Make a Short Film; Win a Cash Prize

Create a PSA on the Importance of Protecting Long Island’s Water for the Reclaim our Water Film Contest.

Get creative, help protect Long Island’s water, and take a shot at winning a cash prize! Suffolk County has launched the Reclaim Our Water Film Contest and is looking for New York State residents to create a short video or public service announcement on the importance of improving Long Island’s water quality. The videos, which should be between 15 seconds and 1 minute, will be judged by an expert panel on the basis of creativity and originality, quality, technical accuracy, and content of the message.  This is a great opportunity to highlight an important issue facing Long Island’s water resources and show off your skills at video production.

Submissions are due by 5pm on August 27th. The winning shorts will be screened at an awards ceremony at the Long Island Maritime Museum on Saturday, September 15th to coincide with the kickoff of National SepticSmart Week.  The winners will receive cash prizes of:

• 1st place: $2,000

• 2nd place: $1,000

• 3rd place: $500

Learn more about Reclaim our Waters Film Contest and download an entry form here.  If you are looking for some inspiration, check out a video from past contest winners.

Contamination of Our Sole Source Aquifer

A prime example of drinking water at risk

Founding members of the Long Island Clean Water Partnership are taking the government to task to protect our water. The Suffolk County Health Department released a final assessment of its 2017 test-well sampling program and confirmed Wainscott Sand and Gravel’s controversial Sand Land property operations had significantly contaminated the area’s underlying groundwater aquifer. Among a variety of contaminants identified, results show iron levels found in test wells are 200 times greater than the drinking water standard and manganese are 100 times greater than the drinking water standard. Testing also revealed other heavy metals, nitrates and even radioactivity at levels above drinking water standards. This is a prime example of how contamination on the surface can pollute the groundwater which on Long Island is our only source of fresh drinking water. 

On the East End, the South Fork’s largely forested “highlands” provide the greatest opportunity for precipitation to make its way deep into our underground water supply, in geologic formations known as aquifers. Unfortunately, when industrial operations are permitted in such areas, as is the case with the Sand Land mine, the likelihood of contamination is significant and can threaten the deepest and most important part of the aquifer. At a recent press conference organized by local civic and environmental groups to address the County report, Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman said that despite what the Town has been doing to protect critical resources, the battle to protect its waters has been lost in some respects. Suffolk County Assemblyman Fred Thiele pointed out that public health is at risk and it is time to stop the pollution that led to this contamination. Suffolk County Legislator Bridget reminded those in attendance that the only supply of drinking water we have is right beneath our feet. 

So, what now?

Group for the East End and Citizens Campaign for the Environment are working with local municipalities, the community, and environmentalists on a unified action plan to protect Long Island water.

Key Action Plan Steps:
1. The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) should deny the Sand Land mine’s upcoming mining permit renewal 

2. The NYSDEC should immediately deny the facility's proposed expansion plans 

3. All vegetative waste and related processing operations at the Sand Land site should be removed from the site

4. Governor Cuomo must be engaged to make sure the NYSDEC does its job, closes this facility and protects our water

5. The Town should aggressively enforce its own local regulations to keep waste materials of any type off the site
 
You can help! Stand up for clean drinking water and public health by joining the Long Island Clean Water Partnership today!

Long Island's Water & Economy

If you live on Long Island, you know it’s all about the water! From beaches and boating, and fresh local seafood, to the crystal clear water that lies beneath our Pine Barrens – water defines life on Long Island. Not only does Long Island’s water play an important role in our personal lives, setting the stage for some of our most favorite memories, it also is a driving force of our economy. In fact, a 2013 study by the University of Connecticut and supported by the Nature Conservancy, determined that nearly half of Long Island’s gross metropolitan product - $153 billion – comes from businesses that are water-reliant.

This means that Long Island’s livelihood depends on a fresh supply of drinking water and clean bays, beaches & harbors.

