Suffolk County [1] may soon have more money to protect its drinking water, open space and diminishing farm land -- but only if Albany will let the county have its way.

Twenty years ago, Suffolk voters approved the Drinking Water Protection Program, which levied a 1/4 percent sales tax increase to pay for the protection of drinking-water sources and preserve open space and farmland. Known as the quarter-penny sales tax, the fund has generated $800 million in revenue.

But the Drinking Water Protection Program has not been fully funded for nearly a decade. That's because the allocations for the quarter-penny sales tax were altered in 1998, diverting 2/3 of the fund away from environmental spending.

Suffolk County has therefore been unable to move forward on several projects to preserve and protect drinking water supplies, along with planning for sewers. Individual towns in Suffolk County have tried to compensate for the lack in funds, but have had limited success.

Recently, the Suffolk County Legislature approved a change [1] that would allocate more than two-thirds of Drinking Water Protection Fund monies toward open space, drinking water protection and sewer improvements.

The final sign-off now rests in Albany's hands. State lawmakers should act as expeditiously as possible to give this program the full funding that Suffolk County residents deserve.