NEW YORK, N.Y. - Top federal and state environmental officials today announced 22 grants totaling in excess of $1.3 million to local government and community groups in New York and Connecticut to enhance the health and ecosystem of Long Island Sound.
The projects, which are funded through the
Long Island Sound Futures Fund, will open up seven miles of river for passage of native fish and restore 180 acres of coastal habitat, including lakes, ponds, and grasslands.
Thirteen grants totaling $752,301 will be awarded to groups in New York, leveraged by $1,612,064 from the grantees themselves, resulting in $2,364,365 in backing for on-the ground, hands-on conservation plans in the state.
This public-private grant plan pools funds from the E.P.A., National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and the U.S.F.W.S..
"Long Island Sound is an amazing natural resource, which provides recreation and economic opportunities for millions of people," said
Judith A. Enck, E.P.A. Region2 Administrator. "These plans are smart investments that will enhance water quality and build resiliency in shoreline communities."
"We must take steps to ensure the health of Long Island Sound for future generations, especially because of the increasing environmental stresses caused by climate change. Vibrant, sustainable and resilient communities with clean water and healthy habitats are goals we must strive towards to make sure our children and grandchildren can enjoy Long Island Sound as we do today. The grants announced today represent active efforts to protect and restore the Sound, and therefore the community and economy. In addition, the grants solidify the continued involvement of all the community groups and local governments that are so crucial to the state and federal governments' efforts here," stated
E.P.A. New England, Regional Administrator, H. Curtis Spalding.
The Long Island Sound Futures Fund grants will reach in excess of 130,000 citizens through environmental and conservation programs, allow nearly 1.7 million gallons of water to be treated through water quality improvement projects, and leverage $2.1 million from the grantees themselves, resulting in $3.4 million in backing for on-the-ground, hands-on conservation plans in both states.
"One of the greatest environmental challenges facing our nation and its communities is the restoration and protection of highly productive estuaries," stated
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Vice President, Conservation Programs, Eric Schwaab. "The backing awarded today represents the Foundation's and U.S. EPA's continuing commitment, as well as the commitment of other federal and state partners, to restoration efforts that will enhance the health and living resources of Long Island Sound."
The Long Island Sound Study initiated the
Long Island Sound Futures Fund in 2005 through the EPA's Long Island Sound Office and NFWF. To date, the plan has invested $14 million in 324 plans in communities surrounding the sound. With grantee match of $28 million, the
Long Island Sound Futures Fund has generated a total of $42 million for locally based conservation in both states. The plans have opened up 157 river miles for fish passage, restored 1,024 acres of critical fish and wildlife habitat and open space; treated 100 million gallons of pollution from ground and surface sources, and educated and engaged 1.8 million people from communities surrounding the Sound.
"We are pleased to support our conservation partners through this collaborative effort,"
U.S.F.W.S., Northeast Regional Director, Wendi Weber. "These are diverse plans - from introducing youth to wildlife and the outdoors in their schoolyards and neighborhoods, to restoring the health of our rivers, coastal marshes, forest, and grasslands. But collectively, these plans demonstrate the connection between healthy ecological communities and healthy human communities. These types of local efforts will go a long way to create a more resilient coast."
"Long Island Sound is a vitally important ecosystem that continues to be on the road to recovery thanks to backing provided through successful programs like the Long Island Sound Futures Fund," said
Basil Seggos, Acting Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. "DEC applauds all the awardees for their innovative plans to enhance the health of this environmental and economic treasure by addressing pressing issues such as stormwater runoff, fish passage and wetland loss. We look forward to working with our local, state and federal partners to keep protecting and restoring Long Island Sound."
Long Island Sound is an estuary that provides economic and recreational benefits to millions of people while also providing habitat for in excess of 1,200 invertebrates, 170 species of fish, and dozens of species of migratory birds. The
Long Island Sound Study, developed under the EPA's National Estuary Program, is a cooperative effort between the E.P.A. and the states of Connecticut and New York to protect and restore the sound and its ecosystem. To learn more about the LISS, visit
http://www.longislandsoundstudy.net. For full descriptions of the Long Island Sound Futures Fund Grants, visit
http://longislandsoundstudy.net/about/grants/lis-futures-fund/.
