Graf & Assembly Call for Federal Probe into Illegal Dumping

Assemblyman Al Graf (R,C,I-Holbrook) is announcing that local state Assemblymen submitted a letter asking the U.S. District Attorney to investigate whether there is a statewide practice of dumping illegal construction debris.

Graf invited every Assembly member representing the Towns of Islip and Babylon, where dumping has occurred, to sign onto the letters sent to the federal prosecutor and Gov. Cuomo. Many of his Long Island Assembly colleagues, Graf noted, lent their support for this initiative. The letter requests that the federal prosecutor investigates the possibility that unscrupulous contractors throughout the state are working together and illegally dumping regulated construction debris in an attempt to rake in huge profits.

“Recently it has come to our attention that there may be a practice throughout the carting industry where a contractor is hired to provide fill and they put out the word ‘I have a hole,’" Graf said. “This appears to be a signal to other contractors that they can illegally dump their construction debris and avoid paying the fees to dispose of it properly.”

Graf believes that, if this practice is indeed occurring, it could fall beyond the resources and jurisdictional boundaries of the Suffolk County District Attorney. He stated, “This appears to be ripe for a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO) investigation and that is why we are asking the Federal Government to step in and take over the investigation.

“We need to take all the political posturing out of this and restore the trust of the affected communities in Islip and Babylon.  These incidents deserve a proper investigation and those who have perpetrated these acts should receive the harshest penalties under the law.”

Another letter was sent to Gov. Cuomo requesting that he enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Senate and the Assembly to earmark $20 million dollars currently available in a reserve fund in the 1996 Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act, according to budget analysts, and designate that money to the Environmental Restoration Program Fund (ERP).

The ERP is dedicated to clean up construction debris from municipally owned property. This fund can assist the towns of Islip and Babylon to clean up the reported sites where illegal dumping has taken place.
           
The letter sent by the assemblymen to Gov. Cuomo can be found here or herehttp://goo.gl/S7TOxf.  The letter sent by the assemblymen to United States Attorney Loretta E. Lynch can be found here or here http://goo.gl/agu1yS. 

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