HAUPPAUGE - Suffolk Executive Steven Levy has continued his effort to preserve vital open space in Suffolk by presenting the county legislature with a proposal to purchase 10 acres of pristine property in the Town of Southampton.

Levy’s latest plan would give a green light to the county purchasing two parcels totaling 10.3 acres. The land is located south of Sag Harbor, within the Long Pond Greenbelt area, and is part of the South Fork Special Groundwater Protection Area – a region that provides some of Long Island’s purest water via an underground aquifer.

“These special groundwater areas are a priority for our protection and preservation efforts,” Levy said. “Not only do they allow us to maintain open space in Suffolk County, but they are crucial to ensuring the quality of our highly acclaimed drinking water.”

The Long Pond Greenbelt acquisition sites are located within an area of 150 acres that have been identified by the county as a preservation priority. The 10 acres being acquired through Levy’s initiative contain a series of sensitive ponds and associated freshwater wetlands that are home to an array of threatened and endangered species. The properties will be purchased as part of the Suffolk County Multifaceted Land Preservation Program for a total of $1.445 million.

A resolution to acquire the two properties was introduced at the August 5 legislature meeting and will now go before the body’s environmental committee. If approved by the committee, the resolution could be endorsed by the full legislature as soon as at the next general meeting on August 19.