campaign for the Environement for information and activism. Embrace this as the beginning of a larger movement towards safeguarding our environment and future together.

By participating in this public hearing, you’re not just a spectator; you are a vital part of the solution with your presence alone showing our elected officials and the DEC we care about our home. Together, we can make significant strides toward ensuring a healthier, sustainable future for our food, our waters and the longevity of our entire community.

Be there, be heard, and stand united for our river, bay and our future.

Join the Yuck ‘n Muck Party. Together, we’ll remove, clean and store the ice eaters from the marina, preparing Squassux for essential dock repairs and an amazing boating season ahead. Your time and enthusiasm at the marina fuel our shared joy and make this local gem shine brighter.

Thank you to all our attendees, Board Directors, and employees for your valuable contributions to the Annual Boater’s Meeting held on Wednesday, February 19, 2026.

We truly value and appreciate the community’s continued comments, care  and dedication to the Hamlet’s gem, Squassux Landing Marina.

Please find the meeting highlights below following  last year’s meeting minutes  and our current financial reports.

• 2025 Boaters Meeting Minutes
• Squassux Income / Expenses
• 2026 Treasurer Report 

Winter Damage & Repairs

• This winter was extremely challenging. Squassux requires significant repairs: docks, mooring poles, and pilings were lifted due to ice damage. An estimated $40,000–$50,000 will be needed to reset poles, pilings, and docks. Approximately 45–50% of the marina was affected.

• We may experience a delay in opening next season pending dock repairs. April 15 remains the projected soft opening.

• As part of these repairs, we plan to raise several affected canal docks and extend them from the embankment. This will help protect embankment plant roots and stabilize the shoreline.

Marina Etiquette: Please be respectful

• Parking: Do not drive or park on the embankment. This damages plant life and contributes to erosion.

• Vehicle & Boat Speed: Speeding is dangerous. Cameras are in use, and warning letters will be issued. Boat slips may be revoked for repeated violations.

• Boat Wake: Excessive wake contributes to shoreline erosion and endangers others.

• Pet Waste: Please clean up after your dogs.

• Trailer Parking: The gravel area has been extended. Trailers must remain attached to vehicles at all times.

• Water Use: Hoses should have a nozzle attached to turn off water. Turn faucets off completely. Water meters are checked daily, and running hoses are noted.

• Invoices & Registration: Submit completed registration forms and pay invoices in full. We do not keep copies of your registration. We need it sent in every year for to confirm boat length for best slip placement.

• Docking Skills: Boaters must know how to properly secure their boats, especially along spring docks. Damage caused by improper tying will be billed accordingly.

Shoreline & Environmental Update

• • We have parted ways with Cole Environmental after five years of collaboration on the ramp and planning the erosion mitigation project, a.k.a.  Shoreline Preservation Project,  along Carmans River and Arthur’s Creek. We are currently researching new firms plan, expedite and execute the project. We will begin a  RFP process and will have a firm retained in approx 6-8 months.

  • The proposal for a low-sill bulkhead on Carmans River and Arthur’s Creek was rejected by the DEC. Regardless of the method approved, costs will remain significant and may increase as timelines shift. The surcharge will remain in place as a separate fund dedicated solely to shoreline preservation project and not to be used for other infrastructure needs.

  • To address significant erosion in the canals, dock lifting and extending are a strategy to mitigate and stabilize.

Survey Results

Sixty surveys were completed. Key findings include:

• Jet Skis: 35% opposed allowing jet skis, while 25% supported them. The marina will remain jet ski–free at this time.

• Pin Pad Height: Several comments were received on raising t; we are researching potential raising of the pin pad costs if reasonable.

• Lighting: Feedback on improved marina lighting has been positive.

Join us  for our annual meeting concerning the operations at Squassux Marina.

We thank St. James for lending your BVA the Parish Hall during their Ash Wednesday services.

If the lot is full, please park on Bay Road.

Further information can be found on DEC’s updated Brookhaven Landfill webpage.

NYS DEC has approved the Town’s request to extend the Corrective Measures Assessment, now due April 15, 2026, with the Corrective Measures Report due May 1, 2026; more information is available on DEC’s Brookhaven Landfill webpage. The public hearing has been postponed twice, with a new date expected this spring. BVA will notify the community via email (please subscribe for community emails here on our website) and Instagram (@BVA11719). Residents are strongly urged to attend the hearing – our voices matter in protecting our waters, health, and the future of our Hamlet.

To address concerns about the landfill plume and the letters the Town sent to residents in August, the Quality of Life Committee hosted Adrienne Esposito of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment and Hamlet resident Lynne Maher of BLARG in October. The speakers discussed the plume’s history, its impacts on residents and waterways, and DEC-mandated corrective actions. CCE’s presentation with recommended corrective measures and BLARG’s talking points are available below for review.

• BLARG Plume Fact Sheet
• CCE Landfill Plume Presentation
  
  
• For the latest on the landfill and plume  Newsday

Landfill Plume Town Hearing Date Change 

The Town of Brookhaven and the NYS DEC will hold a public hearing to present a plan and gather community input on JANUARY 15, 2026 4 PM Exhibit / 5PM Hearing at Brookhaven Town Hall.

Residents are urged to stand together and attend the upcoming  hearing—our voices matter now more than ever. The plume and its forever contaminates are impacting Beaver Dam Creek, Carmans River, our bay and our marine life. This is not just an environmental issue—it’s about our health, our children’s future, and the livelihoods of those who depend on these waters.

When we speak as one community, we are powerful. Let’s show the DEC that we care deeply about protecting our home, our waters, and our way of life.

Be there. Be heard. Be the voice for our river, our bay, and our future.

You know what they say…
Many hands get those ice eaters in fast… and the fewer hands we lose to frostbite, the better! Join the annual party…volunteer help needed Sunday 12/7 at 10am. Big points for volunteers with pickups. Thank you!