Water Plan Is Taken Off the Table

Unanswered questions about development rights scare property ownerscause he owns property in the affected area, was absent.

The dissenting vote came from Councilwoman Carolyn Zenk, who accused the supervisor of politicizing the plan during election season. "Either do it or don't

she told Mr. Heaney, implying that he was backing off because the plan was unpopular. "Say ' I'm scared,' say, ' now I'm afraid there's a lot of people against it.' Be honest," she said.

"If you wait until December I'll be gone," she added. Light applause could be heard from the hallway. Ms. Zenk, the board's most vocal environmentalist, will not seek re-election in November.

She lamented that a protection plan so long in the making was still not ready for adoption. "In 1999, the Republican majority destroyed the plan . . . which would have given us millions. Now, the Republicans state the money'

s not available."

In 2000, the State Legislature had presented a plan to East Hampton and So

uthampton Towns that included revenue sources. At the time, both towns declined the offer, voting instead to draft their own plans. State officials have since warned that if the towns do not adopt plans soon, the state legislation would return.

There was some support from members of the environmental community, including Kevin McDonald of the Group for the South Fork and Stuart Lowrie of the Nature Conservancy.

"Unless you protect a significant portion of this watershed," Mr. McDonald warned, "the South Fork will see a 64-percent increase of nitrogen loading in groundwater and the Peconic Estuary. I promise you, if you don't adopt this plan the state and county won't want to talk to you about cost sharing."