Photo by T.J. Clemente
DAN'S PAPERS, May 16, 2008 Page 27 www.danshamptons.com
Out of Resources EH Terminates Larry Penny as Natural Resource Director By T.J. Clemente Larry Penny, the East Hampton Town Natural Resources Department Director since 1985, was many years ahead of his time when it came to recognizing the importance of protecting the environment in this country in general, and the Town of East Hampton in particular. But recently, the East Hampton Town Board opted to terminate the position of Natural Resources Department Director in a reorganization effort to save money. Yet Penny was, himself, a valuable resource, having accomplished much over the years with the goal of preserving East Hampton’s environment. In
an interview in his office, a space filled with folders in boxes and things you would see in the backroom of a high school science department, Penny sat behind his desk and, with great humility, spoke of his long journey from activist to director. When concern about the protection of the wetlands and the environments in East Hampton began back in 1984, Penny brought up the contributions of Malcolm Hare and Richard Cummings. The idea, he said, was to “stop the bulldozers from filling in the wetlands.” It was Penny who ended up with the authority to issue stop work orders. There are major park areas including Shadmoor, Hither
Woods, the Grace Estate, Camp Hero and Barcelona that might be housing developments today if Penny hadn’t stepped in. As a result of his efforts, he estimates that more than 1,000 homes were not built, and 750 acres of wilderness were preserved. In 1987 Penny stopped a condominium development, preserving Camp Hero and creating a State Park. He also was co-author of the long range East Hampton Town comprehensive plan in 1984 that, to this day, is the cornerstone to the way East Hampton has skirted overdevelopment. On another front, Penny’s zeal in protecting the piping plover has turned East Hampton (continued on page 40)
IT IS EASY BEING GREEN, SAYS SH COLLEGE By Debbie Tuma As part of its effort to “go green,” Stonybrook Southampton College held the first in a monthly series of “GreenSpeaks” panel discussions on various topics in this eco-friendly field. In conjunction with Hamptons GreenDrinks, which has been an ongoing gathering of green-minded business people on the East End, this GreenSpeaks project is a further effort to educate the public about better and healthier alternatives. The first GreenSpeaks panel discussion, “How We Can Make Our Homes and Lawns Less Toxic,” was held April 28. Chuck
Schwartz, owner of Long Island Green, a company that aims to reduce energy needs in the home, moderated the panel discussion. Anamaria Cobo de Paci, Dean of Students at Stonybrook Southampton College, who also attended the event, said, “The mission of GreenSpeaks aligns with our mission of creating a sustainable footprint. There are so many talented people in our community who can come here and share important ideas, so I think it’s a great partnership, and hopefully we will be making a difference on the planet and in people’s lives.” This first panel included three experts on
toxic-free homes and two experts on toxic-free lawns. Maggie Wood, founder of Maggie Wood Design, who is a green furnishings expert and owns Golden Earthworm Organic Farm in Jamesport, spoke about the importance of keeping homes healthy. “Oftentimes, green architects build green homes, but when it comes time to furnish them, they bring in toxic chemicals in the carpets or the refinishing on the floors and furniture, and the kids get sick from asthma or headaches,” she said. “We forget that many chronic illnesses and even cancer come from (continued on page 41)