LONG ISLAND SOUTH SHORE ESTUARY RESERVE
Comprehensive Management Plan
George E. Pataki, Governor Randy A. Daniels, Secretary of State
Vers F cov CMP 1 8/30/01, 11:45 AM Acknowledgements
This comprehensive management plan for the South Shore Estuary Reserve was prepared by the South Shore Estuary Reserve Council with assistance from the New York State Department of State, as provided in Article 46 of the Laws of 1993.
George E. Pataki, Governor Randy A. Daniels, New York State Secretary of State
South Shore Estuary Reserve Council Members/Designees New York State Department of State Division of Coastal Resources Randy A. Daniels, Council Chair/George R. Stafford George R. Stafford, Director Robert J. Gaffney, Suffolk County Executive/George Proios Rodney McNeil, Project Manager Thomas S. Gulotta, Nassau County Executive/Dan C. Fucci Dennis Mildner (Water Resources) Edwin L. Eaton, City Manager, City of Long Beach/Joe Fabrizio Jeffrey Zappieri (Living Resources) Richard V. Guardino, Supervisor, Town of Hempstead/ Nancy Rucks (Land Use/Embayment Use/Underwater Lands) Ronald Masters/Mike Foley Peter Lauridsen (Geographic Information System) John Venditto, Supervisor, Town of Oyster Bay/ James M. Byrne, P.E./Nancy Kearney Other Contributing Staff: Fred Anders; D. Peter Berical; Richard H. Schaffer, Jr., Supervisor, Town of Babylon/ Paul R. Churchhill; Fitzroy Collins; Susan DiDonato; John Herring; Richard Groh Jeffrey Herter; Charles McCaffrey; Nikifor Nikiforov; Laurissa Parent; Peter McGowan, Supervisor, Town of Islip/Alan Svoboda` Kenneth Smith; Lee York; and Thomas Zyskowski John Jay LaValle, Supervisor, Town of Brookhaven/ Jeffrey Kassner Other Contributors Vincent Cannuscio, Supervisor, Town of Southampton/ Marty Shea Patrick Dooley (Technical Advisory Committee support) William Glacken, Mayor, Village of Freeport Veronica Kemler (Citizens Advisory Committee support) Jeff Fullmer, Chair, Citizens Advisory Committee SUNY Albany: Floyd Henderson and Matthew Kohberger (Geographic Cornelia Schlenk, Chair, Technical Advisory Committee Information System and Remote Sensing) Robert Grover, Great South Bay Audubon Society Jill Ozarski, Long Island Chapter of the Nature Conservancy Previous Council Members/Designees: Ken Cynar (Nassau County); Marvin Geller, Dean, Marine Sciences Research Center, SUNY Felix J. Grucci (former Supervisor of the Town of Brookhaven); Stony Brook/William M. Wise Anthony Limoli (Town of Islip); Nick Manzari (Captree Boatman’s Patrick H. Augustine, New York Sportsshing Federation Association); George Nussbaum (former Mayor of the Village of Mitch Pally, Long Island Association/Marion Cohn Massapequa Park); Bruce Nyman (former City Manager, City of Long Robert Wieboldt, Long Island Builders Institute, Inc. Beach); and Adeline Quinn (City of Long Beach) Christopher Squeri, New York Marine Trades Association Former Department of State Staff: Robert Crafa; Diane Hamilton-Bell; Carole Neidich-Ryder, North Shore Audubon Society Susan Dzurica; Thomas Hart; and Joseph Sicluna Gregory LoVece, Brookhaven Bayman’s Association The South Shore Estuary Reserve Council acknowledges the dedication of former Secretary of State Alexander “Sandy” Treadwell Council Advisors over the last ve years to bring the Plan to fruition. Erin M. Crotty, Commissioner, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation/Gordon Colvin/Karen Chytalo Bernadette Castro, Commissioner, NYS Ofce of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation/Gary Lawton
Preparation of this plan was nancially aided by: the New York State Environmental Protection Fund; New York State legislative member initiatives; and a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Ofce of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended.
Vers F cov CMP 2 8/30/01, 11:45 AM
Resolution South Shore Estuary Reserve Council Adoption of the Long Island South Shore Estuary Reserve Comprehensive Management Plan
WHEREAS, Article forty-six of the Executive Law declares it to be in the public interest to protect and manage the South Shore Estuary system as a single integrated estuary and in furtherance of that goal created the South Shore Estuary Reserve Council and directed it to prepare a comprehensive manage- ment plan and make recommendations to preserve, protect and enhance the natural, recreational, eco- nomic and educational resources of the Reserve; and
WHEREAS, the South Shore Estuary Reserve Council (“Council”) has undertaken those tasks, in accordance with such law; and
WHEREAS, the Council identied the extent of the South Shore Estuary Reserve as Long Island’s south shore bays and the adjacent upland areas draining into them, as described in the Long Island South Shore Estuary Reserve Comprehensive Management Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Council, in conjunction with its Citizens Advisory Committee and its Technical Advi- sory Committee reviewed data and prepared technical reports pertaining to the Reserve; and
WHEREAS, the Council prepared a draft South Shore Estuary Reserve Comprehensive Management Plan in accordance with Article forty-six of the Executive Law; and
WHEREAS, the Council submitted the draft Comprehensive Management Plan to public scrutiny and comment at public hearings held on the 28th day of February and the 1st day of March, 2001 and accepted written comments until the 28th day of March, 2001; and
WHEREAS, the Council has duly considered the oral and written comments submitted and has incor- porated the comments and its responses thereto in the Comprehensive Management Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Council has determined, after due deliberation, that the Comprehensive Management Plan meets the statutory criteria as well as the spirit of Article forty-six of the Executive Law;
NOW, THEREFORE, the South Shore Estuary Reserve Council does hereby ADOPT, the Compre- hensive Management Plan for the Long Island South Shore Estuary Reserve, and DIRECT that it be submitted herewith to each town and village within the reserve, the county executives of the counties of Nassau and Suffolk, and to the Governor and the Legislature of the State of New York.
DATED: April 12, 2001
f resolution 1 8/30/01, 11:50 AM Randy A. Daniels, New York State Secretary of State, Jeff Fullmer, Chair, Citizens Advisory Committee Chair, South Shore Estuary Reserve Council
Cornelia Schlenk, Chair, Technical Advisory Committee Robert J. Gaffney, Suffolk County Executive
Robert Grover, Great South Bay Audubon Society Thomas S. Gulotta, Nassau County Executive
Jill Ozarski, The Nature Conservancy, Long Island Chapter Edwin L. Eaton, City Manager, City of Long Beach
Dr. Marvin Geller, Dean, SUNY, Stony Brook, Richard V. Guardino, Supervisor, Town of Hempstead Marine Sciences Research Center
John Venditto, Supervisor, Town of Oyster Bay Patrick H. Augustine, New York Sportshing Federation
Richard H. Schaffer, Jr., Supervisor, Town of Babylon Christopher Squeri, New York Maritime Trades Association
Peter McGowan, Supervisor, Town of Islip Mitch Pally, Long Island Association
John Jay LaValle, Supervisor, Town of Brookhaven Robert Wieboldt, Long Island Builders Institute, Inc.
Vincent Cannuscio, Supervisor, Town of Southampton Carole Neidich-Ryder, North Shore Audubon Society
William Glacken, Mayor, Village of Freeport Gregory LoVece, Brookhaven Bayman’s Association Conference of Mayors
f resolution 2 8/30/01, 11:50 AM Table of Contents Page
Executive Summary i-viii
Preface ix
Chapter 1 The Region 1-8
Chapter 2 Improve and Maintain Water Quality 9-24
Chapter 3 Protect and Restore Living Resources of the Reserve 25-38
Chapter 4 Expand Public Use and Enjoyment of the Estuary 39-48
Chapter 5 Sustain and Expand the Estuary-related Economy 49-56
Chapter 6 Increase Education, Outreach and Stewardship 57-70
Chapter 7 Implementation 71-108 • Integrative Analysis and Implementation Map Series 109
Appendix A Abstracts of Technical Reports A1-A12
Appendix B State-assisted Projects to Benet the Estuary B1-B6
Appendix C Response to Public Comments C1-C20
F TOC 1 8/30/01, 11:51 AM EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Long Island South Shore Estuary Reserve Comprehensive Management Plan
Under the leadership of Governor George E. Development of this comprehensive Pataki, over 70 state-assisted projects have management plan has followed a process in been completed or are underway to improve which many individuals have had opportunities the health of the South Shore estuary. Nearly to participate. In 1994, the Council held a $10 million in Clean Water/Clean Air Bond series of scoping meetings during which public Act grants and more than $6 million in views and concerns about the estuary and its Environmental Protection Fund grants have management were received. Monthly meetings, been awarded to Reserve communities to open to the public, have allowed interested acquire open space, restore habitats and manage parties to learn about and participate in Council stormwater runoff. The South Shore Estuary activities and those of its Technical Advisory Reserve Comprehensive Management Plan Committee, Citizens Advisory Committee, and proposes steps to be taken over the next 5 years topic-based subcommittees and workgroups. to continue these improvements. To assist the Council, the New York State Preface Department of State’s Division of Coastal Resources, working through partnerships with local governments and federal agencies, At the urging of Long Islanders concerned with gathered and analyzed information on land and the future health of the South Shore estuary, the embayment uses, the estuarine economy, water New York State Legislature passed the Long quality, living resources, and other aspects of Island South Shore Estuary Reserve Act. The the Reserve. Much of this information was Act created the South Shore Estuary Reserve analyzed by the Department of State through (Reserve) - Long Island’s South Shore bays and geographic information system technology, and the adjacent upland areas draining to them - and the analyses have served as a basis for the called for the Reserve’s protection and prudent implementation actions offered in the plan. management. The Act also created the South Important data were also supplied by the six Shore Estuary Reserve Council (Council), a towns and two counties in the Reserve as group of representatives from South Shore part of assessments of their nonpoint source towns and villages, Nassau and Suffolk counties management practices conducted in conjunction and the City of Long Beach, and recreation, with the Department. All of this information is business, academic, environmental and citizens presented in the series of technical reports and interests. The Act charged the Council with working papers referenced in Appendix A to preparation of a comprehensive management the plan. plan for the Reserve.
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Vers F2 ex summ 1 8/30/01, 11:42 AM Implementation actions identied in Chapter of bays characterized by tidal marshes, mud 7 address major issues in the Reserve as they and sand ats, beds of underwater vegetation relate to water quality and living resources, and extensive shallows ranging from 1 to 7 public access and open space, the Reserve’s meters deep. The shallows support microscopic maritime heritage, its economy, and education plants and animals which, in turn, support the and outreach. Although much has been nsh, shellsh, waterfowl and other wildlife accomplished since 1995 by the State and its that typify the South Shore estuary. This barrier/ local government partners through the many bays system continues to respond to wave Clean Water Clean Air Bond Act and action, the tides, coastal storms and a rising sea Environmental Protection Fund projects, and by level. It is also affected by human actions. the Council’s Technical and Citizens Advisory committees, much remains to be done to assure The South Shore Estuary Reserve is home the long-term health of the Reserve. to about 1.5 million people. The anchor of the region’s tourism, seafood and recreation [Note to reader: An electronic version of the industries, the Reserve stretches from the South Shore Estuary Reservecomprehensive western boundary of the Town of Hempstead to management plan, with links to the technical the middle of the Town of Southampton. South report series and associated data sets and maps, to north, the Reserve extends from the mean can be accessed at: www.estuary.cog.ny.us.] high tide line on the ocean side of the barrier islands to the inland limits of the mainland Chapter 1: The Region watersheds that drain into Hempstead Bay, South Oyster Bay, Great South Bay, Moriches Bay and Shinnecock Bay. Estuaries are coastal areas where fresh water mixes with salt water. Long Island’s South For purposes of planning and description, the Shore estuary was formed during the last 5,000 South Shore Estuary Reserve is conveniently years by the interaction of rising seas with viewed as three subregions: the western bays, the glacially deposited material that makes Great South Bay and the eastern bays. up Long Island. The interaction shaped the barrier islands to enclose 173 square miles The western bays subregion extends from the western boundary of the Town of Hempstead to
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Vers F2 ex summ 2-3 8/30/01, 11:42 AM the Nassau-Suffolk County line, and includes closure of three of its bathing beaches. Nutrients Hempstead Bay and South Oyster Bay and and sediments in stormwater runoff threaten all the lands that drain into them. These shing, sh propagation and sh survival in embayments are an extensive area of shallow the subregion’s tributaries and coves. water and salt marsh islands connected by Hydromodications - alterations of water level channels and tidal creeks. Its watershed is the and stream ow - and lowering of groundwater most densely populated in the Reserve, with levels also have signicant effects on shery stormwater runoff from its developed landscape resources in tributaries. the most signicant source of pollution reaching the subregion’s tributaries and bays. Coliform The shallow eastern bays - Moriches and bacteria, responsible for the closure of 14,155 Shinnecock - are distinguished by the presence acres of shellsh beds in the western bays of inlets, strong tidal exchanges between the and the periodic bathing closures of Zachs ocean and the bays, and minor inows of lower Bay and Biltmore Beach, is the principal salinity water from the Peconics through the pollutant carried by the runoff, but human Shinnecock Canal. Salt marshes and dredged waste discharges from vessels, excrement from material islands of the eastern bays support waterfowl, and discharges from municipal signicant nesting colonies of terns, gulls, and wastewater treatment plant outfalls in the wading birds. Shallow water areas are highly western bays are also contributing sources. This productive, especially the salt marshes and portion of the Reserve also contains the greatest intertidal ats that fringe the barrier islands concentration of salt marsh islands, most of and the estuarine habitats around the tributary which have been ditched through mosquito mouths. control programs. Although the watershed of Moriches and Great South Bay is the largest shallow estuarine Shinnecock bays is the least developed in bay in New York State, with extensive back the Reserve, elevated levels of fecal coliform barrier and tidal creek salt marshes, eelgrass bacteria from polluted stormwater runoff have beds, and intertidal ats. Most marshes in the closed 6,075 acres of shellsh beds in the subregion are ditched, with many mainland bays. Sediment and excessive nutrients in marshes impaired by ll and bulkheads or stormwater runoff have affected sh survival restrictions to tidal ow. The watershed of Great in tributaries, and organic nutrients play a role South Bay can be described as “developing,” in in the brown tide outbreaks in the subregion. contrast to the more fully “developed” western Agriculture occurs in this subregion to some bays region, and development is generally less degree, with potential impacts on water quality intense and open areas more extensive. Like the from sediments, fertilizers and pesticides. western bays subregion, Great South Bay has extensive impervious surfaces in its watershed. Chapter 2: Improve and For this reason, nonpoint source pollution from stormwater runoff is the primary issue. Maintain Water Quality
Nutrients, sediment and coliform bacteria are the Water quality in the South Shore Estuary principal pollutants carried by stormwater runoff Reserve is important to everyone on Long into the subregion’s tributaries and ultimately Island. Poor water quality diminishes Great South Bay. Vessel waste discharges and recreational and economic opportunities. waterfowl are also contributors to the bacterial load. Elevated levels of coliform are responsible Nonpoint source pollution is the primary water for the closure of 10,711 acres of shellsh quality concern in the South Shore Estuary beds in Great South Bay and the periodic Reserve. Polluted stormwater runoff alone is the
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Vers F2 ex summ 2-3 8/30/01, 11:42 AM principal source of nonpoint pollution in 48 of Chapter 3: Protect and Restore the 51 waterbody segments in the Reserve with Living Resources of the Reserve use impairments. Elevated levels of coliform bacteria in stormwater runoff, an indicator of the potential presence of pathogens, are responsible The South Shore estuary is a rich and complex for the closures of shellsh beds and bathing ecosystem. Its beaches, shallow bays, tidal beaches. Sediment and excessive nutrients in marshes, tributaries and upland areas make the stormwater runoff have pronounced negative Reserve one of the most ecologically productive effects on the Reserve’s living resources. regions in the United States. In addition to providing the basic necessities for estuarine Point sources of pollution - municipal life, the estuary, its shoreline and upland areas wastewater treatment plants, inactive hazardous provide open space, contribute to the scenic waste sites and active and inactive solid waste beauty of the region and support its tourism, disposal facilities - are not as widespread recreation and seafood industries. and are comparatively less signicant sources of pollution than nonpoint sources, but still Human population growth and burgeoning cause water quality degradation in their development in the Reserve, especially since immediate areas. Point sources are regulated World War II, had and continues to have a and monitored through the State Pollution dramatic effect on the estuary. Most habitat Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) permit loss in the Reserve has been the result of the program. lling of low-lying lands in the western portion of the Reserve for residential and commercial Improving water quality in the Reserve is uses. Other development activities, including dependent on federal, State and local construction of canals, roads and bridges, have governments, and private sector partners, also destroyed or degraded habitats. According implementing a strategy that: 1) identies to the NYS Department of Environmental opportunities and develops schedules to protect Conservation 1996 Priority Waterbody List, lands that provide signicant pollutant stormwater polluted by elevated levels of fecal abatement functions; 2) designs and undertakes coliform bacteria, excessive nutrients and projects that retrot existing storm sewer and sediment has affected the viability of sh other conveyance systems to remove pollutants populations in the Reserve’s tributaries and has from storm water; 3) adopts nonpoint source closed almost 31,000 acres of hard clam beds pollution best management practices; and 4) in its bays. increases education and outreach to modify resident and user behavior. Regulations have slowed the loss of tidal and freshwater wetlands in the Reserve, but the This chapter identies recommendations to remaining wetlands present both challenges and reduce and control nonpoint source pollution; opportunities for management and restoration. enhance point source controls; implement the The Reserve’s open bays have also undergone Environmental Protection Agency’s Storm notable changes, inuenced chiey by inlet Water Phase II Final Rule; and address scientic dynamics, while its upland forests seem to be information needs. experiencing a loss comparable to that of the region’s tidal wetlands.
Recommendations are offered to incorporate an ecosystem perspective into the management of the Reserve’s living estuarine resources; to increase wetland community values; to
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Vers F2 ex summ 4-5 8/30/01, 11:42 AM recognize, restore and protect tributary-based Chapter 5: Sustain and Expand resource values; to protect and improve habitat Estuary-related Economy conditions for estuarine bird species; to improve the productivity of important living resources; and to address scientic information needs. The relatively calm, protected waters and abundant natural resources of the South Shore Chapter 4: Expand Public Use estuary provide the basis for the water-related economic activities that have evolved from the and Enjoyment of the Estuary harvesting of oysters, hard clams and salt hay, and boat building, to recreational boating, sport The public’s ability to use and enjoy the natural shing, waterborne transportation and tourism. resources of the South Shore estuary depends Changes in the nature of these water-dependent upon access to its tributaries, bays and shoreline. businesses reect the inuence of a growing The supply of formal, dedicated shoreline public population and market demand, transportation access sites and recreational facilities is nite, improvements and increased recreational and opportunities to increase the supply will demands. Today, the estuary is home to the become fewer as private shoreline development largest concentrations of commercial and continues. The more intensive and widespread recreational vessels, marinas and other water- such development becomes, the more valuable dependent businesses in the State. The estuary is the remaining open space. While generally supports, in whole or in part, about 3,000 water- important for retaining variety and visual dependent and water-enhanced businesses that interest in the pattern of development, open employ nearly 30,000 people. space is critical to the health of the estuary and its coastal habitats and the coastal character The amount of estuary shoreline suitable for of Long Island’s South Shore. All levels of establishing new water-dependent uses or government must work together in cooperation expanding existing ones is limited, while, at with private development interests to preserve the same time, some existing water-dependent open space in the Reserve, buffer sensitive businesses are gradually being displaced by habitats, improve water quality and retain the more economically-competitive non water- visual landscape of the estuary. dependent uses. This is of particular concern in maritime centers where water-dependent uses Commercial shing, island bay houses, are concentrated and embody much of the recreational boating, yacht clubs, boat repair estuary-related cultural heritage that supports shops, ferries and shoreline parks are all part local tourism. Recommendations are offered of the region’s maritime heritage and dene its to support water-dependent businesses and to present-day culture. These traditional estuary- enhance maritime centers. related uses are gradually being displaced by more economically competitive non-traditional Chapter 6: Increase Education, uses. Concerted public and private efforts will Outreach and Stewardship be needed to perpetuate the region’s historical legacy. Academic institutions can be highly effective Recommendations are offered to improve conduits of information on the South Shore shoreline public access and estuary-related estuary. Of the 124 public school districts recreation; to retain open space within the on Long Island responsible for primary and Reserve; and to protect, maintain and enhance secondary level education, nearly half (60) are the Reserve’s maritime heritage. located in whole or part within the Reserve
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Vers F2 ex summ 4-5 8/30/01, 11:42 AM and serve a major portion of the approximately the Reserve. The actions target effort where 423,000 school age children on Long Island. the greatest potential exists for halting further Teachers have many sources of information degradation of the Reserve’s natural resources at their disposal, and a number of nature and realizing improvements to them, and where centers and museums in the Reserve offer multiple goals and objectives of the Council eld programs for school groups. Yet can be achieved. elementary, middle and high school teachers face various constraints in trying to raise student The actions focus attention where problems consciousness about the environment outside have been clearly identied and where the their classrooms. existence of motivated partners assures a higher likelihood of success. They are organized and People in the Reserve learn about their presented according to outcomes they will environment from a variety of sources: fulll. newspapers, magazines, television and radio, as well as from numerous public and private In order to make signicant progress toward organizations, many of which are represented achieving these outcomes, funding will be on the South Shore Estuary Reserve Council. necessary from a variety of governmental and Many organizations on Long Island are moving non-governmental sources to meet the estimated beyond education and outreach activities and $97.8 million ve year cost of implementing are striving to motivate individuals to become the actions called for in Chapter 7. active stewards of their environment. At the community level, local governments and Outcome 1: neighborhood, civic and environmental groups Reduced nonpoint source pollution. are bringing citizens together in collective efforts to improve the environment. 1-1 Construction of stormwater abatement projects in signicant nonpoint source contributing areas This chapter identies recommendations to associated with closed shellsh beds, impaired living strengthen the mechanisms for raising resources, and bathing beaches that experience awareness and understanding of the South Shore periodic closures due to water quality concerns. estuary; to nurture awareness and understanding on the part of young people through formal 1-2 Amendment of county and local government codes education activities that focus on the South and regulations to include best management practices. Shore estuary; to increase public awareness and understanding through outreach activities 1-3 Implementation of on-site wastewater treatment geared to general and specic audiences; and (septic) system maintenance and upgrades. to encourage people of all ages to become 1-4 Implementation of Agricultural Environmental stewards of the estuary. Management. Chapter 7: Implementation 1-5 Completion of assessments of municipal nonpoint pollution management practices.
Building on what has already been 1-6 Development of watershed action plans. accomplished since 1995 by the State, local governments and the Reserve’s Council, the 1-7 Preparation for compliance with the implementation actions presented in this chapter Environmental Protection Agency’s Stormwater provide the necessary road map to fullling Phase II Final Rule. the recommendations offered in the preceding chapters and assuring the long-term health of 1-8 Exploring the feasibility of stormwater management districts.
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Vers F2 ex summ 6-7 8/30/01, 11:42 AM Outcome 2: Reduced point source pollution. 4-9 Management of upland ponds.
2-1 Assessment of inactive hazardous waste sites. 4-10 Augmentation of streamow.
2-2 Assessment of abandoned and closed landlls. Outcome 5: 2-3 Exploring regulation of private petroleum tanks Open space preserved to sustain less than 1,100 gallons. community character and protect water quality and habitat. 2-4 Evaluation of need for wastewater treatment plant 5-1 Development of a Reserve open space acquisition upgrades and outfall relocations. and protection action strategy. 2-5 Expansion of Village of Patchogue Sewer District. 5-2 Analysis of small parcel open space opportunities.
Outcome 3: 5-3 Use of a land trust to assist local acquisition Increased harvest levels of hard clams efforts. and other estuarine shellsh species. 5-4 Implementation of local open space plans. 3-1 Population assessment and seeding of hard clams and other shellsh species. 5-5 Acquisition of open space.
3-2 Feasibility of Islip hatchery expansion. Outcome 6: 3-3 Increasing grow-out of shellsh. Improved knowledge for ecosystem management. 3-4 Enhancement of hard clam habitat through shell
augmentation. 6-1 Monitoring water quality.
3-5 Evaluation of potential spawner sanctuaries. 6-2 Land use build-out analysis.
3-6 Creation of a Reserve shellsh management 6-3 Determination of additional point and nonpoint forum. source pollution controls.
Outcome 4: 6-4 Determination of sediment composition in Reserve Coastal habitats protected and restored tributaries and bays. to support shellsh, nsh and coastal 6-5 Monitoring landll performance and compliance. bird populations. 6-6 Analysis of existing information on leaks and 4-1 Restoration of tidal wetlands. spills. 4-2 Coordination of wetland restoration efforts. 6-7 Development of a Reserve-wide hydrologic model. 4-3 Restoration of anadromous sh. 6-8 Monitoring the ecosystem. 4-4 Habitat restoration in tributaries. 6-9 Study of hard clam biology. 4-5 Evaluation and restoration of eelgrass beds. 6-10 Assessment of additional tidal wetland sites for 4-6 Vegetation management for coastal birds. restoration.
4-7 Recognition of shorebird reserves. 6-11 Completion of baseline inventory of eelgrass distribution. 4-8 Increased protection of marine turtle populations.
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Vers F2 ex summ 6-7 8/30/01, 11:42 AM Outcome 10: 6-12 Undertaking research on ooding and erosion. Heightened public awareness of 6-13 Expansion of brown tide research. the estuary. 10-1 Supporting a Reserve web site. 6-14 Analyzing duck sludge deposits as potential pollutant sources. 10-2 Updating education resource directory.
10-3 Creation of an access guide. Outcome 7: Increased public use of the estuary and 10-4 Production of South Shore video. expanded tourism. 10-5 Working with outreach partners. 7-1 Expanding public access and recreation facilities at existing sites. 10-6 Identication of professional development opportunities for teachers. 7-2 Creating new public access and recreation opportunities. 10-7 Supporting the existing network of entities that conduct education programs on board watercraft. 7-3 Expansion of existing interpretive centers and development of new ones. 10-8 Identication of potential mentors.
7-4 Establishing a South Shore Estuary Reserve 10-9 Establishment of a clearinghouse for student Coastal Heritage Trail. research.
10-10 Establishing an awards program. Outcome 8: Water-dependent businesses sustained. 10-11 Designation of bird conservation areas.
8-1 Provision of adequate infrastructure to support 10-12 Undertaking a native landscaping pilot existing and new water-dependent uses. program.
8-2 Development of a dredging and dredged materials 10-13 Creation of a homeowner certication program. management plan. Outcome 11: 8-3 Dredging for safe navigation. Actions advanced through Council 8-4 Planning for local waterfront development. partnerships and ofce.
8-5 Improving local waterfront regulation. 11-1 Promotion and oversight of plan implementation.
8-6 Facilitating public/private partnerships to support 11-2 Establishment and operation of Reserve ofce. water-dependent business.
8-7 Preparation of Local Harbor Management Plans.
Outcome 9: Maritime centers thrive.
9-1 Preparation of maritime center action plans.
9-2 Implementation of maritime center action plans.
9-3 Promotion of maritime centers.
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Vers F2 ex summ 8 8/30/01, 11:42 AM Preface
The New York State Legislature passed the Long Island South Shore Estuary Reserve Act in 1993 at the urging of Long Islanders concerned about the future health of the South Shore estuary. The Act declared the estuary to be a resource of unparalleled biological, economic and social value, created the South Shore Estuary Reserve (Reserve) and called for its protection and prudent management.
The Act also created the South Shore Estuary Reserve Council (Council), designated the New York Secretary of State as its Chair, and provided for membership representing six South Shore towns, thirty-one villages, Nassau and Suffolk counties, the City of Long Beach, and recreation, business, academic, environmental and citizen interests. The Act also charged the Council with the preparation of a comprehensive management plan for the Reserve.
Development of the plan has followed a process in which many individuals have had opportunities to participate. In 1994, the Council held a series of scoping meetings during which public views and concerns about the estuary and its management were received. Monthly meetings, open to the public, have allowed interested parties to learn about and participate in Council activities and those of its Technical Advisory Committee, Citizens Advisory Committee, and topic-based subcommittees and workgroups.
To assist the Council, the Department of State Division of Coastal Resources gathered information primarily through partnerships with local governments and federal agencies. The information addressed land and embayment uses, the estuarine economy, water quality, living resources, and other aspects of the Reserve. Much of this information was analyzed by the Department of State through geographic information system technology, and this analysis served as a basis for the implementation actions offered in the plan. All of this information is presented in the series of technical reports and working papers referenced in Appedix A to the plan.
The Council is pursuing multiple purposes in issuing this plan:
• to recommend management actions for protecting and improving the health of the South Shore estuary, and to expand such efforts; • to sustain cooperation and commitment among all public and private interests with a stake in the estuary; • to build public awareness and understanding about the estuary and the issues that affect its health and vitality, and to involve the public in its management; and • to identify future research in areas where further scientic information is needed to improve management actions.
[Note to reader: An electronic version of the South Shore Estuary Reserve comprehensive management plan, with links to the technical report series and associated data sets and maps, can be accessed at: www.estuary.cog.ny.us.]
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Vers F preface 9 8/30/01, 11:48 AM CHAPTER 1 The Region
Vers f intr-1 1 8/30/01, 11:10 AM CHAPTER 1 The Region
This chapter provides a brief overview of the Overview of the South Shore South Shore Estuary Reserve, characterizes the Estuary Reserve ve estuarine bays and the lands that drain to them, and introduces the many resource management concerns that relate to the different The South Shore Estuary Reserve is home parts of the Reserve. to about 1.5 million people. The anchor of the region’s tourism, seafood and recreation Estuaries are transition zones between the industries, the Reserve stretches from the world’s freshwater and marine ecosystems western boundary of the Town of Hempstead to where fresh water mixes with salt water. Long the middle of the Town of Southampton. South Island’s South Shore estuary is a dynamic to north, the Reserve extends from the mean ecosystem, formed during the past 5,000 years high tide line on the ocean side of the barrier by the interaction of a rising sea level with the islands to the inland limits of the mainland glacially-deposited material that makes up Long watersheds that drain into Hempstead Bay, Island. The entire natural system, including South Oyster Bay, Great South Bay, Moriches the barrier islands and the 173 square miles Bay and Shinnecock Bay. of shallow bays behind them, is still changing and evolving in response to wave action, tides, Human population growth and burgeoning coastal storms, and the continuing rise of development in the Reserve, especially since sea level. In this estuarine environment, tidal World War II, had and continues to have a marshes, mud and sand ats, underwater plant dramatic effect on the estuary. Most habitat beds and broad shallows support microscopic plants and animals which, in turn, support the nsh, shellsh, waterfowl and other wildlife The South Shore Estuary that typify the South Shore estuary. Reserve is the anchor of the region’s tourism, seafood and recreation industries, and is home to about 1.5 million people.
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Vers f intr-1 2-3 8/30/01, 11:10 AM loss in the Reserve has been the result of the creeks. This portion of the Reserve contains the lling of low-lying lands in the western portion greatest concentration of salt marsh islands, most of the Reserve for residential and commercial of which have been ditched through mosquito uses. Other development activities, including control programs. These islands are frequently construction of canals, roads and bridges, have subject to erosion due to the relatively high also destroyed or degraded habitats. According tidal range and proximity to heavy commercial to the NYS Department of Environmental and recreational boat trafc. Dredged material Conservation’s 1996 Priority Waterbody List, islands, over both wetland and shallow water stormwater polluted by elevated levels of fecal habitats, are also prominent in the subregion. coliform bacteria, excessive nutrients and sediment has effected the viability of sh populations in the Almost all of the mainland shoreline in this Reserve’s tributaries and has closed over 34,000 subregion is bulkheaded, with the most intense acres of hard clam beds in its bays. development along the shoreline in the western part of the subregion. Much of the original For purposes of planning and description, the development occurred in the 1950s and 60s as South Shore Estuary Reserve is conveniently thousands of acres of tidal wetlands were lled viewed as three subregions: the western bays, to create new home sites. Virtually all mainland Great South Bay and the eastern bays. tidal wetlands were eliminated in this manner. The western bays also support a variety of benthic Western Bays macroalgae (seaweeds) and submerged aquatic vegetation (seagrasses), the most important of which is eelgrass. As a result of disease and water The western bays subregion extends from the quality problems, signicant losses of submerged western boundary of the Town of Hempstead aquatic vegetation beds have also occurred in to the Nassau-Suffolk County line, and includes parts of these bays. Hempstead Bay and South Oyster Bay and all the lands that drain into them. These embayments Habitat loss and water quality problems have are an extensive area of shallow water and salt also had a negative impact on most of the estu- marsh islands connected by channels and tidal arine species in the western bays. Recreational nsh species have declined, as have shellsh populations, which are also impaired by low rates of recruitment. The subre- gion’s signicant concentrations of shorebirds, wintering water- fowl and colonial nesting water birds also have been reduced. Most waterbird colonies in the Reserve occur on the islands of the western bays from Hemp- stead east to Captree. South Oyster Bay and Hempstead Bay are also an important part of the Atlantic Flyway for migrating and wintering waterfowl, par- Freeport shoreline in the Western Bays ticularly brant, with an aver- age of nearly 25,000 water-
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Vers f intr-1 2-3 8/30/01, 11:10 AM fowl counted on mid-winter aerial surveys. The For this subregion, comprehensive efforts are importance of the western bays for migrating, needed to achieve signicant improvements wintering and resident coastal birds also needs in water quality and living resources. Such to be recognized. efforts must include: the restoration of ditched and lled salt marshes; vegetation management The watershed of the western bays is the most in shorebird and waterbird nesting areas; densely populated in the Reserve. It exhibits restoration of eelgrass beds; protection and the highest proportion of watershed rendered restoration of inland ponds; augmentation of impervious by roads, parking lots and roofs. water level and ow in streams; improved Land use south of Sunrise Highway and Merrick boating management; seed clam planting; and Road is highly urbanized and predominantly educational outreach. Also needed are residential. Intersections along major highways implementation of management practices as are developed with high density residential, source controls to prevent nonpoint source industrial, and/or transportation and utility uses. pollutants from reaching stormwater runoff or Land use close to the bays includes parks, from owing directly into tributaries and bays, nature preserves and protected areas for local and management of polluted stormwater runoff and regional recreational purposes. However, before it reaches those tributaries and bays. residential development along canals, tributaries and the shoreline is increasing the pressure on Management of polluted stormwater runoff in these natural areas. areas where the most signicant reductions can be gained will correct this major source of Stormwater runoff from this developed nonpoint pollution. One aspect of this effort landscape is the most signicant source of will be local implementation of stormwater pollution reaching the subregion’s tributaries remediation projects with State technical and and bays. Elevated levels of coliform bacteria, nancial assistance. Such projects will be responsible for the closure of 15,575 acres implemented at roadway crossings of tributaries, of shellsh beds in the western bays and at street ends draining to waterbodies, and the periodic bathing closures of Zachs Bay in parking lots throughout contributing areas. and Biltmore Beach, is the principal pollutant Improvements to municipal stormwater carried by the runoff, but human waste drainage systems that reduce the volume and discharges from vessels, excrement from ow of stormwater runoff to the western bays waterfowl, and discharges from municipal will be an important element of stormwater wastewater treatment plant outfalls in the management. western bays are also contributing sources. Nutrients from these same point and nonpoint Great South Bay sources promote the subregion’s extensive mats of seaweeds that are in part responsible for the loss of valuable seagrass beds, while Great South Bay is the largest shallow estuarine nutrients and sediments in stormwater runoff bay in New York State, with extensive back are held responsible for threatening sh survival barrier and tidal creek salt marshes, eelgrass and propagation in several of the subregion’s beds, and intertidal ats. Most marshes in the tributary streams. Petroleum products are also subregion are ditched, with many mainland documented pollutants. Thus water quality in marshes impaired by ll and bulkheads or the western bays is affected by both nonpoint restrictions to tidal ow. As the only South and point sources of pollution. Shore bay with major riverine input, Great South Bay’s living resources have been signicantly affected by diminished tributary water quality.
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Vers f intr-1 4-5 8/30/01, 11:10 AM The loss of tidal marshes and other coastal South Bay. Vessel waste discharges and habitats has reduced estuarine productivity and waterfowl are also contributors to the bacterial eliminated critical feeding and nursery habitat load. Elevated levels of coliform are responsible for nsh, shellsh, shorebirds and colonial for the year-round closure of 12,886 acres waterbirds. Additionally, in the past 25 years, of shellsh beds in Great South Bay and the hard clam harvest in Great South Bay has the periodic closure of three of its bathing fallen by more than 93% to record lows. beaches. Nutrients and sediments in stormwater runoff threaten shing, sh propagation and sh The watershed of Great South Bay can be survival in the subregion’s tributaries and coves. described as “developing,” in contrast to the Hydromodications - alterations of water level more fully “developed” western bays region, and stream ow - and lowering of groundwater and development is generally less intense and levels also have signicant effects on shery open areas more extensive. The primary land resources in tributaries. use pattern is medium density development with pockets of more intense residential use on ngers For this subregion, efforts to improve water of land separated by canals and waterways. quality are proposed to focus on the management Along the shoreline are substantial areas of green of nonpoint source pollution, especially polluted space dedicated as parklands and preserves. The stormwater runoff. These efforts would include intensity of development lessens from west to implementation of the management practices east within the subregion. Its population has recommended in Chapter 2 to prevent nonpoint grown over the last decade and is projected to source pollutants from reaching stormwater runoff continue to do so over the next twenty years, but or from owing directly to tributaries and the bay. at a gradually decreasing rate. Management of polluted stormwater runoff in areas where the most signicant reductions can be Like the western bays subregion, Great South gained would begin to correct this major source Bay has extensive impervious surfaces in its of nonpoint pollution. One aspect of this effort watershed. For this reason, polluted stormwater would be local implementation of stormwater runoff is the primary issue. Nutrients, sediment remediation projects with State technical and and coliform bacteria are the principal pollutants nancial assistance. Such projects would be carried by stormwater runoff into the implemented at roadway crossings of tributaries, subregion’s tributaries and ultimately Great at street ends draining to waterbodies, and in parking lots throughout contrib- uting areas. Parcel acquisition for stormwater management proj- ects, construction of stormwater wetlands, and continued improve- ments to municipal stormwater drainage systems that reduce the volume and ow of stormwater runoff to Great South Bay will also be important elements of storm- water management.
Great South Bay at the Robert Moses Causeway
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Vers f intr-1 4-5 8/30/01, 11:10 AM Projects to restore the living resources of the next decade, although the total population Great South Bay are proposed to focus on: and population density are expected to remain the restoration of ditched, lled back barrier the lowest within the Reserve. and cove salt marshes, and riverine wetlands; vegetation management in shorebird and Although the watersheds of Moriches and colonial waterbird nesting areas; protection Shinnecock bays are the least developed in of submerged aquatic vegetation beds; the Reserve, elevated levels of fecal coliform augmentation of water level and ow in streams; bacteria from stormwater runoff, waterfowl improved boating and boat maintenance and vessel discharges of human waste have practices; and evaluation of shell augmentation closed 6,170 acres of shellsh beds in the bays. of bay bottoms and seed clam planting. Nutrients and sediment in stormwater runoff have affected sh survival in tributaries, and Eastern Bays nutrients are suspected of playing a role in the brown tide outbreaks in the subregion.
The shallow eastern bays - Moriches and Agriculture occurs in this subregion to some Shinnecock - are distinguished by the presence degree, with potential impacts on water quality of inlets, strong tidal exchanges between the from sediments, fertilizers and pesticides. The ocean and the bays, and minor inows of lower Agricultural Environmental Management salinity water from the Great Peconic Bay initiative, headed by the Department of through the Shinnecock Canal. Salt marshes Agriculture and Markets, is aimed at minimizing and dredged material islands of the eastern potential pollution from agricultural operations bays support signicant nesting colonies of of all types and would help control nonpoint terns, gulls, and wading birds. Shallow water pollution from this source. areas are highly productive, especially the salt marshes and intertidal ats that fringe the barrier The Town of Southampton is exemplary in its islands and the estuarine habitats around the efforts to protect and restore the water and tributary mouths. The deeper water habitats living resources of this subregion, but additional are composed of sandy shoals and submerged work remains. This includes: the restoration of aquatic vegetation beds. back barrier and mainland fringe salt marshes, especially those formerly connected wetlands The major land use in the sub- region is medium to low density residential, with the greatest con- centration of residences along the shoreline and waterways. The area is interspersed with parks, agri- cultural lands, conservation areas and small clusters of service-ori- ented commercial establishments, all contributing the rural aspect of the subregion. Population projec- tions indicate that this area will have the largest sustained rate of growth of all the Reserve within
Shinnecock Bay at the Ponquogue Bridge
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Vers f intr-1 6-7 8/30/01, 11:10 AM where tidal exchange has been halted, and submerged aquatic vegetation beds; the restoration of dredge material islands used for shorebird and colonial waterbird nesting; and the preservation of upland and riparian corridors as protective buffers.
The proposed implementation of management practices will reduce nonpoint source pollution. Management of polluted stormwater runoff in areas where the most signicant reductions can be gained is also an important part of achieving high water quality, and would include local implementation of stormwater remediation projects. Such projects would be constructed at roadway crossing of tributaries, at street ends draining to waterbodies, and in parking lots throughout contributing areas. Parcel acquisition for stormwater management projects, construction of stormwater wetlands, and continued improvements to municipal stormwater drainage systems that reduce the volume and ow of stormwater runoff to the eastern bays will also be important elements of stormwater management.
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Vers f intr-1 6-7 8/30/01, 11:10 AM CHAPTER 2 Improve and Maintain Water Quality
Vers f Chap2 9 8/30/01, 11:11 AM CHAPTER 2 Improve and Maintain Water Quality
Overview of the Issues Nonpoint source pollution poses potential hazards to Nonpoint source pollution presently degrades human health, causes the the quality of ground and surface waters in the South Shore Estuary Reserve. Nonpoint source periodic closures of bathing pollution generally results from stormwater beaches, and has forced the runoff, precipitation, atmospheric deposition, closure of approximately drainage, seepage and modications to waterways. In the Reserve it poses potential 34,643 acres of hard clam hazards to human health, causes the periodic beds in the Reserve. closure of bathing beaches, and has forced the closure of approximately 34,643 acres of hard At least ve reports, the rst dating from 1978 clam beds in the Reserve, about one-third of its -- the 208 Areawide Waste Treatment Study, total area [Technical report: Nonpoint Sources Long Island Segment of the Nationwide Urban of Pollution (1998)]. Runoff Program, Nonpoint Source Handbook, Nonpoint Water Quality Strategy for Nassau The dominant effect of nonpoint source County, and Suffolk County Water Quality pollution on water quality in the Reserve is Strategy - - concluded that nonpoint source well documented. The NYS Department of pollution was a priority concern and that, in Environmental Conservation has identied particular, polluted stormwater runoff was the polluted stormwater runoff from urban areas -- primary source. Each of these reports sets forth from new and existing development and from recommendations to control nonpoint source roads, highways, and bridges -- as the primary pollution. These recommendations, however, pollutant responsible in nearly all of the fty- were never fully implemented. one South Shore Estuary Reserve waterbody segments listed with impaired uses in its 1996 Point sources of pollution - typically discrete Priority Waterbody List (see map at end of this and discernible pipe outfalls - also exist within chapter). Furthermore, when the Department the Reserve, and are regulated and monitored updated its 1991 Priority Waterbody List in through the State Pollution Discharge 1996, only one waterbody segment in the Elimination System (SPDES) permit program. Reserve had improved in water quality while Point sources of pollution, while not as two were added to the list and seven others widespread and comparatively less signicant had their use impairments worsen [Technical than nonpoint sources, can still cause water reports: Nonpoint Sources of Pollution (1998); quality degradation in their immediate areas. Status and Trends (1999)].
