SOURCE:
By Lisa Finn - September 19, 2022
The comprehensive plan is a guide to the protection of water quality for generations in the estuary, a "gem," of LI, officials say.
LONG ISLAND, NY — Environmentalists gathered Monday to applaud the 2022 Long Island South Shore Estuary Reserve comprehensive management plan, which they said will protect water quality and habitat restoration, and ensure resiliency and public use, with an eye toward climate change in the years to come.
On Monday, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the release of the updated plan, coinciding with National Estuaries and Climate Week. A press event was held in Babylon on Monday with elected officials and environmentalists discussing the plan.
The 2022 Long Island South Shore Estuary Reserve comprehensive management plan update "provides communities and stakeholders with a guide for managing, protecting, and restoring the South Shore's valuable resources and the estuary economy while addressing resiliency of the South Shore Estuary into the future," Hochul said in a release.
The South Shore Estuary Reserve, administered by the New York State Department of State, was established in 1993 through the Long Island South Shore Estuary Reserve Act, which called for the "protection and prudent management" of Long Island's South Shore bays and upland areas draining to them.
The act works to bring together state and local governments, not-for-profit organizations, those in academics, local business interests and the public to preserve, protect and enhance the natural, recreational, economic and educational resources of the estuary reserve, Hochul said.
The reserve features vast stretches of beaches and marinas, as well as parks and nature preserves that provide opportunities to swim, boat, fish, hike, observe wildlife, and relax for Long Island residents and visitors alike.
As the area is home to 1.5 million people, the reserve is "an anchor for Long Island's tourism, seafood, and recreation industries," Hochul added.
The reserve extends across the southern portions of Nassau and Suffolk Counties and includes the City of Long Beach; portions of the Towns of Hempstead, Oyster Bay, Babylon, Islip, Brookhaven and Southampton, as well as 28 villages.
"Protecting Long Island's waterways and shorelines has never been more important as we face the growing and unprecedented effects of climate change and regular threats to water quality and ecological health," Hochul said. "I am proud to announce this comprehensive management plan for the South Shore Estuary Reserve, which is a rich and diverse ecosystem that not only provides key benefits to Long Island's economy, recreation and tourism, but also better prepares New York for a changing climate."
Basil Seggos, the state commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation, added: "Long Island's South Shore Estuary is a central gem in New York's network of marine waterways, connecting valuable and habitats to communities and businesses that benefit from New York's marine resources."
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone also weighed in: "The completion of this new plan for the South Shore Estuary is another significant step forward in our efforts to improve water quality in Long Island's south shore bays."
Town of Babylon Supervisor Rich Schaffer said the South Shore Estuary is of "tremendous economic and social importance" to not just the town, but New York State.
Town of Southampton Supervisor Jay Schneiderman said the town supports the 2022 Long Island South Shore Estuary Reserve Comprehensive Management Plan, as it addresses critical water quality improvement, ecosystem recovery, climate change and coastal resiliency needs in the region.
"The plan is exceptional, as it provides local governments, land managers, researchers and other stakeholders with the means and the tools to achieve such ends," he said.
Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine, who serves as a member of the South Shore Estuary Reserve Council, said he is very aware of the environmental challenges faced on Long Island.
"Climate change has made it necessary to establish guidelines and an action plan that provides common sense solutions for the future," he said. "What we do today to protect and preserve our environment will impact the estuary and all of our waterways for generations to come."
Longtime advocate Adrienne Esposito, the executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, added: "Long Islanders love our beaches, bays and harbors. Restoring these natural assets is critically important to our quality of life and our local economy," she said. "The good news is that we are making progress. We've protected sensitive wetlands, installed fish ladders, created new oyster reefs, advanced kelp farming and we are filtering polluted stormwater before it enters the marine environment."
Looking ahead, Esposito said the goal is to tackle new challenges and threats, including excessive nitrogen in the bays from wastewater, harmful algae blooms, increasing plastic pollution, and climate change impacts such as ocean acidification and rising sea levels.
"This new plan provides an essential roadmap in restoring and protecting our beloved South Shore Estuary Reserve," Esposito said. "Thank you to NYS Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez and the hardworking staff at the NYS Department of State for their dedication to restoring our bays."
The Final 2022 Long Island South Shore Estuary Reserve Comprehensive Management Plan Update is available here.