A view of the banks of the Carmans River in...

A view of the banks of the Carmans River in Southaven County Park in Brookhaven. (May 30, 2012) Credit: Daniel Brennan

The Brookhaven Town Board will add $2 million to a land preservation fund for Carmans River watershed protection, according to officials.

The board is expected to approve a resolution by Supervisor Edward P. Romaine to transfer the money into the Joseph Macchia Fund at Tuesday’s board meeting.

The Macchia Fund is a dedicated fund for land preservation named after the former Brookhaven councilman who was a proponent of open space preservation.

Last week, Romaine announced he was starting to create a new plan to protect the ecologically delicate Carmans River through land acquisition and rezoning. The Macchia Fund will provide some of the money for the acquisition.

The $2 million to be transferred is from existing accounts earmarked for land preservation in the past few years — town officials noted that no new tax dollars or bond issues will be used for this funding.

“Identifying these funds that can only be used for land preservation is a double win for our residents,” Romaine said in a news release. “We will be preserving and protecting the open space and rural character of our community for generations to come, and doing it in a way that won’t ask them for more money to make these purchases, saving taxpayer dollars.”

Pfc. Raheen Tyson Heighter, of Bay Shore, was killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom. His mother has made it her mission to aid active-duty service members, veterans, first responders and Gold Star families. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports. Credit: Randee Daddona; Photo credit: Cathy Heighter

'His sacrifice made a difference': Gold Star mother honors son's memory Army Pfc. Raheen Tyson Heighter, 22, of Bay Shore, was the first serviceman from Long Island killed in the Iraq War.

Pfc. Raheen Tyson Heighter, of Bay Shore, was killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom. His mother has made it her mission to aid active-duty service members, veterans, first responders and Gold Star families. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports. Credit: Randee Daddona; Photo credit: Cathy Heighter

'His sacrifice made a difference': Gold Star mother honors son's memory Army Pfc. Raheen Tyson Heighter, 22, of Bay Shore, was the first serviceman from Long Island killed in the Iraq War.

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