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Vers f Chap2 10-11 8/30/01, 11:11 AM Such point sources include ve wastewater bacteria are responsible for the closure of treatment plants (Bay Park, Long Beach, West shellsh beds and bathing beaches due to Long Beach, Lawrence, Jones Beach) that potential threats to human health [Technical discharge treated efuent into the western bays; report: Nonpoint Sources of Pollution (1998)]. the Ocean Beach plant, discharging into Great South Bay; and the Village of Patchogue plant Nutrients in amounts greater than natural that discharges into the Patchogue River. Point background levels cause eutrophication, the sources also include other discharges regulated by enrichment of surface waters. In some areas SPDES and inactive hazardo us and inactive and active solid waste disposal sites [Technical report: SSER State Pollution Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) Permit Sites (1999)].
In keeping with Article 46 of Executive Law, the Council established as one of its goals the need to “achieve and maintain the water quality necessary to preserve and rehabilitate resources of the estuary.” Attaining this ambitious water quality goal depends upon the cooperative efforts of many players -- federal, State, and local governments, non-governmental organizations, resource users and residents. This chapter offers a fundamental approach to guide public and private efforts in the achievement of this goal. Recommendations in this chapter provide for the implementation of a strategy to control nonpoint source pollution and to further evaluate the effects of point sources. These recommendations are intended to guide the actions of governments seeking to improve water quality in the estuary.
Pollutants and Nonpoint Sources Storm water outfall
Two of the most signicant pollutants in the of the Reserve excessive levels of nitrogen South Shore Estuary Reserve are elevated levels cause this over enrichment that results in of coliform bacteria and excessive excessive algal growth (blooms). Algal blooms concentrations of certain nutrients. Coliform create low dissolved oxygen levels (hypoxia) bacteria are typically found within the digestive through their nighttime respiration and gradual systems of warm-blooded animals and indicate decomposition, threatening the health and the potential presence of fecal wastes in surface survival of nsh and shellsh in eutrophic waters. Coliform bacteria from wildlife, waters. They also shade out and destroy seagrass waterfowl and pet wastes and potentially from beds, estuarine habitats that are nursery areas for failing on-site wastewater treatment systems juvenile nsh and shellsh and feeding areas enter streams and coastal waters primarily for waterfowl. Nonpoint sources of nutrients through stormwater runoff from lawns, roads include fertilizers from lawns and agricultural and parking lots. Elevated levels of coliform lands; wildlife, waterfowl and pet wastes; and
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Vers f Chap2 10-11 8/30/01, 11:11 AM on-site wastewater treatment systems [Technical Strategy for Reduction and reports: Nonpoint Sources of Pollution (1998); Control of Nonpoint Source Summary Report: South Shore Estuary Reserve Water Quality Workshop (1999)]. Pollution
In September 1996, a South Shore Estuary As nonpoint source pollution originates from Reserve workshop addressed water quality land use and water-based human activities, the research needs and focused on toxins, nutrients, Council’s strategy calls on municipalities within coliform bacteria, and sediments as the most the Reserve to assume a leadership role in signicant pollutants entering the estuary. It reducing and controlling nonpoint pollution by also examined the potential impacts of exerting their legal authority to inuence such re-suspended sediments, bay shoreline erosion, activities, and preserving high quality waters and phytoplankton blooms. The workshop from future pollution. The strategy presents participants reached several important corrective and preventive actions that local conclusions: that the total loading of toxins governments can take, supported by State and within the Reserve and the levels of toxic federal programs and grants and augmented by substances in the waters, sediments and aquatic the efforts of non-governmental organizations, to biota of the estuary need to be evaluated; that the reduce and control nonpoint source pollution. potential presence of pathogens in the estuary clearly represents a risk to public health; and The strategy’s corrective and preventive that the impact of pathogens on the health and measures fall into four management approaches: vitality of the Reserve’s plants and animals 1) identifying opportunities and developing remains unclear. [Technical report: Summary schedules to protect lands that provide signicant Report: South Shore Estuary Reserve Water pollutant abatement functions; 2) designing and Quality Workshop (1999)]. undertaking projects that retrot existing storm sewer and other conveyance systems to remove The 1996 workshop also determined that human pollutants carried by stormwater; 3) adopting development of the margins of the estuary’s nonpoint source pollution best management bays and tributaries had increased nutrient practices; and 4) increasing education and loading and resulted in an increased level outreach to modify resident and user behavior. of eutrophication. The seasonal occurrence The degree to which each of the four approaches of hypoxic conditions associated with excess may be institutionalized in a municipality will nutrients and dissolved oxygen highlights this depend upon local circumstances. concern. Although the shallow waters of the South Shore bays are well mixed (which Several steps are fundamental to the discourages oxygen depletion), low levels of implementation of the corrective component of dissolved oxygen (hypoxia) are typical along the strategy. First, the distribution and relative the northern margins of the bays and in the magnitude of nonpoint source pollution in each tributary mouths, with tributaries showing clear watershed should be identied by municipalities. signs of seasonal hypoxia, a serious threat to Satellite imagery of land cover has been used aquatic life in these areas. with soils, topography and distance to surface water data to identify nonpoint pollution potential for the entire Reserve (see map at end of this chapter). This information will help focus implementation of site-specic stormwater remediation projects and water quality monitoring efforts.
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Vers f Chap2 12-13 8/30/01, 11:11 AM Next, municipalities should characterize their its Ketchams Creek watershed. Nassau County watersheds. These characterizations should has mapped stormwater drainage areas and include a delineation of sub-watersheds or outfalls, while Hempstead has identied contributing areas, and the location and catchment basins and retention structures for condition of storm sewer outfalls and all of its roads. Inventories in Oyster Bay and stormwater conveyance systems through which Islip are still underway. pollutants in stormwater are discharged. Existing drainage and runoff patterns should be The nal step in the corrective portion of accounted for in this delineation. this strategy is the comprehensive, local implementation of retrot projects, often with An assessment of the likelihood of correcting State technical and nancial assistance. discharge problems through infrastructure Environmental Protection Fund and Clean retrot improvements should also be included. Water/Clean Air Bond Act grants, and federal The likelihood of improvement and value of the Clean Water Act grants, are available to support receiving water resources are two key factors such projects. Additionally, proposed section to be considered in setting priorities and are 6217 funds associated with future renewal essential to preparing watershed management of the Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization plans, a follow-up step that would establish Amendments are another potential source of the basis for the design of cost-effective nancial assistance for priority nonpoint source corrective projects. Environmental Protection abatement and control projects. Fund Local Waterfront Revital- ization Program grants are avail- able to assist in this phase of the process. For example, as part of its stormwater abatement pro- gram, the Town of Southamp- ton has inventoried and mapped potentially signicant contrib- uting areas, assessed nonpoint pollution and identied capital improvement projects to abate pollution. It has also identied other areas to be analyzed as future target areas. Brookhaven has identied outfalls and con- veyance systems that discharge to tidal tributaries in the town and developed preliminary rec- ommendations to remove pol- lutants. Babylon has identied outfalls, contributing areas and projects to remove pollutants in runoff and restore wetlands for
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Vers f Chap2 12-13 8/30/01, 11:12 AM Some corrective steps of this strategy have Another element in this strategy, as of January already been implemented. Highlights of such 2001, is the Environmental Protection Agency’s municipal accomplishments include: completion Final Storm Water Phase II Rule. The rule of approximately seven hundred stormwater represents a signicant expansion of historic control projects (Southampton); implementation point source management requirements under of catch and retention basin maintenance National Pollutant Discharge Elimination programs (Brookhaven, Islip and Oyster Bay). System permit coverage to encompass sources Projects for which funds have been awarded traditionally considered nonpoint. Its intention or are currently underway include wetland is to further reduce adverse impacts to water restoration (Oyster Bay, Babylon, Brookhaven quality and aquatic habitats by instituting the and Southampton); hard clam restoration use of controls on the unregulated sources of (Brookhaven); and highway stormwater stormwater discharges that have the greatest discharge remediation (Islip, Southampton and likelihood of causing continued environmental Nassau and Suffolk counties). degradation.
The strategy’s preventive component is derived The rule applies to two classes of stormwater from the assessments of current municipal discharges on a national basis: 1) operators of nonpoint source pollution control practices. To small municipal separate storm sewer systems varying degrees, towns in the Reserve have in located in urbanized areas as delineated by place practices that can serve as a foundation the Bureau of Census or as designated by the for improving water quality. They include: land permitting authority; and 2) operators of small and water use regulations; road/highway design construction activities that disturb equal to or and construction standards; capital improvement greater than one and less than ve acres of programs; operation and maintenance land. The implementing program, still being procedures; and targeted education and outreach developed for New York State, is likely to efforts. But these current practices for managing encourage the use of general permits and nonpoint source pollution have not achieved provide exibility for regulated operators to adequate success, and strengthening, expanding determine the most appropriate stormwater and enforcing them is critical to improving and controls. While detailed applicability criteria maintaining water quality in the Reserve. have not yet been established by the Department of Environmental Conservation, it is likely that Assessments of municipal nonpoint source operators of small municipal separate storm control practices have been completed for each sewer systems and small construction activities of the six Reserve towns and Nassau and Suffolk in all of the Nassau County portion of the counties. These assessments suggest actions, Reserve, and most if not all of the Suffolk in light of local circumstances, that individual County portion, will be required to apply for towns could implement to improve their efforts at permits. nonpoint pollution abatement and control. These suggested actions are based on management The rule requires that all municipalities measures and practices documented in the New considered “urbanized areas” under the rule York State Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control meet certain permit conditions for managing Program, NYS Department of Environmental stormwater runoff. These conditions include Conservation best management practices at least six program elements: public outreach catalogues, and NYS Department of and education; public participation and Transportation guidance documents. Villages in involvement; illicit discharge detection and the Reserve, the City of Long Beach, and certain elimination; construction site runoff control; other state agencies still need to assess their post-construction runoff control; and pollution current nonpoint control practices.
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Vers f Chap2 14-15 8/30/01, 11:12 AM prevention. The recommendations and monitored by the U.S. Geological Survey implementation actions offered in this plan will [Technical report: Coordinated Water Resource help municipalities establish a foundation upon Monitoring Strategy for the South Shore Estuary which to base their efforts at addressing the Reserve (1999)]. required permits and their conditions. The coordination of these activities is described Actions to Enhance Point in the Coordinated Water Resource Monitoring Strategy for the South Shore Estuary Reserve Source Controls (1999). This study recommends a comprehensive and coordinated strategy that Previous actions to control point sources of focuses on multiple objectives beyond pollution within the Reserve have focused corrective efforts for nonpoint source pollution on pollutant loads from private sources and control. These objectives were drawn from the on upgrades to wastewater treatment plants. Council’s overall goal to protect and restore There is also ongoing remediation of inactive the estuary, and include: 1) management of hazardous waste and solid waste disposal sites, hard clams; 2) control of coliform bacteria in cleanup of spills in waterbodies, identication stormwater and maintenance of shellsh areas; of areas of potentially contaminated sediments, 3) control of brown tide; and 4) maintenance and regulation of discharges through the State and restoration of the natural system. The Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit strategy evaluated the diverse monitoring program. Future efforts should focus on programs already in place and identied gaps exploring potential impacts of point sources in existing information and approaches. It relative to one another and to nonpoint sources, is a multi-tiered approach, with a baseline and the remediation, when feasible, of areas monitoring program proposed as a rst tier, where point sources of pollution have caused and a second tier that calls for hypotheses- documented impairments to designated uses driven sampling that would address chemical and/or living resources [Technical reports: State loading, water quality, and ecological integrity. Pollution Discharge Elimination System The strategy: proposes that physical, chemical, (SPDES) Permit Sites (1999); Inactive biological and human-induced parameters be Hazardous Waste Disposal Sites and Active and tracked; identies general locations and Inactive Solid Waste Disposal Facilities (1999); frequency of sampling, including the rationale Areas of Contaminated Sediments (1998)]. for such sampling; and provides cost estimates. Human-induced parameters include land use Water Resources Monitoring changes, sewering and on-site wastewater treatment systems, land application of toxins and fertilizers, resource harvest, recreational boating Surface water quality data in the South Shore and inlet control. The coordinated monitoring Estuary Reserve is collected on a regular basis strategy also recommends that historical water by the NYS Department of Environmental quality data be analyzed in order to establish Conservation under its Rotating Intensive Basin baseline conditions for the Reserve’s tributaries Study and shellsh certication program, and and bays. by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Park Service, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, the Town of Hempstead and other municipalities, several citizen monitoring groups and colleges. Groundwater resources in the Reserve are
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Vers f Chap2 14-15 8/30/01, 11:12 AM Recommendations those practices. Towns should consider assisting villages within their borders with the completion of such assessments. The Council offers the following recommendations to achieve and maintain water 2. Spatial analysis of land cover, soils, quality in the South Shore Estuary Reserve. topography and satellite imagery should In an effort to reduce and control nonpoint be used by municipalities in the Reserve source pollution, recommendations 1 through to determine the distribution and relative 13 call for corrective actions in the form of magnitude of nonpoint source pollution in remediation projects to manage storm water as their communities. it moves across the landscape and preventive actions that control the level of pollutants Comprehensive spatial analysis of land cover, that enter stormwater runoff and the Reserve’s soils and topography by the NYS Department bays and tributaries. Many of these preventive of State has resulted in a nonpoint pollution actions involve the implementation of best potential model (see map at end of this chapter). management practices by municipalities in the The model identies the potential distribution Reserve. In an effort to address point sources of and relative magnitude of nonpoint source pollution, recommendations 14 through 17 call pollution and should be used by municipalities for enhancements to existing source controls. as they develop watershed plans that address Recommendations 18 through 21 relate to management of nonpoint source pollution. the Environmental Protection Agency’s Storm Water Phase II Final Rule. Recommendations 3. Complete specic watershed analyses to 22 through 24 identify information gaps that determine localized distribution and mag- need to be addressed within the next three nitude of nonpoint pollution, and prepare years in order to move toward fulllment of the watershed plans and retrot improvement Council’s vision for Long Island’s South Shore designs for cost-effective nonpoint source Estuary Reserve. pollution control projects.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO A watershed analysis involves identifying and setting priorities for improvements to storm REDUCE AND CONTROL sewers and other runoff conveyance systems. NONPOINT SOURCE It should also: examine the overall watershed POLLUTION character, including existing drainage and runoff patterns; evaluate the benets and feasibility of correcting runoff problems through road infrastructure improvements; and identify 1. Complete assessments of nonpoint source opportunities for preservation of high quality pollution management practices and identify waters from future pollution. This information and implement needed preventive measures could be supported with data from targeted based on priorities. water quality monitoring programs. Such watershed analyses have been conducted in The six towns and two counties in the Reserve whole or in part by Southampton, Brookhaven, have already co mpleted assessments of their Babylon, Hempstead and Nassau County, and current nonpoint source pollution control are underway in Islip and Oyster Bay. Similar practices. Villages in the Reserve, the City work needs to be done, where appropriate, of Long Beach, and relevant State agencies by Suffolk County and by New York State, should conduct similar assessments of their particularly the NYS Department of nonpoint control practices and identify gaps in
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Vers f Chap2 16-17 8/30/01, 11:12 AM Transportation, regarding State highways, and 5. Municipalities should periodically report the NYS Ofce of Parks, Recreation and to the Council on progress made and Historic Preservation, regarding major park problems encountered in implementing the holdings. water quality component of this plan in an effort to enlist its aid in identifying sources of Based on the results of watershed analyses, technical assistance and potential funding. watershed plans should identify signicant nonpoint source contributing areas and identify A system of reporting to the Council by and set priorities for site-specic projects for municipalities should be established to measure stormwater remediation. Designs for these Reserve-wide progress against objectives, and projects should be developed according to to enable early detection and resolution of the practices from either the Environmental Reserve-wide problems. The Council could Protection Agency’s Guidance Specifying also serve as a clearinghouse of information Management Measures for Sources of Nonpoint and techniques that would be shared with Pollution in Coastal Waters or the NYS individual South Shore Estuary Reserve Department of Environmental Conservation’s municipal stewards. Management Practices Catalogue for Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention and Water Quality 6. Adopt best management practices to Protection in New York State. The latter is control drainage, erosion and sedimentation incorporated by reference into the New York prior to and during construction. State Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program, a compendium of nonpoint pollution In an effort to reduce levels of hazardous and control and abatement practices currently toxic substances associated with construction implemented in New York State. activities from contaminating stormwater runoff, Southampton, Hempstead and Babylon 4. Implement priority stormwater remedia- should incorporate into their site plan review tion projects in signicant nonpoint source regulations, and Nassau County into its contributing areas identied in individual subdivision regulations, management practices municipal watershed plans. that: 1) control erosion and sedimentation before and during site preparation and construction; Stormwater remediation projects can be and 2) minimize detrimental effects on the water implemented through a mix of local resources, quality of waterbodies before and during site such as general funds, capital improvements preparation and construction. These practices programs, special bond initiatives, or municipal are found in NYS Department of Transportation work crews, and State funding mechanisms design specication documents and the NYS such as the 1996 New York State Clean Water/ Department of Environmental Conservation’s Clean Air Bond Act and the Environmental Management Practices Catalogue for Nonpoint Protection Fund. In some instances, federal Source Pollution Prevention and Water Quality dollars may be available to fund projects through Protection in New York State; the former the Transportation Enhancement Act (TEA-21), document is also incorporated by reference in section 319 of the federal Clean Water Act, New York State Coastal Nonpoint Pollution and through the proposed authorization for Control Program. Additionally, all towns should the Coastal Nonpoint Source Pollution Control immediately ensure that their land use Program. regulations address construction activities that disturb from one to less than ve of acres of land in advance of the permit conditions that will be required by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Final Storm Water Phase II Rule.
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Vers f Chap2 16-17 8/30/01, 11:12 AM 7. Adopt best management roadway opera- contractors, construction workers, and owners tion and maintenance. and managers of private facilities on the importance of carrying out best management To reduce the signicant water quality impacts practices, including soil testing, use of integrated of stormwater runoff from existing roads, pest management, organic gardening and lawn highways and bridges, all towns in the Reserve care. should formally adopt roadway operation and maintenance practices from portions of NYS 3) To reduce the amount of wildlife and pet Department of Transportation procedural wastes entering waterbodies, Babylon, manuals and NYS Department of Hempstead and Southampton should undertake Environmental Conservation’s Management multi-component education programs that Practices Catalogue for Nonpoint Source discourage the feeding of waterfowl, and Pollution Prevention and Water Quality Brookhaven and Southampton should institute Protection in New York State. “pooper-scooper” laws.
8. Institute appropriate best management 9. Adopt marina and recreational boating practices to reduce the contamination of best management practices, and educate stormwater runoff by hazardous materials, marina patrons about specic best manage- fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, ment practices. household hazardous wastes, and wildlife and pet wastes. To reduce elevated levels of fecal coliform bacteria and toxic substances associated with To reduce the impacts caused by stormwater existing marinas, all towns in the Reserve runoff contaminated by activity-specic should incorporate into local law practices nonpoint sources of pollution, the following from the NYS Coastal Nonpoint Pollution practices should be instituted: Control Program, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Management 1) To mitigate and prevent spills of petroleum Practices Catalogue for Nonpoint Source products and hazardous materials, all towns in Pollution Prevention and Water Quality the Reserve should: a) incorporate standards Protection in New York State and the National from the National Fire Protection Association Fire Protection Association Fire Protection and Environmental Conservation Law Article Standard for Pleasure and Commercial Motor 27 for generation, storage, application, handling Craft. Such efforts should include adoption and disposal activities before, during and after of appropriate regulations and practices that site preparation and construction into site plan mitigate the impacts of vessel waste discharges. review regulations, and local law; b) incorporate The imposition of best management practices U.S. Occupational Safety and Health on private marinas should be balanced against Administration standards and procedures the provision of incentive subsidies such as tax pertaining to spill cleanups into site plan review relief and public funding for rehabilitation. regulations, subdivision requirements and local law; and c) train an emergency spill response All Reserve towns except Southampton need team in these standards and procedures. to target outreach efforts at marina patrons in an effort to reduce solid waste reduction and 2) To address excessive fertilizer, herbicide encourage recycling, while all towns except and pesticide use as part of management of Babylon need to target outreach efforts on sh turf grass in public and private areas, all cleaning practices at sites designated for that towns in the Reserve should educate citizens, purpose.
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Vers f Chap2 18-19 8/30/01, 11:12 AM 10. Adopt best management practices for the subdivision regulations, practices from NYS siting and design of new and substantially Department of Transportation design redeveloped marinas. specication documents and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation To reduce levels of fecal coliform bacteria and Management Practices Catalogue for Nonpoint toxic substances associated with new marinas, Source Pollution Prevention and Water Quality all towns in the Reserve should incorporate Protection in New York State to protect wetlands siting and design practices from the NYS and streams, and control erosion and Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program sedimentation before and during site preparation and the NYS Department of Environmental and construction. These practices also should Conservation Management Practices Catalogue be formally adopted into local operation and for Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention and maintenance procedures and applied to Water Quality Protection in New York State into municipal hydromodication activities as well. site plan review. All towns also should formally adopt into These practices should be applied to new and local operation and maintenance procedures expanding private marinas and to public marinas those practices from NYS Department of through formally adopted planning approval Transportation procedural manuals and NYS procedures. The imposition of these practices Department of Conservation’s Management on private marinas undergoing redevelopment Practices Catalogue for Nonpoint Source should be balanced against the provision of Pollution Prevention and Water Quality incentive subsidies such as tax relief and public Protection in New York State that address the funding for rehabilitation. clearing of debris from streams and culverts.
11. Adopt best management practices to 13. Adopt best management practices that restore and create wetlands. reduce the environmental effects of on-site wastewater treatment systems (OWTS). To reduce the water quality impacts of existing hydromodication activities, all towns in the To reduce the water quality impacts of on-site Reserve should adopt into local operation and wastewater treatment systems, Nassau and maintenance procedures those practices from Suffolk counties should work with Hempstead, the NYS Department of Environmental Babylon, Islip and Brookhaven to develop Conservation Management Practices Catalogue and implement on-site system management for Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention and strategies that include a regulatory and incentive Water Quality Protection in New York State program for periodic inspections and pumpouts for restoring and creating wetlands. All towns of OWTS, require upgrades of OWTS as part except Southampton need to adopt those of substantial residential and commercial practices from the catalogue that address redevelopment, and establish a public education improvements to stream corridors and the component that informs system owners of restoration of riparian habitat and vegetation. proper use and the maintenance necessary for proper operation. Southampton should institute 12. Adopt best management practices to a similar public education program. protect wetlands and streams. The Town of Brookhaven should enforce those To prevent the water quality impacts of new provisions of its town code that address new private hydromodication activities, all towns and replacement systems in special ood areas in the Reserve should incorporate into their and that establish design criteria for systems in site plan review, and Nassau County into its
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Vers f Chap2 18-19 8/30/01, 11:12 AM coastal high hazard areas. Southampton should the development of Total Maximum Daily fully implement those provisions of its town Loads. In accordance with recently promulgated code that require inspections of systems at ve- federal regulations, the next 303(d) list is year intervals and remediation as necessary, expected to be nalized in April 2002. Later, for amend those provisions to allow inspections those waterbodies identied on the 303(d) list, by private individuals certied by the Town, the Department of Environmental Conservation and establish such a certication program. will develop Total Maximum Daily Loads Additionally, Southampton should extend its (TMDLs) in accordance with the schedule requirement of OWTS upgrades whenever included in the list. TMDLs will identify wetland permits are issued for expansions and reductions in point and nonpoint sources of additions to commercial establishments. pollutants necessary to meet water quality standards. Finally, the Department of The Council offers the following Environmental Conservation, the Department of recommendations to address actual and potential State, the Council and local governments should point source pollution. The recommendations work together to implement any load reduction are based on, respectively: a water quality actions identied in the TMDL allocations. initiative provided for in the federal Clean Water Act; comments from Council members; 15. Re-examine the need, benets and and completed South Shore Estuary Reserve feasibility of upgrading the municipal technical reports. Implementation of these sewage treatment plants discharging into actions will take the concerted effort of State, the estuary or relocating their outfalls to the federal and local governments. Atlantic Ocean.
Five wastewater treatment plants discharge RECOMMENDATIONS TO secondarily treated efuent into the western bays. TMDL wasteload allocations for the ENHANCE POINT SOURCE waterbodies receiving discharges from these CONTROLS facilities should be used to determine whether upgrades of the municipal wastewater plants to tertiary treatment are necessary. 14. Determine point and nonpoint source controls to reduce loadings of pathogens, 16. Ensure Compliance with Existing State nutrients and toxic substances contributing Pollution Discharge Elimination System to water quality problems in the Reserve’s (SPDES) permits. tributaries and bays. The compliance of point source discharges into In order to determine point and nonpoint source the Reserve with current SPDES limits and controls necessary to address water quality conditions should be investigated. Based on problems associated with nutrient enrichment, the results, existing and future infrastructure pathogens or toxic substances, a systematic and or operational needs necessary to ensure sequential process must be followed. First, water compliance should be identied. The NYS quality data in the Reserve’s tributaries and bays Department of Environmental Conservation, must be evaluated. Based on this evaluation, the Department of State, the Council and local the NYS Department of Environmental governments should then work together to Conservation will identify any specic assure that the needs identied are met. waterbodies that should be included on its 303(d) list of impaired waterbodies that require
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Vers f Chap2 20-21 8/30/01, 11:12 AM 17. Prevent the future contamination of anticipated that most of the Suffolk County sediments through continued implementation portion of the Reserve also will be designated of existing programs that address the as “urbanized areas” based on Census data. management of hazardous waste, and The NYS Department of Environmental remediate identied areas of contaminated Conservation, as the permitting authority, sediments where the sources of should ensure that this stormwater management contamination and impairments to living program applies throughout the entire Reserve resources and/or uses are known and well by designating those parts of the Reserve not documented, mitigation action is feasible, considered “urbanized areas” on the basis of and funds are available. Census gures.
National Fire Protection Association and 19. All municipalities in the Reserve Environmental Conservation Law Article 27 designated as “urbanized areas” under the standards regulate hazardous waste generation, Environmental Protection Agency’s Storm storage, application, handling and disposal Water Phase II Final Rule should activities before, during and after site immediately begin to prepare to meet Phase preparation and construction. Practices in II permit conditions and secure the necessary previously cited documents are designed to permits by the mandated deadline. manage nonpoint source pollution. Areas of contaminated sediments that potentially impair The National Pollution Discharge Elimination waterbodies in the Reserve should be tested to System permitting authority (the NYS determine required actions, and, if necessary, Department of Environmental Conservation) should be remediated on a priority basis when will issue general permits for Phase II funding becomes available. designated small municipal separate storm sewer systems and small construction activity by December 9, 2002. Designated municipalities RECOMMENDATIONS TO must obtain permit coverage within 90 days of permit issuance. The permitting authority IMPLEMENT EPA’S STORM WATER PHASE II FINAL RULE Fecal coliform as indicator organisms 18. The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation should designate as “urbanized Fecal coliform bacteria are present areas” under the Environmental Protection in the digestive systems of warm- Agency’s Storm Water Phase II Final Rule blooded animals. While the bacteria those portions of the Reserve not so themselves are not a threat to public designated by the Bureau of Census. health, their presence in levels in excess of established water quality The Phase II Final Rule requires nationwide standards is used to indicate the coverage of all small municipal separate storm potential presence of pathogens, sewer systems that are located within the microbes that are actually known boundaries of a Bureau of Census-dened to cause diseases such as dysentery, “urbanized areas” based on the latest decennial gastrointestinal illness and Census. All of Nassau County has been swimmer’s itch. designated as an “urbanized area.” It is
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Vers f Chap2 20-21 8/30/01, 11:12 AM may phase in coverage for municipalities with rule workable, the Departments of State and populations under 10,000 on a schedule consistent Environmental Conservation and municipalities with a State watershed permitting approach. in the Reserve should work together to identify Permitted municipalities must fully implement optimal ways to develop stormwater their stormwater management programs by the management districts and explore the feasibility end of the rst permit term, typically a ve of those options. year period. Permit conditions will include at least six program elements: public outreach and education; public participation and involvement; RECOMMENDATIONS TO illicit discharge detection and elimination; construction site runoff control; post-construction ADDRESS INFORMATION runoff control; and pollution prevention. All NEEDS municipalities should immediately start the process to meet permit requirements. The implementation actions offered in this plan will 22. Implement a coordinated water resources help municipalities establish a foundation upon monitoring strategy that monitors water which to base their efforts at meeting the required quality in the Reserve’s tributaries and bays, permit conditions. and evaluates the extent to which management actions are successful in 20. Information and education programs achieving water quality goals. need to be developed and conducted for municipal ofcials on implementation of the The Coordinated Water Resources Monitoring Environmental Protection Agency’s Phase II Strategy for the South Shore Estuary Reserve Final Rule. proposed a two-tiered program for monitoring the physical, chemical, biological and human- A cooperative information and education induced conditions of the Reserve and its program will facilitate the timely implementation watershed. Tier 1 monitoring is designed to of the Phase II Final Rule by municipalities in establish baseline data on water quality in the the Reserve. Such a program should include: Reserve’s bays and tributaries, identify and an overview of why the Phase II Storm Water assess trends in water quality, and evaluate the Program is necessary; who is covered by the extent to which desired uses of the Reserve’s rule and what the rule requires to manage small water resources are met. Tier 1 efforts include municipal separate storm sewer systems and small monitoring the occurrence of brown tide blooms construction activity; and the Phase II program in the Reserve’s waters. Tier 2 monitoring approach, the schedule for implementation, and activities are in general short-term investigations, the Environmental Protection Agency’s “tool more intensive in temporal and /or spatial scale, box” of materials available to ensure that program and designed to test specic hypotheses regarding implementation is effective and cost-efcient. water quality or ecological issues in the South Shore Estuary Reserve. 21. Institutional arrangements for implementation of the Phase II Final Rule The monitoring strategy builds on existing need to be established. monitoring programs and offers recommendations for improved coordination Implementation of the Phase II Final Rule will be among agencies conducting those programs. It the responsibility of counties, towns and villages calls for the hiring of a program manager, the in the South Shore Estuary Reserve. In an effort implementation of a quality assurance/quality to address the reality of overlapping municipal control program, and centralized data analysis authorities and to make implementation of the and reporting.
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Vers f Chap2 22-23 8/30/01, 11:12 AM 23. Develop a hydrologic model of the Reserve.
Once strategic information is developed from the coordinated water quality monitoring program (Recommendation 22, above), a hydrodynamic model addressing groundwater underow, tributary inputs, water circulation, currents, dispersion and residence times would add to the capability of rening and enhancing management strategies. Such a model would need to identify the potential hydrodynamic and water quality impacts, ecological consequences and long-term environmental fate of toxic substances, coliform bacteria, nutrients, and other pollutants to the bays to be of value. The model would be used to test the potential effects of alternative locations for wastewater outfalls and predict the water quality consequences of a storm-related island breach or inlet closure. Coupled with land use and water quality monitoring data through a GIS system, the model would be of use to local governments for understanding water quality impacts of alternative land use decisions.
24. Further investigate the hypothesis that brown tide blooms are related to the ratios of available dissolved organic and inorganic nitrogen.
Additional data are needed to further test the hypothesis that brown tide is related to inputs and the ratios of available dissolved organic nitrogen and dissolved inorganic nitrogen from groundwater, sediment nutrient ux, and other sources. Such research could also shed light on other ecological processes such as the inuence of trace metals and pesticides. This research effort could also provide valuable information on conventional water quality and living resource management issues. Effective enhancement of hard clams, scallops, oysters, nsh, crustaceans, and submerged aquatic vegetation will be difcult until this harmful algal bloom is better understood.
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Vers f Chap2 22-23 8/30/01, 11:12 AM CHAPTER 3 Protect and Restore Living Resources of the Reserve
Vers F Chap3 25 8/30/01, 11:18 AM CHAPTER 3 Protect and Restore Living Resources of the Reserve
Overview of the Issues Now, with depressed popula- The diversity, abundance and productivity of tions in these waters, hard the living resources of the South Shore Estuary clams are at the forefront of Reserve dene much of the character of Long Island’s south shore and provide a readily concern as an indicator of the recognized and long-standing hallmark. complex interactions of com- Stewardship of these living resources requires mercial harvest pressure and a commensurate effort in management of populations of individual species, restoration of environmental and biological physically dened habitat areas, and realization changes in the estuary. of the need to recognize a natural landscape that preserves and enhances existing living resource values. and geographic areas from the coincident The story of the living resources in the Reserve depression of hard clam populations, is another has been one of natural and human-inuenced example of species-based change. Geographical changes in the estuarine environment. An shifts in colonial waterbird populations obvious example of such change is provided represents yet a third type of species-based by the estuary’s hard clam populations. This change in the Reserve. In this case, species- important resource was a signicant and based management approaches have resulted in abundant component of at least the Great South better understanding of the population dynamics Bay portion of the Reserve through the 1970’s. of these species and moderate success in Now, with depressed population levels in these achieving population restoration goals. same waters, the species is at the forefront of concern as an indicator of the complex Human population growth and burgeoning interactions of commercial harvest pressure and development in the Reserve, especially since environmental and biological changes in the World War II, had and continues to have a estuary (see map at end of this chapter). The dramatic effect on the estuary. Wetlands and explosion of blue crab stocks in the estuary, other habitats in the Reserve, such as bay although occurring over different time scales bottoms, upland woodlands, and overwash ats,
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Vers F Chap3 26-27 8/30/01, 11:18 AM have undergone substantial change. The loss of plains, wetlands, woodlands, coves and bay historic wetlands since the onset of development bottoms, upland areas and developed shoreline - has been well documented, with at least half with the Reserve’s living resources of shellsh, of the remaining wetlands having been lost resident and transient sh, and bird species. beginning in the 1950’s. Although wetland losses in New York were largely arrested with As part of its mandate under Article 46 of the initiation of wetland protection programs in Executive Law, the Council was to develop the 1970’s, the remaining wetlands present both strategies to effectively manage the living challenges and opportunities for management resources of the Reserve. Building upon the and restoration (see map at end of this chapter). recommendations contained in the technical Other types of habitats have also undergone reports, this chapter offers guidelines for substantial changes, although less obvious. The recognizing, protecting and enhancing natural two most notable examples in the Reserve are resource values throughout the Reserve. the open bays and the upland woodlands; the former inuenced by changes in inlet dynamics, Living Resources of the Reserve the latter a physical habitat undergoing loss today comparable to the loss of tidal wetlands beginning in the 1950’s. No one species or group of species exemplies or is most important to the functioning of the Despite their importance, species and habitats Reserve’s ecosystems. All share a reliance on its are only individual components of the Reserve’s unique coastal environment. This environment broader ecological landscape. Although an is the product of three primary physical factors: essential step in gaining an understanding of freshwater ow from the mainland; salt water its living resources, dividing the Reserve by inow; and a sheltered location. Within this species use and by geography creates an hydrogeological setting, habitat formation has articial construct that ignores the way in been driven and modied by the natural which living resources occur throughout the processes of sea level rise, episodic storms, Reserve’s physical setting. Tributaries offer and barrier island washovers and breaches, and a prime example of the need to maintain a biological activities including shell deposition clear context for understanding and managing and wetland peat formation. Other physical and any single resource by integrating the physical chemical factors, including nutrient input and components of the landscape - open water, ood cycling, restricted tidal exchange and relatively shallow depth, also affect the estuary’s ecology. In combination with its limited freshwater inow, these environmental factors have produced a unique estuary, characterized by high biological productivity and long residence times for most bay waters.
The cumulative effect of these physical forces has been the evolution of highly productive and diverse natural communities and ecosystems within the estuarine watershed. Estuarine Mosquito Ditching
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Vers F Chap3 26-27 8/30/01, 11:18 AM areas, together with riverine corridors and Another hallmark of the estuary is its molluscan associated uplands within the Reserve, currently shellsh populations, especially the signature support a myriad of aquatic and terrestrial species, the hard clam, which has experienced species. These areas provide: breeding, nesting, declines in productivity and its commercial and spawning sites; migration pathways and harvest. Hard clam and other shellsh provide stopover areas; roosting sites; nursery and important nutrient cycling and water ltration staging areas; dispersal corridors; species functions for the estuary’s waters, and concentration and overwintering areas; and substantial recreational and commercial values major feeding and foraging grounds. as well. As a consequence of its ecological and economic importance, the Council has For most of the Reserve’s natural communities, made the restoration of the estuary’s hard clam management concern is centered on the needs population a priority. Also identied within the of a limited number of key species. These are estuary are its important crustacean shellsh species or species assemblages that represent species, particularly its populations of blue signicant recreational, commercial, ecological, crabs. Signicant components of the estuarine or biodiversity values within the Reserve, and food web, blue crab populations have the whose status provide a measure of estuarine potential to be an increasingly important capacity to maintain resource production commercial and recreational species [Technical levels. reports: Molluscan Shellsh (1999); Crustacean Shellsh (1999)]. Perhaps the most striking feature of the Reserve’s landscape is its extensive tidal The Reserve has also long been recognized for wetlands. These salt marshes, which make up its abundant shorebird and colonial water bird about 15% of the total estuarine acreage, are populations. As is the case for many coastal a signicant source of primary productivity areas, this group includes a number of rare or and provide critical foraging, nursery, and endangered species such as the piping plover, nesting habitat for many coastal species. Though roseate tern, least tern, and others such as the greatly reduced and substantially degraded by common tern, all considered reliable indicators development, the salt marshes offer substantial of the estuary’s health. While some species have opportunity for restoration of ecological maintained their population level and geographic functions and living resource values. distribution in the face of development pressure, most have experienced declines in numbers and Beds of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), shifts in distribution. For many species, a major which occupy much of the Reserve’s consequence of human disturbance has been a predominant shallow subtidal zone, and shift in populations to more isolated or protected phytoplankton communities, are the major locations such as the saltmarsh islands of the contributors to overall estuarine productivity. western bays or protected areas of the barrier Dependent on good water quality, SAV beds beach. Recognition, protection and management provide additional ecosystem benets in terms of key feeding and nesting areas is critical for of nsh and shellsh nursery habitat, as well these groups of bird species [Technical report: as foraging areas for many sh, crabs, and Coastal Colonial Waterbirds (1997)]. avian species. Although lost from many coastal regions, SAV beds, composed primarily of In addition to shorebird and colonial waterbird eelgrass, appear to be thriving in many areas of concerns, avian conservation management in the estuary, where they occupy as much as 20% the Reserve is also focused on the region’s of estuarine waters [Technical reports: Wetlands abundant waterfowl (geese and duck) (1997); Estuarine Finsh (1998)]. populations. With NYS Department of
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Vers F Chap3 28-29 8/30/01, 11:18 AM Environmental Conservation midwinter aerial much more abundant, most marine and surveys indicating an average population for all freshwater turtle species have experienced severe species of over 42,000 birds and peak counts of declines. Diamondback terrapin, although not over 82,000 birds, the Reserve is an important common, are an exception. Their population overwintering area. But it also provides vital numbers have steadily increased, as have those breeding and migrational habitat. Although of the various seal species associated with the there are regional variations in distribution estuary’s inlets and isolated haulout beaches and abundance, the most numerous species [Technical report: Sea Turtles, Diamondback for the Reserve as a whole include black Terrapin, Mud Turtles and Seals (1997)]. duck (a species of concern), brant, scaup, and Canada goose. This resource supports a In addition to wetlands, other community types substantial recreational base through hunting are of particular importance within the Reserve. and birdwatching (Technical report: Waterfowl For reasons of specialized ecosystem function, (1997)]. critical support for other habitats, or extent of historic loss, riverine corridors and tributary Another key community within the Reserve, coves deserve special conservation efforts. the estuary’s nsh population, provides Tributary systems especially are focal areas of commercial and recreational pursuits, with biological diversity, abundance and productivity, activity focused on winter and summer and are of high ecological value. Of particular ounders, striped bass, bluesh, and blacksh. interest is their importance for restoration of Of greater ecological importance, however, are anadromous sh populations in the Reserve the abundant forage species assemblages which [Technical report: Diadromous Fish (1997)]. inhabit the shallows and intertidal wetlands that comprise over 55% of the estuary. These nsh Strategies to Protect and Restore transfer food energy, and thus productivity, to predatory nsh and avian populations Living Resources [Technical report: Estuarine Finsh (1998)]. Historically, management of natural resources A less conspicuous species group is the has been approached in a variety of ways. Ini- Reserve’s turtles and seals. Although formerly tially, the focus was on single species, where there is a long history of resource management to maximize yields of game and commercial spe- cies or to restore rare species. This approach has demonstrated a limited effectiveness in pro- moting stable, long-term mainte- nance of target species. On Long Island, recent examples of this single-species approach include programs for common terns, piping plovers, winter ounder, and hard clams. Application of this type of management strat- egy was particularly successful in preserving colonial waterbird populations in the Reserve.
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Vers F Chap3 28-29 8/30/01, 11:18 AM Resource management has also occurred at the community level, a community encompassing all the plant and animal species at a given location. Management practices at this level manipulate critical components of habitat. This approach, which evolved from the single-species management, has shown greater promise for sustaining and enhancing living resource values. Within the Reserve, management plans for restoring tidal wetland communities, and for protecting Wetland habitat of the Carmans River and enhancing the open bays, are guided by community level management principles. [Technical reports: Actions to Enhance the Resource Wetlands (1997); Molluscan Shellsh (1999); Crustacean Shellsh (1999)]. In some cases, information regarding living resources of the Reserve is unparalleled in Resource managers over the past two decades comparison to many other estuarine ecosystems. have begun to develop a more comprehensive Nowhere else in North America is there a approach directed at increasing resource values comprehensive set of hard clam population throughout an estuary by managing at the monitoring data spanning over ten years. ecosystem level. This approach, which Similarly, comparable data regarding wetland incorporates tools from both single species and trends has not been advanced elsewhere to community level, is used by the U.S. Fish the extent that it has for the Reserve. and Wildlife Service, the NYS Departments Notwithstanding the quality and quantity of of Environmental Conservation and State, and information available for the Reserve, however, most other resource management agencies. In these data provide only a portion of the keeping with this approach, the signicance of information needed to substantially improve natural resource use and management issues management of the estuary’s living resources. in the Reserve have been noted in a number The rst general action is to improve our of studies that have provided ecological understanding of these resources through: characterizations of the Reserve or signicant continued, objective-driven monitoring; portions of it. Most notable among these are The empirical research studies designed to address Great South Bay (Schubel et al.1991), Estuarine specic management needs; and fundamental Resources of the Fire Island National Seashore biological research necessary to understand the and Vicinity (NYSGI 1993), and Signicant species, population dynamics, and community Habitats and Habitat Complexes of the New ecology. York Bight Watershed (USFWS 1997). Despite remaining information needs, it is possible to undertake a selective program of habitat restoration in the Reserve. The initial focus of such restoration would address tidal wetlands, colonial waterbird nesting habitat
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Vers F Chap3 30-31 8/30/01, 11:18 AM and anadromous sh runs. For tidal wetlands, Managing natural communities requires identifying the complete realm of possible consideration of the functional connections restoration activities and specic sites is a between communities in the Reserve. For example, necessary rst step in the development of a SAV beds function as nurseries for numerous restoration plan for the Reserve. Such a step crustaceans, shellsh, and resident nsh; and has already been taken for colonial waterbird freshwater marshes play the role of sediment nesting restoration needs. As for anadromous lters for tributary waters. In addition to this sh, restoration initiatives such as removal of whole ecosystem perspective, resource managers barriers to sh passage could begin immediately also need to recognize that there is regional by conrming population data at selected creeks. variation within the Reserve that is relevant to Other information needs must be addressed management strategies and practices. Differences before restoration can begin on submerged in physical parameters across the estuary have aquatic vegetation, tributaries, bay bottoms, and produced ecological differences between regions, forested wetlands. resulting in divergent management needs. The preferred management approach is to segregate Recommendations or categorize the Reserve into ecological management areas of similar physical habitats and biological communities. This approach Based on its technical reports and other provides a rational set of management guidelines literature, the Council offers the following for application of restoration, protection and recommendations to direct future management other management methods that recognize the of living resources of the Reserve. These different environments within the Reserve. Based recommendations integrate the large number on current resource information, the Reserve can of individual technical report recommendations be viewed as three distinctive geographical and into a smaller number of broader, more ecological units: comprehensive ones. The entire array of living resource technical report recommendations are • Western bays (Hempstead and South Oyster captured below. Bays), a very shallow region of extensive marsh islands and back barrier wetlands, dominated by substantial ocean-bay exchanges, and a high tidal range; RECOMMENDATIONS TO INCORPORATE AN • Great South Bay, a large, shallow embayment with reduced ocean-bay ECOSYSTEM PERSPECTIVE exchanges, substantial freshwater input IN MANAGEMENT OF from tributaries, back barrier wetlands, and ESTUARINE LIVING extensive SAV beds and subtidal ats; and RESOURCES • Eastern bays (Moriches and Shinnecock Bays), a smaller, shallow region dominated by ocean-bay exchanges, with a moderate 1. To achieve the greatest benet for tidal range, higher salinity, and more the estuary, tailor restoration, protection, extensive use by marine species.1 and other management recommendations to areas of the Reserve demonstrating similar 1 ecological characteristics. For specic depth information see Embayment Use Study, Part 1 Addendum: Composite navigation charts of the South Shore Estuary.