Loss of Industry
Our decline in water quality has significant commercial impacts. Excess nitrogen in our waters has lead to the proliferation of harmful algae, compromising a once dominant commercial fishing and shellfish industry. Until the 1970s, nearly half of the clams eaten in the United States came from the Great South Bay. Today, that number is now less than 1%.

Tourism
Beach closures due to harmful algae blooms or thousands of dead fish washing up on our shores can also result in a decline in visitors and a major loss in tourism dollars.

Real Estate Values
A Stony Brook University study found that home water quality affects real estate values, and not just on the shore. A one-foot increase in water clarity is associated with a 2-4% increase in home price as far inland as 1,000 meters. The clearer the water, the higher the property values.

Business
Many Long Island businesses also rely on a fresh supply of clean drinking water. Hospitals, for example, need a large supply of clean water to treat patients (e.g., dialysis), clean rooms and prepare meals. As water quality decreases, the costs increase for water providers to treat our water to conform to federal standards. As costs continue to increase, this expense will be passed onto the customer.

These are just some of the many examples that show the vital connection between Long Island’s water quality and its economy. Investments in clean water help protect our jobs, businesses, public services, and quality of life. Such investments will also help boost our economy – higher property values, increased recreation opportunities, greater shellfish productivity and business expansion opportunities.

We cannot let this trend continue. Now is the time to act. The worse our water quality problems get, the more complicated and expensive the solutions will be.

Join the Long Island Clean Water Partnership today to stay up to date on important updates on the effort to restore our water quality.

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Blog post adapted from: “The Dollars and Sense of Investing in Clean Water” by The Nature Conservancy

Identifying Algal Blooms

Long Island waters continue to be at risk

Harmful algal blooms are becoming all too common in our waters. Just this weekend, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced four new waterbodies to their Harmful Algal Blooms Notification Page, bringing the State-wide total to 18. Five of these are located in Suffolk County, which has the highest number of sites than any other affected county. 

But what is a harmful algal bloom? Also known as HABs, these occur when colonies of saltwater and freshwater algae grow out of control while producing toxic and harmful effects on people, pets, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, and birds. Learn more about this on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Ocean Service page here.

Not all algal blooms are the same. Marine algal blooms such as red tide and brown tides have plagued Long Island waters, leading to shellfish bed and beach closures, and they are getting worse. In many cases, HABs can make shellfish unsafe to eat and pose a threat to Long Island’s valuable shellfish industry. HABs can also threaten our region’s vast recreational opportunities associated with our Long Island way of life. In fact, Northport Harbor and Huntington Harbor are currently closed to the harvest of some types of shellfish by the DEC due to the presence of HABs. These particular blooms are also the type that make it dangerous for humans and pets to go swimming. 

Here are some things you need to know:

• If you see a suspicious waterbody that is an unusual color with blue-green algae, report it to the DEC as it may be an algal bloom
• Avoid contact with discolored water and water that has algae scums on the surface 
• Never drink untreated surface water, whether or not an algae bloom is present
• Home treatments such as boiling or disinfecting water does not protect people from harmful algal bloom toxins

Harmful algal blooms have been linked to nitrogen pollution, one of the biggest threats facing Long Island waters. You can stand up for clean water and the health of our bays, harbors, and creeks by joining the Long Island Clean Water Partnership today!

Vehicle for State’s Support of Water Quality Improvements Celebrates 25 Years

New York Environmental Protection Fund Celebrates 25 Years

All politics may be local, but when it comes to protecting the drinking and surface waters around us; an “all-hands on deck” approach must be taken. For the State of New York, this participation primarily manifests itself in the New York Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. With such a milestone to commemorate, it’s a good idea to familiarize oneself with the history and significance of the EPF.

Initially passed by the New York State Legislature in 1993 for open space and water preservation, the EPF has gone on to be one of the largest funding sources for water protection throughout the state. Through its “Water Quality Improvement Program” alone, more than $80 million has been committed to water infrastructure projects and non-point source abatement projects.

