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Port Jefferson board directs comment to NYS DEC urging conservative approach to closed‑loop geothermal near aquifers
Summary
Trustee Yugrinsky prompted and the board approved an add‑on resolution directing a comment letter to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation asking for strict protections—including limits on drilling depth, grout/seal standards and long‑term monitoring—because of Long Island’s sensitive coastal aquifers.
The Port Jefferson Board voted on an add‑on resolution July 30 directing village staff to submit comments to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on proposed closed‑loop geothermal rulemaking and the scope of a generic environmental impact statement. Trustee Yugrinsky, who raised the item, emphasized that Port Jefferson’s coastal location and dependence on the Long Island aquifer system warrant conservative, aquifer‑protective rules.
Trustees discussed technical points included in the draft letter: restricting drilling depth where it could reach drinking‑water aquifers; requiring grout and sealing standards to prevent cross‑contamination; mandating long‑term monitoring of closed‑loop systems; requiring notification to local governments and public engagement before installations in sensitive areas; and preferring non‑toxic, biodegradable heat‑exchange fluids where feasible. Trustee Kyle and the mayor asked whether non‑toxic fluids are technically available; trustees acknowledged that feasibility varies by scale but said the village should press for safer defaults and local notification protocols.
The board approved the add‑on resolution and agreed the mayor and trustees would sign the comment letter before the DEC deadline. Trustees said the village will aim to protect coastal aquifers through early engagement and technical comments rather than a later reactive posture.