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Vers F Chap3 30-31 8/30/01, 11:18 AM Specic strategies appropriate for each area and environmental factors determined as most must be pursued. For example, methods for critical. Such a program would involve wetland restoration appropriate to Great South continued reassessment of the status of critical Bay, with its lower tidal range, may need species and ecosystem components. It would to be modied for application near barrier be designed to evaluate the level of success island inlets. Shellsh restoration efforts provide in attainment of specic site goals and the another example. In this case, different levels cumulative achievement of projected of nutrients, estuarine circulation, and nuisance improvements in estuarine resources from algal blooms in the higher tidal range habitat restoration and protection activities. environments of the eastern and western bays A Reserve-wide monitoring program would mandate different management strategies. also benet visual and aesthetic resources, stormwater control and treatment, and other 2. Document the current status of living values, and would provide a measure of progress resources in the Reserve and implement toward the implementation of this plan. a comprehensive ecosystem monitoring program to document and evaluate 3. Conserve remaining riverine emergent and improvements in quality and quantity of forested wetland areas through restoration living resources achieved through restoration and protection measures. and other management measures. The large number of tributaries that drain the As most resource managers will agree, one of the Reserve have historically been a focal point foremost living resource management issues in for human activities and continue to provide the Reserve is the need for more comprehensive important natural resource values. High potential baseline information to guide management exists for protecting the remaining tributary decisions. This base of information should systems and restoring impaired ones. In include documentation of species abundance and particular, the productive wetlands associated distribution and assessment of coastal habitats, with tributaries warrant continued protection. as well as determining and measuring natural and Based on their proximity to nonpoint pollutant manmade factors that affect the functioning of sources, these wetland communities play an the estuarine ecosystem. At present, an extensive important part in mitigating water quality body of species-specic information exists for problems in the Reserve. As such, their a select group of living resources, primarily protection and stewardship should be a Reserve avian species; current data collection programs priority. for these groups should be continued. For other biological resources where existing information Coves are a frequently overlooked component may be limited, such as hard clam, estuarine of tributary management. Recognized as nsh communities, plankton and algae, and concentration areas for many estuarine species, benthic invertebrates, expanded efforts are including the particularly important winter required. For most Reserve living resources, ounder, these habitats are subject to particularly lesser known species and specic sedimentation and altered salinities. To curtail habitat types, the existing information base is degradation of these, as well as other important almost non-existent, with inventory procedures tributary features, emphasis should be placed only now developing. on improving the quality of stormwater runoff. Other activities that signicantly affect tributary Following the establishment and analysis of cove environments include bulkheading of a comprehensive baseline for the Reserve’s remaining natural shoreline, dock placement, living resources, an ecosystem monitoring dredging, and groundwater withdrawals that program should be initiated for those resources affect stream ow.
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Vers F Chap3 32-33 8/30/01, 11:18 AM types are found in the Reserve. These areas need to be recognized for their living resource values RECOMMENDATIONS TO and provided with enhanced protection efforts, INCREASE WETLAND through establishment of protective buffer areas COMMUNITY VALUES IN and other measures. The threat presented by exotic invasive species will also need to be THE RESERVE addressed as part of the restoration effort.
Wetland restoration projects are being developed 4. Improve the ecological function and by multiple agencies and institutions in the productivity of the estuary by increasing the Reserve. Coordination of effort among these quality and quantity of its wetlands. parties — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Long Island Wetland Wetlands are a major feature of the estuarine Initiative, and various State agencies — is landscape. Key contributors to the high level vital to achieving overall goals and securing of biological productivity in the estuary, the public support. As part of this coordinated Reserve’s 19,000 acres of tidal wetlands are effort, regulations should be streamlined in order also recognized for other signicant functions, to facilitate habitat restoration projects. This including sediment and nutrient removal, ood would include institution of measures to improve prevention, storm protection, and provision of communication among the various entities feeding and nursery sites for estuarine species. involved in reviewing restoration projects so as Historic losses of wetlands through development to avoid duplication of effort and to speed up activity have reduced the estuary’s productivity the decision-making process. and diminished the extent to which the benets of other wetland functions accrue. Although many wetlands are permanently lost, a large number of sites present substantial opportunities for wetland restoration, either through reversing RECOMMENDATIONS TO wetland loss through removal of ll, or by RECOGNIZE, RESTORE, AND enhancing specic wetland values. PROTECT TRIBUTARY
Principal means available to restore and enhance RESOURCE VALUES wetland values in the Reserve include: hydromodication of formerly connected wetlands; restoration of dredge spoil deposit 5. Restore diadromous sh populations in sites; open marsh water management; tributaries where the necessary habitat establishment of protective buffer areas; and conditions exist or can be created. recognition of existing high quality wetlands. Wetlands lost to ll disposal and altered Tributary systems provide signicant habitat hydrology, comprising almost 1,800 acres, may values for many diadromous and estuarine sh have restoration potential. Another 15,000 acres species in the Reserve, including shelter, nursery of salt marsh have been altered by mosquito areas, and food sources for diadromous sh such ditching practices. Many of these wetlands as river herrings (alewife and blueback herring), may present restoration opportunities through sea-run trout, and American eel. The majority open marsh water management techniques. An of Long Island tributaries with water quality additional 2,200 acres of relatively high quality, sufcient to support trout and trout spawning unditched tidal wetlands, 5,000 acres of riparian are located within the Reserve. For Suffolk wetlands, and smaller areas of rare wetland County, nearly 90 percent of such designated
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Vers F Chap3 32-33 8/30/01, 11:18 AM streams fall within the Reserve, and for Nassau Current programs have exhibited considerable County, 67 percent. success in conserving colonial waterbird and shorebird populations in the Reserve. Such efforts Although modication of tributary systems need to continue and should be expanded to through agricultural practices, ood control, include waterfowl as well. Programs that benet groundwater manipulations, development and beach-nesting shorebirds by insulating them land clearing, has been extensive, there is from human disturbance on the beach face and considerable potential for restoring natural dune fronts can be highly effective. Likewise, tributary function. The greatest concentration of colonial waterbirds, shorebirds, and waterfowl tributaries likely to warrant restoration is in the have all benetted from wetland protection central and eastern portion of the Reserve. Many activities, and will experience further benets of the western tributaries have been irrevocably from wetland restoration programs. Currently, altered; however, the limited riverine forest the most important management concerns associated with these western tributaries warrant involve protection of nesting sites on beaches restoration effort. Restoration of tributaries and bay islands, including predator exclusion and would include: recovery of lled wetlands; management of human disturbance, vegetation restoration of stream ows; restoration of management and the potential use of dredge wetland hydrology; removal of physical spoils in habitat restoration. impediments to spawning; water quality improvement measures; and development of buffer areas. RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY RECOMMENDATIONS TO OF IMPORTANT ESTUARINE PROTECT AND IMPROVE LIVING RESOURCES HABITAT CONDITIONS FOR ESTUARINE BIRD SPECIES 7. Increase molluscan shellsh populations GROUPS for commercial harvest through enhance- ment of shellsh stocks and improvements in water quality. 6. Provide for continued abundance and diversity of avian species by protecting key Seed planting should be evaluated rigorously foraging and nesting habitat areas necessary as a management alternative in terms of its for shorebird, waterfowl, and colonial effectiveness in increasing shellsh stocks waterbird populations, as well as feeding and versus associated costs. Consistent with other resting areas for migratory birds. regions, where seed programs contribute to 25% or more of total hard clam harvest, The diversity of physical habitats and biological there is an opportunity to make signicant communities in the Reserve sustains a wide contributions to stocks by increasing seed variety of estuarine bird species - colonial clam programs in the Reserve. In particular, waterbirds, shorebirds, and waterfowl. growout of seed clams to larger sizes (ie., Management of these species entails 25 mm or greater), which confer signicantly implementing strategies that ensure their higher seed clam survival rates, and protection continued existence and provide an environment of cultured stock in predator exclusion racks, in which their populations can ourish. could produce marked increases in survival and subsequent harvest.
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Vers F Chap3 34-35 8/30/01, 11:19 AM resources must still ensure that harvest does not Spawner relay, the transplanting of hard clams exceed the estuary’s natural productive capacity. from uncertied to certied waters, capitalizes Accomplishing this will require increased on the spawning potential of transplanted clams commitments to research, assessment of existing to maintain spawning stock or spawning information, and changes in shellsh resource sanctuaries. The spawner sanctuary concept is a management. renement of the spawner transplant program. SUNY computer models currently in use in Effective management strategies for sustainable Babylon and Islip simulate the ow elds production require controls on shing pressure of coastal embayments and may be useful in and habitat degradation. Efforts to support and focusing efforts to select candidate sites for guide establishment of appropriate levels of establishment of spawner sanctuaries, which harvest for commercially and recreationally will in turn supply larvae to preselected target important estuarine species will need to be areas. Spawner sanctuaries can be established based on improved knowledge of the population in known high productivity beds where stock structure, food web dynamics, and critical life is allowed to grow out to chowder size. stages of individual species. For commercial Additional techniques, such as placing shellsh species, particularly the hard clam, the broodstock to enhance reproduction and placing lack of understanding of population biology later spawning northern stocks, have been is a signicant factor hampering management implemented in Babylon and should be decisions. Priority research needs include: stock considered elsewhere to enhance and extend assessment; population dynamics including spawning in sanctuaries. recruitment, settlement, and growth; and a comprehensive substrate habitat analysis (see Efforts to improve water quality should also Recommendation 10). continue to receive support in order to increase the acreage of certied shellshing waters and Finsh are also subject to overharvest, as improve shellsh habitat, while recognizing evidenced by the recent declines in oyster that water quality may not be the principal issue toadsh populations. Even with improved relating to declining shellsh abundance. means of enhancing and augmenting populations, overharvest will continue to be 8. Support efforts to manage harvest of an estuary-wide concern. The key principle shellsh and other living estuarine resources guiding discussion of harvest limits must be on a basis consistent with the natural capacity the need to sustain the shery, both for shery of the estuary. products and for the bayman lifestyle associated with the South Shore. Maintaining healthy populations of commercially and recreationally important nsh and shellsh 9. Support productivity of commercially and species is a major focus of the Council. Reserve ecologically important estuarine species by waters have a demonstrated potential to support sustaining existing habitats of high functional abundant nsh and shellsh populations. In quality and restoring degraded habitats, some instances, however, commercial species particularly submerged aquatic vegetation utilization in the Reserve has been characterized (SAV) beds and shallows. by signicant overharvest and ensuing depression of population levels. Recognizing that the current While striving to increase productivity in status of nsh and shellsh populations in recreational and commercial species, it should the Reserve may be attributable in part to be possible to improve the natural capacity of ecological changes, management of these the estuary by maintaining and enhancing the
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Vers F Chap3 34-35 8/30/01, 11:19 AM habitat conditions that support this productivity. Loss and degradation of estuarine habitats has reduced and fragmented populations of a RECOMMENDATIONS TO number of the Reserve’s important estuarine ADDRESS SCIENTIFIC species. Maintaining or restoring population levels of these species will require both INFORMATION NEEDS restoration of key physical habitats and protection of existing high quality habitat features. 10. Address critical information needs regarding productivity of hard clam and Many nsh species use the Reserve for other shellsh with research that focuses on spawning, nursery habitat, seasonal feeding growth and nutrition, recruitment, settle- grounds, and general living space. A number of ment, predation and Brown Tide effects. nsh, particulary forage sh species, display a strong habitat linkage to the estuary. Spawning Fundamental research investigating the life and nursery habitats for estuarine sh in the history stages of various shellsh, especially Reserve are largely dependent on wetlands, hard clams, would permit the identication shallows, and SAV beds, all of which are of those stages during which year class juxtaposed between intense human activity abundance is established and the biotic and and the open waters of the estuary. Finsh abiotic factors that control the shellsh populations will benet from overall habitat abundance. Coupled with applied research and protection and restoration. Potential monitoring of stock abundance and population management actions, including conservation structure, the minimum information would be area designation for selected cove areas on hand to effectively manage the Reserve’s important for winter ounder spawning and shellsh resources. persistent hard clam beds, should be developed to protect the habitat values of these areas. 11. Evaluate the conditions and needs for Habitat-related recommendations in shery rehabilitation of palustrine forested wetlands management plans should be implemented. associated with the Reserve’s tributary corridors and the tidal wetlands that play an Shellsh populations may also benet from important role in the ecology of the Reserve’s habitat restoration efforts. Habitat enhancement bay bottoms and barrier islands. can be initiated at specic sites where management efforts focus on improvement of The NYS Department of State, in collaboration water quality, the control of nonpoint sources with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has of pollution near shellsh resources, wetland completed substantial study of the Reserve’s restoration, and substrate restoration or tidal wetlands, including: improvement. Shellsh habitat enhancement efforts also need to recognize variation within • cataloging and mapping of historic and the Reserve of critical environmental existing wetlands; parameters, such as water temperature, salinity, • calculating the total acreage that might be and substrate characteristics, which affect restored or enhanced; management approaches. At present, a focus on the potential for substrate improvement through • assessing the Reserve-wide benets of shell augmentation appears to be well deserved restoration; and as a means of increasing shellsh populations. • identifying the number and location of candidate restoration sites within Reserve.
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Vers F Chap3 36-37 8/30/01, 11:19 AM Similar information is not available for tributaries in the Reserve, especially tributary mouths, which are important for many species but especially vulnerable and poorly understood. Monitoring and mapping efforts are also critical for submerged aquatic vegetation beds and other benthic habitats that are especially important for shellsh populations.
Also lacking is information on the potential effects of sea level rise on the Reserve’s tributaries and associated corridors, tidal marshes, bay bottoms and barrier islands, and the potential impacts of projects aimed at preventing overwash and inlet formation.
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Vers F Chap3 36-37 8/30/01, 11:19 AM CHAPTER 4 Expand Public Use and Enjoyment of the Estuary
Vers F Chap4 39 8/30/01, 11:27 AM CHAPTER 4 Expand Public Use and Enjoyment of the Estuary
The public’s use and enjoyment of the South water-enhanced uses. At the same time, demand Shore Estuary Reserve depend upon the ability for public access to the estuary is expected to access the bays, tributaries and shore lands to increase with further population growth, and the quality of the natural and cultural especially in the eastern parts of Long Island. resources there. Where other chapters have Even in areas where population doesn’t grow, addressed water quality and living resources, certain types of shoreline recreation facilities this chapter focuses on public access and may experience greater demand due to changes opportunities for people to experience the in age distributions, median incomes or other estuarine setting through shoreline recreation characteristics of the population. facilities, underwater lands, open space and the Reserve’s maritime heritage and culture. While shoreline development commonly precludes access to the estuary’s bays and Overview of the Issues shores, it may also impede the public’s right of access to underwater lands held in the public trust. Town ofcials and others responsible The supply of formal, dedicated shoreline public for managing public trust lands need clear access sites and recreation facilities around the policies and accurate information to guide their estuary is nite, and opportunities to increase the decision-making in a manner which safeguards supply will become fewer as private shoreline the public’s rights while treating the rights of development continues. Safety concerns, littoral owners fairly. parking deciencies, scal constraints or residency requirements limit the potential use The value of open space is relative: the more of many existing recreational facilities. Access intensive the surrounding development, the to and use of some large public land holdings more priceless it becomes. While generally are necessarily restricted to preserve sensitive important for retaining variety and visual natural resources. Informal access opportunities interest in the development pattern, open space are often irretrievably lost when non-water is critical to the health of the estuary and the dependent uses displace water-dependent and coastal character of the Reserve. Key open space lands within the Reserve must be preserved to
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Vers F Chap4 40-41 8/30/01, 11:27 AM buffer wetlands, protect sensitive natural habitat, control nonpoint source pollution and retain visual quality in the estuarine setting. All levels of government must work together and in cooperation with private development interests to achieve these ends.
Commercial shing, island bay houses, recreational boating, marinas, yacht clubs, boat repair shops, ferries and shoreline parks are some of the facilities and activities that manifest the region’s maritime heritage and contribute to its present day Opportunities to enjoy the estuary culture. Nevertheless, some traditional estuarine uses are gradually being Street ends abutting the shore can afford the displaced by more economically competitive public informal access opportunities. In most non-traditional uses. Concerted public and cases, however, the lack of parking and private sector efforts will be needed to objecting neighbors force local ofcials to perpetuate the estuary’s historical legacy. restrict use of the street ends. Water-dependent businesses such as marinas or yacht clubs and Shoreline Public Access water enhanced businesses such as restaurants also provide informal access opportunities. and Recreation The displacement of these businesses by non- water dependent uses usually forecloses such Shoreline properties owned or leased and opportunities. managed for public use provide formal access to the estuary. A 1996 update of prior inventories Other factors restrict public access to the identied 245 municipally-owned, 22 State- Reserve’s bays and shores. Legal requirements owned, and 18 federally-owned shoreline and administrative mandates protect sensitive public access and recreation sites within the coastal resources and endangered species and Reserve. The sites range in size from less affect access to municipal lands in the estuary to than one acre to more than 5,000 acres and a signicant degree. Thirty-nine sites in Nassau consist of active and passive recreation areas, and Suffolk counties that encompass 9,911 environmental education centers and natural acres are closed for protection and preservation habitat preserves. Many of the recreation purposes. This is true also for many State facilities are subject to residency restrictions and federal holdings. State-owned shorelines, that favor local residents; some have physical predominantly tidal wetlands owned by the limitations that affect potential use; and others Department of Environmental Conservation, are have lacked adequate maintenance due to scal accessible only by permit in an effort to protect constraints [Technical report: Shoreline Public them. Federal facilities also require a balance Access and Recreation (1999)]. between preservation of environmental values and demands for access. Restricted parking and limits on permitted activities preserve the
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Vers F Chap4 40-41 8/30/01, 11:28 AM quality of those resources [Technical report: Underwater Lands and Shoreline Public Access and Recreation the Public Trust (1999)].
While the present supply of public access sites Unique to South Shore towns is the extent of and recreation facilities is thus constrained, underwater land received from colonial patents continued development and population growth and held in the public trust by those towns. eastward from the center of the Reserve is Derived from English common law, the Public expected to heighten recreational demand. Trust Doctrine applicable to these lands plays Changes in the age distribution of the population an important role in protecting public access may also result in greater demands for certain to the estuary. In general, the Public Trust types of facilities. The anticipated growth in Doctrine aims to perpetuate the rights of the demand is documented in the Statewide public to pass along the foreshore and to use the Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan water for the purposes of commerce, navigation (SCORP) and the NYS Department of and shing. Many municipally-held access sites Environmental Conservation Marine include public trust lands, but such public trust Recreational Fishing Access Plan. Based on lands may also adjoin privately held uplands. the demand model developed for the SCORP, recreational needs in Nassau and Suffolk The conicts that arise between the rights counties are expected to exceed statewide of littoral owners and those of the public averages by the year 2010, especially in water- must be viewed from the perspectives of both related activities. Development pressures are the property owner and the government as expected to severely limit access and intensify protector of the public trust. For the most the demand on existing public facilities at the part, the South Shore towns have proprietary same time. The SCORP also acknowledges and regulatory authority over the use of the that scal constraints on tax revenues have left public trust underwater lands of the estuary’s many public shoreline facilities with inadequate bays, with the exception of the Blue Point funds to conduct the routine repairs necessary Oyster Company holdings. Thus, these local to maintain current use, let alone meet future governments are in the best position to make increases in demand [NYS Department of Parks, decisions regarding the use of these lands, with Recreation and Historic Preservation, (1991)]. the goal of achieving a lasting and practical balance between the public interest and that of The Marine Recreational Fishing Access Plan the littoral property owner. supports these ndings. It cites limitations on shing access that include residency restrictions Case law in New York clearly upholds the at 135 municipal sites in the Reserve and Public Trust Doctrine and its application to the a shortage of State-operated shing access foreshore and publicly-held underwater lands. facilities. The study also nds a correlation An exercise of governmental police powers, between declining participation in marine however, must be reasonable and must serve recreational shing and a loss of access due to legitimate public purposes. The management residential and commercial development of the of public trust lands requires the formulation coastline. The loss of access due to municipal of clear policies based upon comprehensive, parking restrictions at residential street ends accurate databases which dene property is a prime example. Fishermen no longer can interests, identify historical uses of the park their cars on these streets and walk to the waterways and analyze natural resources and beach. community character values [Technical report: Underwater Lands and the Public Trust Doctrine (1997)].
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Vers F Chap4 42-43 8/30/01, 11:28 AM Open Space From an early period of Open spaces provide variety and visual interest subsistence farming, oyster within the built environment of the Reserve, harvesting and near shore contributing signicantly to the region’s sense of place. Parks, conservation lands, large estates, whaling to present day com- public and private institutions, agricultural and mercial shing, recreational undeveloped lands contribute public values boating and intensive shore- associated with open space: opportunities for public access and recreation; aesthetic qualitites line development, generations that benet tourism and quality of life; and, have depended upon the preservation and buffering of environmentally resources of the estuary and sensitive lands with high natural resource values. enjoyed a unique quality of life on the south shore. In the portion of the Reserve west of the Connetquot River most land development took place more than thirty years ago. At the height National Wildlife Refuge; and, Heckscher State Park. In the eastern portion of the Reserve, the largest protected open space areas include: Wertheim National Wildlife; Fire Island National Seashore; Havens Point State Tidal Wetlands; and Suffolk County’s Terrel River, Smith Point, Cupsogue, and Shinnecock parks.
Efforts to identify potential open space lands in the region warranting protection have been reected in the report Conserving Governor George E. Pataki announces the State’s Open Space in New York State: acquisition of open space at Benton Bay State Open Space Plan (1998), completed as a joint project of of this development many of the larger tracts the Department of Environmental Conservation were purchased and retained for recreation and the Ofce of Parks, Recreation and Historic and preservation purposes. Some of the more Preservation. More recently, work has been important holdings include: Lido Beach Town done for the Reserve through an open space Park; Nassau Beach County Park; Point Lookout preservation study which identied common Town Park; Tobay Beach and the JFK Wildlife objectives, heightened awareness of the value Sanctuary; Baldwin Town Park; Cow Meadow of open space and the pressing need to preserve County Park; Cedar Creek County Park; Jones it, and established a dialogue between various Beach State Park; Gilgo State Park; Gardners agencies and groups interested in protecting County Park; Robert Moses State Park; Seatuck open space. However, there is still little
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Vers F Chap4 42-43 8/30/01, 11:28 AM coordination of efforts by municipalities, State boating, and “gunning” (waterfowl hunting). and federal agencies, nonprot organizations These cultural resources are less tangible than and developers to protect open space in the physical historic resources and are vulnerable to Reserve. Further, there is no strategy to protect degradation and loss due to a lack of recognition open space to ensure that Council goals for water and protection. and living resource protection, and public access and recreation enhancement, can be achieved Bay houses provide an architectural link with [Technical report: Open Space Preservation estuary tradition. Their presence characterizes Study (2000)]. the region’s unique place along the eastern seaboard. Although only a small number of the The Maritime Character hundreds of bay houses that once sustained the shing, gunning, and summer colony traditions of the Reserve continue to do so, all bay For centuries the estuary has been a magnet houses need to be protected. Their existence for human activities. From an early period is threatened by restrictions placed on them of subsistence farming, oyster harvesting, and through current land lease agreements with the near shore whaling to present day commercial towns, the most threatening being those that shing, recreational boating and intensive do not permit 100 percent in-kind replacement shoreline development, generations have following storm damage, and those that prohibit depended upon the resources of the estuary and the transfer of bay houses to non-relatives enjoyed a unique quality of life on the South [Technical report: Maritime Centers of the South Shore. From those generations arose a cultural Shore Estuary Reserve (1999)]. legacy and maritime character that cannot be replaced. Yet, new shoreline development is There also are numerous signicant historic gradually eroding the South Shore’s maritime resources throughout the Reserve. Only a small heritage as more economically competitive non- number of these are listed on the State and traditional uses displace traditional uses. National Registers of Historic Places, with many others potentially eligible for listing. Contemporary manifestations of the Reserve’s Many have not been identied and could be traditional cultural resources include continued at the least eligible for local designation. use of its bay houses, commercial and Historic resources of particular signicance recreational shellshing and nshing, boat are maritime-related or those that once played building and repair, commercial and recreational an important role in settlement or growth of the Reserve. But despite their importance, there is no comprehensive survey of historical resources in the Reserve [Technical report: Inventory and Analysis of Cultural and Historic Resources (1999)].
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Vers F Chap4 44-45 8/30/01, 11:28 AM Recommendations the estuary, especially during peak periods. Care in the selection of sites and in the design and construction of facilities will be critical This section presents recommendations that to increasing public use and enjoyment of build upon those contained in the pertinent the estuary without degrading natural resource technical reports and address the issues values. confronting use and enjoyment of the estuary. 3. Improve and sustain the levels of public access and recreation opportunity at existing RECOMMENDATIONS TO sites. IMPROVE SHORELINE A “no net loss” policy toward access to the PUBLIC ACCESS AND estuary should be implemented at existing public access sites. Bulkheads, parking lots ESTUARY-RELATED and other essential infrastructure at existing RECREATION recreation facilities should be improved when necessary and maintained to allow sustained recreational use. Continued informal access at 1. Expand public shoreline access opportu- public and private locations should be ensured nities by increasing the amount of land dedi- through easements, tax incentives, and other cated to physical and visual access. voluntary means.
To meet growing demand, public access opportunities should be expanded at existing underutilized sites and increased by acquisition RECOMMENDATIONS TO of additional sites. Where feasible, linear PROTECT PUBLIC connections should be developed to physically link both existing and new sites. Where INTERESTS IN PUBLIC practical, shoreline barriers should be TRUST LANDS removed.
Priority should be given to those thirty-seven 4. Develop management plans for sites already identied as having the potential underwater lands. to accommodate increased public access, especially those that address specic geographic The six towns should develop management and demographic access needs and that are plans to guide decision-making regarding proposed in communities with a plan and shoreline development and the use of commitment to meet regional as well as local underwater lands. Each management plan demands for access. should be based on a complete and compelling base of information to distinguish existing 2. Develop new water-related recreational littoral and public rights. Each plan should facilities at a level proportionate with the set forth policies that provide the basis for estuary’s capacity to accommodate greater reasonable the regulation of underwater lands. human activity.
New water-related recreational facilities should be developed to meet anticipated increases in the demand for recreation opportunities around
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Vers F Chap4 44-45 8/30/01, 11:28 AM parcels that would have cumulative open space Southampton’s Community benets in a region characterized as heavily Preservation Fund developed or under signicant development pressure.
A good local example of open space 6. Create a land trust to facilitate open space protection is the Town of acquisition, preservation and management Southampton’s Community within the Reserve. Preservation Fund. Approved by Town voters and an act of the State Currently there is no single entity focusing Legislature in 1998, this unique on open space preservation throughout the program uses revenues from a locally Reserve. The Peconic Land Trust, known for collected two percent land transfer its efforts to preserve agricultural lands along tax to fund natural land purchases the north and south forks of Long Island, is and the creation of recreational parks. currently unable to expand its efforts to the The program also invites owners of Reserve area. A land trust can facilitate open selected properties to join with the space preservation with private land owners Town in exploring various options for outside the framework of government. A land conserving their land. trust’s expertise could include: matching the appropriate tax benets to the needs of potential land donors; executing land conservation easements; acquiring land; assessing land’s open space values; and monitoring and enforcing easement restrictions. The creation of a Reserve- wide land trust to facilitate open space preservation is a necessary element for a successful open space preservation program. RECOMMENDATIONS TO Initial nancial support through the Environmental Protection Fund could help in RETAIN OPEN SPACE the creation of a land trust to assist in achieving WITHIN THE RESERVE the open space preservation goals within the Reserve.
7. Develop a regional comprehensive 5. Increase acquisition and preservation of approach to open space protection. open space. An open space plan should be developed for Additional open space lands should be acquired the acquisition, protection, and management or otherwise protected to achieve the following of open space lands in the Reserve. The plan objectives: protect areas with high natural should include criteria for determining priority resource values; minimize additional ows of lands for acquisition and protection to meet polluted runoff into the rivers, streams and regional objectives. Also, the Council should bays of the estuary; enhance physical and facilitate and coordinate the protection and long visual public access to the water; establish term management of open space. The committee physical linkages between protected open space should be given the following responsibilities: lands; and protect community character and advise the full Council regarding open space historic resources. Open space preservation planning; identify lands to be recommended for should consider large parcels as well as small
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Vers F Chap4 46-47 8/30/01, 11:28 AM inclusion in the 2001 State Open Space Plan; develop comprehensive open space assessments sponsor workshops on open space preservation and protection strategies. Community open for interested parties within the Reserve; and space plans should be developed as a component give periodic progress reports to the Council on of a Local Waterfront Revitalization Programs open space activities. or other planning processes such as a coastal/ waterfront open space study. Examples of 8. Establish a Geographic Information successful programs include the Suffolk County System for Open Space Protection. Greenways Program and the Southampton Community Preservation Project Plan. The Council should foster development of a Geographic Information System (GIS) data 12. Establish a land and water trail system base to achieve the following objectives: to link existing and new open space lands of maintain pertinent information on open space the Reserve. sites already identied for acquisition; analyze the landscape’s vulnerability to potential A system of land and water routes should be development in relation to its open space values developed across the Reserve to link open spaces warranting protection; maintain data on lands with recreational lands and heritage areas in protected by conservation easements; and order to increase opportunities for appropriate monitor protected lands for long-term public use and appreciation of open space. management.
9. Provide technical assistance to local governments and nonprot organizations. RECOMMENDATIONS TO State agencies should coordinate efforts to PROTECT, MAINTAIN AND provide technical assistance to local ENHANCE THE RESERVE’S governments and nonprot organizations to MARITIME HERITAGE protect and manage open space.
10. Increase the amount of funds dedicated for open space preservation. 13. Promote and preserve the cultural resources that contribute to the Estuary’s Funds from federal, State and local sources unique character and sense of place. should be allocated to facilitate open space acquisition and associated monitoring and Museums and education centers in the Reserve management activities. Dedicated funds should need increased levels of support so that they can be matched with local, non-prot, and private play a leading role in interpreting, celebrating revenues available for open space acquisition and promoting the present culture and maritime and preservation. heritage of the Reserve. There is a need also to document and recognize historic and cultural 11. Complete community opens space plans. resources that epitomize the rich maritime heritage of the region. Additionally, efforts The success of open space protection within should be made to encourage sailing as a the Reserve is largely dependent on the traditional activity; protect the cultural values commitment of Reserve communities to of “gunning” and other hunting activities; and implement an open space protection program promote better understanding of the at the local level. Local governments should relationships between Native Americans, early European settlers and the estuary.
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Vers F Chap4 46-47 8/30/01, 11:28 AM 14. Provide for the perpetuation of island 16. Recognize and preserve elements of the bay houses and the bay house lifestyle. coastal landscape that contribute to the Reserve’s unique character and sense of In order to preserve an important link with place. the South Shore’s past and to maintain the traditional uses dependent on bay houses, lease Valuable scenic resources of the Reserve should agreements should be facilitated between the receive recognition through designations of towns and bay house owners to ensure the Scenic Areas of Statewide Signicance. To continued existence and use of the houses while provide the basis for such designations, a still protecting the bay island environment. comprehensive assessment of the estuary’s The legacy of each bay house should be visual elements should be conducted. The researched and documented, and interpretive assessment should focus on the uniqueness and programs on the cultural value of the bay houses quality of the visual elements and the public and their traditional uses should be prepared. recognition they receive. Particular emphasis Endangered bay houses should be conveyed should be given to areas where the scenic values to local museums or historical societies for are enhanced by associated cultural and historic protection and interpretive use. resources.
15. Protect and support the continuation of 17. Preserve remaining large estates for historic maritime resources of the Reserve. their historical, scenic, and natural resource values. Historic resources that reect the estuary’s inuence on settlement patterns should be A number of large estates formerly played designated and protected through historic important roles in the estuary’s naturalist resource protection programs, local historic movement. Those that remain should be preservation districts and laws, the transfer identied, recognized, and protected for their of development rights, acquisition, and other historic, scenic and natural resource values available means. A Reserve-wide survey is through acquisition. needed to document important historic resources and to identify potential threats to their existence. Historic features of the State, federal, and local park systems should be protected through designation as State and National Register landmarks, especially those in the State ocean beach park system. Monuments and commemorative features that recognize and celebrate the maritime history of the estuary should be installed at waterfront parks and bay access sites. A maritime heritage program should be established and coordinated with local tourism programs. The heritage program should promote local design standards for new construction that reect the character of the local maritime heritage.
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Vers F Chap4 48 8/30/01, 11:28 AM CHAPTER 5 Sustain and Expand the Estuary-related Economy
Vers f Chap5 49 8/30/01, 11:29 AM CHAPTER 5 Sustain and Expand the Estuary-related Economy
Overview of the Issues
The relatively calm, protected waters and abundant natural resources of the estuary provide the basis for water-related economic activities that have evolved from harvesting of salt hay for livestock, harvesting of oysters, shing and boat building to recreational boating and sport shing, commercial shing and Today, the estuary is home to shellsh harvesting, waterborne transport and the largest concentrations of tourism. Changes in the nature of estuary-related businesses1 reected the pervasive inuences commercial and recreational of burgeoning population and market demand vessels, marinas and other in New York City coupled with transportation water-dependent businesses in improvements and expanding recreational use of the estuary [Technical report: Historical the State of New York. Development Patterns (1997)].
1 Estuary-related businesses include both water-depen- dent and water-enhanced commercial uses. Water- depen- dent uses are uses that can only be conducted on, in, over or adjacent to the water; each involves, as an integral part of the use, direct access to and use of the water. Water-enhanced uses do not require a waterfront location to function, but are often essential to the efcient func- tioning of water-dependent uses and can be essential to their economic viability. Water-enhanced uses increase the public’s enjoyment of the waterfront.
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Vers f Chap5 50-51 8/30/01, 11:29 AM Today, the estuary is home to the largest Water-dependent Businesses concentrations of commercial and recreational vessels, marinas and other water-dependent Historically, water-dependent businesses businesses in the State of New York. It supports, gravitated to locations along the shoreline of in whole or in part, about 3,000 water-dependent the estuary where water access and navigable and water-enhanced business establishments depths were especially well-suited to their employing nearly 30,000 people. The economic function. Today, still tending to be clustered contribution of these businesses varies among along coves and channels, around the mouths towns in the Reserve with Hempstead receiving of tributaries or near inlets, these businesses the largest share and Oyster Bay the smallest include: marinas; boatyards; support facilities [Technical reports: Embayment Use Study for commercial shing vessels; petroleum (1999); South Shore Estuary Reserve: Value terminals; ferry services; marine construction of Economic Impacts and Sectors with a businesses; and marine fueling facilities. Perspective on Uses (1997)]. Waterfront property, however, has also attracted non-water-dependent uses, and only a limited The amount of estuary shoreline suitable for amount of shoreline remains that is suitable establishing new water-dependent uses or and available for expanding existing water- expanding existing ones is limited. At the dependent uses, establishing new ones or same time, some existing water-dependent re-establishing former, more traditional ones. businesses are gradually being displaced by West of the Connetquot River, the estuary more economically competitive non-water- shoreline was substantially developed by the dependent uses. This is of particular concern in 1970s except for public parkland and the maritime centers where water-dependent uses remaining tidal wetlands2 are concentrated and embody much of the . estuary-related cultural heritage that supports local tourism.
Certain traditional water-dependent businesses such as shellsh harvesting and shing are closely tied to the health of the estuarine ecosystem--an ecosystem that has been subjected to signicant direct and indirect impacts from development in the Reserve this century. The viability of such businesses will depend, in part, on the success of measures recommended in other chapters of this plan to mitigate the impacts of past development and avoid or minimize impacts from new development.
2 1977 Existing Land Use map, Suffolk County Regional Planning Board.
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Vers f Chap5 50-51 8/30/01, 11:29 AM Although the extent of shoreline development maritime heritage and community character gradually diminishes east of the Connetquot uniquely associated with the estuary. Six major River, shallowness and tidal wetlands limit and fourteen secondary maritime centers have the suitability of shoreline parcels for water- been identied to date. Major maritime centers dependent businesses to those embayment areas encompass an array of water-dependent in which they are presently located. Thus, other businesses covering a large geographical area, shore lands not already committed to non-water- offer substantial opportunities for public access dependent uses are often publicly owned, have to the estuary and serve as tourist destination signicant physical constraints or are subject points. Secondary maritime centers support less to regulatory controls protecting high quality diverse mixes of water-dependent businesses, natural resources. cover smaller geographic areas and are more likely to serve primarily local residents. The For the owner of a water-dependent business, major and secondary maritime centers are listed ceasing business operation and selling the below, by town. shoreline property may yield an attractive nancial return. This may be particularly true for South Shore Estuary Reserve water-dependent businesses affected by decline in nsh or shellsh stocks, seasonal variation Maritime Centers in demand, public perception of health concerns regarding seafood products or constraints such as harvest limits, enforcement of shing or Hempstead: shellshing restrictions or permit requirements Major: Village of Freeport for in-water structures. Local government Secondary: areas in Oceanside, Point Lookout, ofcials have expressed concerns about Merrick and Seaford displacement of water-dependent businesses by non-water-dependent uses and the need to address Babylon: issues such as dredging and installation of Major: Village of Babylon in-water structures critical to many water- Secondary: Villages of Lindenhurst dependent uses [Technical report: Embayment and Amityville and West Babylon area Use Study (1999)]. Islip: Zoning regulations in some municipalities only Major: Hamlets of Bay Shore and Sayville make provision for water-dependent businesses Secondary: Captree Boat Basin, along to the extent that their waterfronts have a business Orowock Creek and West Sayville areas or industrial district. Additional emphasis could be given to facilitate the siting of water-dependent Brookhaven: uses and deter their displacement by non-water- Major: Village of Patchogue dependent uses [Technical report: Zoning for Secondary: areas of Center Moriches Water Dependent Uses (1999)]. and East Moriches
Maritime Centers Southampton: Major: Shinnecock Canal area near the Hamlet of Hampton Bays Maritime centers are areas with concentrations Secondary: along Seatuck Cove and of water-dependent businesses that are often at the Shinnecock Inlet supported by water-enhanced businesses and may be linked to or situated near a business Displacement of a maritime center’s water- district. Many of these centers embody a dependent businesses can reduce the diversity
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Vers f Chap5 52-53 8/30/01, 11:29 AM of its estuary-related activities and erode its maritime character and unique sense of place. RECOMMENDATIONS These consequences may, in turn, affect the center’s quality of life for local residents and TO SUPPORT WATER- attractiveness of the waterfront to visitors. DEPENDENT BUSINESSES In this way, displacement of water-dependent businesses can also affect water-enhanced businesses such as restaurants and other 1. Promote public/private efforts to enhance businesses that depend on tourist expenditures the economic viability of water-dependent [Technical report: Maritime Centers of the South businesses. Shore Estuary Reserve (1999)]. The Council should foster the development and Recommendations maintenance of a shoreline parcel database for water-dependent and water-enhanced uses with
information on: current land use and zoning; The economic value contributed by estuary- existing land-based and in-water infrastructure; related businesses is readily apparent, as are suitability for water-dependent use; availability the role of maritime centers and the need for development or redevelopment; and other to manage development impacts that affect pertinent data. The database should be made the estuary’s health. This section presents available to State, county, and municipal recommendations that collectively reect those agencies for use in preparing or amending presented in the relevant technical reports. The comprehensive land use plans and zoning recommendations below aim to strengthen and regulations, and in formulating waterfront protect estuary-related business by supporting redevelopment and revitalization strategies. With water-dependent businesses and enhancing periodic updating, the database would allow the maritime centers. Council and various government agencies to monitor local and regional trends in establishing, expanding and retaining water- dependent businesses. It would also represent a potential source of information for preparing boating guides and other tourism promotion materials.
An analysis of regional market trends should be undertaken to determine the potential for attracting and establishing new water-dependent businesses. A market trends analysis would also help existing water-dependent businesses in tailoring their operations and investing in site improvements to meet consumer demand more effectively.
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Vers f Chap5 52-53 8/30/01, 11:30 AM The Council should sponsor an annual workshop water access. Strategies for public infrastructure for maritime business owners and operators. improvements should consider the extent to Workshop sessions could focus on resource which such improvements will benet water- issues affecting the viability of businesses that dependent businesses, especially regarding depend on the estuary and explore solutions maintenance of in-water structures, appropriate with local government ofcials and State and dredging maintenance, and navigation safety. federal resource managers. Public improvements or public uses planned in a waterfront area having water-dependent The Council should promote and support businesses should be designed and undertaken programs that provide technical marine trade in a manner that complements those businesses. skills to youths and adults. As part of implementing municipal waterfront redevelopment and revitalization strategies, 2. Provide for the siting, expansion and local development corporations could acquire retention of water-dependent businesses as and improve suitable shoreline parcels for part of municipal comprehensive land use siting or expanding traditional water-dependent plans and zoning regulations. businesses.
To the maximum extent practicable, 4. Enhance the economic viability of municipalities along the estuary’s shoreline traditional estuary-related businesses. should exercise their authority to provide for the establishment and retention of businesses Municipalities should explore the use of tax which depend on access to the estuary. As part relief, public/private partnerships and other of establishing a vision for the waterfront, local techniques to attract and retain traditional water- comprehensive land use plans can identify areas dependent businesses such as boat building and particularly well-suited for water-dependent repair. This kind of support will be particularly businesses and set forth policies giving such helpful for small businesses, such as commercial businesses appropriate support. Based on such clam harvesting, that are uniquely dependent plans, existing zoning regulations can be upon the estuary’s resources. A municipality amended to establish waterfront districts where could make winter boat storage space available water-dependent businesses and appropriate to baymen at existing shoreline parks having accessory use are allowed as permitted uses. adequate boat launch capability. Also, a Water-enhanced businesses and public water- municipality could offer incentives for existing dependent uses might be allowed to the extent non-water-dependent commercial establishments that they enhance the economic viability of along the shore to make affordable dock space water-dependent businesses. available to baymen.
3. Facilitate the establishment and expansion 5. Assist municipal efforts to support water- of water-dependent businesses as part of dependent businesses. municipal waterfront redevelopment plans and revitalization programs. The Council should promote the provision of technical assistance by State and county When preparing redevelopment plans and agencies to help communities in their efforts revitalization programs for their waterfronts, to establish, expand and retain water-dependent municipalities should give priority to businesses through comprehensive land use establishing and expanding water-dependent plans, zoning amendments, waterfront businesses on vacant and or deteriorated redevelopment plans and revitalization shoreline parcels that have suitable land and programs.