Chartered by Congress in 1984, the NFWF protects and restores the nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal, corporate and individual partners, NFWF has funded in excess of 4,000 organizations and committed in excess of $2.9 billion to conservation projects. Learn more at
http://www.nfwf.org.
Plan Descriptions
Clean Water and Healthy Watersheds - New York
Plan Title: Green Infrastructure at Mamaroneck Town Center to Enhance Water Quality in Long Island Sound (NY)
Recipient: Town of Mamaroneck
LISFF Grant: $149,876 (EPA)
Matching Funds: $431,634
Plan Area: Mamaroneck Town Center at the West Basin of Mamaroneck Harbor, New York
Install 8,400 sq. ft. of green infrastructure to treat 698,662 gal. of polluted stormwater runoff and prevent 319.6 lbs. of floatable pollution from flowing into Mamaroneck Harbor and Long Island Sound.
Plan Title: Green Infrastructure to Reduce Stormwater Pollution at the Centerport Beach Recreation Facility (NY)
Recipient: Town of Huntington, New York
LISFF Grant: $137,322 (EPA)
Matching Funds: $137,322
Plan Area: Centerport Beach Recreation Facility, Town of Huntington, Village of Centerport, New York
Install 6,700 sq. ft. of green infrastructure to treat 314,697 gal. of polluted stormwater to Enhance water quality in Northport Bay and Long Island Sound.
Plan Title: Hempstead Harbor 2015 Water Quality Monitoring Plan (NY)
Recipient: Incorporated Village of Sea Cliff, New York
LISFF Grant: $45,000 (EPA)
Matching Funds: $102,603
Plan Area: Hempstead Harbor, Nassau County, New York
Conduct water quality monitoring of indicators of pollution in outer and inner Hempstead Harbor to track improving and declining water quality and to help local government detect and respond to illicit discharges in the Harbor and Long Island Sound.
Thriving Habitats and Abundant Wildlife - New York
Plan Title: Coastal Habitat Restoration at Alley Pond (NY)
Recipient: City Parks Foundation
LISFF Grant: $149,938 (EPA, FWS)
Matching Funds: $ 551,766
Plan Area: Alley Creek, Alley Pond Park, Little Neck Bay, New York
Restore tidal wetland, coastal forest, and vernal pool habitat. Plan will establish salt marsh habitat in 0.23 acres of tidal pools to reduce marsh loss and fragmentation; and remove invasive plants on 5.5. acres of coastal forest and vernal pools to expand their size and ecological function for invertebrates, amphibians, and wildlife.
Plan Title: Restoring Fish Passage at Beaver Lake and Beaver Brook (NY)
Recipient: The Nature Conservancy, Connecticut
LISFF Grant: $149,999 (EPA, FWS)
Matching Funds: $148,237
Plan Area: Beaver Brook at Beaver Lake, Village of Mill Neck, New York
Install an engineered steeppass fishway at Beaver Lake on Beaver Brook to restore passage for fish such as alewife to 1.5 miles of upstream riverine spawning habitat from Long Island Sound.
Educating to Engage Sustainable and Resilient Communities - New York
Plan Title: Student Scientist Monitoring of American Eel and River Herring on the Bronx River (NY)
Recipient: Rocking the Boat
LISFF Grant: $35,000 (EPA, FWS)
Matching Funds: $19,002
Plan Area: Rocking the Boat facility, Hunts Point Riverside Park, Concrete Plant Park, River Park, and New York Botanical Garden, Bronx County, New York
Engage 185 students in monitoring river herring and American eel, which help indicate the biological health of Long Island Sound. The Plan will increase local community awareness of the Bronx River as habitat for river herring and American eels to inspire stewardship of the Sound.
Plan Title: Planting for Clean Water in Long Island Sound Plan (NY)
Recipient: Nassau Co. Soil and Water Conservation District
LISFF Grant: $34,513 (EPA)
Matching Funds: $36,879
Plan Area: Raingardens installed in Village of Bayville, Village of Centre Island, Cedarmere Preserve, Rosyln, New York
Deliver an educational Plan for residents, visitors and municipalities about development and installation of raingardens to Enhance water quality by educating the public about the benefits of green infrastructure to help treat polluted stormwater before it enters Long Island Sound.
