Police vehicular assault lands 12 year sentence
4
Mid Hudson Times , Wednesday , June 7 , 2017
City Manager : More watershed protection is needed
Continued from page 1
city ’ s watershed protections prohibit combined sanitary and stormwater systems .
“ Our watershed regulations are seriously out of date ,” Ciaravino said , underscoring Newburgh ’ s anemic water protections in the city code . While the code addresses cemeteries , sewage , boating and fishing , it does not address the larger protection needs of the watershed .
The meeting was held a year after City of Newburgh drinking water was contaminated with PFOS , short for perfluorooctane sulfonate . The chemical had been used for years in firefighting foam at the Stewart Air National Guard Base , where it entered the city ’ s watershed through Recreation Pond and ended up in the Washington Lake reservoir .
The pond has yet to be treated for PFOS , found last year at a level of 5,900 parts per trillion – 84 times the EPA ’ s current health advisory level for PFOS .
The air base falls directly under the control of the U . S . Department of Defense , said Martin Brand , deputy commissioner for remediation and materials management for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation . “ We haven ’ t gotten very far with them , frankly .”
So far , the DoD has taken no action to address the PFOS contamination coming from the air base or the pond , which receives storm-water runoff from the base . Brand said the DoD scheduled an investigation to begin this summer .
In an interview with the Mid Hudson Times last month , Air Force Civil Engineer Center Public Affairs Chief Mark Kinkade said the DoD would not take action until the investigation is completed by the end of the year .
But , the City of Newburgh doesn ’ t have a year . With the impending closure of the Catskill Aqueduct for repairs , the city must switch back to using Washington
Newburgh City Manager Michael Ciaravino said development has taken place in the city ’ s drinking watershed “ with very little resistance .”
Lake water by October .
Brand said a new granular-activated carbon ( GAC ) filtration system at the city water plant would be up and running in time for the change .
If the DoD does not take action to address ongoing contamination coming from the air base , the state will , said Brand . “ If they do not , we will step up and take action on our own ,” he said , including at Recreation Pond . “ New York State is prepared to act ,” said Brand , urging residents to keep pressuring their government officials on the matter .
Town of Newburgh DIAL • A • BUS SERVICE
$
1.00 Per Ride One Way
• Children under 6 Free
• Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult
• Senior Citizens half-price ( 60 & over )
Fully Equipped for the Handicapped
For reservations of info , call 564-6084 Between 8 and 12 a . m . Monday thru Friday
Operating Hours Mon . - Fri . 8:15 a . m . - 4:00 p . m . SATURDAY SEASONAL MORNING RUN
Advance Notice Needed For Reservations Allow extra time for additional rider pick-ups
The good news , said Brand , is the state recently passed the Clean Water Infrastructure Act , which allocates $ 2.5 billion to fund clean-water infrastructure projects and source-water protection around the state .
The law requires all public water systems , including smaller systems to test for emerging contaminants , including PFOA , PFOS and 1,4-dioxane , which the EPA identifies as a “ probable human carcinogen .”
In the meantime , pressure continues to mount to development “ with very little regard for watershed maintenance ,” said Ciaravino , referencing the many big-box stores , gas stations and shopping malls located within a short distance of Washington Lake .
“ Some of those storm drains and parking lots drain directly or almost directly into the ( lake ) reservoir ,” said Riverkeeper ’ s Water Quality Program Manager Dan Shapley .
Intermunicipal agreements are needed with the towns of Newburgh and New Windsor for development within the watershed , he said . Streams also need proper classification and wetlands need to be correctly mapped , he said . “ We need to protect the natural systems that protect the water supply ,” Shapley said .
Ciaravino said he has hope that the New York State Office of the Attorney General will soon turn its attention to the water crisis . “ We can no longer afford to bear the cost as a community ” he said . “ We want some form of justice .”
In Brief
Police vehicular assault lands 12 year sentence
A Campbell Hall man was sentenced to twelve years in state prison by Orange County Court Judge Robert H . Freehill for injuring two police officers and others following a high speed chase in the towns of New Windsor and Newburgh .
Christopher Peloso , 29 , was convicted after a bench trial of attempted aggravated assault on a police or peace officer , four counts of assault , eight counts of reckless endangerment , four counts of criminal mischief , two counts of driving while under the influence of alcohol , unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle , reckless driving , leaving the scene of an incident without reporting , and resisting arrest .
“ This defendant ’ s conduct easily could have resulted in one or more deaths ,” said District Attorney David Hoovler . “ His intentional actions ended one police officer ’ s career and endangered the lives of many others .”
Peloso led police on a high-speed chaseon Dec . 21 , 2014 after officers tried to pull his modified pickup truck over for a traffic infraction . The chase ended on Route 747 after Peloso intentionally rammed three police cars . During the chase , he also hit another vehicle , injuring two people inside .