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Vers f Chap5 54-55 8/30/01, 11:30 AM 6. Address navigation and related infrastruc- 8. Encourage and support waterfront ture needs of water-dependent businesses. redevelopment and revitalization in maritime centers. The Council should coordinate development and implementation of a dredging and dredged Maritime center communities with blighted, material management plan for addressing the obsolete or underutilized waterfront areas navigation needs of water-dependent uses while should prepare and implement waterfront protecting the estuarine ecosystem. redevelopment and revitalization strategies that support water-dependent businesses in The Council should promote public/private conjunction with protection and enhancement efforts to explore the potential for increasing of traditional maritime character. In major the number of ferry routes and landings and maritime centers, the enhancement of traditional providing additional linkages with rail and other maritime character will improve the pubic transportation facilities. Investigations community’s ability to attract tourists; in minor of potential ferry routes should include maritime centers, the enhancement will improve connections between Freeport and Jones Beach, the quality of life for local residents. Babylon and Robert Moses State Park, and the Brookhaven mainland and Great Gun Beach. 9. Promote efcient surface water use in embayments that support maritime centers State investment in navigation and related or other signicant numbers of water- infrastructure improvements for the estuary dependent businesses. should be commensurate with the proportion of water-dependent businesses concentrated in Individually or jointly, maritime center this region. communities and other municipalities with substantial numbers of water-dependent uses should prepare harbor management plans to address: protection of natural resource values; RECOMMENDATIONS TO shoreline management; in-water structures; ENHANCE MARITIME navigation safety; harbor infrastructure needs; and other embayment issues affecting the CENTERS viability of water-dependent uses.
10. Showcase maritime centers in tourism 7. Promote maritime centers as the most promotion activities for the region. viable locations for concentrations of water- dependent businesses. In promotion activities for tourism within the Reserve, the Council should highlight maritime Maritime centers exist because of the water centers along the estuary and the traditional access they offered in the past and continue water-dependent businesses which embody to offer today for water-dependent businesses. much of the region’s maritime history and These centers should be maintained and culture. In partnership with local water- strengthened for this traditional role. New dependent businesses and organizations waterfront development and redevelopment committed to the preservation and enhancement should not diminish a maritime center’s ability of estuary culture and traditions (e.g., Long to support water-dependent businesses and Island Maritime Museum, Long Island Marine compatible water-enhanced businesses. Education Center, Long Island Traditions), maritime centers should organize and hold
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Vers f Chap5 54-55 8/30/01, 11:30 AM waterfront festivals featuring activities, techniques or equipment related to clamming, boat building, bay houses and other maritime traditions.
In addition to emphasizing maritime centers and traditional water-dependent businesses, promotion of tourism in the Reserve would necessarily reect the considerable recreation opportunities offered by the estuary, both through businesses that thrive on demand for recreational shing and boating and at public access and recreation facilities. The Council should sponsor preparation of coastal guides for identifying tourism opportunities and encouraging appropriate use of the estuary as it relates to recreational boating, shing and public enjoyment.
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Vers f Chap5 56 8/30/01, 11:30 AM CHAPTER 6 Increase Education, Outreach and Stewardship
Vers f Chap6 57 8/30/01, 11:32 AM CHAPTER 6 Increase Education, Outreach and Stewardship
Overview of the Issues A majority of respondents [to a survey on public per- In 1998, the Council conducted a survey of ceptions] consider the South residents to better understand how they perceive the region and their place in it. The intent Shore environment as a of the Council and its Citizens Advisory whole to be just as impor- Committee was to gain insights that would tant as the environment in help guide their education and outreach efforts. A questionnaire was distributed to a random their own backyards. sample of 1,000 Reserve households. The results of the survey paint an intriguing picture of how the respondents relate to the environment of the Reserve [Technical report: Long Islanders and neighborhood versus that of the region as a the Environment of the South Shore: A Survey whole. Contrary to expectation, a substantial of Public Opinion (1998)]. majority of respondents consider the Reserve’s environment as a whole to be just as important The South Shore Estuary Reserve Act stresses as the environment in their own back yards. the importance of managing the estuary as As might be anticipated, those living closest to a single integrated ecosystem and calls for the water seem to have a greater understanding a comprehensive management plan to be of regional or ecosystem interdependencies. developed. For this plan to be fully However, despite their broad perspective and implemented, it is essential that citizens very high levels of concern about the natural understand how they t into and affect the environment, there were uncertainties about ecological workings of the overall system. basic ecological facts of practical import, such Thus, a primary objective of the survey was as where stormwater runoff goes or which to assess the degree of importance people sources of harm are causing the greatest damage attach to the environment of their immediate to the estuary.
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Vers f Chap6 58-59 8/30/01, 11:32 AM Formal Education technology are supportive of environmental education. Still, when teachers want to incorporate local topics such as estuarine Academic institutions can be highly effective ecology, they must rst gain the support of local conduits of information about the estuarine administrators. They must then spend extra time environment. Of the 124 public school districts to nd and adapt special teaching materials and on Long Island responsible for primary and obtain more training for themselves. secondary level education, nearly half (60) are located in whole or in part within the Reserve. These districts serve a major portion of the approximately 423,000 school-age children on Long Island.
There is no central source of information on what public schools and teachers are doing to educate elementary, middle and high school students about the Reserve. Some, like the high schools in Sayville, Massapequa and Bellport, are actively promoting classroom and extracurricular programs related to the estuary. Such schools are: Long Island Maritime Museum in West Sayville incorporating estuary-related com- ponents into their regular classroom work; teaching techniques for monitoring Today, teachers have many sources of environmental conditions, and taking their information at their disposal. They can go to students out into the eld to learn from eld traditional sources, such as teacher associations biologists at nature preserves in the Reserve (e.g., the NY Marine Education Association, and to work on restoration projects. the NYS Outdoor Education Association, the National Science Teachers Association), or they A South Shore Estuary Watch program, started can venture onto the Internet. Entities such as the at Massapequa High School, is building a National Science Foundation, the Smithsonian network of student monitors. Beyond the Institution, the National Park Service and the classroom, schools and teachers are fostering Eisenhower National Clearinghouse for activism by sponsoring student environmental Mathematics and Science Education -- all organizations, such as Bellport’s Students for accessible via the Internet -- are rich sources Environmental Quality. of information for teachers. When it comes to training, teachers can take advantage of Elementary, middle and high school teachers opportunities including: those offered by one of must work around various constraints in trying three local Board of Cooperative Educational to raise student consciousness about the Services organizations; the Suffolk County environment outside their classrooms. They must Organization for the Promotion of Education; be sure, rst and foremost, that their students Queens College and other local universities; learn the basics, meet the new state standards and Project WET/Wild/Wild Aquatic; and various comprehend the subject matter. The new State non-prot organizations. learning standards for mathematics, science and
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Vers f Chap6 58-59 8/30/01, 11:32 AM There are a number of nature education centers New York and the Marine Sciences Research and museums in the Reserve operated by local, Center at Stony Brook; Long Island University state or federal government agencies, academic (CW Post and Southampton College); and institutions or non-prot organizations. Many Dowling College. These institutions serve a offer eld programs for school groups. The variety of functions. Beyond providing Nassau County Board of Cooperative classroom and eld training for future Educational Services operates its Outdoor and environmental scientists, they sponsor research Environmental Education Program at Caumsett in a wide range of coastal topics. The State State Park on the North Shore. Educational University of New York, in cooperation with cruises offered by Yankee III and others take Cornell University, administers the Sea Grant students out on the estuary for hands-on Program. This program has as one of its prime educational experiences. responsibilities the transfer of science-based information to environmental managers and the Taking students out into the eld poses general public. additional challenges for teachers. They may encounter limited transportation budgets and Outreach other restrictions that prevent travel to more distant sites. This accounts in part for the variable response nature center managers People in the Reserve learn about their receive when they invite teachers to use their environment from a variety of information facilities for eld activities. Managers report sources. Mass media outlets, including that some teachers come back year after year newspapers, magazines, television, and radio without prodding, many more never respond reach the broadest audience. The Council’s to invitations. Preserve managers are quick to public perceptions survey found that, of all add that their own funding is often tenuous and mass media outlets, newspapers are the most that they would not be able to accommodate frequently used source of information about the a sudden surge in interest. They also must be estuary. A dozen or so dailies and a multitude concerned about protecting the natural resources of non-daily papers carry stories about Reserve in their care. issues. In addition, special releases such as Newsday’s annual “Fun Book” provide detailed One simple way of augmenting regular curricula information on Long Island’s coastal is to bring special programs into the classroom. environment. Various organizations offer such programs. Suffolk County’s Marine Extension Program, Numerous public and private organizations also for instance, conducts a one-time session reach out to the general public and various entitled “Ready, Set, Glow: Bioluminescent target audiences. These organizations include: Marine Life.” Long Island Traditions introduces environmental groups; sports and recreation students to Long Islanders who are clubs; neighborhood and civic groups; business knowledgeable about local maritime traditions. and industry groups; academic institutions; and Up-A-Tree Puppetry brings some extra fun State and federal agencies. In their on-going into the classroom by using puppet shows and efforts to capture the interest of all kinds of story telling to teach natural science topics to people, they use many avenues of outreach, elementary level students. including: newsletters; brochures; guide books; web sites; videos and slide shows; displays A number of institutions of higher education on and exhibits; trade shows; workshops and Long Island conduct programs pertaining to the conferences; and a variety of summer, evening Reserve. They include: the State University of and weekend programs for adults and children.
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Vers f Chap6 60-61 8/30/01, 11:32 AM How effective all these diverse organizations are in raising awareness about the estuary is not known, nor is it very clear how the delivery of information might be better orchestrated to improve the overall level of understanding. The Council’s public perceptions survey sheds only a little light on this. The survey found that respondents appear to differ markedly in the pathways by which they get useful information about the estuary. Fourteen per cent of the respondents received information from only one or two sources while 20% say they receive information from eight or more sources. A small percentage -- 5% -- actually said they received no useful information from any source. These results are important because, although cause and effect are hard to determine, there is ample evidence that respondents who depend on different sources of information differ from each other in terms of demographics, behavior and attitudes. This nding suggests that a varied program of outreach activities targeted to different audiences is necessary.
SPLASH volunter displays dummy made from bay litter Stewardship
When the Council, in its public perceptions Organizations represented on the Reserve’s survey, looked at how committed people are Council engage in outreach activities to varying to actively protecting the estuary, it found degrees. Local government members of the that respondents had modest to high levels Council, in particular, are well-positioned to of motivation, especially when they expected reach signicant numbers of people through to benet in a personal way from an action. established channels of communication. Most Motivation, however, varies with age. Young devote at least some resources to outreach on people between the ages of 21 and 34 tend to environmental topics. The Council’s Citizens have lower levels of knowledge and concern Advisory Committee has been playing a key about the environment despite the fact that they role in reaching out to citizens in the Reserve frequently engage in activities that depend upon through its newsletter, educational brochure, natural resources of the Reserve. displays, radio spots, information line, web site, and a directory of educational facilities. The Many organizations on Long Island and committee also has sponsored public meetings elsewhere are moving beyond simple education on developing the Reserve’s comprehensive and outreach activities and are striving to management plan [Technical report: Directory motivate individuals to become active stewards of Educational Facilities, Programs, and of the environment. Efforts in Reserve towns Resources (1998)]. include: Oyster Bay’s Separate Oyster Bay’s Recyclables Today, Stop Throwing Out Pollutants, and composting programs; and the
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Vers f Chap6 60-61 8/30/01, 11:32 AM Some organizations connect with potential volunteers through word- of-mouth, newspaper notices, or presentations to local organizations; others use clearinghouses such as Long Island Volunteer Enterprise to assemble volunteer crews. Sponsors agree that managing volunteers effectively takes a lot of effort. Volunteers need to feel a sense of accomplishment when the day is done, which means they must be matched with tasks that reect their particular interests, skills, and time Future Stewards: Students get an understanding constraints. Volunteers come out in of bay ecology through seining. part to socialize and have fun. Organizers need to recognize this native landscaping display at Southampton aspect of the volunteer experience Town Hall. These give residents the practical and make sure that volunteers feel welcome information they need to take action. Beyond and have a chance to get to know one another. the Reserve, there are innumerable examples of Finally, when a project is done, organizers report materials and programs developed to promote that simple rewards -- a certicate of recognition personal stewardship. for work well done, for instance -- help to make people feel appreciated and strengthen their At the community level, local governments and commitment to return another day. neighborhood, civic and environmental groups are bringing citizens together in collective Recommendations efforts to improve the environment. They are spearheading an assortment of activities in the Participants in public meetings on developing Reserve. Examples include: harbor clean-up the comprehensive management plan for the cruises organized by Stop Polluting, Littering Reserve emphasized the importance of and Save Harbors; beach clean-up activities education and outreach in building a citizenry associated with events such as Coastweeks; and that can play an effective role in shaping habitat restoration projects such as Babylon’s the future of the estuary. In keeping with Santapogue Creek tidal wetland project. The this sentiment, the following recommendations NYS Department of Environmental focus on: educating young people; reaching Conservation has a Water Stewardship Program out to the general public to raise awareness that encourages organizations to adopt a wetland, and understanding; and motivating citizens stream or even an entire watershed. These efforts to become active stewards of the Reserve. bring out volunteers of all sorts -- concerned The Council considers all the proposed citizens, representatives of civic organizations, recommendations to be of equal importance. local businesses, school children and their However, the human and nancial resources teachers. By some accounts, the level of interest available to accomplish them are nite. To is growing as is the level of sophistication in maximize the effectiveness of these resources, how to take maximum advantage of this pool of the many organizations currently engaged in willing workers. education, outreach, and stewardship activities
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Vers f Chap6 62-63 8/30/01, 11:32 AM will need to reinforce their cooperative ties. The activities focused on the estuary. The Reserve’s Council can serve as a promoter and facilitator, Citizens Advisory Committee should convene but can by no means accomplish the job alone. the initial meeting of the formal education workgroup.
RECOMMENDATIONS 2. Increase support for the Reserve’s Citizens Advisory Committee and its outreach TO STRENGTHEN THE activities. MECHANISMS FOR RAISING AWARENESS AND The Citizens Advisory Committee should be responsible for outreach and stewardship UNDERSTANDING OF THE activities, both on-going and proposed (see SOUTH SHORE ESTUARY recommendations on subsequent pages). The South Shore Estuary Reserve Act created the Citizens Advisory Committee and gave it The following recommendations specify the responsibility for integrating citizen and user organizational structure needed to carry out the group concerns into the Reserve planning education and outreach recommendations made process and for encouraging public education in this plan. and involvement. During the process of developing the comprehensive management 1. Create and support the efforts of a formal plan, the committee has reached out to the public education workgroup, consisting of Council through various publications and activities. and advisory committee members and other Completion of the plan will initiate a new phase interested parties, which would advise and for the Citizens Advisory Committee and will guide the full Council, its Citizens and increase its responsibilities. Technical Advisory committees, and/or their successors, on formal education activities in 3. Encourage formation of local outreach the Reserve. groups in Reserve communities to help promote estuary-related education, outreach A formal education workgroup would be and stewardship activities at local, sub- responsible for furthering the formal education regional and regional levels. recommendations presented on subsequent pages. Its membership should include Local neighborhood, civic and environmental representatives of organizations such as: school organizations in Reserve communities engage districts (e.g., science administrators); Boards of citizens in activities aimed at protecting and Cooperative Educational Services; professional improving the local environment; however, organizations (e.g., New York Marine Educators few focus exclusively on the estuary. To build Association); parent organizations (e.g., Parents a strong citizen base for implementing the as Partners, Parent Teachers Associations); comprehensive management plan, local local governments; State agencies (e.g., NYS outreach groups should be encouraged to form. Departments of Education, Environmental Each group would determine its own particular Conservation and State, and Ofce of Parks, objectives but, in general, would be active in: Recreation and Historic Preservation); colleges (1) promoting local estuary-related education, and universities; Cooperative Extension and outreach and stewardship activities; (2) Sea Grant; the Peconics and Long Island Sound networking with counterpart groups in nearby estuary programs; and nature centers and communities to organize sub-regional activities; maritime museums. The workgroup’s main and (3) cooperating with the Citizens Advisory purpose would be to nurture formal education Committee on estuary-wide activities. Local
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Vers f Chap6 62-63 8/30/01, 11:32 AM groups should sponsor a variety of activities, including: a Reserve column in a municipal RECOMMENDATIONS newsletter or in the local newspaper; a local TO NURTURE YOUTH cable TV program; local forums on issues, such as supporting water-dependent businesses or AWARENESS AND UNDER- promoting tourism; local programs aimed at STANDING THROUGH helping homeowners to reduce nonpoint sources FORMAL EDUCATION of pollution or to create new habitats on their property; natural area restoration projects; and ACTIVITIES THAT FOCUS local waterfront festivals. ON THE ESTUARY
4. Maintain full-time personnel, under the guidance of the Council, to facilitate and A formal education workgroup will be primarily coordinate education, outreach and responsible for furthering the following stewardship activities throughout the recommendations to provide students with the Reserve and to provide administrative information and tools they need to become support to the Citizens Advisory Committee responsible citizens, better able to form well- and a formal education workgroup. reasoned opinions and make intelligent decisions about how their immediate environment should Municipal employees responsible for be used and managed. community education and awareness should work closely with the Council, its Citizens 6. Increase opportunities for teachers to obtain Advisory Committee, and other community professional training that pertains to the groups to coordinate and implement education Reserve. and outreach activities that relate to the Reserve’s natural, cultural and historic Many teachers lack the condence and resources. knowledge to present multi-disciplinary estuarine-related topics. To correct this situation, 5. Build greater capacity on the part of a concerted effort is needed to expand local government in the Reserve to increase opportunities for teachers to obtain training public awareness and understanding and to in content and teaching methods in estuarine engage citizens in protecting and improving ecology for both classroom and eld settings. the estuary. Support should be solicited from existing training providers. Providing more training opportunities Reserve towns and counties have been on may not be sufcient to achieve the goal of the front lines in the effort to raise public better educated teachers. In order to inspire awareness and understanding of the Reserve teachers to seek additional training, it will be and to engage citizens in stewardship activities. necessary to work with school districts to provide However, local governments need to strengthen more in-service credits (e.g., salary increments their capacity to inform and involve citizens. associated with professional development).
Another way of enhancing skills is to bring teachers together for regular meetings and conferences. The New York Marine Educators Association holds an annual conference; a special program for teachers in Reserve districts should be added to their agenda.
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Vers f Chap6 64-65 8/30/01, 11:32 AM 7. Develop and package teaching materials concerted attempts should be made to bring related specically to the South Shore special in-school programs to classrooms. estuary for teachers to incorporate into regular class work. Examples of possible activities for primary and second level students include: Some work has already been done to develop estuary-related teaching materials. The Citizens • developing gardens and habitats on school Advisory Committee supported development grounds using native vegetation. The “Out of a course on Long Island estuaries. It was of the Classroom and into the Garden” tested in Sayville High School during the program provides training for teachers 1996-97 school year and was to be offered in interested in developing school gardens. Massapequa High School as an elective science The program is a joint venture of Suffolk course. The Town of Oyster Bay has developed County Cooperative Extension, Suffolk activity sheets specically about waterfowl County Organization for the Promotion of in the estuary, while the Long Island Sound Education, and individual teachers. A garden Program and the Peconic Estuary Program have has been developed in Sayville. developed their own educational packets. All these could be adapted for use in Reserve school districts. • adopting tributary or wetland areas near schools and engaging in cleanup and New teaching materials should conform with monitoring activities at these sites. The the State learning standards for math, science South Shore Estuary Watch program, begun and technology and with core curricula. To by the Massapequa High School Science ensure that students at all levels receive age- Research Program and expanding to other appropriate education in estuarine topics, a high schools in the Reserve, is training comprehensive approach to developing special students to gather and test soil and water materials should be pursued. samples from selected sites in their communities. A complete list of teaching materials should be included in the updated Directory of For college level students to obtain better access Educational Facilities, Programs and to the estuary, there is need for one or more Resources of the South Shore Estuary Reserve conveniently-located research facilities along (see Recommendation 13). the shore which might include labs, meeting space, and boat storage. One such facility 8. Create more opportunities for students already exists at the Southampton campus of to obtain rst-hand experience with the Long Island University. Dowling College has estuarine environment and with Long been suggested as a potential site; there may be Islanders who have intimate knowledge of others. the estuary and its resources. 9. Sponsor annual events that bring together At best, teachers are able only occasionally to students from throughout the Reserve to take their students on eld trips to distant sites. learn more about estuarine resources and to To bring students into more frequent contact share concerns. with the estuarine environment, teachers should take advantage of convenient opportunities Students for Environmental Quality, a club on or near school grounds. In addition, more at Bellport High School, holds an annual
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Vers f Chap6 64-65 8/30/01, 11:32 AM conference for high school students in 10. Build an interpretive system that presents connection with their Save the Bay Mayday a unied picture of the Reserve and project. The Town of Oyster Bay and Nassau encourages people to travel throughout the County both sponsor environmental education Reserve to learn about and enjoy its many days geared to fourth and fth graders features. respectively. These types of gatherings are both fun and educational. They could be replicated The Reserve is a vast area, but many parts of an in other towns and school districts or expanded interpretive system are already in place -- from into larger events that would bring together State and local parks to nature preserves, historic students from throughout the Reserve. Other sites, maritime museums, and visitor centers ways of bringing students together include for tourists. The Long Island Convention and science fairs and poster competitions. Visitors Bureau already packages information that helps visitors nd attractions of interest throughout Long Island. What is needed are RECOMMENDATIONS TO ways to link disparate sites within the Reserve into a “system” that includes one or more INCREASE PUBLIC primary visitor centers, “point of entry” exhibits AWARENESS AND UNDER- and various satellite exhibits. System planners STANDING THROUGH have an array of techniques available to create linkages. In addition to traditional methods such OUTREACH ACTIVITIES as paper maps and guidebooks, they can now GEARED TO GENERAL AND take advantage of modern computer networks SPECIFIC AUDIENCES to link one site with another. It is easy to nd examples of efforts to link Public awareness and understanding can be and interpret multiple sites in large geographic increased through a variety of outreach areas similar to the Reserve. These include: the activities, but whatever the venues, the same NYS Canal Recreationway; the Hudson River messages about the estuary should be conveyed. Valley; the Blackstone River Valley National In broad terms, they are as follows: Heritage Corridor (in Massachusetts and Rhode Island); and various scenic byways programs, • Value -- the estuary is valuable to the local such as the Seaway Trail and the one conceived economy and to the overall quality of life in for New York’s North Country. the Reserve. 11. Continue to build and maintain the • Fragility -- the living resources and geologic dedicated Reserve Internet web site. features in the Reserve are fragile. Incremental damage may be difcult to The Internet is a potentially powerful outreach redress. tool. A web site has been established to introduce • Interconnections -- the human inhabitants, people to the Reserve. The site should be living estuarine resources and geologic expanded to include: a calendar of events; the features of the estuary are interconnected in Directory of Educational Facilities, Programs a single ecosystem. and Resources of the South Shore Estuary Reserve; a volunteer registry; and fact sheets about the estuary’s resources. Links to other The Citizens Advisory Committee would be web sites of potential interest should also be primarily responsible for furthering the established. following recommendations.
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Vers f Chap6 66-67 8/30/01, 11:32 AM 12. Revise and augment the Directory of Edu- information outlets (e.g., local governments cational Facilities, Programs and Resources of and non-prot organizations) operate with their the South Shore Estuary Reserve. own limitations on staff and time. The Citizens Advisory Committee has developed and released A great deal of information exists pertaining to two public service announcements and worked education and outreach in the Reserve. The June with reporters interested in the Reserve. However, 1998 edition of the Directory of Educational to take full advantage of the media, an Facilities, Programs and Resources of the South orchestrated campaign needs to be undertaken Shore Estuary Reserve was a rst attempt to to convey messages about the estuary in easy- assemble some of this information. The directory to-use formats through: draft articles; press currently contains a mix of information about releases; press advisories about upcoming events; educational facilities open to the public and short radio spots; and other means. Weekly about organizations that provide various other newspapers, local cable TV stations and local educational services. government newsletters that target more localized audiences may be more fruitful outlets for To make the directory more useful, it should be information than some of the larger media expanded to include new information, such as: a organizations in the region. map showing the location of nature centers and other educational facilities; a listing of important 14. Encourage and work with coalitions of education contacts; a bibliography of written public and private sector entities to organize material (brochures, fact sheets, how-to guides, and sponsor events about the Reserve as part etc.) available from various sources; information of existing state and national festivities that on funding available for educational activities; aim to raise awareness about the estuaries a catalogue of teaching materials or sources and the coastal environment. of such materials; a listing of teacher training opportunities; and a listing of in-school programs State and national festivities include: Earth offered by various organizations. The directory Day; Coastweeks; National Estuaries Day; and should be available both in paper form and on Water Week. Local events that involve sporting the Reserve web site. competitions, food, and entertainment are excellent ways of attracting people to the shore An expanded directory will be a valuable where they can learn about the estuary while reference for municipal outreach coordinators, having a good time. These events are especially interpretive planners, tour organizers, economic good for attracting young adults, an important development planners, residents, visitors, audience of individuals who are otherwise teachers, and others. An upgraded directory difcult to reach. would also serve as a marketing device for various organizations that have developed 15. Develop and maintain a roster of speakers education and outreach programs. who will reach out to members of civic, non- prot, and business and industry 13. Collaborate with traditional mass media organizations in the Reserve. outlets, as well as government and private sector information outlets, to run stories and Speakers could be solicited from various sources, carry information on a regular basis about including member organizations of the Council the estuary. and its committees, and encouraged to sign up for several speaking engagements per year. A The mass media (e.g., newspapers, magazines, slide show that introduces people to the estuary radio, TV) contend with a constant overload of should be developed for use at such events and information, while government and private sector other outreach programs.
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Vers f Chap6 66-67 8/30/01, 11:32 AM 16. Develop and distribute one page fact most successful programs are grounded in a sheets on geology, oceanography, estuarine solid understanding of historical reasons for species and topics and issues pertinent to the why people think and behave in certain ways. Reserve. These programs recognize that if people are to change long-standing beliefs and behaviors, Brief, readily understandable fact sheets should they need to understand how their own actions be prepared to complement other efforts to impact the environment and what personal disseminate information and increase public benets they can expect from making changes. awareness and understanding. The best programs provide clear and simple guidance on what people can do in their daily 17. Continue on-going outreach activities, lives to protect and enhance the environment. including Reserve newsletters, mobile displays, and information phone line, that Within the Reserve, nonpoint source pollution have proven effective in reaching the general and loss of sh and wildlife habitats are public. considered to be major problems. Programs should be expanded or adapted to provide The Citizens Advisory Committee should practical information on how they can help continue in its efforts in planning and conducting address these particular problems. Examples of education, interpretation, outreach and possible activities include: stewardship activities within the Reserve. • developing native landscaping demonstra- RECOMMENDATIONS TO tion sites on town and village properties and at other highly visible public locations ENCOURAGE PEOPLE OF throughout the Reserve; ALL AGES TO BECOME • instituting new programs that promote STEWARDS OF THE minimal use of pesticides and herbicides on ESTUARY residential properties; and • adapting programs that encourage clean marina and boating practices (e.g., The Citizens Advisory Committee should be Maryland’s Clean Marine Program and the responsible for furthering the following “SoundWaters” boaters’ guide for Long recommendations. Island Sound).
18. Expand and adapt existing stewardship 19. Encourage more people to join their programs in order to encourage more neighbors in volunteering for various residents of the Reserve to engage in personal activities that benefit the Reserve and actions that address various issues, in its residents. particular nonpoint source pollution and loss of habitat. Local governments, non-prot organizations and nature centers need volunteers of all ages There are many existing examples of and interests to help with a variety of tasks, stewardship programs that encourage people including: habitat restoration projects; envi- to change their beliefs and behaviors in ways ronmental monitoring; facility maintenance; that will benet the natural environment. The
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Vers f Chap6 68-69 8/30/01, 11:32 AM and programming (e.g., leading tours, giving 20. Institute a Reserve stewardship award lectures, and conducting workshops). to honor: individuals; families; schools; businesses and business associations such Examples of possible activities to promote as the Telephone Pioneers of America; volunteer involvement include: non-prot organizations; communities; and others who have made outstanding • creating a registry of volunteer opportunities contributions to protecting and enhancing in the Reserve to help match volunteers the natural resources of the Reserve. with appropriate activities; • conducting workshops for resource Non-prot and government organizations managers and others where they can share present awards that recognize individuals experiences in how to employ volunteers and organizations for their commitment and effectively; contributions to protecting and enhancing the environment. Awards are frequently presented • holding orientation workshops for volun- at special ceremonies and announced in local teers where they can get to know project newspapers. Recognition of this sort is one organizers and other volunteers and where of the most effective ways to sustain a they can learn about their tasks; committed citizenry. • coordinating a citizen monitoring effort to gather eld data that meet standards required by researchers who are examining water quality and other environmental conditions in the Reserve; and • promoting participation in the Master Naturalist Training Program as a way of building up the pool of volunteer stewards who could supplement full-time staff at Reserve parks and nature centers (Suffolk County Cooperative Extension conducts the Master Naturalist Training Program in collaboration with the NYS Ofce of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and Suffolk County Parks).
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Vers f Chap6 68-69 8/30/01, 11:33 AM CHAPTER 7 Implementation
Vers f Chap7 71 8/30/01, 11:34 AM CHAPTER 7 Implementation
Overview of the Chapter The actions focus attention where problems have been Building on what has already been accomplished clearly identied and where since 1995 by the State and local governments the existence of motivated (see Appendix B), the implementation actions presented in this chapter provide the necessary partners assures a higher road map to fullling the recommendations likelihood of success. offered in the preceding chapters.
An integrative analysis of technical information and economic development in maritime centers was used to guide development of the specic as it relates to water quality, living resources, implementation actions. The rst phase of this and public access and tourism in the Reserve. analysis focused on water quality and its impacts Council members reviewed each phase of the to living resources (sheries and hard clams) and analysis through a series of workshops. A series public health (shellsh bed and bathing beach of integrative analysis maps is provided at the closures due to high levels of fecal coliform end of this chapter. in stormwater runoff). This analysis resulted in the identication of stormwater abatement The actions described below target effort where projects in specic nonpoint source pollution the greatest potential exists for halting further contributing areas that would directly address degradation of the Reserve’s natural resources these living resource and public health concerns. and realizing improvements to them, and where Subsequent phases of the analysis looked at: multiple goals and objectives of the Council land use from the perspective of impacts to can be achieved. The actions focus attention water quality and living resources; habitat where problems have been clearly identied restoration and its benets to water quality; and where the existence of motivated partners living resources and public access; open space assures a higher likelihood of success. They are preservation and its benets to water quality; organized and presented according to outcomes living resources, public access and tourism;
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Vers f Chap7 72-73 8/30/01, 11:34 AM they will fulll and are referenced to the implementation of stormwater management recommendations in the preceding chapters that projects and retrots of stormwater outfalls, would be implemented. with future projects being those identied as priorities in the watershed action plans called Following each implementation action is a for in Action 1-6. Implementation needs to line titled Responsibility. It identies suggested be targeted in drainage areas associated with entities and/or partners that would have lead closed shellsh beds, impaired living resources, responsibility for implementation of the action. and bathing beaches that experience periodic An implementation map is provided at the end closures due to water quality concerns. of this chapter. (Addresses Recommendation 4 in Chapter 2 and Recommendation 3 in Chapter 3)
Outcome 1: Reduced nonpoint 1-1(a) In the western bays subregion, priorities source pollution. should include: • the watersheds of Mill River and the Nonpoint source pollution is the primary water Freeport Creek/Reservoir*/East Meadow quality concern in the Reserve. Stormwater Brook complex, where nsh resources are runoff alone is a principal pollutant causing impaired by silt and excessive nutrients in use impairments in 48 of the 51 waterbody stormwater runoff; segments in the Reserve that appear on the • the watershed of the Massapequa Creek/ 1996 Priority Waterbody List. Elevated levels Lake/Reservoir complex*, where shing of coliform bacteria in stormwater runoff, an and sh propagation and survival are indicator of the potential presence of pathogens, affected by pollutants in runoff; and is responsible for the closures of shellsh contributing areas to Zachs Bay and South beds and bathing beaches; sediment and • Oyster Bay at Biltmore Beach where two excessive nutrients in stormwater runoff have swimming beaches experience periodic pronounced negative effects on the Reserve’s closures due to elevated levels of coliform living resources. bacteria. Implementation Actions 1-1(b) In the Great South Bay subregion, priorities should include: 1-1 Construction of stormwater abatement upland areas from Amityville Creek* to projects in signicant nonpoint source • Willets Creek*, which include six tributaries contributing areas associated with closed with impaired living resources, and which shellsh beds, impaired living resources, and drain into waters associated with 1,845 acres bathing beaches that experience periodic of conditionally closed shellsh beds and closures due to water quality concerns. three swimming beaches that experience Numerous stormwater management projects periodic water quality-related closures; have been completed to date under the Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act and the • contributing areas to Great Cove, which Environmental Protection Fund (see Appendix include four tributaries with impaired living B), and many projects are currently in progress. resources, and which drain into waters However, much remains to be done before associated with 673 acres of conditionally signicant reductions in polluted stormwater closed shellsh beds and a swimming beach runoff are achieved. Local and State that experiences periodic water quality- governments need to continue with their related closures;
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Vers f Chap7 72-73 8/30/01, 11:34 AM • the watershed of the Connetquot River*, • the watershed of Quantuck Creek*, known a Wild and Scenic River and Signicant to support alewives but where sh survival Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat that is impaired due to sediment and excessive supports alewives and trout and has impaired nutrients in runoff, and which also empties living resources; into Quantuck Bay; • the watershed to Patchogue Bay, associated • the watershed of Weesuck Creek*, which with 615 acres of conditionally closed drains into Shinnecock Bay*. A 270-acre shellsh beds and four tributaries with segment of the bay is closed to shellshing impaired living resources; due to elevated levels of coliform bacteria • the watershed of the Carmans River*, a Wild in runoff. About 20 acres of the upper and Scenic River and Signicant Coastal tidal portion of the creek are closed to Fish and Wildlife Habitat that supports shellshing; and alewives and trout and that has impaired • contributing areas to Tiana Bay*, where living resources; and shellshing is precluded in 12 acres of the • the watershed of Beaverdam Creek (Town upper bay due to elevated levels of coliform of Brookhaven), a Signicant Coastal Fish bacteria in runoff. and Wildlife Habitat that supports alewives and trout. * included on NYSDEC’s 1996 Priority Waterbody List 1-1(c) In the eastern bays subregion, priorities Responsibility: Counties, towns, villages, City should include: of Long Beach, NYS Department of • the watershed of the Terrell River*, where Transportation, NYS Ofce of Parks, sh survival is impaired in the entire (3.0 Recreation and Historic Preservation mile) river by bacteria, sediment and excessive nutrients in runoff. The river 1-2 Amendment of county and local discharges into Moriches Bay*, where government codes and regulations to include shellshing is closed in 47% of the bay best management practices. The following (5,142 acres) due to elevated levels of list of best management practices, and the coliform bacteria from stormwater runoff; municipalities identied as needing to adopt • the watershed of Beaverdam Creek* (Town them, are based on the completed municipal of Southampton), which also drains into nonpoint pollution control assessments for the Moriches Bay. The Beaverdam is stocked six towns and two counties in the Reserve. with trout by the NYS Department of Implementation of these best management Environmental Conservation and supports practices should include, when practicable in alewives. Fish survival is impaired in the select cases, evaluation of effectiveness of entire (4.0 mile) creek due to sediment in implementation and enforcement. runoff; Reduction of construction-related pollutants. • the watershed of Aspatuck Creek*, where To reduce the amount of erosion during site sh survival is impaired in the entire (2.0 preparation and during and after construction, mile) creek from sediment and excessive best management practices need to be nutrients in runoff. The creek ows into incorporated by Nassau County into its Quantuck Bay*, where shellshing is subdivision regulations and by the towns of precluded in all of its 730 acres; Hempstead, Babylon and Southampton into their site plan review regulations. (Oyster Bay,
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Vers f Chap7 74-75 8/30/01, 11:34 AM Islip and Brookhaven have practices in place.) harm the aquatic environment; requiring new This is especially necessary given that such golf courses to be designed and built to limit action eventually will be required under the impacts from these pollutants on water and Environmental Protection Agency’s Phase II living resources; requiring the use of the less stormwater regulations (see Action 1-7). toxic alternatives of Integrated Pest Management (IPM); using native plant species in new To address the generation, storage, application, landscaping on public lands; and targeting handling and disposal of petroleum products outreach programs on this issue at individuals in and hazardous materials associated with site both the public and private sectors. (Addresses preparation and construction, relevant standards Recommendation 8 in Chapter 2) from the National Fire Protection Association, NYS Environmental Conservation Law Article Adoption of a “pooper-scooper” law. A 27, and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health “pooper-scooper” law that reduces bacterial Administration that pertain to spill cleanups contamination of stormwater from domestic need to be adopted by Nassau County into its animal feces, similar to that in Hempstead, subdivision regulations and by each of the Reserve Oyster Bay, Babylon and Islip, needs to be towns into their codes. Additionally, each local adopted by those towns in the Reserve that government should train its spill response team have no such law in place. (Addresses in these standards and procedures. (Addresses Recommendation 8 in Chapter 2) Recommendations 6 and 8 in Chapter 2) Reduction of pollutants associated with new Improvement of roadway maintenance and redeveloping marinas and recreational practices. To reduce contamination of boating. Best management practices from stormwater runoff by pollutants from existing the NYS Department of Environmental roads, highways and bridges, best management Conservation’s Management Practices practices for roadway maintenance from NYS Catalogue for Nonpoint Source Pollution Department of Transportation procedural Prevention and Water Quality Protection in manuals and from NYS Department of New York State for the siting and design of Environmental Conservation’s Management new and redeveloping marinas, marina-based Practices Catalogue for Nonpoint Source maintenance practices, and recreational boating Pollution Prevention and Water Quality need to be adopted into local regulations by Protection in New York State that reduce Nassau County and towns and villages in the pollutant loads to stormwater need to be formally Reserve. This action should include: verifying adopted, as appropriate, in each local the number of existing pumpout facilities in each government’s standard procedures and codes. of the Reserve’s bays, assessing their operation (Addresses Recommendation 7 in Chapter 2) and maintenance and, if warranted, improving their user fee structure; increasing the numbers of Reduction of fertilizer, herbicide and pesticide land and water-based pumpout facilities to meet use. Best management practices that reduce the the needs of recreational boaters and criteria use of and need for fertilizers and pesticides for designation of each bay as a no-discharge should be used on municipal golf courses and zone for vessel wastes; and upgrading and other public properties, and should be strongly coordinating enforcement of vessel waste encouraged on privately-owned lands as well. regulations. A comprehensive marina and boater This should include eliminating the use of education program should be a critical pesticides for aesthetic purposes on golf courses; component of this effort. (Addresses implementing golf course management plans Recommendations 9 and 10 in Chapter 2) that control the use of substances that may
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Vers f Chap7 74-75 8/30/01, 11:34 AM Adoption of hydromodication best The Nassau County Department of Health management practices. Municipal activities should work to develop and implement a which involve hydromodication (e.g., strategy that: requires periodic pumpout and channelization and channel modications; dam inspection of these systems; requires upgrades construction, repair, or removal; and alterations of existing septic systems with change of use or to streambanks and shorelines) potentially have redevelopment of real property; and establishes negative impacts on the aquatic environment. In a public education program that addresses order to reduce the scope of impacts, practices proper use and necessary maintenance of such from the NYS Department of Environmental systems. All towns, except for Oyster Bay, Conservation’s Management Practices which has no residential septic systems in Catalogue for Nonpoint Source Pollution Reserve portions of the town, should work Prevention and Water Quality Protection in New closely with their respective counties to offer York State that protect and restore wetlands, similar education programs. streams and riparian corridors need to be formally adopted and incorporated into any This action should also include evaluation of the hydromodication activities. (Addresses potential water quality impacts of on-site septic Recommendations 11 and 12 in Chapter 2) systems in high-density residential areas of the Patchogue River Maritime Center (see Action Responsibility: Counties, towns, villages, City 2-5), and in low-lying areas of Mastic Beach of Long Beach, Council, Citizens Advisory and Bellport. (Addresses Recommendation 13 Committee, Reserve ofce (for training in Chapter 2) component) Responsibility: Counties; Council, Citizens 1-3 Implementation of on-site wastewater Advisory Committee, Reserve ofce (for treatment (septic) system maintenance and education component) upgrades. When located in the coastal zone, septic systems are a known and constant source 1-4 Implementation of Agricultural Envi- of nutrients to groundwater, and when they ronmental Management. The Agricultural fail (discharge to the surface), are sources of Environmental Management (AEM) Initiative bacteria that can be transported by stormwater should be implemented in Suffolk County. runoff. To reduce the environmental impacts of This voluntary program calls on local soil on-site systems, Suffolk County should consider and water conservation districts to provide requiring periodic pumpouts and inspections technical assistance to farm operators to assure of such systems in Reserve portions of the environmental stewardship through the use of county not served by public sewers. Suffolk best management practices and compliance County should also consider requiring upgrades with relevant environmental regulations. to septic systems with change of use or Availability of State funding for remediation substantial redevelopment of real property in the of environmental problems on farms is largely county, and explore the feasibility of employing contingent upon participation in the AEM alternative on-site wastewater treatment systems program. (Addresses Recommendation 8 in that would be managed through a decentralized Chapter 2) wastewater treatment district. Responsibility: Suffolk County Soil and Water In the Town of Hempstead, all residences Conservation District and businesses in the community of Point Lookout are serviced by septic systems that may discharge indirectly to Reynolds Channel.
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Vers f Chap7 76-77 8/30/01, 11:34 AM 1-5 Completion of assessments of municipal 1-7 Preparation for compliance with the nonpoint pollution management practices. Environmental Protection Agency’s Storm- Nassau and Suffolk counties, and all six towns water Phase II Final Rule. In order to meet the in the Reserve, have completed assessments upcoming criteria and permit conditions under of their current nonpoint source pollution the Environmental Protection Agency’s Storm management practices. These assessments have Water Phase II Final Rule permit program: identied the corrective and preventive actions 1) the NYS Department of Environmental that remain to be taken by those local Conservation should designate the entire governments as well as the need for training contributing area to the estuary as requiring that incorporates best management practices. stormwater permits; and 2) counties and Similar assessments need to be undertaken by municipalities in the Reserve need to adopt the City of Long Beach and all incorporated and implement the required regulations (see villages in the Reserve. Such assessments of Action 1-2) for operators of small construction current regulations and practices should be used activities (from one to less than ve acres of land to identify gaps in those practices and determine disturbed) and principal separate stormwater the necessary actions to address those gaps. systems. This action should also include (Addresses Recommendation 1 in Chapter 2) information and education programs by the NYS Departments of State and Environmental Responsibility: Villages, City of Long Beach Conservation for local government ofcials on (Technical assistance provided by NYS implementation of the Phase II Final Rule. Department of State, counties and towns) (Addresses Recommendation 18 and 19 in Chapter 2) 1-6 Development of watershed action plans. Although local governments in the Reserve Responsibility: NYS Department of Environ- and involved State agencies have addressed mental Conservation (for designation), coun- various plan components, all need to complete ties, towns, villages, City of Long Beach watershed action plans in an effort to target (Technical assistance from NYS Departments signicant nonpoint source pollution of State and Environmental Conservation for contributing areas and prioritize stormwater required regulations) remediation projects. These plans should include: an inventory and analysis of 1-8 Exploring the feasibility of stormwater contributing areas; inventories of stormwater management districts. A study of the feasibility conveyance infrastructure; identication of of establishing stormwater management districts opportunities for protection of high quality needs to be undertaken in an effort to address waters from future pollution; and build-out overlapping municipal authorities and the analysis for privately-owned undeveloped lands implementation of Environmental Protection and population projection as part of watershed Agency Phase II Final Rule permit conditions. planning. Villages should be included in these (Addresses Recommendation 21 in Chapter 2) plans to the extent practicable. (Addresses Recommendations 2 and 3 in Chapter 2) Responsibility: NYS Department of State, counties, towns, villages, City of Long Beach Responsibility: NYS Department of Transpor- tation, NYS Ofce of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, counties, towns (Techni- cal assistance provided by NYS Department of State.)