Plan Title: Summer Youth Marine Education Plan for Long Island Sound (NY)
Recipient: City of Glen Cove
LISFF Grant: $7,750 (EPA)
Matching Funds: $11,590
Plan Area: Glen Cove, NY, and the Waterfront Center and Beekman Beach, Oyster Bay, New York
Manage a summer youth marine education Plan for 500 campers and 116 counselors about the Long Island Sound environmental resources. The Plan will engage campers in hands-on activities and demonstrations at local beaches, which will create awareness of beach ecology and promote stewardship of the Sound.
Plan Title: Organizing Long Island Sound Beach Cleanups (NY)
Recipient: American Littoral Society
LISFF Grant: $6,000 (EPA)
Matching Funds: $150,000
Plan Area: Suffolk, Nassau, Queens, and Bronx Counties, New York
Organize beach cleanups for 80 miles of shoreline in Queens, Suffolk, Nassau, and Bronx counties, New York. Volunteers will conduct cleanups and gain education about how to prevent pollution; and data from the cleanups will be used to devise strategies for combating floatable marine pollution into waterways like Long Island Sound.
Plan Title: Engaging the Public in Reducing Floatable Pollution in the Bronx River and Long Island Sound (NY)
Recipient: Bronx River Alliance, Incorporated
LISFF Grant: $9,999 (EPA)
Matching Funds: $14,350
Plan Area: Plan activities will take place on the lower Bronx River estuary, between 219th St/Shoelace Park and Soundview Park, in Bronx County, New York.
Collect floatable debris through 8 paddle and pickup canoe trips, one on-shore trash collection at a boom site, and one on-shore coastal cleanup event to collect 4,500 pounds of floatables pollution and other trash from Bronx River and Long Island Sound.
Plan Title: All for Wildlife: Discovering Art in Coastal Cleanups around Long Island Sound (NY)
Recipient: Group for the East End, Incorporated
LISFF Grant: $10,000 (EPA)
Matching Funds: $10,000
Plan Area: Town of Southold, New York
Organize educational coastal cleanups for 750 volunteers along ten miles of shoreline. The collected debris will be documented and delivered to local artisans to be repurposed into wildlife sculptures that will be on display in public spaces, festivals and events to generate community awareness about shoreline and floatable pollution in Long Island Sound.
Plan Title: Gardeners of the Sound (NY)
Recipient: National Audubon Society, Inc./Audubon New York
LISFF Grant: $9,999 (EPA)
Matching Funds: $15,180
Plan Area: Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, Oyster Bay, New York
Install a native habitat garden at Sagamore Hill with information about the Long Island Sound. The Plan will engage 5-10 volunteers to install the native habitat, involve a total of 9 classes from 3 schools, and hold 2 lecture and field workshops. The demonstration garden will inform approximately 75,000 yearly visitors about native plants and animals of the Sound.
Plan Title: SOUNDoff Event! Creating Long Island Sound Stewards (NY)
Recipient: The Whaling Museum & Education Center of Cold Spring Harbor
LISFF Grant: $6,902 (EPA)
Matching Funds: $3,500
Plan Area: Whaling Museum and Education Center, Cold Spring Harbor, New York
Host a one-day event to engage and inform children and adults about how to play active roles in preserving the Long Island Sound through hands-on activities. The Plan will reach 400 participants and recruit approximately 75 families to volunteer with local alewife and water quality monitoring.
Host an event educating visitors about how to be a steward for the Long Island Sound and will conduct a community cleanup. The Plan will engage 6,500 people to take a pledge to Enhance the health of the Sound and to pick up 400 pounds of debris.
Plan Title: A Student Urban Field-study of Water Quality and Species Diversity along the Long Island Sound Coast (CT)
Recipient: SoundWaters, Incorporated
LISFF Grant: $33,935 (EPA, FWS)
Matching Funds: $18,415
Plan Area: Cove Island Park and Boccuzzi Park, Stamford, Connecticut
Support a student-driven study and presentations comparing water quality and species diversity between 2 coastal sites--Cove Island Park, located on a coastal embayment in a residential neighborhood and Boccuzzi Park, located on a commercial harbor in Stamford, Connecticut. Plan will increase youth awareness about threats to Long Island Sound and skills to communicate information to increase awareness and participation among peers, public officials and community to maintain the Sound as a healthy ecosystem.
