Democracy – it’s not just a Fourth of July thing

This is What Democracy Looks Like
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This is What Democracy Looks Like

Riverkeeper is a proud partner of the folks pictured here – the Rockland Water Coalition. They’re fighting a proposed desalination plant that would unnecessarily take salty Hudson River water, process it with loads of energy, and sell it back to Rocklanders at a huge mark up.

The Rockland Water Coalition knows there are better ways to supply water. So does Harriet Cornell, chair of the Rockland County Legislature, who just wrote an excellent essay calling for an “issues conference” at which plant opponents can meaningfully fight the proposal.

The Rockland County Executive and Legislature, half a dozen state legislators, four of five Rockland town boards and 12 village councils have all joined the Rockland Water Coalition and thousands of citizens in demanding an issues conference.

But, the state has remained silent, for over one year. It’s time they either schedule the issues conference or deny the permit.

The Fourth of July may be over but the fight for democracy goes on in Rockland County.