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Vers f Chap7 76-77 8/30/01, 11:34 AM Responsibility: NYS Department of Environ- Outcome 2: Reduced point source mental Conservation, towns or current property owners pollution. 2-2 Assessment of abandoned and closed landlls. The potential or actual impacts of Point sources of pollution - typically discrete abandoned and closed landlls on ground and and discernible pipe outfalls - also exist within surface waters and living resources need to the Reserve and are regulated and monitored be determined through cooperative efforts of through State Pollution Discharge Elimination the Reserve ofce (see Action 11-2), the NYS System (SPDES) permits. Point sources of Department of Environmental Conservation, and pollution, while not as widespread and individual towns. At facilities where signicant comparatively less signicant than nonpoint threats to public health and the environment are sources, can still cause water quality degradation found, the feasibility of upgrades to such facilities in their immediate areas. Such point sources through installation of impervious covers needs include: ve wastewater treatment plants (Bay to be explored. (Addresses Recommendation 14 Park, Long Beach, West Long Beach, Lawrence, in Chapter 2) Jones Beach) that discharge treated efuent into the western bays; the Ocean Beach plant, Responsibility: Reserve ofce and towns (inves- discharging into Great South Bay; and the tigation), NYS Department of Environmental Village of Patchogue plant that discharges in to Conservation (evaluation) the Patchogue River. Point sources also include: other discharges regulated by SPDES permits; 2-3 Exploring regulation of private petroleum inactive hazardous waste disposal sites; inactive tanks less than 1,100 gallons. The regulation and active solid waste disposal sites; and known of privately-owned residential heating oil tanks areas of contaminated sediments. less than 1,100 gallons in capacity should be explored in an effort to reduce the potential for Implementation Actions leaks and spills from such tanks. Nassau County regulated these tanks at one time but found the program costly and burdensome; they now have 2-1 Assessment of inactive hazardous waste a voluntary program. Suffolk County needs to sites. In order to determine the potential impact identify management options for such tanks. of inactive hazardous waste sites on water and New York State should encourage regulation living resources of the Reserve, 1) Remedial of tanks less than 1,100 gallons. (Addresses Investigations (RI) need to be completed for Recommendation 14 in Chapter 2) all Priority Classication 2 inactive hazardous waste sites where contaminants have been Responsibility: Counties, NYS Department of shown, through Preliminary Site Assessments, Environmental Conservation to pose a potentially signicant threat to public health or the environment; 2) Feasibility Studies 2-4 Evaluation of need for wastewater (FS) need to be developed that identify treatment plant upgrades and outfall alternative remedial actions for such sites; and relocations. If Total Maximum Daily Loads 3) appropriate steps to remediate such Priority (TMDLs) for nutrient inputs to the western bays Classication 2 inactive hazardous waste sites and Reynolds Channel are developed (see Action need to be taken. (Addresses Recommendation 6-3 for explanation of the TMDL development 17 in Chapter 2) process), the expected benets of upgrades to the municipal wastewater treatment plants discharging to these bays, or the relocation of their outfalls to the Atlantic Ocean, need to
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Vers f Chap7 78-79 8/30/01, 11:34 AM be weighed against the costs of such actions, Implementation Actions the legal requirements associated with TMDLs, and other potential alternatives for meeting 3-1 Population assessment and seeding of reductions in SPDES discharges that will likely hard clams and other shellsh species. be necessary to conform with TMDL nutrient Continuation and expansion of shellsh allocations. (Addresses Recommendation 15 in population assessment are critical to Chapter 2) development of sustainable shellsh management programs. While the towns of Responsibility: Nassau County, City of Long Babylon, Islip, and Brookhaven have well- Beach, Village of Lawrence, NYS Department established programs in place, the towns of of Environmental Conservation Hempstead, Oyster Bay, and Southampton need to develop comprehensive town-level sampling 2-5 Expansion of Village of Patchogue Sewer programs to guide distribution of seed and other District. Once the water quality impacts of on- shellsh management actions. Town programs site wastewater treatment (septic) systems in high to increase commercial shellsh populations density residential areas of the Patchogue River of hard clams, oysters, scallops, and/or other Maritime Center are veried and reected in NYS shellsh through seed placement should be Department of Environmental Conservation’s supported and increased where appropriate, as Priority Waterbody List, the expected costs determined by water quality, substrate character, and benets of expanding the Village of depth, and other habitat characteristics, and Patchogue Sewer District to include the where economically effective. The strategy of Patchogue River Maritime Center, and upgrading town seeding programs (i.e., seeding rates, the Village sewage treatment plant to tertiary optimal size ranges of seed, shellsh species, treatment, should be evaluated. (Addresses and seed distribution) should incorporate the Recommendation 15 in Chapter 2) results of current and anticipated research concerning shellsh reproduction, settlement, Responsibility: Village of Patchogue, NYS and growth. Seeding in Great South Bay and Department of Environmental Conservation the eastern bays is contingent on the results of continuing research on Brown Tide, an algal bloom that interferes with shellsh growth and Outcome 3: Increased harvest levels of survival. (Addresses Recommendations 7 and 8 hard clams and other estuarine shellsh in Chapter 3) species. Responsibility: Towns
Town shellsh management programs have 3-2 Expansion of Islip hatchery. The existing incorporated an array of strategies and Islip shellsh hatchery should be evaluated for technologies to increase and sustain their shellsh potential expansion into a large regional facility, resources, including enhancement of shellsh which could satisfy the needs of all towns in the population levels, improvements in habitat Reserve. Given the brown tide occurrences in quality, and regulation of harvest. Some of Great South Bay, this should include assessment these approaches, such as seeding or harvest of expanding only land-based seed production restrictions, are used Reserve-wide, while others, and consideration of other locations less likely like shell augmentation, have been conned to be affected by this harmful algae. (Addresses to specic bays. A combination of existing Recommendation 7 in Chapter 3) approaches and new technologies, supported by improved monitoring and research, will aid the Responsibility: Reserve ofce rebuilding of shellsh stocks.
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Vers f Chap7 78-79 8/30/01, 11:34 AM 3-3 Increasing grow-out of shellsh. An Great South Bay by the Town of Brookhaven important shellsh management strategy is and the Army Corps of Engineers, hard clam the grow-out of seed to a size which confers populations in Great South Bay, Moriches, and signicantly higher survival rates. The Town Shinnecock bays may be enhanced through shell of Babylon, using predator exclusion rafts to augmentation projects, using shell materials grow out seed clams, has achieved a rate of from appropriate sources. (Addresses clam survival approaching 90%. Existing town Recommendation 9 in Chapter 3) shellsh grow-out efforts should be supported, building on the results of current hard clam Responsibility: Towns of Brookhaven and growth and recruitment research. The economic Southampton, NYS Department of Environ- feasibility of expanding public aquacultural mental Conservation, U.S. Army Corps of grow-out of hard clams, oysters, scallops and Engineers other shellsh species should be evaluated, and potential pilot projects and locations identied. 3-5 Evaluation of potential spawner (Addresses Recommendation 7 in Chapter 3) sanctuaries. A spawner sanctuary is an area stocked with large, mature hard clams to enhance 3-3(a). In the western bays subregion, priorities fertilization of eggs, and which is located so that should include evaluation of expansion of it will increase the set of sanctuary-produced existing hard clam grow-out by Town of larvae in predetermined areas that are capable Hempstead. of sustaining good growth and high densities. Additional spawner sanctuary locations should 3-3(b). In the Great South Bay subregion, be identied, with site selection based on stock priorities should include evaluation of expansion assessments, substrate analysis and improved of existing hard clam grow-out by the Town of estuarine circulation models. A monitoring Babylon, and hard clam and oyster grow-out program needs to be developed and implemented programs being conducted by Town of Islip. in order to determine the effectiveness of the spawner sanctuaries. (Addresses 3-3(c). In the eastern bays subregion, priorities Recommendations 7 and 9 in Chapter 3) should include evaluation of expansion of existing oyster and scallop grow-out programs Responsibility: Towns, Marine Science Research being conducted by the Town of Southampton, Center, NYS Department of State and support for proposed Town of Southampton aquaculture pilot projects involving improved 3-6 Creation of a Reserve shellsh grow-out techniques. management forum. A shellsh management forum should be created for the purpose of Responsibility: Towns, NYS Department of promoting effective exchange of management- Environmental Conservation, Marine Sciences related information, improving the efciency Research Center of management operations, and establishing a Reserve-wide approach to optimizing shellsh 3-4 Enhancement of hard clam habitat productivity, including guiding the development through shell augmentation. Recent research of a Reserve hard clam sheries management suggests that hard clam populations may be plan. (Addresses Recommendations 7, 8, and 9 enhanced through addition of appropriate shell in Chapter 3) materials to the bottom substrate. Based on proposed sediment mapping (Action 6-3), Responsibility: Council, towns, NYS shellsh population surveys, and an evaluation Department of Environmental Conservation, of the results of current experiments in eastern bayman’s associations
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Vers f Chap7 80-81 8/30/01, 11:35 AM restoration has already been completed by Outcome 4: Coastal habitats protected the towns of Babylon (Ketcham’s Creek and and restored to support shellsh, Santapogue Creek corridors), Hempstead (Norman J. Levy Park) and Southampton nsh and coastal bird populations. (Ponquogue Bridge area), and there are restoration projects currently underway in the Town of Brookhaven in the Mastic Beach area. Wetlands and other habitats in the Reserve, Within the context of a coordinated Reserve- such as bay bottoms and upland woodlands, wide plan, all towns need to develop local have undergone considerable change in the past tidal wetland restoration programs. (Addresses century. Past losses of wetlands to development Recommendation 4 in Chapter 3) have been substantial, at least half of which occurred between the 1950’s and 1970’s. In cooperation with various partners, application Paralleling these changes has been a decline of the NYS Department of State’s wetland in populations of many coastal species, most restoration assessment tool has provided notably molluscan shellsh, nsh, waterfowl, guidance for an initial list of wetland sites colonial waterbirds and shorebirds, with appropriate for restoration activity (see example numbers of some species declining by as much at end of chapter) with an initial focus on as 95%. Management measures that strengthen wetland sites degraded through deposition of protection for natural habitats in the Reserve, dredge material or restricted tidal ow. The Long and provide for restoration or rehabilitation of Island Wetlands Restoration Initiative, a formal impaired habitats will enhance the ability of cooperative effort between the NYS Department coastal sh and wildlife species to maintain or of Environmental Conservation, the U.S. Fish increase their populations within the Reserve. and Wildlife Service, Suffolk County’s Division of Vector Control, and Ducks Unlimited has Implementation Actions selected wetland restoration sites in the Reserve. These are large sites requiring restoration of 4-1 Restoration of tidal wetlands. Human natural tidal ow patterns through closure of activities related to development, agriculture mosquito ditches. The U.S. Army Corps of and navigation have resulted in a signicant Engineers, as part of its South Shore of Long historical loss or degradation of the Reserve’s Island Environmental Restoration Study, has tidal wetlands. Additional marsh losses from identied a number of restoration candidate sites: erosion, particularly of marsh islands, have Meadow Island, West Meadow Island, Pearsall’s also been substantial and require further Hassock and Alder Island (Hempstead); Ox investigation (see Action 6-12). Loss of tidal Island/Nazeras Island, North Gilgo and Indian wetlands has meant a reduction in the ability of Island County Park (Babylon); Northeast these habitats to stabilize sediments, mitigate Captree Island/Sand Island and Brown’s River storm impacts, provide habitat for nsh and (Islip); and Island Point Marsh (Brookhaven). shellsh, waterfowl and colonial waterbirds, and These are primarily large sites requiring removal remove water-born nutrients and contaminants. of dredged material deposits. A list of initial Within the Reserve, there are approximately project sites is being developed for the Town of 19,000 acres of tidal wetlands most of which Islip using the assessment tool. have been altered by mosquito ditching practices, dredged material placement, and Responsibility: NYS Departments of State, restriction of tidal ow. The complete extent Environmental Conservation and Transporta- of potential restoration will require further tion, NYS Ofce of Parks, Recreation, and His- evaluation (see Action 6-10). Noteworthy toric Preservation, counties, towns, Long Island Wetlands Restoration Initiative
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Vers f Chap7 80-81 8/30/01, 11:35 AM 4-2 Coordination of wetland restoration 4-3(a) In the Great South Bay subregion, efforts. Current State regulations regarding priorities for initial evaluation of trout and tidal wetlands have been very successful in herring restoration potential should include the preventing direct wetland acreage losses. Carlls, Connetquot, Carmans and Swan rivers; However, signicant indirect loss of wetlands, and Orowoc and Beaverdam creeks. such as through erosion or nonpoint source pollution impacts, may still occur and is not well 4-3(b) In the eastern bays subregion, priorities covered by existing regulations. Additionally, should include the Terrell and East rivers; Tiana there is a need for improved coordination Bay, and Quantuck, Weesuck , Heady, and between restoration implementers and regulatory Beaverdam creeks. agencies in order to promote wetland restoration. The NYS Department of Environmental Responsibility: NYS Departments of State and Conservation is considering revisions to tidal Environmental Conservation, Towns of wetland regulations in order to address indirect Babylon, Islip, Brookhaven and Southampton losses and to facilitate tidal wetland restoration as a presumptively benecial activity. (Addresses 4-4 Habitat restoration in tributaries. The Recommendation 4 in Chapter 3) Reserve’s tidal and freshwater streams provide important habitats for the Reserve’s sh and Responsibility: NYS Department of Environ- wildlife, and warrant particular attention. mental Conservation Preservation of these habitats hinges on protection of the 5,000 acres of riverine emergent 4-3 Restoration of anadromous sh. A key and forested wetland areas remaining in the component of the estuarine ecosystem are its Reserve. These areas need to be conserved populations of anadromous sh, or marine sh through protection and restoration measures, that use fresh waters for spawning. Reserve such as open space acquisition, establishment populations of anadromous sh, particularly of vegetated buffer areas, restoration of tidal salmonid (trout) and alosid (herring) species, ow, and construction of stormwater runoff have declined signicantly from historic levels. control projects. (Addresses Recommendation 3 Future salmonid restoration efforts should focus in Chapter 3) on tributaries proximal to existing inlets, which provide lower stable temperature regimes, 4-4(a) In the western bays subregion, priorities especially in the summer and fall. For alosid should include: Mill River and Massapequa restoration, where effort does not relate to Creek. inlet proximity, alewife populations should be the initial focus of effort. The ultimate goal 4-4(b) In the Great South Bay subregion, of alewife restoration efforts should be the priorities should include: the Carll’s, re-introduction of alewives into all former parts Connetquot, Carmans, Brown’s and Swan rivers; of their estuarine range with suitable or restorable and Orowoc and Beaverdam creeks. habitat areas. Fundamental to enhancing or re-establishing anadromous sh in tributaries 4-4(c) In the eastern bays subregion, priorities will be management actions that focus on should include the Terrell, Forge, and East rivers, abating polluted stormwater and undertaking and Tiana, Quantuck, Weesuck, Heady, Speonk, other water quality improvement measures, and Beaverdam creeks. while augmenting stream ow, restoring wetland hydrology, and removing or modifying physical Responsibility: NYS Departments of State and barriers to the upstream passage of sh where Environmental Conservation, counties, towns suitable potential habitat exists. (Addresses Recommendations 3 and 5 in Chapter 3)
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Vers f Chap7 82-83 8/30/01, 11:35 AM 4-5 Evaluation and restoration of eelgrass habitat enhancement and restoration measures; 3) beds. An important habitat in the Reserve, regulatory reform to allow devegetation and use eelgrass beds help to stabilize bottom sediments, of dredged material to enhance or create nesting serve as a food source for brant and other habitat, particularly on dredged material or marsh waterfowl, and provide critical nursery habitat for islands; and 4) identication of barrier beach estuarine nsh and shellsh, especially scallops. and dune areas that provide critical foraging Eelgrass habitat has been lost or degraded in the and nesting habitat for colonial waterbirds and western bays and in portions of Great South Bay, shorebirds for open space acquisition and/or although the current extent and potential reasons improved management actions. In addition, the for such loss have not been documented. The NYS Department of State should modify condition of eelgrass beds in the remainder of guidelines contained in the existing Signicant the Reserve has not yet been determined (see Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat narratives Action 6-11). While current regulations (i.e., to include consideration of the nesting and Protection of Waters Act and Tidal Wetlands Act) foraging requirements of colonial waterbirds potentially offer some protection for existing and shorebirds, as well as long term erosion eelgrass beds, more comprehensive coverage is dynamics of inlet islands, in beach management required. The NYS Department of Environmental and inlet maintenance activities. (Addresses Conservation needs to: 1) create improved Recommendation 6 in Chapter 3) guidance for interpreting eelgrass bed protection under the current regulations; 2) develop a Responsibility: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, management plan for eelgrass and other Fire Island National Seashore, NYS Departments submerged aquatic vegetation; and 3) explore of Environmental Conservation and State, U.S. development of new regulatory protection Army Corps of Engineers, towns specically for submerged aquatic vegetation. Continued research in eelgrass restoration 4-7 Recognition of shorebird reserves. methodologies should be encouraged and the Undeveloped portions of Fire Island and the results should be incorporated in eelgrass Carmans River corridor should be identied restoration efforts. (Addresses Recommendations as regionally important sites in the Western 2, 6 and 9 in Chapter 3) Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. The Network links wetland and associated upland Responsibility: NYS Departments of Environ- sites essential to migratory shorebirds in a mental Conservation and State, towns voluntary, non-regulatory program. The goal of the Network’s program is to increase public 4-6 Vegetation management for coastal birds. recognition, improve habitat management and Protecting shorebirds, waterfowl, and colonial monitor threatened populations by providing waterbirds, as well as coastal populations of technical assistance, management training and migratory birds, will require: 1) continued developing educational materials. (Addresses support for current management programs Recommendation 6 in Chapter 3) (administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NYS Department of Environmental Responsibility: Shorebird Reserve Network, Conservation, Reserve towns, The Nature Towns of Babylon, Islip, and Brookhaven Conservancy, National Audubon Society chapters and others), which include protection of nesting 4-8 Increased protection of marine turtle sites on beaches and bay islands, regulatory and populations. Several endangered species of educational measures to reduce predation by marine turtles use the deepwater areas of eastern domestic animals and human disturbance; 2) Shinnecock Bay for feeding and juvenile development and implement-ation of improved development. Biological information, regional
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Vers f Chap7 82-83 8/30/01, 11:35 AM geographic distribution of turtles, and boating guidelines related to improving protection for Outcome 5: Open space preserved marine turtles should be incorporated into the to sustain community character and existing Signicant Coastal Fish and Wildlife protect water quality and habitat. habitat narratives for the area. The Town of Southampton should encourage cooperation with these guidelines through outreach efforts. Open space preservation is the foremost (Addresses Recommendation 9 in Chapter 3) mechanism to sustain community character, prevent further degradation of water quality Responsibility: NYS Departments of State and from potential new development, and protect Environmental Conservation, Town of South- living resource values. Retention of open space ampton also protects community character within the Reserve by ensuring variety and visual interest 4-9 Management of upland ponds. NYS within the built environment, maintaining the Department of Environmental Conservation’s sense of place, providing for passive public Suburban Pond Management Plan should be access and recreation opportunities, and safe- implemented. Priority attention should be given guards aesthetic qualities that benet tourism to completing work on Milburn Pond and and the quality of life. Roosevelt Pond, and conducting restoration feasibility studies on Lofts Pond, Silver Lake, Preservation of undeveloped lands along the Mill Pond and Grant Pond. (Addresses shoreline and tributary watersheds will reduce Recommendations 3, 6 and 9 in Chapter 3) the land available for new development and hence limit potential for pollution from runoff Responsibility: NYS Department of Environ- entering the estuary system. The greatest extent mental Conservation, Nassau County of potentially developable land is found east of the Connetquot River. In the western part of 4-10 Augmentation of streamow. Nassau the Reserve, protection of smaller open space County should complete ow augmentation lands is critical to provide adequate space for efforts in those streams identied by the Flow remediation of polluted stormwater runoff. Augmentation Needs Study as in need of such This plan calls for the immediate protection of remediation. Augmentation actions would open space as an action that serves the multiple include a variety of different stormwater objectives described above. The Council must diversion measures designed to mitigate loss assume a leading role to coordinate the open of baseow in these streams. Remediation space preservation efforts of the various partners activities have been completed on East Meadow and facilitate the development of an action Brook and Seaford Creek. Work remains to be strategy to guide the expenditure of funds in done on Massapequa Creek, Pines Brook, Mill a manner that will achieve the greatest open River, Cedar Swamp Creek, Bellmore Creek space preservation benet. and Carmans Creek. Methods for improving stream ow need to take into account the potential effects of stormwater diversions on Implementation Actions living resources and groundwater resources, and the potential effects of sediment check dams as 5-1 Development of a Reserve open space physical barriers to the upstream migration of acquisition and protection action strategy. diadromous sh. (Addresses Recommendations A Reserve Open Space Workgroup should be 3 and 4 in Chapter 3) established and charged with coordination and development of an Open Space Acquisition and Responsibility: Nassau County
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Vers f Chap7 84-85 8/30/01, 11:36 AM Protection Action Strategy to guide future open values. Protection of small parcels can provide space preservation efforts in a manner that will a cumulative open space benet to the Reserve. achieve goals of the Council for water quality (Addresses Recommendation 5 in Chapter 4) and living resource protection as well as public use. The workgroup should: coordinate efforts Responsibility: NYS Departments of State and for open space planning between State and Environmental Conservation, counties, towns, federal agencies, county and local governments villages, City of Long Beach, Reserve ofce, and non-prot organizations; identify potential non-prot organizations open space lands warranting protection for the Regional Committee of the State Open Space 5-3 Use of a land trust to assist local Plan; identify potential federal, State and local acquisition efforts. In many areas through funding for open space protection; support a out the State, land trusts facilitate open space local land trust as a vehicle to further open protection by working with private land owners space protection; track and report to the Council outside the government framework. The Council the progress of open space protection efforts; should work with one or more land trusts support acquisition of lands identied for open to facilitate the acquisition of smaller parcels space protection in the technical report series to protect community character, water quality and various county and town open space plans; and living resources, and provide for increase and identify other open space properties that public access and recreational opportunities. may warrant protection. The strategy would The assistance from a land trust would provide include criteria for determining priority open expertise to: match the appropriate tax benets space protection and acquisition to meet the to the needs of the potential land donors; acquire regional objectives and priorities based on the land conservation easements; acquire land; following property attributes: physical or visual assess open space values; develop open space signicance; historical or cultural integrity; ease preservation and public use plans for specic of linkages with access, recreational values; properties; and monitor and enforce easement importance to community character; natural restrictions. (Addresses Recommendation 6 in resource values that protect water quality and Chapter 4) support living resources and susceptibility to repetitive ooding. (Addresses Recommenda- Responsibility: Council, land trust(s) tions 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 in Chapter 4) 5-4 Implementation of local open space plans. Responsibility: NYS Departments of State and Nassau and Suffolk counties and the Town of Environmental Conservation, NYS Ofce of Southampton have prepared open space plans Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, to guide decision-making and expenditure of Reserve ofce, Reserve Open Space Workgroup limited funds for open space protection. Other local governments within the Reserve should 5-2 Analysis of small parcel open space develop open space plans as Local Waterfront opportunities. In many areas the remaining Revitalization Program components. (Addresses open spaces coincide with small parcels. These Recommendation 11 in Chapter 4) small parcels must be analyzed for their potential open space values. Priority should be Responsibility: Counties, towns, villages given to protecting smaller parcels in stream corridors, along embayment shoreline and at 5-5 Acquisition of open space. Responsible street ends. Properties proposed for water entities should continue to build upon the quality improvement projects should also be list of potential open space sites identied analyzed for their open space and public access in the South Shore Estuary Reserve Open
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Vers f Chap7 84-85 8/30/01, 11:36 AM Space Preservation Report for acquisition and protection. (Addresses Recommendation 5 in Outcome 6: Improved knowledge for Chapter 4) ecosystem management. Responsibility: NYS Department of Environ- mental Conservation, counties, towns, villages, The process of developing the Reserve’s non-prot organizations technical report series resulted in the identication of gaps in the current knowledge 5-5(a) In the western bays subregion, priorities of the Reserve. Filling information gaps is should include approximately 60 acres west of critical to improved management of the the recently protected de St. Aubins property in estuary. Lido Beach, Hempstead, and approximately 10 acres along the oceanfront in Long Beach. Implementation Actions 5-5(b) In the Great South Bay subregion, priorities should include acquisition: 6-1 Monitoring water quality. A comprehensive water quality monitoring • within the Town of Babylon, along the Carlls program, coordinated by the Reserve ofce, River and Sampawams Creek, especially needs to be implemented. Such a program in the northern portions, to improve water should maximize the utility of existing quality and increase the extent of preserved monitoring programs, strive to be cost effective, open space; and guide and improve future management • within the Town of Islip, along the Champlin efforts. The two-tiered approach identied in Creek, Sans-Soucci Lakes, Green Creek, the coordinated monitoring strategy for the and Orowoc Creek tributaries; and Reserve calls for the immediate implementation of a baseline monitoring program (Tier 1) that • within the Town of Brookhaven, along would analyze historical water quality data, tributaries entering Patchogue Bay, expand existing monitoring efforts throughout including Corey and Tuthills creeks, the the Reserve, and provide strategic information Patchogue and Swan rivers, and Mud, Abets that would identify and assess trends in water and Hedges creeks to help reduce nonpoint quality and the extent to which designated source pollution to the tributaries and uses of the Reserve’s waterbodies are met. To resultant shellsh closures in the Bay; and augment Tier 1 monitoring, Tier 2 activities along tributaries which enter Bellport Bay would be short-term investigations designed to within the Beaverdam Creek watershed as test specic hypotheses regarding water quality well as the Carmans River, to improve and or ecological issues in the Reserve. Monitoring maintain water quality. should also include a component that studies the ecological consequences of the presence 5-5(c) In the eastern bays subregions, priorities of: toxic substances, including pesticides; should include acquisition within the Town of human pathogens; excessive nutrients; low Brookhaven along the Forge River corridor, along dissolved oxygen levels; and ocean-bay water the eastern side of the Terrell River corridor, and and sediment exchange. Additionally, this action in other waterfront areas with signicant open should include: the continuation of Suffolk space values. The Town of Southampton should County’s extensive water quality monitoring continue the implementation of its open space program; the installation of rain gauges at all plan with emphasis on protection of the back bay tidal monitoring locations in the western bays; of Shinnecock Bay, the Weesuck Creek corridor, and the deployment of an additional 4 - 6 data properties in the Village of Quogue and other recording instruments there to supply realtime pristine areas identied in the plan.
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Vers f Chap7 86-87 8/30/01, 11:36 AM and electronic data gathering of tidal heights specic waterbodies that should be included on and storm surges, and where opportunities the State’s 303(d) list. For waterbodies identied exist, salinity and water temperature. (Addresses on the 303(d) list, the NYS Department of Recommendation 22 in Chapter 2) Environmental Conservation needs to develop Total Maximum Daily Load gures (TMDLs) in Responsibility: Various government agencies accordance with the schedule included in the list, and academic institutions with existing pro- which is expected to be nalized in April 2002. grams, volunteers, Reserve ofce (for coordina- TMDLs will identify the reductions in point tion) and nonpoint sources of pollutants necessary to meet water quality standards. (Addresses 6-2 Land use build-out analysis. The future Recommendation 14 in Chapter 2) potential impact from new development and the effects of existing land use on water quality Responsibility: NYS Department of Environ- and estuarine productivity are key research mental Conservation needs. The development of the South Shore Estuary Reserve pollution potential model, using 6-4 Determination of sediment composition land cover, soil permeability and topographic in Reserve tributaries and bays. In order to information, was a major effort to begin determine if contaminants are present in bottom assessing water quality impacts from land use. sediments the following steps should be taken: Signicant work in this area is still necessary. 1) develop a sediment texture (composition) For the majority of the Suffolk County portion map to evaluate the potential for contaminants of the Reserve, a complete land use verication to adhere to sediment based on grain size in and build-out analysis must be completed before tributaries and bays; 2) further investigate areas there can be a clear estimation of the impacts of bottom sediments with high potential for being of existing and planned development. In Nassau contaminated to determine the actual presence of County assessment parcel data is needed. In contaminants and the signicance of resources both Nassau and Suffolk counties potential impaired or at risk; and 3) conduct site-specic browneld parcels must be identied and a sampling and testing to assess the feasibility of strategy for their cleanup and reuse developed. remedial actions in areas determined to have For the entire Reserve, a detailed analysis contaminated sediments that threaten signicant must be performed on the results of the 2000 water and living resources. (Addresses census information to determine the population Recommendation 17 in Chapter 2) trends over the past 10 years, anticipated future population growth and a review of the water Responsibility: NYS Departments of State and quality management recommendations in the Environmental Conservation plan to ensure their validity. (Addresses Recommendation 2 in Chapter 2) 6-5 Monitoring landll performance and compliance. The monitoring of ground and Responsibility: NYS Department of State, coun- surface waters in proximity to landlls should be ties, towns continued and strengthened as a part of landll operation and for a period of thirty years after 6-3 Determination of additional point and a landll stops receiving solid wastes. Such an nonpoint source pollution controls. In order effort is critical to assure that the performance of to determine additional point and nonpoint solid waste landlls in the Reserve are operated source controls necessary to reduce loadings of in a manner protective of public health and pathogens, nutrients and toxic substances in the the environment. As part of this effort, towns Reserve, water quality data for tributaries and operating solid waste planning units need to bays need to be evaluated and used to identify continue to monitor their landlls, re-evaluate
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Vers f Chap7 86-87 8/30/01, 11:36 AM their solid waste disposal strategies and increase development of biological indicators of efforts at waste reduction. (Addresses ecosystem health and measurable ecological Recommendation 14 in Chapter 2) goals. The program should also be used to evaluate restoration and other management Responsibility: NYS Department of Environ- efforts. (Addresses Recommendation 2 in mental Conservation, towns Chapter 3)
6-6 Analysis of existing information on leaks Specic objectives for ecosystem monitoring and spills. Reserve-wide information on the include: expanded assessment of waterfowl frequency of leaks and spills should be analyzed usage; documentation of critical waterbird with respect to causative factors with the aim of foraging areas; analysis of population dynamics further reduction in such incidents. Information of blue crab and other crab species; benthic about existing facilities has been compiled invertebrate surveys including ecological and is currently maintained in a centralized assessment of other shellsh species such as data bank. This information should be used oysters, scallops, soft shell clams and mussels; to identify opportunities for focused programs assessment of estuarine nsh spawning, nursery to reduce leaks and spills. This action should and sheltering habitat needs; and distribution and also include determining if there is a feasible abundance of seagrasses (other than eelgrass) and scally-responsible approach to identifying and macroalgae. environmental problems due to abandoned storage tanks. (Addresses Recommendation 14 Responsibility: NYS Department of Environ- in Chapter 2) mental Conservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Reserve ofce Responsibility: NYS Department of Environ- mental Conservation, counties 6-9 Study of hard clam biology. Although over harvest has played a contributing role in 6-7 Development of a Reserve-wide reducing the level of hard clam stocks, a general hydrologic model. Groundwater underow, decline in both recruitment and growth rates is tributary inputs, circulation and ocean-bay also involved. Shellsh managers are hindered exchanges need to be measured, modeled and in their efforts to rebuild stocks by critical used to predict the water quality impacts of information gaps regarding both of these factors. dredging, bay ooding and erosion, land use Based on recommendations from the Hard Clam decisions, shoreline hardening, sea level rise and Workshop, the Molluscan Shellsh Technical the transport and fate of pollutants. (Addresses Report and directed study supported by Sea Recommendation 23 in Chapter 2) Grant’s Hard Clam Initiative, research should be conducted that addresses critical information on Responsibility: NYS Departments of State and hard clam settlement, growth and recruitment. Environmental Conservation, U.S. Army Corps (Addresses Recommendation 10 in Chapter 3) of Engineers, U.S. Geological Survey Responsibility: NYS Department of Environ- 6-8 Monitoring the ecosystem. A mental Conservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife comprehensive ecosystem monitoring program, Service, Reserve ofce, various academic coordinated by the Reserve ofce (see Action institutions 11-2), needs to be developed and implemented. Such a program should document the current 6-10 Assessment of additional tidal wetland abundance and distribution of critical Reserve sites for restoration. The GIS-based assessment species, endangered and threatened species, and tool developed by the Department of State in important habitat needs, and should include
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Vers f Chap7 88-89 8/30/01, 11:36 AM cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife tidal marshes and salt marsh bay islands also Service’s Coastal Ecosystems Program should need to be determined. Appropriate management serve as a guide for planning and design of actions to address marsh and bay island erosion tidal wetland restoration activities throughout problems, including the installation of wave the Reserve. Assessment of potential restoration attenuation structures, need to be evaluated. sites will identify priority sites and technical (Addresses Recommendations 4, 9 and 11 in approaches appropriate for towns and other Chapter 3) restoration partners. Cooperation and coordination among federal, State, local Responsibility: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, governments, and non-governmental partners NYS Departments of State and Environmental should be facilitated by this analysis. (Addresses Conservation, Marine Science Research Center Recommendations 2 and 4 in Chapter 3) 6-13 Expansion of brown tide research. Responsibility: NYS Departments of State and Harmful algal blooms known as brown tide Environmental Conservation, U.S. Army Corps cause a marked decline in the feeding response of of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shellsh and reduce light penetration through the water column, limiting the growth of submerged 6-11 Completion of a baseline inventory of plants. The brown tide research being conducted eelgrass distribution. Current mapping of the by Suffolk County and the Brown Tide Research estuary’s eelgrass beds by the National Oceanic Initiative must be continued until the causes of and Atmospheric Administration will establish a such blooms are identied and it is determined baseline of eelgrass distribution and abundance. that such causes can be prevented or mitigated. Periodic monitoring (see Action 6-8) will provide Doing so will allow more effective management the basis for evaluation of eelgrass loss or of hard clams and other shellsh species, nsh impairment trends in relation to restoration and submerged aquatic vegetation. (Addresses efforts. The role of nutrient loading in eelgrass Recommendation 24 in Chapter 2; decline should also be assessed. (Addresses Recommendation 10 in Chapter 3) Recommendations 2, 6 and 9 in Chapter 3) Responsibility: Suffolk County, Brown Tide Responsibility: NYS Department of State, U.S. Research Initiative Fish and Wildlife Service 6-14 Analyzing duck sludge deposits as 6-12 Undertaking research on bay ooding potential pollutant sources. Accumulations and erosion. Research is needed to better of duck sludge in Moriches Bay should be understand the natural causes of bay ooding analyzed to determine if movement of nutrients and erosion, the impacts of development in from those sediments into the water column erosion prone areas and the effects of shoreline occurs at levels that affect the bay’s shellsh hardening. Such research should include an and submerged aquatic vegetation. Signicant estuary-wide network of tide gauges for deposits of sediments rich in duck sludge should monitoring water levels. New methods for be identied and mapped, and steps taken mitigating bay ooding and erosion impacts in to remediate those with potential for causing the estuary should be explored. A comprehensive signicant impacts to the ecosystem. (Addresses analysis should be conducted of anticipated Recommendation 14 in Chapter 2 and changes in the shoreline due to continuing Recommendations 3 and 9 in Chapter 3) rise in sea level, including effects on natural resources, real property and infrastructure. The Responsibility: NYS Department of Environ- extent and geographically specic cause(s) of mental Conservation erosion losses of back barrier and mainland
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Vers f Chap7 88-89 8/30/01, 11:36 AM provided at private water-dependent uses wher- Outcome 7: Increased public use of ever appropriate. (Addresses Recommendation the estuary and expanded tourism. 1 in Chapter 4) Responsibility: Various federal agencies, NYS Public use and enjoyment depend upon access Ofce of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preser- to the estuary’s shore lands, recreational sites, vation, NYS Departments of Transportation and natural areas, cultural resources and interpretive Environmental Conservation, counties, towns, facilities. Located in a heavily populated villages and City of Long Beach metropolitan area, the Reserve draws residents and tourist with high demands and expectations 7-1(a) In the western bays subregion, priorities for estuary-related experiences. Crowded should include the rehabilitation of shing conditions, understaffed facilities in disrepair facilities, bulkhead and vessel docks at the and poor water quality can effect a visitor’s Guy Lombardo Marina, West Marina, and East experience and willingness to return. While Marina. the supply of land dedicated to public access, recreation and cultural interpretation is limited, 7-1(b) In the Great South Bay subregion, demand for use of these amenities is growing. priorities should include increasing public access in the Town of Islip and at selected street ends Local, State and federal governments are the in the Village of Patchogue. Such action in principal providers of access, recreation and Islip could include, for example, connecting the interpretation through generally autonomous existing bikeway between the Hecksher Spur facilities and programs operated with limited of the Southern State Parkway at Timber Point coordination. To promote and expand the public with Hecksher State Park. use and understanding of the estuary it is necessary to make better use of the existing 7-2 Creating new public access and recreation facilities, increase the number of sites and types opportunities. New opportunities are needed to of activities, and increase overall coordination meet the increasing demand for public access between facilities. and provide a greater variety of recreational activities. Existing sites should be linked by a Implementation Actions system of vehicle, vessel, bicycle and pedestrian trails to increase access opportunities. (Addresses Recommendations 3, 12, 13 and 16 in Chapter 7-1 Expanding public access and recreation 4 and Recommendation 10 in Chapter 5) facilities at existing sites. To meet the growing demand for estuary-related activities, access, Responsibility: Various federal agencies, NYS boat launches, shing piers and other recre- Ofce of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preser- ational facilities should be upgraded at the 37 vation, NYS Departments of Transportation and sites identied in the 1996 inventory of shore- Environmental Conservation, counties, towns, line public access and recreation sites. In some villages, City of Long Beach instances, increasing access is as simple as removing barriers such as fences along the 7-2(a) In the western bays subregion, priorities shore. Additional sites with improvement poten- should include: tial have been identied and are described below for each subregion. Further, each local govern- • development of biking/pedestrian trails from ment should assess how its land use regulations the mainland, along Meadowbrook Park- could be improved to insure that public access is
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Vers f Chap7 90-91 8/30/01, 11:37 AM way, to Jones Beach State Park and Point 7-2(c) In the eastern bays subregion, priorities Lookout, and from Jones Beach east along should include development of a bike/pedestrian the barrier island; link along existing highways from the Shirley- Mastic area through the entire subregion. • waterfront revitalization improvements in the City of Long Beach along Reynolds 7-3 Expansion of existing interpretive centers Channel to develop the area as a regional and development of new ones. On a regional destination for water-dependent recreation; basis, facility operators must coordinate, share • in the Village of Freeport, public access ideas and contribute to the expansion of existing along Little Swift Creek and public facilities interpretive programs and the development of and a vessel for educational use by the Long new interpretive centers and/or initiatives. Island Marine Education Center; Priority should be afforded to the Long Island • facilities at the newly acquired open space Marine Education Center in Freeport, Long property along the bay in the Lido Beach Island Maritime Museum in West Sayville, Post- area (de St. Aubins property); Morrow Foundation in Brookhaven and other facilities that may be identied in the future as • designation of non-motorized vessel use key centers for interpretation. In each subregion areas for wildlife appreciation at the Cow new interpretive centers should be added or Meadow Preserve wetlands, Lawrence expanded at existing federal, State, county and Marsh, and other town preserve areas; local recreation facilities, and near wildlife • in the Village of East Rockaway, public areas and other sites with unique landscape improvements to create new public character and historical and cultural attributes. recreational access to the waterfront along (Addresses Recommendation 3 in Chapter 4, East Rockaway Channel; and Recommendation 10 in Chapter 5 and Recommendation 10 in Chapter 6) • determining the feasibility of providing public access with parking near the parkway Responsibility: Various federal agencies, NYS bridges for shing and enjoyment of scenic Ofce of Parks, Recreation and Historic Pres- views. ervation, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, counties, towns, villages, City of 7-2(b) In the Great South Bay subregion, Long Beach, non-governmental organizations priorities should include development of bike/pedestrian trails: 7-3(a) In the western bays subregion, priorities should include expansion of interpretive • from the mainland along Robert Moses facilities and opportunities at the Freeport Causeway to Jones Island and Robert Moses maritime center; Long Beach recreation area; State Park; Nassau County museum; Tackapausha Museum; • along the Southern State Parkway corridor JFK Sanctuary; and other parks and natural areas between Hecksher State Park and Robert throughout the subregion where opportunities Moses State Park; and to do so exist. One such opportunity is at the abandoned incinerator in the City of Long • along the Robert Moses, Sagtikos and Beach, which has been proposed to be renovated Sunken Meadow State Parkway corridors into an environmental education/art center. between Robert Moses State Park and Sunken Meadow State Park. 7-3(b) In the Great South Bay subregion, priorities should include: establishing natural Connections should be developed in the eastern heritage corridors in the Connequot River and portion of the subregion to include Smith Point Carmans/Beaverdam River watersheds. For the County Park North.
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Vers f Chap7 90-91 8/30/01, 11:37 AM Connetquot River corridor in the Hecksher/ Connequot/Oakdale area, this should include Outcome 8: Water-dependent the development of a cohesive program that links businesses sustained. existing interpretive and recreation facilities, wildlife habitats, historic estates and the West Sayville maritime center, and that focuses on The Reserve is home to the largest concentration upland and wetland restoration efforts, water of commercial and recreational vessels, marinas quality improvement efforts, and cultural, and other water-dependent businesses in the historic and landscape resources. For the State. There are approximately 3,000 water- Patchogue River waterfront and Fire Island, dependent or water-enhanced businesses priorities include the Fire Island National employing nearly 30,000 individuals. These Seashore’s plans to develop a visitors center. businesses depend on access to the estuary, safe For the Carmans/Beaverdam River corridor, navigation, infrastructure to support their daily priorities should include an interpretive program, operations and clean estuarine waters. Loss of the in conjunction with the Wertheim Wildlife economic contribution from individual estuary- Refuge that focuses on the natural, historic and related businesses can weaken the viability of the cultural resources of the area. estuary-related economy. Further, as traditional water-dependent businesses are displaced, the 7-3(c) In the eastern bays subregion, priorities maritime heritage of the estuary will be should include development of an interpretive diminished. program that highlights the history and use of the Shinnecock Canal area in conjunction Implementation Actions with increasing public access and stimulating revitalization there. The Town of Southampton should adopt the Shinneock Canal Public Access 8-1 Provision of adequate infrastructure to Improvements Plan to guide future access and support existing and new water-dependent recreation projects and implement the plan’s uses. Competition for waterfront space from proposed interpretation program to bolster non-water-dependent uses, such as residential tourism and economic development. use, has increased the cost of waterfront property and limited the availability of land for the 7-4 Establishing a South Shore Estuary businesses dependent on having access to the Reserve Coastal Heritage Trail. A Coastal water. In order to insure the continuation of Heritage Trail should be established to serve traditional water-dependent businesses, adequate as a regional framework for Reserve-wide infrastructure must be available to meet their interpretation of the estuary and its maritime needs. Throughout the region the greatest need and cultural heritage. Development of the trail is for docking and loading facilities for baymen should begin with a comprehensive analysis of and land for the expansion of water-dependent suitable public access and cultural and historic businesses. (Addresses Recommendations 2, 3, sites and their optimum connections, activities 4, 5 and 6 in Chapter 5) and areas or subjects for interpretation. The analysis should also identify potential nodes that Responsibility: Federal agencies, NYS would function as destinations and means to Department of Transportation, NYS Ofce of build upon existing strengths while adding new Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, initiatives. (Addresses Recommendations 1,2, 3, counties, towns, villages, City of Long Beach, 12 and 13 in Chapter 4) private sector partners
Responsibility: Various federal and State 8-1(a) In the western bays subregion, priorities agencies, counties, towns, villages, City of Long should include a feasibility analysis of ferry Beach, non-governmental organizations
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Vers f Chap7 92-93 8/30/01, 11:37 AM service between the Village of Freeport and 8-2(a) In the western bays subregion, priorities Jones Beach State Park, and preservation of should include planning for dredging to dockage for the commercial shing industry in improve navigability for water-dependent uses Freeport and Point Lookout. in the Village of Freeport, especially the Hudson Canal area. 8-1(b) In the Great South Bay subregion, priorities should include a feasibility analysis 8-2(b) In the Great South Bay subregion, of ferry service between the Village of Babylon priorities should include planning for dredging and Robert Moses State Park, and preservation in: and expansion of ferry services in Bay Shore, Sayville and Patchogue. • the navigation channels serving the maritime centers in the towns of Babylon and Islip 8-1(c) In the eastern bays subregion, priorities (Orowoc, Green, Brown and Sampawams should include establishment of ferry service creeks; Oak Island and West Babylon Creek between Senix Creek in the hamlet of Center channels; Neguntatogue and Narrasketuck Moriches and Great Gun Beach as recommended creeks; and sections of the New York State in the Great Gun Beach Ferry Feasibility Study. Boat Channel serving Captree Boat Basin); and 8-2 Development of a dredging and dredged • the Patchogue River in the Town of materials management plan. In many areas of Brookhaven. the estuary, the lack of dredging of authorized navigation channels has diminished navigability and increased the risk of groundings. The 8-3 Dredging for safe navigation. There are dredging issue is further complicated by the immediate needs for specic public dredging rising costs to dredge and dispose of dredged projects throughout the estuary including materials as well as inadequate cooperation and maintenance dredging of inlet areas, areas where coordination among agencies with overlapping shoaling impacts navigation, and locations where authorities. A regional dredging and dredged natural shifting of channels occurs due to tides, materials management plan must be prepared storms and ice movement. Safe navigation is and implemented to provide a strategy to ensure a priority for water-dependent public facilities the future navigability of the estuary’s waters for and businesses, especially in maritime centers. commercial and recreational vessel use. Such In some instances county and local government a plan should review and evaluate previous agencies need funding for equipment to more dredging plans (e.g. the Association of Marine effectively and efciently complete necessary Industries plan). Further, the plan should address dredging. (Addresses Recommendations 6 and ways to fund dredging equipment and activities 9 in Chapter 5) and could include an analysis of the benets of creating dredging districts to offset the costs Responsibility: Various federal and State associated with dredging. (Addresses agencies, counties, towns, villages, City of Long Recommendation 6 in Chapter 5) Beach
Responsibility: Various federal and State 8-3(a) In the western bays subregion, priorities agencies, counties, towns, villages, City of Long should include ensuring direct access to Jones Beach, Reserve ofce Inlet Channel and the Atlantic Ocean for shing eets from the Village of Freeport and Point Lookout; and access to the Village of Freeport’s Hudson Bay, Freeport Creek and Woodcleft Canal.
