Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced a partnership with the new owners of a Melville horse farm that was shut down three years ago for toxic dumping.
The county entered a 10-year agreement with DDR Farms to reopen the stables and improve its facilities.
Bellone says 11,000 tons of contaminated debris were found in 2016.
“There are some people who might think that, you know, illegal dumping doesn’t rank up there as a significant crime. That is not the case. This is a disgraceful act on behalf of people who are literally destroying the areas that all of us, you know, live here for, that we love, our parks.”
The farm’s old operator, Sweet Hills Riding Center, and two other companies responsible for the dumping agreed to pay for and clean the site. They finished two months ago.
The farm will board up to 45 horses when it reopens next month.
