Westchester County Communications Director Catherine Cioffi Statement on Marshlands Conservancy Nature Center Project

“Westchester County is committed to the long-standing relationship we have with the Jay Heritage Center and the Jay Cemetery Association, and we deeply respect the historic significance of the site and its connection to one of America’s Founding Fathers. The Jay Heritage Center, the Jay Cemetery and Marshlands Conservancy have been neighbors and partners in stewardship for generations, and that shared commitment to protecting this ecologically and historically important landscape remains central to our work.

“The County is currently in the early planning stages of this project. At the appropriate time, all relevant stakeholders will be consulted, as required by law.

“Following that process, the County will present a plan to the City Council under our ‘Good Neighbor Policy,’ which goes above and beyond all mandated environmental and historic review requirements.

“The inclusion of the Marshlands project in the County’s five-year capital plan simply identifies it as a project the County may choose to undertake. This is a standard and long-established component of Westchester County’s capital planning process.

“There is no construction underway, nor is any construction imminent. Any suggestion to the contrary is false.

“Marshlands is one of 51 facilities and part of more than 18,000 acres of parkland under County stewardship. Westchester has demonstrated its commitment to responsible restoration and preservation, most notably through the nearly $150 million investment at the neighboring Playland Park, where work was completed in full compliance with historic guidelines.”