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Vers f Chap7 92-93 8/30/01, 11:37 AM 8-3(b) In the Great South Bay subregion, revitalization through publicly and privately priorities should include dredging of the nanced waterfront redevelopment projects. The Patchogue River. database would allow an analysis of market trends to guide appropriate waterfront redevelopment 8-4 Planning for local waterfront efforts to the best locations throughout the development. Waterfront development plans Reserve. Where appropriate, programs should should be prepared that identify opportunities for be undertaken to exchange and distribute siting new water-dependent businesses, retaining information to the water-dependent industry. those in existence and redeveloping deteriorated (Addresses Recommendations 1, 2,5 and 6 in or underutilized waterfront properties and Chapter 5) brownelds. Plans should consider Local Development Corporations, tax incentives, Responsibility: NYS Department of State, municipal investments in facilities and other Reserve ofce public-private partnerships to spur waterfront development. (Addresses Recommendations 8-7 Preparation of Local Harbor 1,2,3 and 4 in Chapter 5) Management Plans. The estuary system shows signs of disturbance from vessel wakes in Responsibility: Towns, villages, City of Long and around wetlands and shorelines. Further, Beach (Technical assistance from NYS crowded conditions from too many vessels in Department of State and counties) channels and inlets during peak periods raise safety concerns. Attention must be directed at 8-4(a) In the western bays subregion, priorities the carrying capacity of the estuary to support should include the deteriorated or underutilized commercial and recreational vessel activities. In waterfronts properties along Hog Island Channel order to promote efcient use of surface waters and Reynolds Channel, and select properties in and address multiple uses in the embayments and and near the Village of Freeport. tributaries, local harbor management plans need to be prepared that consider the protection of 8-5 Improving local waterfront regulation. natural resource values, shoreline management, Local governments are in the best position navigational safety, infrastructure needs and the to ensure that their land use regulations viability of water-dependent uses. The towns effectively protect water-dependent uses and of Oyster Bay and Southampton are currently facilitate new waterfront development. State and preparing Local Harbor Management Plans. The county agencies should encourage and assist remaining towns, shoreline villages and the communities interested in modifying waterfront City of Long Beach should prepare such plans. regulations to sustain water-dependent (Addresses Recommendation 9 in Chapter 5) businesses. (Addresses Recommendations 2,3,4 and 5 in Chapter 5) Responsibility: Towns, villages, City of Long Beach (Technical assistance from NYS Responsibility: Towns, villages, City of Long Department of State) Beach (Technical assistance from NYS Department of State and counties) Outcome 9: Maritime Centers thrive. 8-6 Facilitating public/private partnerships to support water-dependent business. A Geographic Information System (GIS) shoreline There are twenty maritime centers within the parcel database should be developed and used Reserve where water-dependent uses historically in monitoring the availability of waterfront concentrated and continue to function today. sites and exploring opportunities for waterfront
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Vers f Chap7 94-95 8/30/01, 11:38 AM Maritime centers are the core of the estuary’s serve and retain maritime character while unique maritime heritage and contribute to the supporting tourism; Reserve’s sense of place. Many of the maritime • Bay Shore, focusing on development of an centers need a clearer waterfront vision to interpretive center to act as the “Gateway guide new public and private development and to the Fire Island Communities” to be stimulate revitalization. integrated with the proposed new aquarium facility; Implementation Actions • Sayville, focusing on improving the public waterfront and ferry service areas, 9-1 Preparation of maritime center action integrating them with the central business plans. Maritime centers are locations in which district and protecting water-dependent uses water-dependent and water-enhanced businesses and the architectural resource values that can benet signicantly from public comprise Sayville’s community character. improvements to waterside infrastructure. Local governments often underestimate the potential 9-2 Implementation of maritime center cultural and economic role of their waterfront as a action plans. Each of the largest maritime center of maritime activity. Long range planning centers - Freeport, Bay Shore, Patchogue and for protection of existing water-dependent the Shinnecock Canal area - have prepared businesses, attracting new complementary water- action plans for all or portions of their waterfront dependent and water-enhanced uses, and areas. Their action plan recommendations for providing additional public improvements are additional design work and implementation key to the future of maritime centers and should be undertaken as soon as protection of the Reserve’s maritime heritage. possible.(Addresses Recommendations Regionally, maritime center action plans are 2,3,5,7,8, 9 and 10 in Chapter 5 and needed to: develop strategies for increasing Recommendation 10 in Chapter 6) economic development opportunities; identify potential projects and funding sources; establish Responsibility: Villages of Freeport, Bay Shore implementation time frames; capitalize on unique and Patchogue, Town of Southampton, various historic and cultural resources; build upon State agencies, Reserve ofce waterfront public access and recreation opportunities; and, connect with the Reserve’s 9-2(a) In the western bays subregion, priorities Coastal Heritage Trail. (Addresses should include redevelopment initiatives called Recommendations 4 and 9 in Chapter 4, for in Freeport’s Action Plan to strengthen Recommendations 2,3,4,7, 8, 9 and 10 in Chapter the village as a regionally signicant tourist 5, and Recommendation 10 in Chapter 6) destination by: Responsibility: Various State agencies, county, • maximizing use of existing infra- structure towns, villages and developing underutilized lands; public improvements to facilitate the development 9-1(a) In the Great South Bay subregion, of the Swift Creek property at the base of priorities should include development of Woodcleft Avenue and improving the image maritime center action plans for: along Woodcleft Avenue; • West Sayville, focusing on improved facili- • ensuring appropriate water-dependent ties for commercial shing, increased public development on the waterfront properties on access and preservation and interpretation the eastside of Hudson Canal, just beyond of cultural and historic resources to pre- the Freeport’s boundary though coordinated
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Vers f Chap7 94-95 8/30/01, 11:38 AM efforts between the Town of Hempstead and and cultural elements dene each maritime Village of Freeport; center’s character. Known as a port for • conducting a market feasibility analysis for commercial shing and recreational boating, a new ferry services between Freeport and Bay Shore is home to the Fire Island ferries and the barrier island at Jones Beach State Park boasts one of the largest public marinas in the and Long Beach; and State. The Patchogue River is the gateway to the Fire Island National Seashore and a hub of • improving bulkhead and dockage facilities activity in Brookhaven. The Shinnecock Canal to improve recreation and waterborne travel in Southampton links the estuary to the Peconic to Village, Town of Hempstead and Nassau Estuary. County sites. Maritime centers should be promoted as 9-2(b) In the Great South Bay subregion, in the appropriate locations for new water-dependent Town of Islip, priorities should include: businesses. The following actions should be undertaken to promote maritime centers, foster • redevelopment initiatives called for in Bay waterfront redevelopment and revitalization, Shore’s Harborview Study to encourage and encourage interpretive programs to attract water-dependent development and connect visitors: the activities and visitors utilizing the ferry services with the western portion of the • technical assistance should be provided to harbor area and secure funds to prepare necessary maritime center and harbor management plans and revitalizing the harbor area for increased • implement public and private improvement public use. projects; In the Village of Patchogue, priorities should • market analysis should be conducted to include: determine the potential for new water- dependent businesses; • implementing the adopted Patchogue River Maritime Center Plan to foster economic • regional meetings with local governments development, support traditional maritime should be held to share and explore solutions uses and encourage growth and to common problems; • developing an interpretive center in • annual workshops should be sponsored for Patchogue as the Gateway to Fire Island the maritime business owners and operator National Seashore to connect the mainland to share concerns and seek solutions to to the barrier island. common problems; • programs should be developed to provide 9-2(c) In the eastern bays subregion, in the technical marine trade skills; and Town of Southampton, priorities should include adopting and implementing the Shinnecock Canal • the interests of maritime centers should Maritime Planned Development District Final be represented in the development of the Recommendations to revitalize waterfront Coastal Heritage Trail. (Addresses Recom- businesses, establish the Canal area as a suitable mendations 1,5,7,8,9 and 10 in Chapter 5) area for economic growth in the eastern bays and improve public access. Responsibility: NYS Department of State, Reserve ofce 9-3 Promotion of maritime centers. The unique composition of businesses, public uses
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Vers f Chap7 96-97 8/30/01, 11:38 AM 10-3 Creation of an access guide. A Reserve Outcome 10: Heightened public access guide should be created, in paper and awareness of the estuary. electronic formats, that links the natural resources of the estuary in an instructive and unied manner. This action would include The Council and its advisory committees expanding the Reserve’s tributary identication recognize that an informed and involved public is program and developing appropriate storefront crucial for successful restoration and protection and library poster displays and one-page fact of the Reserve’s natural and cultural resources, sheets on natural, cultural and historic aspects preservation of its maritime heritage, and of the Reserve. (Addresses Recommendations 10 strengthening its estuarine-related economy. and 16 in Chapter 6) Responsibility: Council, Citizens Advisory Com- Implementation Actions mittee, Reserve ofce
10-1 Supporting a Reserve web site. 10-4 Production of South Shore video. A Additional funding is needed for web site Reserve video should be developed for use programming and maintenance. The site should on public television, orientation at interpretive be expanded to include a children’s section; a centers and museums throughout the region, data depot for technical reports and a registry and for loan to schools and libraries. (Addresses of volunteer opportunities in the Reserve. Recommendation 13 in Chapter 6) (Addresses Recommendation 11 in Chapter 6) Responsibility: Council, Citizens Advisory Com- Responsibility: Council, Citizens Advisory mittee, Reserve ofce Committee, Reserve ofce 10-5 Working with outreach partners. 10-2 Updating education resource directory. Municipal employees responsible for public The Directory of Educational Facilities, awareness, and active citizen groups within Programs and Resources of the South Shore each municipality, should be identied and Estuary Reserve needs to be updated and placed encouraged to promote estuary-related education, on the Reserve web site, with the following stewardship and outreach activities. (Addresses elements added: Recommendations 5 and 14 in Chapter 6) • a map that locates signicant resources in Responsibility: Council, Citizens Advisory Com- the estuary; mittee, Reserve ofce, towns (environmental departments), counties • a reference grid for resources; • a directory of web site addresses for 10-6 Identication of professional available resources; and development opportunities for teachers. • a user group category for each resource Existing organizations and groups that provide (i.e., educators, families). professional development opportunities for teachers need to be identied. Reserve ofce staff and Council members should work with (Addresses Recommendation 12 in Chapter 6) these groups to advertise and enhance their programs and develop specic training modules Responsibility: Council, Citizens Advisory on Reserve-related topics and issues. Such action Committee, Reserve ofce should also include the development of instructional units and supporting material that
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Vers f Chap7 96-97 8/30/01, 11:38 AM correlate environmental, cultural and historical 10-10 Establishing an awards program. An aspects of the Reserve with New York State awards program that recognizes signicant teaching standards. (Addresses Recommenda- Reserve-related accomplishments should be tions 6 and 7 in Chapter 6) established by business associations like the Telephone Pioneers of America and local Responsibility: Council, Citizens Advisory corporations. Such awards would acknowledge Committee, Reserve ofce the stewardship efforts of schools, students and student groups, corporations and their 10-7 Supporting the existing network of employees, government agencies and their entities that conduct education programs employees, and individuals and families. on board watercraft. Reserve ofce staff and (Addresses Recommendation 20 in Chapter 6) the Council should work with marine trades associations, marinas, yacht clubs and museums Responsibility: Council, Citizens Advisory to support the existing network of educational Committee, Reserve ofce boating programs for students. (Addresses Recommendation 8 in Chapter 6) 10-11 Designation of bird conservation areas. Public understanding of the value of coastal bird Responsibility: Council, Citizens Advisory species should be promoted through designation Committee, Reserve ofce, Nassau and Suffolk of bird conservation areas and adoption of County Boards of Cooperative Education appropriate conservation management measures Services on town and county parklands within the Reserve. (Addresses Recommendation 6 in Chapter 3) 10-8 Identication of potential mentors. A list should be compiled of local experts, Responsibility: Counties, Towns of Hempstead, professionals and scientists who could serve Oyster Bay, Babylon, Islip and Brookhaven as mentors for high school students on topics relating to the estuary and its management. 10-12 Undertaking a native landscaping pilot (Addresses Recommendations 8 and 15 in program. A native landscaping program for Chapter 6) residential lands should be developed, and pilot projects should be instituted to demonstrate Responsibility: Council, Citizens Advisory how this best management practice can be used Committee, Reserve ofce to help reduce sediment loading and improve water quality. (Addresses Recommendation 19 10-9 Establishment of a clearinghouse for in Chapter 6) student research. A clearinghouse for Reserve- related student research papers and competitions Responsibility: Council, Citizens Advisory should be developed. This action should also Committee, Reserve ofce include a series of Reserve-related student research competitions and conferences and a 10-13 Creation of a homeowner certication small grants program for students and school program. A homeowners certication program districts that foster awareness of and advance for nonpoint source pollution prevention efforts recommendations in the comprehensive should be developed, and pilot projects should management plan. (Addresses Recommendations be instituted, in conjunction with the native land- 8 and 9 in Chapter 6) scaping program. (Addresses Recommendation 19 in Chapter 6) Responsibility: Council, Citizens Advisory Committee, Reserve ofce Responsibility: Council, Citizens Advisory Committee, Reserve ofce
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Vers f Chap7 98-99 8/30/01, 11:38 AM Recreation and Historic Preservation. Reserve Outcome 11: Reserve-wide actions ofce staff, under the Council’s guidance, would advanced through Council work cooperatively with public and private organizations and provide administrative and partnerships and Reserve ofce technical support to the Council in its efforts. implementation of the Reserve’s comprehensive management plan. The Reserve ofce would be responsible for tracking the overall progress The future role of the South Shore Estuary of plan implementation as well as the progress Council will be to promote, coordinate and of each project recommended under the plan. monitor implementation of the comprehensive Ofce duties would include: management plan and to oversee and coordinate future research. The Council’s success will Supporting efforts to improve water quality. depend signicantly upon commitments of The Reserve ofce needs to assume a strong resources by governments and non-prot entities supportive role in the Council’s effort to of the Reserve, including staff for an ofce implement actions called for in this plan to dedicated to estuary-wide imple-mentation. improve water quality in the Reserve. Such a role Furthermore, success will depend upon the should include: 1) providing technical assistance Council’s exibility in structuring its advisory to issue-based workgroups and technical committees to focus on implementation and assistance and coordination in completing the evaluation of progress. The participation of any remaining municipal assessments of current groups not currently represented on the Council nonpoint source pollution control practices, would be sought. watershed action plans, and water resource components of local waterfront revitalization Implementation Actions programs; 2) coordinating a comprehensive water quality monitoring program, including a citizen-based tributary monitoring element; 3) 11-1 Promotion and oversight of plan coordinating research on system-wide ecological implementation. The Council should work consequences of pollutants; 4) revising the closely with the NYS Department of State and northern boundary of the Reserve to reect new the Reserve’s local governments to coordinate information on drainage patterns provided by promotion and estuary-wide implementation Nassau County; 5) identifying potential funding of the comprehensive management plan. This sources for water quality improvement projects action needs to include tracking implementation and research; and 6) tracking planning and of the plan, providing for a periodic update of project progress, and providing the Council with the plan every ve years, and reporting on all periodic updates of implementation of the plan. Reserve projects. Responsibility: Council, NYS Department of Supporting living resource protection and State, counties, towns, villages, City of Long restoration actions. The Reserve ofce should Beach also take the leading role in supporting the Council’s efforts to implement the plan’s 11-2 Establishment and operation of Reserve recommended living resource actions. The ofce. It is anticipated that a Reserve ofce on primary support provided by Reserve ofce staff Long Island would be staffed by representatives would be technical assistance and coordination from each of the six towns in the Reserve, Nassau of management efforts. Duties would focus on: and Suffolk counties, the NYS Departments of State, Environmental Conservation and providing technical assistance to living Transportation, and the NYS Ofce of Parks, • resource workgroups;
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Vers f Chap7 98-99 8/30/01, 11:39 AM • providing technical assistance and Guiding development of Local Waterfront coordination in completion of restoration Revitalization Program components. plans for tidal wetlands and other aquatic Guidance should be provided by the Council habitats; and Reserve ofce staff for the development of Local Waterfront Revitalization Program • guiding development of living resource (LWRP) components. The components should components of local waterfront revitaliza- include: tion programs; • coordinating a comprehensive ecosystem • natural resource inventory analysis and monitoring program, including the devel- protection; opment of a citizen-based habitat restora- • watershed/contributing area management; tion monitoring element; • open space and community character pres- • identifying potential funding sources for ervation; habitat improvement projects and research; and • public access, recreation and interpreta- tion; • tracking progress of planning and project activities, and providing the Council with • management of habitats and underwater periodic updates on implementation of this lands; sustaining water-dependent busi- plan. nesses; and management of ooding and erosion.
Coordination of open space management. An open space work group, with support from the Development of greenway and blueway trail Reserve ofce, would lead the effort to: systems. The Reserve ofce should lead the development of a Coastal Heritage Trail that • establish a geographic information system links the scenic, natural, recreational, historic, inventory and analysis of potential areas for maritime and cultural resources of the Reserve. protection; This would be done through a coordinated effort on the part of federal and State agencies, and • develop open space protection priorities local governments, to inventory existing trails, based on water and living resource values, identify feasible trail linkages, and identify physical and/or visual signicance, and secure available funds to accomplish this historical and/or cultural importance, access, action. recreation, and community character; • work with a land trust as a vehicle for open Development of maritime centers. The space protection; Reserve ofce should serve as a clearinghouse for technical assistance, consultant selection, • serve as a liaison to the State and local pursuit of funding, identication of potential governments for acquisition of parcels; needs and/or opportunities within the Reserve, and and coordination of such activities with federal • recommend parcels for acquisition to the and State agencies, local governments and NYS Department of Environmental business groups. This should include sponsor- Conservation Region 1 Open Space ship of an annual workshop on economic Advisory Committee. development and establishment of a program to sustain and encourage marine trade skills.
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Vers f Chap7 100-101 8/30/01, 11:39 AM Supporting special initiatives. The Reserve ofce should serve as a clearinghouse for implementation of the Quality Communities and Waterfront Rediscovery initiatives within the Reserve.
Coordination of education and outreach activities within the Reserve. The Reserve ofce should work closely with the Council’s Citizens Advisory Committee in planning and conducting education, outreach and stewardship activities within the Reserve. This effort should also include: • the Council’s establishment of a formal education workgroup, which includes a representative of the NYS Department of Education, that encourages formal education activities that focus on the estuary; and • development of an education and interpretation plan for the Reserve that identies key messages, target audiences, delivery vehicles, and design standards for publications and signage.
Securing funds for plan implementation. Dedicated sources of local, State and federal funds needs to be secured to implement the comprehensive management plan and prepare periodic updates to it. This action should include securing sufcient funds for operation of the Reserve ofce so that it can continue to assist the Council with plan implementation, and securing the funds needed for priority research issues.
Updating the plan. The Council should update the comprehensive management plan on a regular basis. Such updates should reect changes in: research conclusions; water quality and living resource concerns; changes in development and related issues; funding sources; and plan implementation.
Responsibility: Council, NYS Department of State, counties, towns, villages, City of Long Beach, non-governmental organizations
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Vers f Chap7 100-101 8/30/01, 11:39 AM IMPLEMENTATION COSTS AND Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act FUNDING SOURCES Initial funding for priority water quality In order to implement the individual actions improvement projects, including aquatic habitat in this chapter, funding will be necessary from restoration projects, will come from the $30 a variety of government and non-government million earmarked in the Clean Water/Clean Air sources. The chart below provides a Bond Act for the South Shore Estuary Reserve conservative estimate of the costs associated and Peconic Estuary Program. In addition to the with each outcome allocated between the Clean funds specically earmarked for management Water/Clean Air Bond Act and other sources. programs, the Bond Act makes funding Further information about each funding available on a competitive basis for open space category is provided. protection, landll closures, browneld clean up, and agricultural and farmland protection The following is a summary list of the efforts. earmarked and potential funding sources available for implementation actions identied in this plan.
ESTIMATED IMPLEMENTATION COSTS YEARS 1 THROUGH 5 (Figures in $Millions)
CLEAN WATER/ OTHER OUTCOMES CLEAN AIR BOND ACT SOURCES TOTAL
1 Reduced nonpoint source pollution 10.35 19.865 30.215
2 Reduced point source pollution 0.029 0.029
3 Increased harvest levels of hard clams 0.15 1.199 1.349
4 Coastal habitats protected and restored 3.45 15.641 19.091
5 Open space preserved 13.386 13.386
6 Improved knowledge for ecosystem 8.672 8.672
7 Increased public use and tourism 12.68 12.68
8 Water-dependent businesses sustained 6.928 6.928
9 Maritime centers thrive 4.075 4.075
10 Heightened public awareness 1.456 1.456
11 Actions advanced through Council partnerships and ofce* 0
ALL OUTCOMES 13.95 83.931 97.881
* Costs included in Outcomes 1 through 10.
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Vers f Chap7 102-103 8/30/01, 11:39 AM Other Sources Environmental Protection Agency The South Shore Estuary Reserve Council and • The BEACH Program is designed to protect the Reserve ofce would seek additional funds public health by strengthening local beach from a variety of federal, state, local and non- water monitoring programs, improving government sources, including the following: public information about daily beach water quality conditions, and advancing scientic Federal research that can lead to better identication of public health risks. Department of Agriculture (www.livablecommunities.gov/ toolsandresources/wr_beach.htm) • The Water Quality Special Research Grants • Watershed Assistance Grants provide Program provides funds to identify and funding through the River Network for resolve agricultural related degradation of projects involving partnerships within a water quality and provide watershed-based watershed which will make a measurable information that can be used to assess difference in protecting the health of a impairments in targeted watersheds. watershed. (www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacade (www.livablecommunities.gov/ my/fund/special.html) toolsandresources/wr_watershed.htm) • The Wetland Reserve Program provides • Environmental Monitoring for Public Access landowners nancial incentives to improve and Community Tracking (EMPACT) wetlands in exchange for removing marginal provides funds to local governments for agricultural land from agriculture. monitoring to provide daily information about environmental conditions. Department of Interior (www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/ wacademy/fund/tracking.html) Funds from the Land and Water • Tribal Grants for Groundwater Protection Conservation Fund are allocated to the • and Pesticide Management Planning helps states by the Department of Interior for land Federally recognized Indian tribes create a acquisition and development of outdoor Pesticide Management Plan for the use of recreation. specic leaching-prone pesticides. The Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program • (Ofce of Water, www.epa.gov/owow/ encourages wildlife habitat restoration on watershed/wacademy/fund/tribalgw.html) private property through technical and nancial assistance. • Water Quality Cooperative Agreements • The Coastal Preservation Partnerships support new ways to meet stormwater, programs seek to conserve and restore sewer, combined sewer outows and habitat on public and private land by pretreatment requirements through a working with a variety of partners including number mechanisms. private land owners, local governments, (Ofce of Wastewater Management, states and conservation organizations. www.epa.gov/owm/wm042000.htm)
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Vers f Chap7 102-103 8/30/01, 11:39 AM • Chemical Emergency Preparedness and (Ofce of Water, www.epa.gov/owow/ Prevention Technical Assistance Grants watershed/wacademy/fundchallenge21.html) provide funding for chemical accident • Sustainable Development Challenge Grants prevention activities, chemical emergency encourage partnering by various local and planning and community right-to-know state entities to develop locally oriented programs. approaches to economic development while (Ofce of Water, www.epa.gov/owow/ protecting the environment. watershed/ wacademy/fund/chem.html) (www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/academy/ • Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Grants fund/sustainable.html) provide seed money to help support pest • The Environmental Education Grants management practices that reduce pesticide Program provides funding for environmental risk to Pesticide Environmental Stewardship projects that improve environmental Program partners. Applications for education teaching skills and educate membership are accepted on an on going teachers, students and the public about basis. human health issues; build government (Ofce of Water, www.eap.gov/owow/ capacity to develop educational projects; watershed/wacademy/fund/pesticide.html) educate communities through community- based organizations; and educate the public • Wetlands Restoration and Protection Projects through print, broadcast or other media. provide grants for programs which result in demonstrated progress in wetland protection (www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy/ or support for local wetland stewardship. fund/envedu.html) (www.livablecommunities.gov/ • Science to Achieve Results (STAR) is toolsandresources/wr_wetlands.html) intended to create greater cooperation between the EPA and the scientic • The Five Star Restoration Challenge Grant community by providing grants for Program leverages resources for community- environmental research. based wetland restoration projects that involve at least ve partners who contribute (www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy/ in-kind services, funding, expertise, land or fund/science.html) work. (www.livablecommunities.gov/ National Oceanic and Atmospheric toolsandresources/wr_ve_star.htm) Administration • The Flood Hazard Mitigation and Riverine • The Community-Based Restoration Program Ecosystem Restoration Program, formerly provides funds for small scale habitat res- known as Challenge 21, focuses on toration projects that encourage coopera- identifying sustainable non-structural tive involvement of community groups and solutions to ooding in ood prone areas. stewardship. This might include: the relocation of (U.S. Department of Commerce, Ofce of threatened structures, land acquisition, Habitat Conservation, www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ conservation or restoration of wetlands and habitat/restoration) natural ood storage areas, and planning for ood responses.
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Vers f Chap7 104-105 8/30/01, 11:39 AM • Fisheries Development and Utilization continuing source of funds for meeting pressing Research and Development Grants and the environmental needs in the State. Title 13 has Cooperative Agreements Program provided State assistance for the preparation (Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Program) of the comprehensive management plan. It is provide funds for sheries research and anticipated that the State Legislature would develoment projects that include applied continue to appropriate funds from the research and demonstration projects that Environmental Protection Fund to assist benet commercial and recreational sheries implementation of the plan. and shing communities. Additional Environmental Protection Fund (U.S. Department of Commerce, National grants may be awarded on a competitive basis as Marine Fisheries Service, match to local government funds through several www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfweb/skhome.html) State agencies, including the NYS Departments of State and Environmental Conservation, and the NYS Ofce of Parks, Recreation and Historic U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Preservation. The Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) has Specic funding sources through State agencies undertaken a Project Study Plan for the South include: Shore estuary to identify habitat restoration that may be needed as a result of prior federal Department of State activities such as dredging. The ACOE has $1.5 million available to conduct a feasibility Local Waterfront Revitalization Program study for ten potential restoration projects. The • (LWRP) grants are awarded for planning, feasibility study is proposed to be supported by design, feasibility studies or construction the State on a 50/50 matching basis. Based upon activities that advance preparation or engineering estimates for construction activities, implementation of Local Waterfront the ACOE would provide 75% of the funds Revitalization Programs or components necessary for specic restoration projects. The of those programs. Grants are available State share would be 25%, of which 50% can be to eligible local governments on a 50/50 in the form of in-kind services. matching basis for Waterfront Rediscovery, preparation or implementation of intermunicipal waterbody management New York State plans, and coastal education and tourism programs. Support for implementation of the South Shore (www.dos.ny.us.cstlwww.html) Estuary Reserve comprehensive management plan can also be provided through existing programs of various state agencies. For example, Department of Environmental Conservation the NYS Department of State, Division of Coastal Resources will continue to support the • The Brownelds Program provides funding Council’s efforts as part of the State’s federal to communities for investigation and/or Coastal Zone Management grant. remediation on the properties where there may be soil or groundwater contamination. The Environmental Protection Fund, created in These properties, once decontaminated, may Article 54 (Environmental Protection Act) of then be used for a variety of activities. the Environmental Conservation Law provides a (Division of Remediation, www.dec.state.us/website/der/index.html)
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Vers f Chap7 104-105 8/30/01, 11:39 AM • Dam Safety Projects funding is for design Department of Agriculture and Markets and /or construction of a water impoundment structure which a community owns or • The Agriculture and Farmland Protection and anticipates owning. Implementation Program provides funds to maintain agricultural lands that face signi- (NYSDEC’s Bond Act Ofce at (518) cant development pressures and that serve as 485-8300) buffers for a natural public resource. • Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) (www.agmkts.state.ny.us) /Performance Partnership Grants (PPG) support water quality improvement projects Environmental Facilities Corporation that implement management programs, plans or projects. The project types include The Clean Water State Revolving Fund nonpoint source abatement and control, • (CWSRF) provides low interest loans for aquatic habitat restoration, pollution construction of wastewater facilities that prevention and municipal wastewater reduce or prevent water pollution. There are treatment improvements. Funds are awarded three categories of eligibility: point source through the lead of the Department of treatment works, nonpoint source projects, Environmental Conservation, in cooperation and National Estuary Conservation and with the Departments of State and Agriculture Management projects. and Markets, and the Environmental Facilities Corporation. (www.nysefc.org) (NYSDEC’s Bond Act Ofce at (518) • The Clean Vessel Act Grant Program 485-8300 or a Division of Water Regional provides funds to prevent vessel sewage from Ofce) entering waterbodies through construction and renovation of pumpout facilities and Flood Control Projects funds can be used for • educational programs. activities related to the cost of design and construction of ood mitigation projects. (www.nysefc.org)
(NYSDEC’s Bond Act Ofce at (518) Ofce of Parks, Recreation and Historic 485-8300 or a Division of Water Regional Preservation Ofce) • Funding is provided for projects to preserve, rehabilitate or restore land, waters or struc- Empire State Development Corporation tures for parks, recreation or conservation purposes. • Small Cities Community Block Grants are targeted for smaller communities for use in • The Historic Preservation Funds provide revitalization of neighborhoods, affordable for projects to improve, protect and restore housing opportunities and economic devel- properties on the State or National Register opment. for parks, recreation, conservation or preservation purposes, and for acquisition (www.empire.state.ny.us/bond.html) of permanent easements to such locations. (Contact Belmont Lake State Park, Babylon, [(516)669-1000]
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Vers f Chap7 106-107 8/30/01, 11:39 AM Department of Transportation Non-Governmental Organizations • The Transportation Enhancements Program (TEA-21) funds nontraditional transpor- Partnerships are key to implementation of tation projects such as bike trails, acquisi- the plan and should be actively pursued. tion of scenic easements, cultural/ historic Implementation will require or would benet preservation, or environmental mitigation. from the active participation of several key (www.dot.state.ny.us/progs/istea/tep.html) nonprot, academic and private organizations dedicated to the estuary and its restoration, • The New York State Department of protection and interpretation. Partnership Transportation has earmarked $5 million opportunities could be explored with Great South for water quality improvement projects Bay Audubon Society; the Long Island Chapter involving State highways within the of the Nature Conservancy; the Marine Sciences Reserve. Research Center at SUNY Stony Brook; the New York Sport Fishing Federation; the Long Island Association; the Long Island Builders Institute, Local Governments Inc.; the NY Marine Trades Association; Brookhaven Bayman’s Association; the Captree County, town, city and village governments Boatman’s Association; New York Sea Grant are key sources of funds and in-kind services Institute; the Land Trust Alliance; the Trust to support the plan’s implementation. For for Public Land; and the National Fish and example, Suffolk County provides funds to Wildlife Foundation; Ducks Unlimited; Dowling local governments for open space protection College’s Chemistry Department; Fabco through a quarter percent sales tax program and Industries, Inc.; Long Island Beach Buggy has committed to increasing the level funds and Association; Mastic Beach Property Owners in-kind services for water quality monitoring Association, Inc.; Nissequogue Canoe and in the estuary. The Town of Southampton has Kayak Club; Open Space Preservation Trust; bonded for open space acquisition as well as Operation Splash; Target Marketing and Design; water quality improvement projects. and Trout Unlimited.
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Vers f Chap7 106-107 8/30/01, 11:40 AM Integrative Analysis and Implementation Map Series
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Map Series 11 8/30/01, 11:47 AM
APPENDIX A Abstracts of Technical Reports
[Note to reader: An electronic version of the Reserve, a potential source of contamination South Shore Estuary Reserve comprehensive to its ground and surface waters, and includes management plan, with links to the technical a summary of spills that have impacted the report series and associated data sets and maps, Reserve’s water resources. The report describes can be accessed at: www.estuary.cog.ny.us.] existing programs and regulations that relate to underground and above ground storage tanks, including New York’s Petroleum Bulk Storage, Technical reports for Chemical Bulk Storage, and Spill Response and Chapter 2: Improve and Remediation programs. Maintain Water Quality Three databases provided by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation’s Areas of Contaminated Sediments. New York Division of Environmental Remediation were State Department of State, Division of Coastal used to create two maps included in the report, Resources (October 1998). one that identies the 18 major oil storage facilities in the Reserve as of 1997, and another Existing State, federal and local government that depicts the 95 active and inactive chemical documents were used to identify areas of bulk storage facilities in the Reserve as of 1997. potentially contaminated sediments that could cause use impairments in the Reserve. These Coordinated Water Resources Monitoring sources included: the 208 Areawide Waste Strategy for the South Shore Estuary Reserve. Treatment Study; Long Island Segment of the EcoLogic LLC (January 2000). Nationwide Urban Runoff Program; Nonpoint Source Handbook; Nonpoint Water Quality The strategy establishes an ecosystem approach Strategy for Nassau County; the Suffolk County toward water quality monitoring linked to Water Quality Strategy; and the NYS Department the Council’s goals and objectives for the of Environmental Conservation 1996 Priority Reserve’s water resources. The report: evaluates Waterbody List. The paper concludes that the current water quality monitoring efforts of available information is inadequate to assess the local governments, academic institutions and extent and impact of contaminated sediments citizen volunteer organizations; identies gaps but goes on to state that contaminated sediments in those efforts; and, recommends actions to may be one factor contributing to water quality better coordinate and expand water quality degradation in the Reserve. An approach is monitoring in the Reserve. proposed that would assess the potential for contamination of sediment using grain size and The strategy identies a two-tiered approach historical land uses as initial screening criteria. to water quality monitoring. Tier 1 calls for the immediate implementation of a baseline Bulk Storage Facilities and Spills. New York monitoring program that would include analysis State Department of State, Division of Coastal of historical water quality data, build on existing Resources (October 1999). monitoring programs, and provide strategic information that would identify and assess This report focuses on leaks, spills and accidents trends in water quality and the extent to which associated with bulk storage facilities in the designated uses of the Reserve’s waterbodies
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Vers F APPend 1 8/30/01, 10:51 AM are met. Tier 2 activities are meant to augment Satellite imagery was used to characterize Tier 1 monitoring and include short-term the South Shore Estuary Reserve in terms of investigations designed to test specic various land cover categories, measure the hypotheses regarding water quality or ecological extent of change in land cover between 1984 and issues in the Reserve. 1994, and estimate nonpoint source pollution potential. Findings indicate that the extent of Inactive Hazardous Waste Disposal Sites and change in land cover in the Reserve has been Active and Inactive Solid Waste Disposal signicant for both woodland and grassland Facilities. New York State Department of State, categories. This report will be especially useful Division of Coastal Resources (November for addressing the link between land use and 1999). the actual or potential effects on water quality in the Reserve. This report evaluates the forty-one inactive hazardous waste disposal sites located within Municipal Nonpoint Source Pollution the Reserve to determine their potential for Control: Model Program and Town contaminating Reserve waters. Seventeen of Assessment Status Reports. New York State those sites were identied as having the potential Department of State, Division of Coastal to impair designated uses of waterbodies of the Resources (May 1999). Reserve. Two of the seventeen sites also have the potential to also affect nsh and shellsh A model program was developed by the resources of the estuary. Department of State for assessing a municipality’s current practices to control Inactive hazardous waste disposal sites may have nonpoint source pollution from existing and resulted from activities that were legal at the time potential future sources, both public and private. they occurred, but concern over their possible The model was used to assess those practices impact grew with the increased awareness of currently in place in the towns of Hempstead, their potential to pollute the environment. Their Oyster Bay, Babylon, Islip, Brookhaven and legality at the time does not reduce the severity Southampton, and in Nassau and Suffolk of any problems associated with them. counties. The reports resulting from those assessments are in this appendix. The report also looks at the approximately forty active and abandoned solid waste disposal Nassau County Nonpoint Source Pollution facilities on Long Island addressed through the Control Assessment Report. New York State 208 Areawide Waste Treatment Management Department of State, Division of Coastal Summary Plan (1976). The Long Island Landll Resources (December 2000). Law (LILL) required the closure of all landlls in Nassau and Suffolk counties by December This report documents the assessment of Nassau 18, 1990, except for landlls that are protected County’s current nonpoint source pollution by double liners and only accept waste from control practices and identies actions the resource recovery, incineration, or composting. county should take to better control nonpoint Although current regulations require lining and pollution. monitoring of landlls, a reliable estimate of the impacts of leachate from closed landlls is not Nonpoint Source Pollution. New York State available. Department of State, Division of Coastal Resources (June 1998). Land Cover. New York State Department of State, Division of Coastal Resources (November 1997).
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Vers F APPend 2-3 8/30/01, 10:51 AM Information on nonpoint source pollution and potential impacts on water quality and living methods for its control was obtained from local resources. governments, and State and federal agencies. Findings indicate that nonpoint source pollution The 1972 Federal Water Pollution Control Act is a priority concern and many water quality Amendments require that discharges from point impairments in the Reserve can be attributed sources associated with industrial activities, to the lack or inadequate implementation of including municipal wastewater treatment known nonpoint source pollution controls. plants, be authorized by a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit. New Conclusions in the numerous studies reviewed York State, which has the federally-delegated during preparation of this report support these responsibility to administer the program, ndings. These studies include: the 208 accomplishes this through State Pollution Areawide Waste Treatment Study; Long Island Discharge Elimination System permits Segment of the Nationwide Urban Runoff administered by the NYS Department of Program; Nonpoint Source Handbook; Nonpoint Environmental Conservation. Water Quality Strategy for Nassau County; the Suffolk County Water Quality Strategy; the NYS Discharge permits establish numerical limits Department of Environmental Conservation for pollutants. Limits are based on a 1996 Priority Waterbody List; and the New determination of the pollutant’s potential York State Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control impacts on waterbodies. Permits require Program. substance monitoring (sampling and analysis) by the permit holder, and specify the frequency An approach is described to solve nonpoint of reporting. Discharge permits are specic, pollution management problems based on focusing on particular pollutants such as participation by all levels of government (and pathogen indicator organisms, nutrients, and non-governmental organizations, as appropriate) toxins. For example, permits for a wastewater using science-based best management treatment plant and a metal plating factory will practices. include conditions for different pollutants.
This report served as the basis for the model Status and Trends. New York State Department developed by the Department of State for of State, Division of Coastal Resources (June assessing local government efforts to manage 1999). nonpoint source pollution (see Municipal Nonpoint Source Pollution Control: Model This report identies waterbodies in the Program and Town Assessment Status Report). Reserve that have been adversely impacted by declining water quality. The main source of State Pollution Discharge Elimination System information is the 1996 Priority Waterbody (SPDES) Permit Sites. New York State List published by the NYS Department of Department of State, Division of Coastal Environmental Conservation. Other sources Resources (December 1999). include: the 208 Areawide Waste Treatment Study; Long Island Segment of the Nationwide This report provides background information Urban Runoff Program; Nonpoint Source on the State Pollution Discharge Elimination Handbook; Nonpoint Water Quality Strategy System program and focuses on permitted for Nassau County; Suffolk County Water discharges as potential sources of pollution in Quality Strategy; New York State Coastal the Reserve. Particular attention is given to Nonpoint Pollution Control Program; and those permitted discharges with documented or county health department reports.
