Hearing on Esopus Discharges Tuesday Evening

City and state officials continue to treat us like we're a bunch of rubes, at least when it comes to the enormous damage the city did to the Esopus Creek last year. So, if you want to make your voice heard on this important issue, which is likely to intensify in the coming years as water resources dwindle, then now's your chance:

A war over water heats up in Ulster County. County Executive Mike Hein is encouraging residents to attend a public hearing Tuesday night about water released into the Lower Esopus.

The state allowed the New York City Department of Environmental Protection to release muddy water from the Ashokan Reservoir into the Lower Esopus, even before a completed environmental impact statement. They also issued a "draft consent order" that would require New York City to set permanent terms for releasing water.

Mike Hein says the consent order is flawed and puts both the residents and the environment at risk.

"What they have done is disgraceful and woefully inadequate. The dollars associated with this don't even come close to what a private company would be forced to pay if they damaged in the same way. $37,000 a day, they dumped 600 million gallons a day for 10 months straight," said County Executive Hein.

The public hearing takes places Tuesday night at SUNY New Paltz.

Without us, New York City cannot survive, yet we would do just fine without them. But somehow it seems the city is the one falling all the shots. Funny how that works out, huh? Maybe it's time for some pitchforks and torches.

Anyway, the hearing is set for Tuesday, June 19, at 6 p.m., in Lecture Center Room 100. The knuckleheads at YNN managed to leave out the room location and time.