Sullivan County staff reported that a request for proposals for a countywide hydrogeological study has been issued and that proposals are due Nov. 21. The county plans a steering-committee kickoff Nov. 13 and aims to update understanding of groundwater resources by April 2026.

Heather (staff member) told the Legislature the RFP is intended to produce information usable by decision-making bodies across the county: “the information needs to be presented in a means that is understandable to our decision making boards, to planning boards, to this board, to town boards, to everyone,” she said. She said the contract will include a public-facing deliverable and training so local planning and zoning boards can use the study to consider protections such as overlay districts.

At least one speaker raised concern that detailed public maps could spur private land purchases or the creation of private water companies near identified aquifers. That speaker asked, “can we keep that to ourselves?” Heather responded the study will be a public document but argued benefits of knowing aquifer locations outweigh keeping the data private: “I would personally rather know than not know, so we know the so we have can properly manage that going forward.”

Speakers recalled prior comprehensive work by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in 1961 with a later update in the 1980s or 1990s. Staff urged that contemporary factors — including more intensive development and changes in precipitation patterns — make it appropriate to refresh county hydrogeological data and to partner where possible with agencies such as the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York City Department of Environmental Protection and the state health department to leverage existing wells and monitoring while controlling study cost.

No formal vote occurred on the RFP during the meeting. Staff identified the project as a planning tool, noting potential outcomes such as recommended zoning overlays and training for municipal boards but did not adopt any regulatory changes at the session.

The presentation also included related project updates: bike-and-ped focus groups, work on Eurasian milfoil removal at the county emergency services training center pond, and ongoing review of NYSEG rate-case documents and advocacy for additional infrastructure investment in Sullivan County.