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Vers F APPend 2-3 8/30/01, 10:52 AM Stormwater runoff is the primary cause of water assistance individuals with expertise in the quality impairments in 48 of the 51 waterbody eld, prepared brief background papers on segments in the South Shore Estuary Reserve pathogens, eutrophication, toxic substances, and listed in the 1996 Priority Waterbody List. dredging and turbidity. Working in small groups Stormwater runoff is a secondary source of in these topical areas, workshop participants pollution in 2 of the remaining 3 segments critiqued the background papers, recommended listed. additional sources of information, and identied research needs in each area that, if addressed, Issues identied as requiring further investigation would improve the understanding of water include the role of groundwater underow in quality and related management issues in the pollution loadings and the effects of changes in South Shore Estuary Reserve. fresh and salt water exchange on water quality and salinity in the Reserve’s bays. Town of Babylon Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Assessment Report. New York State Suffolk County Nonpoint Source Pollution Department of State, Division of Coastal Control Assessment Report. New York State Resources (June 1997). Department of State, Division of Coastal Resources (December 2000). This assessment of the Town of Babylon’s current nonpoint source pollution control This report documents the assessment of Suffolk practices identies actions the town should take County’s current nonpoint source pollution to better control nonpoint pollution. control practices and identies actions the county should take to better control nonpoint Town of Brookhaven Nonpoint Source source pollution. Pollution Control Assessment Report. New York State Department of State, Division of Summary of Town Nonpoint Source Coastal Resources (June 1999). Management Practices. New York State Department of State, Division of Coastal This assessment of the Town of Brookhaven’s Resources (March 2000). current nonpoint source pollution control practices identies actions the town should take This report presents in summary form the results to better control nonpoint pollution. of the six assessments of town nonpoint source pollution control practices. Town of Hempstead Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Assessment Report. New Summary Report: South Shore Estuary York State Department of State, Division of Reserve Water Quality Workshop. New York Coastal Resources (June 1999). Sea Grant and the Living Marine Resources Institute, SUNY Stony Brook (January 1999). This assessment of the Town of Hempstead’s current nonpoint source pollution control This report describes the ndings, conclusions practices identies actions the town should take and recommendations of the September 26, to better control nonpoint pollution. 1996 workshop on water quality in the South Shore Estuary Reserve. The workshop was Town of Islip Nonpoint Source Pollution co-sponsored by New York Sea Grant and Control Assessment Report. New York State the Living Marine Resources Institute of the Department of State, Division of Coastal Marine Sciences Research Center at SUNY Resources (July 1999). Stony Brook. Workshop organizers, with the
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Vers F APPend 4-5 8/30/01, 10:52 AM This assessment of the Town of Islip’s current population protection efforts. Comparison of nonpoint source pollution control practices anadromous sh habitat, dam location, and identies actions the town should take to better water quality classication will show candidate control nonpoint pollution. tributaries where potential exists for species reintroduction and where research should be Town of Oyster Bay Nonpoint Source Pollution focused. Control Assessment Report. New York State Department of State, Division of Coastal Coastal Colonial Waterbirds. New York State Resources (July 1999). Department of State, Division of Coastal Resources, and the United States Fish and This assessment of the Town of Oyster Bay’s Wildlife Service, Southern New England - current nonpoint source pollution control New York Bight Coastal Ecosystems Program practices identies actions the town should take (October 1997). to better control nonpoint pollution. An average annual total of more than thirty-two Town of Southampton Nonpoint Source thousand waterbirds have in recent years nested Pollution Control Assessment Report. New in the Reserve; in 1987, a maximum of more York State Department of State, Division of than forty-ve thousand was recorded. Total Coastal Resources (April 1999). numbers are declining, reaching a low of 16,071 nesting waterbirds in 1995. Weather, human This assessment of the Town of Southampton’s disturbance, predation, vegetation succession current nonpoint source pollution control and population expansion can cause nesting practices and identies actions the town should waterbirds to move from site to site from one take to better control nonpoint pollution. year to the next. Movement can occur even in a single nesting season. Any historic, newly Technical reports for Chapter 3: Protect and created, or unoccupied suitable habitats is used, Restore Living Resources of the Reserve and management must consider this. Extensive development and habitat degradation are major Diadromous Fish. New York State Department threats to island nesting and beach nesting of State, Division of Coastal Resources, and birds. The elimination and reduction of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, disturbances will protect and conserve this Southern New England - New York Bight important and conspicuous component of the Coastal Ecosystems Program (October 1997). coastal ecosystem. Active habitat management and vegetation control can enhance physical Many sh species in the Reserve have an habitat conditions favorable to breeding bird anadromous life strategy. Some use Reserve colonies. waters only as nursery grounds, while others have a direct dependence on the estuary’s Crustacean Shellsh. New York State tributaries. Construction of colonial-era mill Department of State, Division of Coastal dams likely led to the extirpation of alewife Resources (February 1999). runs and whatever local populations of sea-run salmonids (trout) or smelt there might have This report provides a base level of knowledge been. Most South Shore freshwater tributaries and preliminary management recommendations probably supported alewife runs. The extent regarding blue crab in the Reserve. It includes of anadromous salmonid runs is less certain. a general discussion of blue crab biology, life Naturally-spawned brook trout exist in several history, ecology and habitat, a description of Reserve tributaries; sea-run variants would be the commercial and recreational shery, and an a rare resource meriting substantial habitat and assessment of resource status and concerns.
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Vers F APPend 4-5 8/30/01, 10:52 AM It focuses on the need for research on A base level of knowledge and preliminary fundamental biology and population dynamics management recommendations regarding hard of blue crabs and the nature of their exploitation, clams in the Reserve are documented in this preservation of habitat and responsible report. It includes a discussion of shellsh stewardship of the species, in which maximum biology and habitat, factors that can inuence sustainable catch is supported while assuring shellsh abundance, and a brief chronological maximum economic return for the industry overview of the estuary’s shellsh industry. and allowing for maximum use by recreational interests. The report focuses on: the need for research on fundamental biology and population ecology; Estuarine Finsh. New York State Department the evaluation of existing eld studies; the of State, Division of Coastal Resources, and implementation of management practices, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, particularly at the town level, but also Southern New England - New York Bight Reserve-wide, to optimize shellsh productivity Coastal Ecosystems Program (January 1998). in the Reserve’s bays; the establishment of ecologically sustainable harvest goals consistent Many species of nsh use the estuary as with resource capacity; augmentation practices, spawning and nursery habitat or for seasonal such as expansion of seed clam production foraging. Of the sh species found in the estuary, capacity, through private mariculture, and only a few have signicant commercial or predator exclosure growout operations; recreational value. Other species have limited preservation of habitat; and improvements to commercial or recreational value, but are water quality. ecologically prominent in biomass and abundance. Forage sh species, as prey for The report recommends that existing hard clam many animals, provide an important function in abundance and distribution data, as well as transferring estuarine productivity throughout new sediment and bathymetry information, be the food web. Until recently, the marine sheries analyzed using digital technologies, including management process had not given sh habitats GIS, and spatial statistical approaches, in order to proper consideration. For species managed by produce a comprehensive hard clam abundance shery management councils, management and habitat map. Models of estuarine water plans must now include a description of essential exchange, temperature, and salinity regimes habitats and threats to those habitats. Specic should be incorporated into spatial analyses information on ecological, spatial, and temporal when available. characteristics describing estuarine nsh habitats is needed. Initiatives should focus The report also recommends that attention be on habitats, avoid interstate issues, and given to other shellsh species particularly emphasize the ecological importance of forage oysters, scallops, soft shell clams and mussels. species. Approaches include the rehabilitation of Although not as commercially important as hard estuarine habitats, management actions to protect clams, they merit further assessment of their habitats from adverse impacts, and research that respective roles in the estuarine ecosystem. leads to improved understanding of habitat and community relationships. Sea Turtles, Diamondback Terrapin, Mud Turtles, and Seals. The United States Fish Molluscan Shellsh. New York State and Wildlife Service, Southern New England - Department of State, Division of Coastal New York Bight Coastal Ecosystems Program Resources (May 1999). (October 1997).
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Vers F APPend 6-7 8/30/01, 10:52 AM Few sea turtles are sighted within the estuary. degradation of key sites could devastate these Kemp’s ridley, loggerhead, and green sea turtles populations. Peak migratory periods vary by make limited use of study area for feeding and species, age class, and sex, and each subgroup juvenile development. Leatherback sea turtles may use different micro habitats. No systematic are one of the most abundant turtles in the assessment of shorebird use in the estuary exists. area May to November, but are found in near Shorebird habitat use directly competes with shore ocean waters and rarely in the estuary. human activities. It is imperative that a Diamondback terrapins are year-round residents conservation strategy focus on preserving and common along the margins of the estuary, protecting key foraging and roosting habitats, its marsh fringe and near shore bays. Their reducing disturbance, and enhancing and abundance has rebounded from over harvesting restoring wetland and adjacent upland habitats. earlier in the twentieth century. Little is known about diamondback terrapin population ecology Waterfowl. The United States Fish and Wildlife in any location where they occur. An attempt Service, Southern New England - New York Bight to characterize the species determined that Coastal Ecosystems Program (October 1997). nesting habitat was probably the limiting factor controlling the study area population. More The destruction of habitat essential for breeding, work is needed to learn about populations of migrating and overwintering is the principal other reptiles and amphibians in the Reserve reason for the decline of waterfowl in North that need protection. America during the twentieth century. To a lesser extent, decline of several species has been The harbor seal is the most abundant pinniped of attributed to over harvest. Contaminants, oil the East Coast. It is found year-round in the Long and chemical spills, lead poisoning, predation, Island region, but is most abundant November and diseases are other factors that may affect to May. Most seal activity in the Reserve centers the survival of waterfowl. Thirty-eight species on winter haul-out and feeding areas. The seal of waterfowl use the estuarine and freshwater population coast-wide has steadily increased wetlands and adjacent uplands of the Reserve for due to the closure of seal fur harvests and breeding, resting and feeding during migration recovery of winter forage species, especially and for overwintering. Continued efforts to protect sea herring. Impacts of an increasing wintering and enhance marshes, shallow bays, and adjacent seal population on the estuary’s sheries are upland areas will be critical for stabilizing and unknown. increasing waterfowl populations. Improving water quality in the bays will increase the Shorebirds. New York State Department of availability of both plant and animal food items, State, Division of Coastal Resources, and the and reducing contaminants will increase United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Southern reproductive and survival rates. The entire New England - New York Bight Coastal complex of shallow water habitats from western Ecosystems Program (November 1997). Hempstead Bay to Captree Point in Great South Bay should be recognized as a unit for Thirty species of migratory shorebirds use the management. Reserve’s marine, estuarine, freshwater habitats and adjacent uplands for breeding, summering Wetlands. New York State Department of State, and wintering grounds, and for stopovers on Division of Coastal Resources (July 1997). migration. Many migrants travel great distances between breeding and wintering grounds, Wetland loss due to lling and subsequent concentrating in small stopover areas that offer development has forced widespread change to seasonally abundant food resources. Loss or the estuary’s landscape. Many wetlands are lost
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Vers F APPend 6-7 8/30/01, 10:52 AM forever, but some sites present opportunities This is an inventory of lands previously identied for restoration and enhancement. Total acreage for acquisition based on potential public benet of recoverable wetlands is not known, but may and environmental sensitivity. The report approach one thousand acres. The total acreage recommends: continued site identication and that might benet by enhancing desirable wetland analysis; coordination of efforts with the NYS values is greater, roughly ten thousand acres. Open Space Plan; establishment of a regional Undertaking large-scale wetland rehabilitation land trust; and site acquisition. The inventory will return lost values and functions, increase is a guide for developing protection measures productivity and fauna, and improved aesthetic and establishing acquisition priorities. and water quality estuary-wide. Historic, Cultural and Scenic Resources: Technical reports for National Register of Historic Places. New York State Department of State, Division of Coastal Chapter 4: Expand Public Use Resources (June 1997). and Enjoyment of the Estuary This is an inventory of historic sites as identied and described by the NYS Ofce of Parks, Inventory and Analysis of Cultural and Historic Recreation and Historic Preservation. It contains Resources. Allee , King, Rosen and Fleming, a brief description of the sites and their (March, 1999). signicance to the South Shore Estuary Reserve. The report encourages local communities to This report provides an introduction to the continue to maintain records on and protect diverse cultural and historic resources of the historic resources within their jurisdiction. The Reserve, documents the cultural development inventory provides historical and cultural of the area and provides preliminary ndings, information that will be useful for future land recommendations and implementation steps to use planning. protect, support and enhance the Reserve’s cultural and historic resources. Three approaches Maritime Centers of the South Shore Estuary were used to document the Reserve’s cultural Reserve. Geoffery Steadman (July 1999). resources: 1) previously written information was summarized; 2) various persons and Maritime centers are shoreline centers of water- organizations were contacted and questioned dependent businesses and facilities that provide about their knowledge of certain cultural important economic, cultural, recreational and resources; and 3) baymen were interviewed other values. There are six “major” maritime about commercial shing and related activities. centers in the Reserve: the Village of Freeport; Local government departments, historians and the Village of Babylon; the hamlets of Bayshore historical societies provided information on and Sayville in the Town of Islip; the Village of locally designated historic landmarks, existing Patchogue; and the Shinnecock Canal area near protective measures, issues and future the hamlet of Hampton Bays in the Town of recommendations. The ndings and Southampton. In addition, fourteen “secondary” recommendations are grouped in four sections: maritime centers are dispersed throughout other Maritime Heritage, Cultural Resources, Historic areas of the Reserve. The study provides Resources and Coastal Landscape. information to increase public awareness of the importance of the maritime centers to the Inventory of Lands Previously Identied for estuarine economy, the marine heritage of the Acquisition Within the South Shore Estuary Reserve and the estuary’s use and enjoyment Reserve. New York State Department of State, by the public. The study contains four parts: Division of Coastal Resources (November 1997).
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Vers F APPend 8-9 8/30/01, 10:52 AM Part One provides background information of shoreline public access and recreation sites on the Reserve’s maritime centers; Part Two in the Reserve. Section II uses the inventory provides descriptive proles of each of the to identify and analyze the factors that appear twenty maritime centers identied in the report; to limit the use of the sites. Section III and Part Three presents the ndings and IV, respectively, discuss the most important recommendations of the study; and Part Four conclusions drawn from the analysis and includes the sources of information used in develop recommendations to improve the conducting the maritime centers study. public’s use and enjoyment of the estuary.
Open Space Preservation Study. Allee, King, Underwater Lands and Public Trust Doctrine. Rosen and Fleming (October 1999). New York State Department of State, Division of Coastal Resources (September 1997). This report provides recommendations to preserve open space, including to: identify This report documents the evolution of the additional open space sites important to the ownership and regulation of underwater lands future of the Reserve; strengthen cooperation in the Reserve, application of the public trust among municipalities, state and federal agencies, doctrine and other regulatory jurisdictions over non-prot organizations, and developers in an these lands, and measures for balancing effort to protect open space; develop a strategy conicting interests along the shoreline. to protect critical open space; and encourage acquisition of open space parcels previously The report recommends adoption of a identied. In order to develop the inventory of complementary approach to intergovernmental lands for open space protection, and the issues, management of underwater lands in an effort to opportunities and recommendations included promote a reasonable regulatory environment, in this report, information from a workshop, based on a factual data base of property interests. interviews, surveys and published literature A Reserve-wide study of shoreline management were used. The study identies: criteria for and regulations is recommended in order to determining priorities for acquisition; non- facilitate a standardization of practices that acquisition techniques for land preservation; would allow the reasonable exercise of littoral funding opportunities; and a comprehensive rights with the least impact upon other rightful approach for open space planning. uses and users of public trust lands.
Shoreline Public Access and Recreation. New York State Department of State, Division of Coastal Resources (May, 1999).
This report provides an inventory and analysis of shoreline public access and recreation sites and presents recommendations for achieving the South Shore Estuary Reserve Council’s goal of increasing the public’s use and enjoyment of the estuary. The document indicates that access to and recreational use of the waters of the Reserve are limited by factors related to development, changes in use, design and site characteristics, and planning and administration. Section I of the report presents an inventory
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Vers F APPend 8-9 8/30/01, 10:52 AM Technical reports for The historical context for the current pattern of Chapter 5: Sustain and Expand development of the South Shore is described in this technical report. The region consists of the Estuary-related Economy crowded urban areas, sprawling suburban areas and clusters of small hamlets. Farms, shing Dredging and Dredged Material Management. villages and resort centers lie toward the eastern New York State Department of State, Division end of the region. The primary historical factors of Coastal Resources (August 1997). that shaped this development pattern were: the natural resources that favored certain types of This overview of dredging and dredged material economic activity; the transportation system management issues in the South Shore Estuary that developed in support of those activities Reserve outlines current dredging practices and in response to the pervasive inuence of and offers a direction for future action based on New York City’s economic and population a cooperative regional approach to dredging. growth; and the government institutions which evolved. The paper is divided into the following Embayment Use Study. Geoffrey Steadman time frames: 1609 - 1720 (the settlement (March 1999). period); 1750 - 1820 (the beginning of maritime economic activity and the local regulation of This report focuses on the ve embayment natural resources): 1825 - 1890 (the growth of subareas in the Reserve and the management major transportation networks and the shift to and regulation of surface water uses pertaining specialized agriculture); 1900 - 1940 (the era to boating, navigation, dredging, in-water of resort and park development); and 1942 - structures, and vessel pump-out facilities. The present (the post World War II building boom report includes an overview of physical and the era of environmental advocacy). conditions and uses, summarizes use issues and management considerations, and presents Value of Economic Impacts and Sectors with a ndings and recommendations. Perspective on Uses. Economic Analysis, Inc. (June 1997). Recommendations in the report address: the need for more research to determine carrying The economic impact of the estuary is capacity, factors inuencing the estuarine summarized based on available data, in terms economy, and the viability of water-dependent of number of commercial establishments, uses; the need to manage dredging and dredge employment, wages and estuary-related disposal on an estuary-wide basis; the need to revenues. The report identies thirty-four address embayment use issues through local economic sectors and key uses of the estuary municipal plans; the feasibility of “no and estimates their economic impact. It also discharge” designations for some or all of identies and assesses signicant data gaps and the embayments; and the need for local opportunities for further research. governments to conduct and maintain an inventory of existing and potential surface water The report presents existing (1995) data which uses and of institutional factors that contribute demonstrates that estuary-related sectors to or detract from a municipality’s ability to comprise an important part of the local maintain or enhance such uses. economy: eleven percent of the Reserve’s establishments and employment, six percent of Historical Development Patterns. New York its wages, and $856 million in revenues. The State Department of State, Division of Coastal report suggests researching non-market values Resources (May 1997). such as recreational, cultural and aesthetic
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Vers F APPend 10-11 8/30/01, 10:52 AM attributes, property values affected by the estuary, and local tax and fee-based revenues Technical reports for generated by estuary-related economic impacts of recreational boating, nshing and Chapter 6: Increase Education, shellshing, and beach use. Outreach and Stewardship
Zoning for Water Dependent Uses: Case Directory of Educational Facilities, Programs Studies of Four South Shore Estuary Reserve and Resources of the South Shore Estuary Maritime Centers. Geoffery Steadman (May Reserve. New York State Sea Grant and the 1999). New York State Marine Education Association (June 1998). Four centers were chosen based on notable maritime heritage, the intensity of water The directory provides basic information about dependent activity, and the municipal efforts agencies and organizations and their educational for economic development. The maritime facilities, programs and/or resources. It also centers chosen were the Village of Freeport; includes an index of facilities open to the public the hamlet of Bayshore in the Town of Islip; in Nassau and Suffolk counties. The directory’s the Village of Patchogue; and the Shinnocock library listing identies public libraries that Canal area near the Hampton Bays in the Town hold information pertaining to the South Shore of Southampton. The purpose of the study estuary. was to assess the status of waterfront zoning and present recommendations to preserve, Long Islanders and the Environment of the enhance and encourage water-dependent uses South Shore: A Survey of Public Opinion. and economic development through zoning Cornell Local Government Program. (May regulations in the selected maritime centers. 1998). Traditional water-dependent uses such as commercial marinas, boatyards and shing The central goal of this study was to better docks are of major importance in maintaining understand and quantify how South Shore the economic viability and maritime heritage residents perceive the South Shore estuary and of the Reserve. The study recognized that the its watershed. In addition, the research explored maritime centers have experienced varying how certain socio-demographic and geographic degrees of economic decline in recent years. variables inuence this perception. Compared Through the application of appropriate to the physical conditions and processes at work techniques, including zoning and other land in the estuary, these topics have received less use laws and regulations, it is possible to attention. The survey was conducted to provide encourage desired growth and redevelopment the South Shore Estuary Reserve Council, the in appropriate areas. Recommendations to Council’s Citizen’s Advisory Committee (CAC) this end were developed for each of the four and others involved in education, outreach and maritime centers. planning within the watershed with a better foundation for their work.
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Vers F APPend 10-11 8/30/01, 10:52 AM Part II addresses the management activities Technical reports for and responsibilities of the principal local government agencies in the Reserve. Section I Chapter 7: Implementation of the report describes the structure authorized by the laws of New York State for each of Coastal Flooding and Erosion in the South the major governmental divisions. Relevant Shore Estuary Reserve. New York State activities of counties, towns, villages and Department of State, Division of Coastal the one city in the Reserve are covered in Resources (March 2000). sections II through IV. The list is divided by major government units and further described This report examines the impacts of ooding by department and pertinent regulations and and erosion along bay shorelines of the South programs. Shore Estuary Reserve and governmental efforts to address those impacts, and makes recommendations to improve management of existing conditions. The focus is on how best to alleviate the impacts of existing ood and erosion conditions, anticipating that ooding and erosion may worsen in the future due to sea level rise and other known factors. The report draws from existing data and published information.
Institutional Framework, Part I: State and Federal Agencies. New York State Department of State, Division of Coastal Resources (May 1999).
This report is a summary description of applicable federal and state laws and the regulations, management activities and responsibilities of federal and state government agencies. It is organized by major departments and their divisions, except in the case of the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, where listing by functional areas provided a clearer picture of regulations, activities and responsibilities. The purpose of the report was to identify opportunities for improving cooperative management of the South Shore Estuary Reserve.
Institutional Framework, Part II: Local Agencies. New York State Department of State, Division of Coastal Resources (May 1999).
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Vers F APPend 12 8/30/01, 10:52 AM APPENDIX B State-Assisted Projects to Benet the Estuary
Since 1995 over 70 state-assisted projects • The Town of Islip is installing a stormwater improving the South Shore estuary were collection and treatment system at Brown’s completed, are underway or soon to start. Creek. The project is part of a larger effort The majority of these projects result from the aimed at reducing nonpoint source pollution fully funded Environmental Protection Fund townwide. [$200,000/$400,000/CWCA] and the Clean Air/Clean Water Bond Act, The Town of Islip is installing a stormwater initiated by Governor George E. Pataki. This • collection and treatment system in Oakdale appendix describes the more signicant projects, on the lower reaches of the Connetquot categorized by the outcome they help to achieve, River. [$600,00/$1,200,000/CWCA] and identies the local government or other entities involved. • The Town of Southampton will construct facilities to intercept and reduce direct Following each project description in brackets discharge of highway stormwater runoff to are the State funding share, total project cost, and Tiana Bay, Smith Creek, Quantuck Creek State funding source. Funding sources include: and Seatuck Creek. [$95,000/$190,000/ Clean Air/Clean Air Bond Act (CWCA); CWCA] Environmental Protection Fund (EPF); Clean • Hempstead will upgrade the West Long Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF); Beach sewage treatment plant by con- Certied Local Government Program (CLG); structing a second treatment facility. Legislative Member Initiative funds (LMI); [$1,870,000/$1,870,000/CWSRF loan] the National Recreational Trails Program administered by the Ofce of Parks, Recreation, • Nassau County will implement and Historic Preservation (NRT); and the improvements at four pump stations in Environmental Protection Fund/Open Space Wantaugh and Merrick Harbor Collection Account (OSA). Districts to improve estuarine water quality. [$5,798,082/$5,798,082/CWSRF loan] Projects that Improve and • The Town of Southampton will complete water quality-related land acquisition Maintain Water Quality projects throughout the Town, including portions of the Reserve • Nassau County Department of Public Works [$5,800,000/$5,800,000/CWSRF loan] will rehabilitate the Hempstead Lake North • The U.S. Geological Survey is developing Pond complex. The project will stabilize estimates of nitrogen loading to the estuary water levels, restore aquatic habitat, and from tributary streams and ground water. improve water quality. [$100,000/$155,000/OSA] [$500,000/$1,000,000/CWCA] • Ofce of Parks, Recreation and Historic • Nassau County will undertake a water Preservation will perform water quality quality improvement project at Milburn upgrades to facilities at several locations. Pond. The project will improve wetland Petroleum bulk storage tanks will be tested, habitats and enhance sheries resources. replaced, and/or retrotted at Robert Moses [$437,500/$875,000/CWCA] State Park. [$550,000/$550,000/CWCA]
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VersF AP B 1 8/30/01, 10:59 AM • Suffolk County will assess and remedy • The Town of Southampton is constructing subsurface discharge systems that are in drainage improvements along multiple need of rehabilitation at eight Suffolk roadways within the watersheds of Tiana County parks, three of which are in the and Shinnecock bays to reduce stormwater Reserve. [$500,000/$1,000,000/CWCA] runoff to the bays. [$280,000/$560,000/ • Department of Environmental Conservation CWCA] will implement water quality improvement • Nassau County has completed a project that measures at Zach’s Bay. [$530,000/$530,000/ maps storm water outfalls and storm water CWCA] drainage areas in the southern part of the • Suffolk County will construct facilities county. [$437,500/$875,000/EPF] for collection and treatment of stormwater at multiple locations. These projects will Projects that Protect and improve water quality and may allow re-opening of some closed shellsh beds. Restore Living Resources [$835,000/$1,670,000/CWCA] of the Reserve • An inter-municipal water quality management plan is underway for the Town • New York State has acquired the 19-acre of Babylon and the three villages located Elias property, adjacent to Wertheim along the town’s Great South Bay shoreline. National Wildlife Refuge, for additional The plan identies storm water discharge protection of the Refuge’s habitats. points, signicant nonpoint source pollution [$500,000/$5,000,000/other State funds] problems, and appropriate mitigation The Town of Oyster Bay is developing measures. [$39,000/$78,000/EPF] • engineering designs for shoreline restoration • The Town of Oyster Bay is conducting on the Unqua River in Marjorie Post Park. a eld inventory of nonpoint source [$10,300/$20,600/EPF] pollution sources for mainland and barrier The Poospatuck Reservation is restoring island areas that surround South Oyster • tidal wetlands through debris removal and Bay. Information collected will be used saltmarsh plantings. [$105,000/$140,000/ as the basis for recommending stormwater CWCA] mitigation activities to improve water quality in the bay. [$12,500/$25,000/EPF] • The Town of Babylon has upgraded its technical capability to map and analyze The Town of Brookhaven completed a • information about coastal resources using characterization of stormwater contributing its Geographic Information System. areas which empty into the Great South [$2,500/$5,000/EPF] Bay. [$19,000/$36,000/LMI] The Town of Brookhaven is restoring a The Town of Islip is completing a water • • degraded salt marsh at Ocean View Park. quality management plan to establish [$22,000/$45,000/CWCA] priorities for upgrading poorly functioning drainage systems which empty into Great • The Town of Brookhaven is undertaking South Bay. [$39,000/$78,000/EPF] a demonstration project to restore hard clam habitat in Great South Bay. [$25,000/$50,000/CWCA]
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VersF AP B 2-3 8/30/01, 10:59 AM • The Town of Brookhaven is conducting • Town of Babylon staff and a team of a feasibility study for broadly restoring volunteers have restored some wetlands shellsh habitat through shell augmentation. along Ketcham’s Creek. The Town has also [$40,000/$80,000/EPF] developed a stormwater management and • Ofce of Parks, Recreation and Historic stream restoration plan for the creek. Similar Preservation will rehabilitate an historic sh activities are underway at Santapogue hatchery and main pond dam at Connetquot Creek. [$51,250/$102,500/EPF] River State Park. [$1,000,000/$1,000,000/ • The Town of Islip installed a Geographic CWCA] Information System to facilitate manage- • The State acquired a 127-acre parcel with ment of shellfish populations through freshwater and tidal wetlands at Benton Bay standardization of its annual bay bottom which provides critical sh and wildlife surveys. [$13,000/$26,000/EPF] habitat. The property will be managed by • The Town of Southampton completed a the Department of Environmental study to determine the restoration and Conservation. [$3,800,000/$3,800,000/ enhancement potential of Town-owned CWCA and EPF] wetland parcels along Moriches and • The Town of Hempstead installed dune Shinnecock bays. The Town has restored walkovers along a stretch of barrier island. natural wetlands and created additional These structures will allow dunes and dune wetland areas at the Ponquogue Bridge. vegetation to become re-established thus This project included installation of restoring the habitat and storm protection interpretive signage and informational functions of the dunes. [$63,000/$126,000/ kiosks. [$43,900/$87,800/EPF] EPF] • The Town of Brookhaven has developed a • The Town of Oyster Bay, employing a plan to help guide restoration of hard shell signicant volunteer effort, planted beach clam resources in the eastern portion of grass along dunes at Tobay Beach. The Great South Bay. (The Town has jurisdiction grass is intended to stabilize and promote over the underwater lands in this area). The growth of the dunes, enhancing their value plan identies areas suitable for establishing as wildlife habitat and buffering against hard shell clam beds and sites suitable for storm damage. The town is also employing the seeding of clams. [$15,500/$31,000/ newly-acquired equipment to monitor basic EPF] water quality parameters such as salinity, • The Town of Southampton has developed dissolved oxygen, nitrate and ammonia a plan for protecting and managing marine levels, and turbidity. [$105,550/$246,135/ resources in Shinnecock and Mecox Bays CWCA] with the aim of revitalizing commercial • The Town of Oyster Bay has prepared a and recreational shing. The plan includes wetlands habitat management plan for the strategies to enhance and maintain sustainable bay islands in South Oyster Bay as well use of nsh, shellsh, and other sheries- as a conceptual design for their restoration. related resources through regulation of [$10,000/$20,000/EPF] underwater lands. [$30,000/$60,000/EPF]
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VersF AP B 2-3 8/30/01, 10:59 AM Projects that Expand Public Use • The Village of Freeport completed the and Enjoyment of the Estuary Woodcleft Avenue Urban Design and Development Study, which examined the feasibility of redeveloping vacant waterfront • The Heckscher Museum of Art will restore parcels for commercial and recreational the historic Heckscher Cottage in Heckscher uses. The strategy for revitalizing the State Park, which houses the museum. Freeport waterfront is being followed by [$150,000/$419,607/EPF] the Village. [$50,000/$100,000/EPF] • The City of Long Beach has developed • The Village of Freeport, with support of the local waterfront redevelopment plans for an South Street Seaport Museum, converted undeveloped property on Reynolds Channel. a deteriorated and vacant boatyard into The focus is on increasing public access a center for the interpretation and and encouraging a mix of public and private preservation of the marine environment and uses. [$50,000/$250,000/EPF] maritime history, as part of the Long Island • The Town of Hempstead will improve Marine Education Center. The Museum wildlife habitat and enhance public has been in operation for several years. amenities at a town park constructed on [$100,000/$200,000/EPF] the former Merrick landll site. • The Village of Freeport is constructing a [$2,000,000/$4,000,000/CWCA] 120 foot waterfront esplanade along the • The Town of Oyster Bay is preparing a Woodcleft Canal. The project will facilitate harbor management plan for South Oyster programs for the Long Island Marine Bay. [$20,000/$40,000/EPF] Education Center. [$15,000/$30,000/EPF] • The Village of Southampton will develop • The Village of Freeport is completing a design guidelines for construction within the feasibility study and design plans for the Village’s historic districts. [$7,972/$7,972/ four-acre Swift Creek site. The project CLG] will facilitate redevelopment of Freeport’s “Nautical Mile”. [$111,500/$223,000/ The Town of Brookhaven will acquire an • EPF] abandoned parcel on the Forge River and Home Creek for development of a • The Town of Hempstead has developed a neighborhood park. [$170,000/$341,725/ Geographic Information System to provide a EPF] common source of information for agencies involved in the permit process for waterfront The Ketcham Inn Foundation plans to • projects in the Town. The system is intended restore the historic Terry Ketcham Inn to serve as a model for other waterfront in Center Moriches. [$100,000/$394,000/ communities. [$20,000/$40,000/EPF] EPF] The Town of Islip has completed a design The Ofce of Parks, Recreation, and • • and marketing study for the Harborview Historic Preservation will restore beach area of Bay Shore’s waterfront. and water supply facilities at Jones Beach [$37,500/$75,000/EPF] and Robert Moses State Parks. [$2,450,000/$2,450,000/EPF] • The Village of Patchogue has prepared a study of commercial and recreational expansion in its waterfront area. [$35,000/$70,000/EPF]
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VersF AP B 4-5 8/30/01, 10:59 AM • The Village of Patchogue is preparing a Projects that Increase redevelopment strategy for the northeast Education, Outreach, and quadrant of the Patchogue River corridor. Stewardship [$50,000/$100,000/EPF] The Town of Brookhaven has conducted • The Department of Environmental a study to determine the feasibility of • Conservation will improve facilities at its re-establishing passenger ferry service Quogue Wildlife Refuge, one of its most between the mainland (Center Moriches) heavily used environmental education and Great Gun Beach on Fire Island. facilities. [$400,000/$400,000/CWCA] [$15,500/$31,000/EPF] The Ofce of Parks, Recreation and Historic The Town of Brookhaven is preparing a • • Preservation established The Theodore Local Waterfront Revitalization Program Roosevelt Nature Center, a state-of-the-art for the Mastic Beach area. The program environmental education facility, at Jones will address ooding and erosion, wetlands, Beach State Park. The Center is a result water quality, navigation, docks, of a federal-state partnership with the Ford development pressures, water-dependent Motor Company Fund and the Long Island businesses, public access and recreation. Power Authority. [$125,000/$775,000/ [$50,000/$100,000/EPF] CWCA]. The Village of Ocean Beach is preparing • The Deer Park School District in Babylon a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program. • will establish an interpretive nature trail [$20,000/$102,695/EPF] along the Carll’s River. [$48,000/$60,000/ • The Town of Southampton is nalizing a NRT] Local Waterfront Revitalization Program, an intermunicipal waterbody management Additional outreach activities conducted by the plan, and a harbor management plan. Citizen’s Advisory Committee and others are [$70,000/$140,000/EPF] listed below. These were funded in part by the • The Town of Southampton has prepared a South Shore Estuary Reserve Council and often plan for the Shinnecock Canal to revitalize involve signicant volunteer effort. For these the area through commercial redevelopment reasons, no funding data are indicated: and public access improvements. [$25,000/$50,000/EPF] • A South Shore information phone line was • The Town of Southampton constructed a installed which the public can use to obtain new boat launch at the Ponquogue Bridge more information about the estuary and with amenities to increase public recreation become more involved in estuary-related and tourism opportunities. activities. [$70,000/$140,000/EPF] • The Long Island South Shore Estuary News newsletter is being issued annually. • A brochure providing information about the Reserve and the effort to develop the comprehensive management plan was developed and has been widely distributed in the Reserve. • Two portable displays were created and are shown at numerous events throughout the Reserve.
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VersF AP B 4-5 8/30/01, 10:59 AM • A model estuaries curriculum was launched digitized data has been collected, employing at Sayville High School during the 1997 various remote sensing techniques, and has been spring term. used to map existing land cover in the Reserve and to characterize changes in land cover • A conference of concerned high school between 1984 and 1994. The Department has students from throughout the Reserve was subsequently completed a nonpoint pollution held at Bellport High School in the spring potential model for the Reserve based on of 1997. topography, soil permeability, land cover type, • A Directory of Educational Resources for and proximity to water. The model will be the Reserve was released in early 1998; an used by municipalities and others in targeting updated version is scheduled for late 2001. nonpoint source pollution abatement projects across the Reserve. • A survey of public perceptions about the Reserve was completed in 1998. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a • A “Don’t Feed the Quackers Crackers” living resources inventory and analysis as part video and elementary school curriculum of the general biological characterization of the was developed by the Town of Oyster Bay Reserve and as a key component of the wetland to educate students about the environmental restoration assessment tool. impacts associated with feeding wild waterfowl. The Long Island Wetland Restoration Initiative, • A signage program to identify South Shore a cooperative effort by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife tributaries was initiated at Santapogue and Service, the Department of Environmental Ketcham’s Creeks (Town of Babylon); signs Conservation, Suffolk County Vector Control were also installed at Pattersquash creek in and Ducks Unlimited, has restoration projects Mastic Beach. The program is intended to on approximately 2000 acres to date. serve as a model for other sites throughout the Reserve. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the SUNY Stony Brook Marine Science Research Center worked collaboratively to initiate a bay Other Accomplishments hydrodynamics monitoring program.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed In addition to State-assisted projects, there has a reconnaissance study and plans to undertake a been a substantial amount of work completed by feasibility study for environmental restoration State agency staff, federal agencies, academic projects in the Reserve. institutions, local governments, environmental organizations, and other local interest groups. Land and Water Conservation Funds were used Some of these contributions are summarized at the Robert Moses State Park for a hawk watch below platform ($7,340); and at Jones Bach State Park for a nature center boardwalk ($108,648). The Department of State developed a GIS method that employs remote sensing technology for assessing tidal wetlands restoration potential in the Reserve. Additionally, as part of a joint project with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the State University of New York at Albany — Remote Sensing Laboratory, an extensive amount of
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VersF AP B 6 8/30/01, 10:59 AM APPENDIX C Response to Public Comments
Governor George E. Pataki announced, on The specic comments received are summarized February 12, 2001, release of the Long Island below (in bold type) under major topics. A South Shore Estuary Reserve Draft response is provided for each comment or set of Comprehensive Management Plan for public similar comments. Most of the responses fall review. As required by Article 46, the South into three general categories: (1) explanation Shore Estuary Reserve Council held two public of how and where the comment is already hearings: one on February 28, 2001 in the addressed in the plan; (2) explanation that the Village of Patchogue and the other on March comment is generally addressed in the plan 1, 2001 in the Village of Freeport. Combined and that specic details will be addressed as attendance at the two hearings exceeded 180 the Council implements the plan over the next people in addition to Council members or 5 years; or (3) indication of revision(s) to be designees and Department of State personnel. made in the plan. The public hearings were recorded in both audio and video tape formats. General Comments Seventeen people gave oral comments during the Patchogue public hearing, and thirty-one 1. Comments in support of the plan from: spoke during the Freeport hearing. Seven county legislators; individuals representing of these speakers also submitted written environmental organizations, outdoor sports comments, either at the hearing or by mail to clubs; neighborhood or homeowners associ- the Department of State. By the end of the ations; academia and others. comment period on March 28th the Department had also received written comments mailed in The Council appreciates the support. by another seventeen individuals who hadn’t spoken during the hearings. 2. Major concern that the NYS Department of State might discontinue working with An overwhelming majority of people offering local governments on implementation of the comments expressed support for the plan and, Comprehensive Management Plan. in many cases, praised the efforts of the Council and the work of the Department of State. The Department of State will continue to work A signicant number of people stressed the with the local governments of the Reserve, both need to move forward to implement the plan’s directly and in cooperation with the Council, to recommendations. A few individuals gave assist with implementation of the plan. comments suggesting actions beyond the powers and duties given to the Council by the 3. Will local control of the estuary be removed State Legislature. and a new state agency be formed? The Council should consider asking the State Comments from several individuals included Legislature to mandate and at least partially offers on behalf of their organizations to assist fund municipal watershed action plans and the Council with the plan’s implementation. local tidal wetland restoration programs. The specic organizations are identied at the end of Chapter 7.
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VersF AP C 1 8/30/01, 11:01 AM Local control will not be taken away nor will getting behind the Fire Island Interim Plan a new State agency be formed. The Reserve’s and not protecting the 32-mile barrier which enabling statute intentionally avoided mandates, separates the estuary from the Atlantic calling for local governments to voluntarily Ocean. Additionally, there doesn’t seem to be implement the plan in a coordinated manner. any policy for opening or closing new inlets. The Environmental Protection Fund and the Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act provide funds The Reserve’s enabling statute requires the for municipal watershed action plans and local Council to propose recommendations that tidal wetland restoration programs, respectively. address numerous issues related to water quality, Federal, local government and other non- living resources, public access and recreation, governmental funds are also anticipated. open space, the estuary-related economy and public education. Erosion on the Atlantic Ocean 4. More detail should be provided on plan side of the barrier islands is not included. The implementation. Council voted to delineate the mean high tide line on the Atlantic as the southerly extent The Council has begun developing the rst of the Reserve. Uncertainties regarding the annual work program for implementation of benets and detriments of breaches are being the Comprehensive Management Plan; this is examined by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers where details of plan implementation for the and others, but in the interim the Corps of rst year will be identied. Engineers’ breach contingency plan addresses breach closure along the barrier islands. 5. The plan marks a great start in the effort but consistent follow-up will be needed. 8. The systematic exclusion of the U.S. Army The key to implementation will be Corps of Engineers from the Council’s intergovernmental cooperation and deliberations demonstrates that the effort administrative follow-up. Implementation was not intended to be a serious look at the needs to cross jurisdictional boundaries. estuary’s environmental problems.
The Council, with representatives from State The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was an and local governments, academia, the private active participant in Council meetings. The sector and special interest groups, has made Corps made presentations to the Council on its a long-term commitment to a cooperative and environmental initiatives, attended a signicant coordinated approach to plan implementation. number of meetings of the Council and its The proposed Reserve ofce (Chapter 7, Action Technical Advisory Committee, and is an 11-2) reects this approach. important participant in resolving the estuary’s environmental problems. The Corps has 6. The Town of Islip’s commitment to the completed a reconnaissance study to examine plan is questioned on the basis of it allowing federal participation in wetlands restoration, a house to be built on barely half the square and will soon undertake a detailed feasibility footage required through zoning. This is a study. In cooperation with the State, the Corps troublesome precedent. has begun implementation of a water level monitoring program for the bays, which will Islip’s representative on the Council has been also collect bathymetric and other information made aware of this issue. appropriate for hydrodynamic modeling and water quality monitoring. With its State and 7. The plan includes nothing on preserving local partners the Corps has played, and will Fire Island as a means of protecting the continue to play, a key role in wetland estuary. The State has fallen short in not restoration, dredging, data collection, and other environmental issues in the estuary.
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VersF AP C 2-3 8/30/01, 11:01 AM 9. There is a lack of information on the at a Council meeting and all of the meetings impacts of sea level rise, current research were open to the public. The Council provided demonstrating the detrimental impacts of time for a public comment period at each shoreline engineering projects, the hazards meeting. of shoreline redevelopment, and the need to respect natural coastal processes. 12. The federal funding under the National Recreation Trails Program has remained All of these issues were discussed in the untapped even though fees are collected for Flooding and Erosion Technical Report and four wheel drive access for shing, an activity the Wetlands Technical Report which served as which could qualify for funding as motorized foundations for the Council in completion of trails improvements. the plan. The technical reports were based on information obtained from scientic literature The plan contains a listing of “Other Sources” and studies, and thus provide a good general of funding for which various State agencies, discussion of these issues. Action 6-12 in local governments or non-prot organizations Chapter 7 recommends examination of the represented on the Council can apply. The list impacts of shoreline hardening on the estuary, is not meant to be inclusive. methods for mitigating bay ooding and erosion impacts, change in the estuary’s shoreline due 13. Asks for help with Army Corps of to sea level rise, and causes of wetland loss, Engineers plans to allow a 150’ dock with in order to develop appropriate site specic two huge platforms in Great South Bay management actions. at Bellport and is concerned that this will encourage others. Considers this 10. Regarding the problems of beach erosion inappropriate for the area or neighborhood. and salinity in the Reserve, the Council should consider turning to the Netherlands The Council has no authority to authorize or for advice in dealing with these issues. deny any development proposal.
The Council is aware of this option. 14. Designate the Reserve as an NEP.
11. The technical reports used in formulating The potential for inclusion of the Reserve within and supporting the various chapters seem the National Estuary Program was explored by to be available only by accessing them on the Council in 1994 and again in 1997. Each the web and downloading as hard copies and time it was clear to the Council that funding therefore are not readily accessible. was not available for a new NEP designation.
Between 1995 and December 2000 thirty-four 15. Concern that, by establishing an ofce, technical reports were produced as the basis the Council would have an authority that for development of this plan and are available is not appropriate or warranted. Concern in printed format from the Department of with the size of a building for the Reserve State by written request. All of the technical ofce. reports are contained on a CD-ROM which was distributed to public libraries in the Reserve. The enabling statute calls for cooperation The technical reports were reviewed by Council between State and municipal agencies. It and its advisory committees, providing review requires the Council to encourage and, where by as many as 75 individuals representing feasible, facilitate implementation of the government, academia, nonprot organizations recommendations of the plan and review the and the public sector. Each report was discussed
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VersF AP C 2-3 8/30/01, 11:01 AM plan and its effectiveness. Therefore, the Water Quality Council sees voluntary participation between partners through the creation of an ofce as an effective use of resources to achieve Reserve- 19. Considers water quality implementation wide implementation of the priority actions. most important. Considers stormwater abatement and control important. The plan doesn’t propose an ofce building. Recent discussion of the Reserve ofce by The Council shares these views. The plan Council members suggest an ofce with a reects the importance of improving and core of four persons (director, administrative protecting water quality and the need to abate assistant, science/technology advisor and and control nonpoint source pollution, education/outreach coordinator) augmented by especially pollutants carried by stormwater additional staff as provided or funded by the runoff. two counties and six towns to implement plan recommendations. 20. Smart growth controls are needed by local governments to control nonpoint source 16. The Shinnecock Tribal Council must be pollution. included as a responsible party for lands under its jurisdiction. New York State’s Quality Communities Interagency Task Force recently released a The Shinnecock Tribal Council was invited report titled State and Local Governments to participate in development of the plan. It Partnering for a Better New York. The report has the sole authority to decide which, if any, sets forth quality communities (“smart growth”) of the plan’s recommended actions should be principles. These principles are inherent in most implemented on lands under its jurisdiction. aspects of the Comprehensive Management Plan. Thus, local government implementation 17. In the overview section of Chapter 1, the of the plan’s recommended actions for nonpoint gure of 1.5 million people stated to live in source pollution control will necessarily the Reserve seems high. embody smart growth.
