Hauppauge - Suffolk Executive Steve Levy announced that his administration has transferred land held by the county to the village of North Haven for environmental purposes.

The two adjacent parcels totaling four acres sit at the end of Hogneck Lane and will be used for drainage and stormwater remediation. The county had previously held the ownership rights to these parcels, but will transfer the land over to the village for $1 through its 72-h program.

Recharge basins, such as this one situated on the two parcels in North Haven, serve many purposes, including managing stormwater runoff, preventing flooding and downstream erosion, and improving water quality in an adjacent river, stream, lake or bay. It is essentially a shallow artificial pond that is designed to filtrate stormwater though permeable soils into the groundwater aquifer.

"The village of North Haven sits on a peninsula that juts out into the Peconic Bay, so naturally it is at risk for flooding issues," Levy said. "It is imperative that all communities with potential flooding problems have proper drainage facilities, such as recharge basins, to safely distribute excess water without harming the groundwater aquifer or allowing particulates from the road to enter our waterways."

The 72-h program allows the county to transfer properties it acquires throughout Suffolk to other municipalities - such as towns and villages - to be used for whatever purposes the municipality needs. Levy has used the 72-h program extensively throughout his administration to provide affordable housing to the young and working families in Suffolk County. Roughly 500 parcels have been transferred to other municipalities through this program for the development of affordable housing.

While the majority of parcels that are transferred through the 72-h program are used for affordable housing purposes, the county also transfers land when it would be beneficial for other purposes, as is the case in this situation.

Under the Suffolk County Tax Act, when taxes are not paid by property owners it is the county that pays all other municipalities the monies owed and ultimately takes title to the property. The 72-h provision of New York State General Municipal Law allows the county to transfer property to another municipality for certain purposes.