The gure was estimated from 1990 census tract 21. The signicance of Ulva (a oating algae and block group data. Information generated that occurs in large mats) in the western bays by the 2000 Census will be used for any is being overlooked in the report’s focus on additional population analyses needed during eelgrass. implementation. Eelgrass in the western bays is of ecological 18. Fire Island National Seashore has a signicance; Ulva is the most problematic. The number of ongoing projects associated with prevalence of Ulva in the bays is thought to be many of the recommendations in the plan and a result of nutrient inputs from both nonpoint there are many areas in which the National sources and sewage treatment plant discharges. Park Service and the Council should be Many of the management practices called for working together. under Outcome 1 in Chapter 7 are intended to reduce nutrient loading from nonpoint sources. The Council may include FINS among other Total Maximum Daily Load gures for nutrients entities it invites to serve in an advisory that will be developed for the western bays capacity. (Chapter 7, Action 6-3) will form the basis of evaluating the need for wastewater treatment
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VersF AP C 4-5 8/30/01, 11:01 AM plant upgrades or relocation of their outfalls to Action 1-1 identies the watershed of Patchogue the coastal ocean in an effort to reduce point Bay for priority stormwater remediation. This source loadings of nutrients and ultimately watershed includes the Patchogue and Swan control Ulva. rivers, and Tuthill and Mud creeks. Milburn Creek was not designated as such due to the 22. Sewage treatment plant discharges are fact that it did not meet the basic requirement the major source of pollution to the western of appearing on the 1996 Priority Waterbody bays and not nonpoint source pollution. List. Regulations, education and monitoring are needed to deal with both these sources. 25. Has the connection with the polluted Peconic Bay through the Shinnecock Canal Based on existing information (1996 Priority been considered as a potential source of Waterbody List for the Atlantic Ocean/Long problems for the Reserve? Island Sound Basin), urban runoff (a nonpoint source pollutant) is the primary source of water Yes. Peconic Bay and Shinnecock Bay are quality impairments to Hempstead and South included on the Priority Waterbody List. Oyster bays; municipal sources, i.e., sewage Currently, Suffolk County is planning to fund treatment plants, are considered a secondary additional research on impacts to water quality source of pollution to Hempstead Bay. The and living resources from ows through the analysis discussed in Chapter 7, Action 6-3 Shinnecock Canal. (Determination of additional point and nonpoint source controls.) will further identify the relative 26. Concerns were raised about the lack of contributions of point and nonpoint pollution ushing in the bays due to the small number sources. Future regulations will be based on the of inlets and that more inlets were needed. results of this analysis and the assessments of municipal nonpoint pollution control practices Various actions identied in Chapter 7 address discussed in Chapter 7, Actions 1-2 and 1-5. ocean-bay water exchanges. The water quality Education is acknowledged as important and monitoring program called for in Chapter 7, dealt with extensively in Chapter 6 and Outcome Action 6-1 will look at trends in salinity levels 10 in Chapter 7. Action 6-1 calls for a in the Reserve and ocean-bay water and comprehensive water quality monitoring sediment exchanges. The hydrologic model program. called for in Action 6-7 will measure and model groundwater underow, tributary inputs to the 23. The watershed boundary shown for East bays, circulation in the bays and ocean-bay Meadow Brook is off by ve miles. exchanges with the intent of predicting the water quality impacts of potential management The exact boundaries of watersheds and actions. Research on hard clam biology will contributing areas for the Reserve’s tributaries more closely examine the relation of water will be determined as part of Action 1-6 quality parameters such as salinity on clam (Development of watershed action plans.). settlement, growth and recruitment.
24. Include the watersheds of Swan River, 27. The feasibility of discharging sewage Mud Creek and Milburn Creek as priorities treatment plant efuent to the coastal ocean for stormwater remediation. or to groundwater should be explored in an effort to improve water quality in the bays A detailed integrative analysis of multiple data and reverse the decline in groundwater levels sets was used to determine areas in urgent need and baseow in streams. Additionally, State of stormwater management projects. Chapter 7, Pollution Discharge Elimination System
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VersF AP C 4-5 8/30/01, 11:01 AM (SPDES) permits need to be reviewed as they include components that will address the relate to permitted nutrient discharges. ecological consequences of toxic substances and the signicance of the resources at risk or Some sewage treatment plants discharge impaired. These issues have also been addressed efuent to groundwater but permits to do so in two Reserve technical reports, Status and are stringent due to the use of groundwater for Trends and Areas of Contaminated Sediments, drinking purposes. The development of Total background information used to develop Maximum Daily Load gures for nutrients for Chapter 2 and related actions in Chapter 7. the western bays (Chapter 7, Action 6-3) will be the basis for review of SPDES permitted 31. House barges and live-aboards are nutrient loadings and evaluating the need for proliferating and controls on the disposal of upgrades to sewage treatment plants and other efuent from them are lacking. wastewater disposal options (Action 2-4). Such gaps in local control and enforcement are 28. Education programs that train municipal identied through the assessments of municipal ofcials in the water quality impacts of nonpoint pollution control management land use decisions should be included in the practices, and Chapter 7, Action 1-2 calls for recommendations. local governments to address such gaps through amendments to local codes and regulations. To The need for training municipal ofcials in date, assessments have been completed for the diverse aspects of land use planning and related Reserve’s counties and towns. Action 1-5 calls impacts on water quality and living resources for the completion of similar assessments, with was one of many areas addressed in the technical assistance from the Reserve ofce, assessments of municipal nonpoint pollution for the City of Long Beach and all incorporated control practices cited in Chapter 7, Actions 1-2 villages in the Reserve, with the intent that and 1-5. Language will be added to Action 1-5 they too address gaps in their pollution control to clearly state that these assessments identied efforts. the need for such training. 32. There should be dedicated State funds 29. When will Nassau County begin for implementation of the Environmental stormwater abatement? Protection Agency’s Stormwater Phase II Final Rule. To date Nassau County has identied its storm sewer outfalls, mapped its stormwater This issue should be examined once the NYS conveyance systems, addressed ow augmenta- Department of Environmental Conservation has tion in a number of streams, and is constructing completed its plan for implementing the rule. various stormwater abatement projects using Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act funds. 33. There should be a comprehensive inventory of underground storage tanks not 30. The impacts on wildlife from toxins from accounted for (abandoned in place). parks and golf courses is a concern. Extensive water and bottom samples are needed for The NYS Department of Environmental remediation. Conservation has authority over tanks larger than 1,100 gallon; counties have authority over Action 6-1 (Monitoring water quality.) and those less than 1,100 gallons. Action 2-2 in Action 6-4 (Determination of sediment Chapter 7 states that Nassau County regulated composition in Reserve tributaries and bays.) such tanks at one time but found the program
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VersF AP C 6-7 8/30/01, 11:01 AM burdersome and costly, and switched to a Living Resources voluntary approach. Language will be added to Action 6-6 (Analysis of existing information on leaks and spills.) that calls for determining 36. The ecological signicance of eelgrass is if there is a feasible and scally-responsible not sufciently recognized. Eelgrass has sig- approach to identifying environmental problems nicantly declined and its restoration should due to abandoned tanks. be a priority.
34. Long term water quality monitoring The importance of eelgrass is recognized in and other fundamental data collection and the plan, as well as in several technical reports analysis are important aspects of the plan. (Wetlands, Estuarine Fishes, Molluscan It is absolutely critical that these tasks be Shellsh). Action 4-5 in Chapter 7 reiterates conducted by those agencies that have been its importance and details an approach for doing so in the past. comprehensive protection and restoration of eelgrass habitat. Action 6-8 provides details The Reserve-wide water quality monitoring on development of an ecosystem monitoring program described in Chapter 7, Action 6-1, program that includes, as a priority, assessment will strive to be cost effective by analyzing of submerged aquatic vegetation beds. historical water quality data and maximizing the use of existing monitoring programs conducted 37. There is a need to manage shorebird by federal, State, local governments, academia populations aggressively through vegetation and volunteer groups. and predator control. Efforts to increase public access must be sensitive to 35. Requests that no-discharge zones be management needs of shorebirds. established, more comprehensive water quality testing be done, more enforcement of Action 4-6 in Chapter 7 describes a multi- existing laws be provided and more pumpout faceted approach to protection of Reserve stations be made available. Pumpout stations shorebird populations. This includes support for should be monitored to ensure regulatory current management programs, which include compliance and reasonable accessibility. predator control and vegetation management, as well as promotion of devegetation as a Part of Action 1-2 calls for the reduction of means to enhance or create nesting habitat. pollutants associated with new and redeveloping Improved habitat management is also one of marinas and recreational boating. It specically the goals contained in Action 4-7, which includes the verication of the number of recommends recognition of several Reserve existing pumpout facilities in the Reserve, sites as regionally important in the Western assessing their operation and maintenance, and Hemisphere Shorebird Network Reserve. improving their user fee structure. The action also calls for increasing the numbers of land and 38. There needs to be greater emphasis water-based pumpout facilities to meet both the on developing an aquaculture program for needs of boaters and the criteria for designation the Reserve, including: increased hatchery of each bay by the towns as a no-discharge capacity, improved town growout facilities, zone for vessel wastes. The action also calls and small-scale private bottom leases. for upgrading and coordinating enforcement of Certication of areas closed to shellshing vessel waste regulations. Action 6-1 calls for a should be revisited and funds allocated for broad and coordinated water quality monitoring increased monitoring and re-evaluation of program. certication determination.
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VersF AP C 6-7 8/30/01, 11:01 AM The importance of improving shellsh growout, does not recommend that towns make specic through increases in Town seed planting and changes to current harvest regulations or growout capacity, as well as spawner relay and licensing practices. spawner sanctuaries, is recognized in the plan, as well as in the Molluscan Shellsh Technical 40. Clam seeding is not effective; spawner Report. Chapter 7, Action 3-2 recommends programs are encouraged. Additionally, expansion of regional hatchery facilities. Action overwashes promote increases in hard clam 3-3 supports increased growout capability and set and recruitment. calls for evaluating the economic feasibility of expanding public aquacultural growout of hard As noted in the plan and technical reports, clams, oysters, scallops, and other shellsh, and evidence from both local shellsh programs and identifying potential pilot projects and locations shellsh management throughout the country within the Reserve. The Molluscan Shellsh indicates that shellsh seeding, in appropriate Technical Report also recommends exploring locations and under proper conditions, can be possibilities for expanded Town bay bottom an effective component of a broad program leases for shellsh culture. As far as shellsh for restoration of shellsh populations and area certication is concerned, the Department maintenance of harvest levels. Recognizing of Environmental Conservation has been made that shellsh seeding by itself is not a panacea, aware of expressed public interest in an the plan and technical reports recommend an expanded water quality testing program. The array of additional practices, with establishment improved water quality monitoring called for of spawner sanctuaries being a priority in Action 6-1 should address, among other recommendation (Chapter 2, Recommendation objectives, the desire for improved monitoring 7, and Chapter 7, Action 3-5). Further research, of shellsh closure areas. Additionally, the as discussed in the plan and suggested in targeted approach to watershed management Action 6-9, is necessary to clarify the impacts recommended in Chapter 2, which focuses of natural coastal processes on hard clam attention on those tributary areas where water populations, in order to provide the basis for quality degradation has contributed to shellsh further management actions that promote larval bed closures, should result in reductions in shellsh population growth. nonpoint source pollution and opportunities for re-evaluation of certication. 41. We advise against establishing an advisory board for the shellsh industry. 39. Does shellsh management mean additional harvest quotas? Commercial The CMP does not call for the establishment shellshers are already over regulated and of a shellsh advisory board. Action 3-6 calls over licensed. for the formation of a shellsh management forum for the purpose of promoting effective The plan and the appended technical reports exchange of management-related information. discuss and recommend a wide variety of approaches and techniques that are part of a 42. Increased emphasis should be placed comprehensive shellsh management program. on the use of spawner clams, rather than The particular mix included in a town’s seed planting programs. We shouldn’t spend management program should represent the most money on an expanded Islip hatchery. appropriate measures for that town’s waters. Harvest levels are one component of an overall The CMP recognizes that seed planting, under program and, while the plan recognizes the appropriate conditions, is a valid component importance of establishing sustainable levels, it of an overall shellsh management program.
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VersF AP C 8-9 8/30/01, 11:01 AM The CMP recommends that increased seed can be created. In Chapter 7, Action 4-3 calls for production should be considered as part of the restoration or re-introduction of salmonid a town’s shellsh management. As part of and alosid (herring and alewife) species to this recommendation, it is also suggested that appropriate Reserve tributaries. the feasibility and effectiveness of a potential ex-pansion of the Islip hatchery into a regional 44. The following information should be facility be evaluated. The CMP also calls for incorporated into the CMP: Weaksh have wider use of spawner beds as an important tool had a rebound in stock attributable to the in re-establishment of shellsh populations. shery management plans adopted by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission 43. We encourage a high priority (per and federal plans for the exclusive economic Outcome 4, Action 4-3) recommendation for zone. Great South Bay has a spawning season USFWS and DEC to focus on reestablishing closure period and these areas should be sh runs (alewives, blueback herring, smelt indicated on the maps and discussed in the and salmonids), where water quality shows text. the most promise. Obstruction to upstream migration will have to be breached or While recognizing the effectiveness of sheries bypassed by appropriate techniques (as management plans promulgated by the National stated). While Suffolk County, with three Marine Fisheries Service, the NYS Department tributaries (pg 84) with existing alewife runs, of Environmental Conservation, the U.S. Fish has the most candidate streams for and Wildlife Service or the Atlantic States reintroduction, we would encourage the Marine Fisheries Commission, the Council consideration of two streams in Nassau established early in the Reserve planning County that have potential for remediation process that shery regulations and species and stocking. management lie outside the scope of the plan. Because of this, the plan and the Estuarine The Diadromous Fishes Technical Report Fishes and Diadromous Fishes technical reports indicates locations of dams on Reserve focused shery-related efforts primarily on tributaries that act as impediments to sh broad aquatic habitat protection and restoration passage. Comparison of dam locations and concerns. The plan calls for a substantial water quality will indicate candidate increase in monitoring of living resources tributaries where the potential exists for (Chapter 7, Action 6-8), which should include species reintroduction. USFWS and DEC more detailed species-specic geographic should be encouraged to focus on information regarding sh habitat and life reestablishing sh runs. history requirements.
The CMP and the Diadromous Fishes Technical 45. A signicant amount of water quality and Report both indicate the need to use water living resource research has been conducted quality information and dam location, as well in the Reserve. These studies provide as other parameters, to select tributaries for excellent starting points for implementation potential anadromous sh restoration projects. actions to restore the Reserve’s biodiversity. Recommendation 3 in Chapter 3 encourages It is disconcerting to see that the plan restoration of riparian corridors, in part to recommends further studies, rather than provide for the needs of anadromous shes. providing direct funds necessary to Recommendation 5 in that chapter calls for accomplish the plan’s goals. In addition, the restoration of [anadromous] sh populations plan implies that controls will be directed where the necessary habitat conditions exist or toward working baymen and commercial
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VersF AP C 8-9 8/30/01, 11:01 AM shermen, particularly clammers, as 46. An environmental monitoring program indicated in the following statement: “For that assesses the water quality and living commercial shellsh species, particularly the resource impacts of pesticide treatments for hard clam, the lack of understanding of mosquito control should be considered for population biology is a signicant factor the Reserve. hampering management decisions.” For a more equitable plan, there needs to be Currently, the NYS Department of management of recreational sh and shellsh Environmental Conservation coordinates a species, in addition to commercial species. water quality monitoring program for pesticides statewide in order to assess status, trends, The plan recognizes that, based on research and public health impacts of any pesticide conducted to date, signicant implementation contamination of ground or surface waters. actions for protection and restoration of the Participating agencies include USGS and Reserve’s natural resources are immediately Suffolk County Department of Health Services, feasible and appropriate (Ch. 3), including which will be sampling 2,000 public and private such measures as shellsh seed planting and wells and water supplies over the next two improved growout capacity. This is reected in years to identify potential pesticide contaminant a number of the implementation actions listed in plumes. Nassau County Department of Public Chapter 7 (Actions 1-1, 1-3, 3-1, 3-3, 3-5, 4-1, Works also tracks pesticide levels in 500 4-3, 4-4, 4-6, 4-9, 4-10). These are actions that monitoring wells. Actions 6-1 and 6-8 in could be funded immediately, through local, Chapter 7 recommend comprehensive water State, and federal funding sources. However, quality and ecological monitoring programs, the process of developing the technical report which should include assessment of the series has also resulted in identication of environmental impacts of toxic substances and gaps in the current knowledge of the Reserve’s other contaminants on the Reserve’s living resources. Filling these gaps is critical to resources. Language will be inserted in Action improved management of the estuary. The 6-1 to acknowledge that water quality plan, together with a number of the technical monitoring will include the ecological reports, recognizes that harvest levels and consequences of pesticide use in the Reserve. habitat degradation, regardless of the source, have been, and will continue to be, important 47. There has been a drastic reduction in factors in the overall health of the estuary’s menhaden in the western bays. There maybe living resources. The language in the plan a connection to a reduction in water quality. concerning species management, mentioned in Their absence has had a profound effect on the comment above, although it was in reference the reduction of game sh in the estuary. to species harvested commercially, includes all types of harvest, not solely commercial The plan, in Chapters 2 and 3, notes the shing. Additionally, the plan refers to the need importance of maintaining the necessary water for additional information in order for town quality to ensure healthy populations of sh shellsh managers to sustainably manage the and shellsh resources. Actions 6-1 and 6-8 resource. In this case, “management” refers to in Chapter 7 call for comprehensive water and all types of measures that a town might employ ecosystem monitoring in the Reserve. These in order to improve or enhance its shellshery. programs would include assessment of the The plan also calls for a comprehensive program ecological impacts of degraded estuarine water of ecosystem monitoring, which would provide quality on nsh populations. critical biological information necessary for management of commercial and recreational species alike.
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VersF AP C 10-11 8/30/01, 11:01 AM Public Access and Recreation amount of land dedicated to physical and visual access. Chapter 7, Action 7 -2 calls for creating new public access and several priority projects 48. There is a complete lack of concern on are listed, the most ambitious of which are the part of the Town of Oyster Bay regard- in Nassau County. For example, in Long ing a local beach that is no longer policed. Beach, the last remaining underutilized land The facility is not maintained and contains along Reynolds Channel is proposed for public unrepaired storm drains. use as a regional water-dependent recreation destination. In Freeport, a new public facility The Town of Oyster Bay representative to is proposed at the recently acquired Little Swift the Council has been made aware of this Creek property. The Town of Hempstead also comment. proposes improvements for passive recreational use at the recently acquired de St. Aubins The Council recognizes that there are safety property. concerns at many public shoreline facilities and scal constraints on tax revenues often The New York State Coastal Zone Boundary leave facilities with inadequate funds to conduct closely follows the shoreline and some the routine repairs necessary to maintain use levels major tributaries. The Reserve encompasses all to meet public demand. These issues are of the upland area draining to the bays and is a reected in Chapter 4 with reference to the much larger area. The New York State Coastal Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Management Program policies remain in effect Plan (SCORP). In that chapter, and the draft Comprehensive Management Plan Recommendation 3 specically calls for can be used to provide greater guidance when improving and sustaining the levels of public applying the State policies, especially for use access and recreation opportunities through a by the localities. “no net loss” policy by necessary improvements and maintenance. 50. The scarcity of land acquisition initiatives in Nassau County appears to reect poorly 49. In reviewing the draft Comprehensive on the county and its subdivisions as not Management Plan there is no recommenda- interested in providing access to the tion for creating access in new localities Reserve. in Nassau County? This is disappointing especially from the NYS Department of Nassau County representatives have State which administers the State’s Coastal participated in development of this plan through Management Program. The South Shore their membership on the Council and have Estuary Reserve is entirely within the State’s stated their goals to acquire open space and Coastal Management Zone and all of the provide public access in the Nassau County State Coastal Policies apply (especially those Comprehensive Plan. The Nassau County pertaining to water-dependent uses, Planning Commission adopted (12/ 98) the specically Policies 9, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24 and Nassau County Comprehensive Plan which 25). The Florida Coastal Program should be “provides a vision for the County focusing on looked as a model for public access which the protection of its resources and on current and New York State should emulate. long range growth and development compatible with its suburban character and quality of Chapter 4, Recommendation 1 references 37 life.” (Nassau County Comprehensive Plan, existing sites, developed in cooperation with executive summary). In the plan are a number local governments where public access of policy statements which support options to opportunities can be expanded to increase the
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VersF AP C 10-11 8/30/01, 11:01 AM permanently preserve open space and establish 53. Fishing access in Nassau County needs an “Environmental Fund” to aquire and protect improvement. open space and natural resources. The plan recommends support of the open space advisory State agencies and local governments realize committee and expansion of the committee’s the need for increased access throughout the charge to identify an overall open space program Reserve. Chapter 7, Action 7-1 states, “To for the County (Nassau County Comprehensive meet the growing demand for estuary-related Plan p.III-7 to p. III- 15), which was completed activities, access, boat launches, shing piers and in 2000. other recreation facilities should be upgraded at the 37 sites identied in the 1996 inventory of 51. Baymen need more access and should public access and recreation sites.” be allowed to launch anywhere to follow the sh, and they need more ramps, as do This action also identies additional sites for recreational boaters. expansion in each sub-region and expansion of access through the development of a vehicle, The plan recognizes the need to enhance the vessel, bicycle and pedestrian trails. A new economic viability for traditional water- bullet will be added in Chapter 7 under Action dependent businesses and lists a number of 7-2(a) to call for determination of the feasibility techniques for municipalities to use in attracting of providing public access with parking near and retaining them, including offering winter the parkway bridges for shing and enjoyment boat storage in existing shoreline parks and of scenic views. having adequate boat launch capability. The plan also encourages municipalities to consider, 54. A hiking/biking trail should be established as a matter of waterfront policy, implementing that would run from the North Bellmore/ the actions under Outcome 8 (Water-dependent Wantagh border south through Bellmore to businesses sustained). These actions include the end of the Cedar Creek County Park in providing infrastructure to support existing and Seaford. new water-dependent uses and states (Chapter 7, Action 8-1), “Throughout the region the greatest This proposal ts into the recommendation need is for docking and loading facilities for for increased public use and recreational baymen...” opportunities presented in the plan. The plan advocates the interconnection of existing public 52. We request more public access (launch access and recreation facilities by a system of ramps) town-wide (Brookhaven) and the vehicle, vessel, bicycle and pedestrian trails use of town facilities on the Swan River to increase public access (Outcome 7). As which could have slips to accommodate both part of implementation of the plan it is baymen and recreational users as well as recommended that local governments inventory visitors. opportunities for access linkages and work with the Council, the Reserve ofce and State Action 7-2 calls for the creation of new public partners to create a trail system. The plan also access facilities. Action 8-1 specically identies opportunities for public access facility acknowledges the great need for docking and upgrades and subregional priorities for creating loading facilities for baymen throughout the new public access and recreation sites. Reserve. Brookhaven’s representative on the Council has been made aware of these Town- 55. The plan recommends a bike trail from specic requests. Jones beach eastward along the barrier island. This trail is already an approved
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VersF AP C 12-13 8/30/01, 11:01 AM project under NYS Department of Open Space Transportation’s “Environmental Initiative” and construction should start this year. 59. There were several comments commend- In general, both planned and potential projects ing the Council on the open space recommen- have been included in the plan in order to dations. Several concerns were expressed: be current and complete. The Department of open space lands should continue to be iden- Transportation is in the process of developing tied; there should be an increase in the design alternatives for the bike trail project. amount of land dedicated to open space; and open space lands be maintained. A question 56. There are a number of paddling trails was raised asking how the Council resolves which may act as a model for the waterway conicts between open space and develop- trail mentioned in the text. ment. Concern was expressed regarding development proposed for two parcels in the Existing models will be examined during the Reserve including the following: 58 acres of development of access plans and blueway “South Oaks Property” along the boundary trails. between Nassau and Suffolk counties and the last piece of undeveloped land in Ami- 57. The National Park Service has been tyville Harbor that a developer is unwilling working since 1978 to secure funds for a to sell. Requests were made for the Coun- visitor center in Patchogue for the Fire Island cil’s assistance in preserving these lands and National Seashore. It would appropriate to that the lands be listed in the Compre- mention this in the plan. hensive Management Plan priority list. Another request was made for the Town of This facility is identied as a priority for the Brookhaven to purchase the 25-acre Rexon Great South Bay subregion in Action 7-3. Corporation parcel and for the Council to recommend acquisition.
The Council recognizes that open space preser- Shoreline Structures/ vation is a mechanism to sustain community Underwater Lands character, prevent further degradation of water quality from potential new development and protect living resources. Further, the plan calls 58. There should be a moratorium on for the immediate protection of open space as bulkheading and nonessential eroding bulk- an action that serves these multiple objectives. heads should be left to revert to natural Action 5-1 in Chapter 7 calls for a Reserve Open shoreline. Space Workgroup to coordinate and develop an Open Space Acquisition and Protection Action The South Shore Estuary Reserve’s enabling Strategy to guide future open space preservation statute calls for voluntary participation on part effort. The local government representatives of local governments, and the Council is not in and entities interested in open space protection a position to call for a moratorium. However, on the Council have been made aware of the the issue of bulkheads is recognized. comments.
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VersF AP C 12-13 8/30/01, 11:01 AM 60. There should be strict procedures to in Islip and Hempstead where remedies cur- protect private property owners’ rights from rently exist. The Council should support bay condemnation proceedings with regard to house preservation in a manner consistent open space acquisition. with town policies.
Condemnation procedures are governed by the Chapter 4, Recommendation 14 calls for the Eminent Domain Procedure Law, which seeks, perpetuation of bay houses while protecting the among other purposes, “to give due regard to bay island environment. Bay house owners the need to acquire property for public use identied opportunities for improving the cur- as well as the legitimate interests of private rent lease agreements especially where leases property owners.” (EDPL § 101). Preservation do not permit 100 percent in-kind replacement of open space lands is primarily accomplished following storm damage and those that prohibit by mutual consent between willing parties. the transfer of bay houses to non-relatives. Information generated from research and doc- 61. Aesthetics and artistic merit of visual umenting the legacy of individual bay houses, access are important to the Reserve. There can provide a basis for protection so that within is a need for consistency in signage efforts lease agreements, performance standards can which should be coordinated with the New be included to provide for maintenance, in-kind York State Department of Transportation. repair, and seasonal use. The Town of Hemp- stead’s standards for a caretaker or transfer Recommendation 16 in Chapter 4 calls for pro-gram are viewed as a model. In instances the recognition and preservation of the coastal where there is no family or caretaker, a local landscape that contributes to the Reserve’s museum or historical society may be able to unique character and sense of place. To raise maintain and use the bay house for interpretive public awareness, the Council’s Citizens programs. Advisory Committee has initiated a signage program to identify the more than 100 individual tributaries that ow into the estuary. The Estuary Economy signs will recognize the numerous tributaries that have local or Native American names contributing to the Reserve’s sense of place. 63. The economic gures are wrong. The Chapter 7, Action 7-4 calls for the establishment plan puts recreational angler expenditures of a Coastal Heritage Trail to unify appropriate at $91 million, of which $74 million are boat trail signs. The Council will consider adding fees. There is a 1998 study by Dr. James the Department of Transportation as an advisor Kahn, SUNY Binghampton, funded by the to the Council. Department of Environmental Conservation and Sea Grant in which he found that New York saltwater anglers spent over $1.139 Maritime Character billion; with a multiplier going to $2.5 billion. If, as the plan states, 43% of this shing occurs in the SSER then direct expenditures 62. Further historic research on bay houses would be $490 million. The plan should is not a critical need. The plan suggests that accurately reect these gures. bay houses be transferred to cultural institu- tions when there is no owner or caretaker. The Council appreciates receiving information This may create legal problems, especially about a separate study that suggests the expenditures for recreational angling in the
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VersF AP C 14-15 8/30/01, 11:02 AM estuary may be substantially higher than those Based on further investigation at the invitation estimated for 1995 in the technical report titled of the Village Superintendent, it was determined Value of Economic Impacts and Sectors with a that the Village clearly desires to increase public Perspective on Uses. access to the waterfront and be included in the creation of the South Shore Estuary Reserve 64. Waterfront properties are taxed at a Coastal Heritage Trail. Identication of the higher rate than inland properties. The Village as a maritime center, at this time, would revenue difference between waterfront not meet its primary objectives. To support the properties and inland properties should be Village’s vision for creating a public waterfront, dedicated to improving the Reserve. its waterfront access improvements will be added to priorities for implementation under The plan did not address the issue of tax Action 7-2 (a) in Chapter 7. assessment rates. Chapter 5, Recommendation 4 calls for municipalities to explore the use 67. Upland disposal of dredged material of tax relief, public/private partnerships and may be more advantageous than borrow pits other techniques to attract and maintain water within the bays, especially once the borrow dependent businesses to shoreline locations. pits are lled. The Army Corps of Engineers The concept of dedicated funds for estuary has granted a blanket 10 year dredging Reserve improvements will continue to be permit to the Town of Oyster Bay which will investigated by the Council as a mechanism for impact an individual property owner. long term implementation. The plan recognizes the need to address 65. The owner of a small marina is concerned navigation needs of water-dependent uses while with eroding waterfronts and the protecting the estuarine resources. inappropriate location of industrial parks Recommendation 6 in Chapter 5 calls for along the waterfront (Freeport). the Council to coordinate development and implementation of a dredging and dredged The retention and needs of water-dependent material management plan for the estuary. businesses such as marinas in the Reserve is Chapter 7, Action 8-2 provides greater detail the focus of Chapter 5. Recommendation 3 on the elements which would be covered in encourages local governments to give priority the proposed dredging and dredged material to water-dependent businesses and develop management plan. The Town of Oyster Bay strategies for public infrastructure improvement representative to the Council has been made with regard to maintenance of in-water aware of the concern over this specic dredging structures, dredging maintenance, and project in the Town’s jurisdiction. navigation safety.
66. The Village of East Rockway asks to be Education identied in the plan as a maritime center based on its long history as a port and the Havilan-Davison Grist Mill Museum, 68. The public needs to be educated on the operated by the Village Trustees. The Village importance of parkland and appropriate has made it a priority to acquire properties behavior in parks. along the waterfront; it purchased the Talfor Boat Basin and White Cannon Park. They The importance of parklands and open space are acquiring an additional three acres for is an recurring theme in Chapter 4 and is redevelopment for public use and water highlighted again in Outcome 5. Appropriate access. behavior on parklands is usually clearly dened
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VersF AP C 14-15 8/30/01, 11:02 AM in each park. It is hoped that the plan’s efforts foundation of environmental education, and the to increase stewardship of the Reserve will intent of related education activities, which be reected in positive changes in individual in-clude publicity of diverse types and local behavior. stewardship programs, is to change individual behavior. 69. Each tributary in the Reserve should have a Riverkeeper program. 73. The Council should empower the Citizens Advisory Committee to provide project Local stewardship of the environment is the grants to organizations who have sustainable basis for many of the education actions called and curriculum-appropriate programs, or for under Outcome 10 in Chapter 7. Riverkeeper to provide funds for such purposes to be programs can be considered among the many administered by NYS Council for the Arts, stewardship options. Arts-in-Education program or by Nassau/ Suffolk BOCES. A more appropriate role 70. Outreach targeted at property owners for the Council regarding education might is an important way to solve environmental be to develop a marketing tool such as a problems. brochure on educational opportunities for students and teachers. Property owners are one of the intended targets for education actions identied in Outcome Neither the Council nor the Citizens Advisory 10 of Chapter 7. Action 10-14 calls for a Committee (CAC) have authority under the homeowner certication program for nonpoint Reserve’s enabling statute to give grants. It is source pollution prevention in conjunction with envisioned that the formal education workgroup the native plants landscaping program proposed called for in the plan would recommend areas in Action 10-13. for funding to the CAC and Council, and these recommendations would be forwarded to the 71. Long Island local history is not on the appropriate agency. The workgroup will help to curriculum due to the focus of State social encourage formal education activities that relate studies exams. The State Education to the estuary and would be composed of repre- Department should be added to the list of sentatives from appropriate State agencies and agencies participating in implementation of local organizations. the plan. 74. Mandatory education programs should Wording will be added to Chapter 7, Outcome be created for use in all Long Island schools in 11 calling for the State Education Department an effort to facilitate awareness and concern to be represented on the Council’s formal about local environmental matters. education workgroup. The New York State Board of Regents has 72. Public awareness and appropriate the responsibility for mandating education behavior are crucial to solving environmental programs in the State. Environmental education problems, and publicity is an important and outreach are important components of the element of public awareness. The most plan, as described in Chapter 6 and Outcome 10 important aspect of implementation is a in Chapter 7. The Council’s formal education community awareness program. workgroup will be taking the lead in developing education programs and working to incorporate Chapter 6 and Outcome 10 in Chapter 7 are them into school curricula. based on the fact that public awareness is the
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VersF AP C 16-17 8/30/01, 11:02 AM 75. On page 6 of the Preface [actually the (Dowling College) Executive Summary] you may want to add Dan Morris, Brookhaven, NY interpretive tours and eld trips as a major (Open Space Council) way in which visitors, residents and students learn about the estuary. Florence Sharkey, Brookhaven, NY (Brookhaven Bayman’s Assn.) The list in the Executive Summary was not William Hamilton, Brookhaven, NY meant to be inclusive. Such delivery mechan- (Brookhaven Bayman’s Assn.) isms are discussed in Chapter 6 (Increase Education, Outreach and Stewardship) and Tom Berger, E. Patchogue, NY inferred in various actions under Outcome 10 (Swan Lake Park Civic Assn.) (Heightened public awareness of the estuary.). Mary Jane Rau - (LWV) Interpretive tours and eld trips and other Adrienne Esposito, Patchogue, NY mechanisms are details that will be considered (Citizens Campaign for the Environment) as part of implementation. Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Brooks, Oakdale, NY Offers of Assistance Roger Baker, E. Moriches, NY (Ducks Unlimited) Several organizations offered assistance with Dr. Diana C. Teta, E. Patchogue, NY implementation of the plan. The Non-Govern- (South Country Alliance) mental Organizations section at the end Chapter 7 will be adjusted to expand the list of potential Speakers at the Nassau County non-governmental partners. Public Hearing Speakers at the Suffolk County Public Hearing Glenn Bucalo, W. Babylon, NY (Target Marketing & Design) George Kiesel, Freeport, NY Ginny Fields, Oakdale, NY (Suffolk County Legislator) Morris Kramer, Atlantic Beach, NY Brian X. Foley, Patchogue, NY Alan Jay, Freeport, NY (Suffolk County Legislator) Adeline Quinn, Lido Beach, NY Dr. Mohammad Rana, Patchogue, NY Elaine Y. Reinke, Massapequa, NY (St. Joseph’s College) Alan J. Leo, Patchogue, NY David Thompson, Mt. Sinai, NY (Open Space Preservation Trust) (Trout Unlimited) John R. Fischer, Freeport, NY Craig Kessler, E. Moriches, NY (Trout Unlimited) (Ducks Unlimited) Marie Pendzich, Massapequa Park, NY Don Pendleton, Patchogue, NY (Sierra Club) (Swan Creek Environmental) Kenneth Arnold, Hicksville, NY John W. Lund, Sayville, NY (Nassau County DPW) (Davis Park Assn./Fire Island Assn.) B.A. Schoen, Baldwin, NY - (SSBHOA) Dr. Lori Zaikowski, E. Patchogue, NY Jack McGreevy, N. Merrrick, NY
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VersF AP C 16-17 8/30/01, 11:02 AM (Peconic Land Trust) Individuals Who Submitted Vic Consiglio, Massapequa, NY Written Comments (Outcast Anglers) John McDermott, Baldwin, NY Dr. Mohammad Rana, Patchogue, NY Steven Nagasheema, New Rochelle, NY (St. Joseph’s College) (NEMO) Lori Zaikowski, PhD., Oakdale, NY Vicky Rosenberg, Wantagh, NY (Dowling College) (President, Wantagh/Seaford Homeowners) John W. Lund, Sayville, NY Dennis McCabe, East Rockaway, NY (Davis Park Association) (Village of East Rockaway) Dennis McCabe, East Rockaway Gerald Crockett, W. Babylon, NY (Village Superintendent ) (Independent bayman) Robert C. Weltner, Freeport, NY Joseph M. Kralovich, Merrick, NY (President, Operation SPLASH, Chairman, Bring Back the Bay) Richard Wertz, Massapequa, NY (Nassau Shores Civic Assn.) Alan Jay, Freeport, NY Mary B. Rice, Massapequa, NY Walter C. Reich, Patchogue, NY (East End Civic Assn.) (President, Fire Island Nation Seashore Advisory Board) Dr. Michael J. Weiss, Atlantic Beach, NY William E. Miller, Bethpage, NY Ruby Kast, Massapequa, NY (Mid-Island Surfcasters) Susan Blake, Massapequa, NY Gerald Crockett, West Babylon, NY Joan Wild, Amity Harbor, NY (Commercial bayman) (Friends of Essex Lagoon) Janice Schaefer, Mastic Beach, NY Peter Anglim, Freeport, NY (President, Mastic Beach Property Vincent Greco, Freeport, NY Owners Assn.) Dave Denenberg, Merrick, NY John E. Markee, Bohemia, NY (General Manager, Fabco Industries, Inc.) Christine L. Marzigliano, Seaford, NY (Cedar Creek Health Risk Assesment) David Bishop, Lindenhurst, NY (Suffolk County Legislator) Ken Bogatelle, Freeport, NY - (NWCA) David Thompson, Medford, NY Guy Jacob, Elmont, NY (President, Art Flick Chapter of Trout (Chair, Sierra Club Coastal Resources) Unlimited) Guy Jacob, Elmont, NY (Chair, Sierra Club Coastal Resources) Jerry Stoddard, New York, NY (President, Fire Island Assn.) Robert J. Kent, Riverhead, NY (Program Coordinator, Marine District, New York Sea Grant, Cornell University)
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VersF AP C 18-19 8/30/01, 11:02 AM Nancy Soloman, Port Washington, NY (Executive Director, Long Island Traditions, Inc.) Alan J. Leo, Brookhaven, NY (Executive Director, Open Space Preservation Trust) Jovan Torres, Garden City, NY George Kiesel, Freeport, NY Matthew N. Karp, Mineola, NY Richard Schary, North Bellmore, NY (Member, Board of Directors , Long Island Greenbelt Trail Conference) Elizabeth Marcellus, Bay Shore, NY Edward Luke, West Sayville, NY (President, Nissequogue Canoe & Kayak Club)
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VersF AP C 18-19 8/30/01, 11:02 AM Technical Advisory Committee Photo Credits Cover (clockwise from the left): Great Cornelia Schlenk, Chair, New York Sea Grant South Bay/Robert Moses Causeway Diane Abell, Fire Island National Seashore (G. Steadman); Shells (NYSDOS); Ken Arnold, Nassau County Department of Public Works Clam Boat (NYSDOS); Robert Moses Charles Bartha, Suffolk County Department of Public Works Causeway from Captree Island State Park Lorne Birch, Department of Planning and Economic Development, Town of Hempstead (V. Kemler); Recreational Boating Betty Borowsky, South Shore Audubon Society (NYSDOS); Shellsh Hatchery Stuart Buckner, Department of Environmental Control, Town of Islip (NYSDOS/J. Zappieri); Egret Kenneth Budny, Brookhaven Bayman’s Association (J. Barlocher); Theodore Roosevelt Nature Robert Cerrato, Marine Sciences Research Center, SUNY Stony Brook Center/Jones Beach (J. Barlocher). Karen Chytalo, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Walter Dawydiak, Ofce of Ecology, Suffolk County Department of Health Services Lauretta Fischer, Suffolk County Department of Planning Chapter 1: Freeport Shoreline/Western Jack Foehrenbach, Great South Bay Chapter, Audubon Society Bays (G. Steadman); Great South Bay/ Michael Foley, Department of Conservation and Waterways, Town of Hempstead Robert Moses Causeway (G. Steadman); Dan Fucci, Nassau County Department of Public Works Shinnecock Bay/ Ponquogue Bridge Christopher Gobler, Natural Sciences Division Southampton College, Long Island University (G. Steadman). Joe Guarino, Department of Environmental Control, Town of Babylon Emerson Hasbrouck, Suffolk County Marine Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension Chapter 2: Stormwater outfall (NYSDOS); Stephen Jones, Suffolk County Department of Planning E. coli, a form of colirm bacteria Jeffrey Kassner, Department of Planning, Environment and Development, Town of Brookhaven (S. Owens Center for Electron Optics, Greg King, South Shore Estuary Alliance MSU); Beach Closure Sign ( NYSDOS); Henry Levine, Audubon Society Trashed Shoreline (unknown). Ed Lynch, Suffolk County Department of Public Works Sarah Meyland, Citizens Campaign for the Environment Vito Minei , Ofce of Ecology, Suffolk County Department of Health Services Chapter 3: Mosquito Ditching (J. Barlo- Dan Morris, Open Space Council cher); Diamondback Terrapin (NYSDEC\ Carole Neidich-Ryder, North Shore Audubon Society Breck P. Kent); Least Tern with Chick Robert Nuzzi, Suffolk County Department of Health Services on Beach (unknown); Osprey (unknown); Robert Nyman, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Wetland Habitat/Carman’s River Steve Papa, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (G. Steadman). Paul Ponessa, Nassau County Planning Commission George Proios, Suffolk County Executive’s Ofce Chapter 4: Trophy Fish (J. Barlocher); Lou Siegel, Science Department, Oceanside High School Bay Shore Marina (G. Steadman); Crab- Vincent Vario, Nassau County Planning Commission bing off Pier (J. Barlocher); Wetland Trail John Waltz /James Mulligan, Department of Public Works, Nassau County (NYSDOS); Governor Pataki Announces Robert Wenegonofsky, Department of Conservation and Waterways, Town of Hempstead the State’s Aquisition of Lands at William Wise, Marine Sciences Research Center, SUNY Stony Brook Benton Bay (J. Jachimiack); Bay House Brian Zimmerman, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (E. Sheehan); Cleaning Nets (J. Barlo- cher); Clamming Tools (J. Barlocher). Citizens Advisory Committee Chapter 5: Taryn Ann; (W. White/Allee, Jeff Fullmer, Chair, Citizens Campaign for the Environment King Rosen & Flemming, Inc.); Allan Aronoff, Brookhaven League of Women Voters Steamers (J. Barlocher); Crab in Hand Forrest Clock, Islip Town Leaseholders Association (J. Barlocher); Clam Boat (W. White/ Hank Dam, Suffolk Alliance of Sportsmen, Inc. AKRF); Tour/Charter Boats/Captree Boat Ed Davis, Great South Bay Audubon Society Basin (NYSDOS); Marina/Shinnecock Bill Fahey, Mastic Beach Property Owners Association Canal (G. Steadman); Nautical Mile Sign Ludwig Farr, Long Island Beach Buggy Association (W. White/AKRF). Joe Kayal, member at large Gil Kelley, Association of Marine Industries Chapter 6: A Maritime Center/West Say- Ed Kilgus, Empire State Marine Trades Association ville (NYSDOS); SPLASH Volunteer Alan J. Leo, Open Space Council Display; Trash Dummy (J. Barlocher); Paul Lichtman, Uniondale Public Schools Future Stewards: Students Seining John Lund, Fire Island Association (J. Barlocher). Tom McCloskey, Long Island Sierra Club Dave Schaper, New York Seafood Council Florence Sharkey, Brookhaven Bayman’s Association Ed Sheehan, South Shore Bayhouse Owners Association Chris Spies, Fire Island Year-Round Residents Association Design: Octopus® Design Group Diana Teta, South Country Alliance Kimberly Zimmer, New York Sea Grant www.octopusdesign.com
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