For the region of Long Island, specifically, the Environmental Protection Fund provides funds that play a part in protecting the Long Island Sound, the Great South Bay and countless inland waterbodies, including the water underlying the Long Island Pine Barrens. Perhaps most important among these efforts is the program known as the Long Island South Shore Estuary Reserve Program. The reserve program, which encompasses approximately 173 square miles of bays along the southern coastline of Long Island, has received more than $11 million from the EPF since 1993. In 2017 alone, more than $650,000 from the protection fund was committed to fund 16 projects within the region of the South Shore reserve, in addition to its annual funding. A large portion of these funds are dedicated to reducing non-point source pollution within the area’s waterbodies.

In 2018, the Environmental Protection Fund continues to be well-supported, with the 2018-2019 New York State Budget once again allocating a historic $300 million to the fund. For each of the past two years, Long Island alone has received more than $17 million for water quality protection, including $3 million for Suffolk County and Stony Brook University to develop advanced septic technologies that will reduce the levels of nitrogen pollution in Long Island’s waterbodies.

Twenty-five years later, it is safe to say that the State Environmental Protection Fund has been a leading presence in the statewide effort to safeguard New York’s environment for the future. For Long Island’s water quality, the Environmental Protection Fund represents one of the single greatest sources of support for preserving the resource that every Long Islander depends upon in some manner – water.

Stay up to date on all the ways you can protect Long Island's water by becoming a member of the Long Island Clean Water Partnership. And never miss a blog post from the Partnership by signing up to receive our posts directly to your inbox here. 

Legislative Session

What Change Looks Like

With your support, we will save this precious resource for generations to come

What is the price for protecting our way of life, for defending our water?

Unfortunately, not everyone values Long Island’s water like Long Islanders. The New York State Legislature is now in session. In Albany, hundreds of miles away, legislators debate on how to manage our bays, harbors, and aquifers.

We, the Long Island Clean Water Partnership—with the power of our members—will ensure our representatives hear our concerns loud and clear.

We have lit the path to safeguard our way of life before. When LICWP has asked members to contact legislators, we witnessed overwhelming success!

With your help, we created the Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan, won $2.5 billion in state-wide water-quality funding, and raised millions in local funds from the 2016 extension of the Community Preservation Fund.

These are only a few examples of what was made possible by outreach to legislators though the LICWP’s Action Alerts.

This legislative session, in partnership with our robust environmental network—with officials from local villages, towns, and Nassau and Suffolk county—we have drafted a few simple requests.

In the coming weeks, we will send out Action Alerts as we need your help to ensure State Representatives in the Senate and Assembly hear your support for these proposals:

1. Septic System Design Cost Reduction – Senate Bill S8253 / Assembly Bill 10438. This measure will cut needless red tape to substantially lower the cost of county-approved onsite wastewater treatment systems. The mechanism is simple. For design flows of less than 1,000 gallons per day, certified design professionals will be able to approve installation of county-tested, plug-in-play wastewater treatment systems.

2. Financing Onsite Wastewater Upgrades – Senate Bill 8255 / Assembly Bill 10444. This legislation provides homeowners with the option to finance the remaining cost (those not covered by grants) on their tax bill.

3. Reduce Nitrogen Pollution from Fertilizer – Senate Bill 8170 / Assembly Bill 10276. This is a no brainer. We need to stop excessive nitrogen pollution from fertilizers. This legislation prohibits the sale or use of water-soluble, high nitrogen fertilizer on Long Island—greatly reducing the amount of nitrogen able to reach our waters.

Stay tuned for you chance to make these bills a reality.

We will save this precious resource so that future generations can enjoy the fabric that blends our island society together: Our water!

The Emerging Culprit: PFAS

The Emerging Culprit: PFAS

Man-made chemicals polluting Long Island waters

Studies finding man-made chemicals in some drinking water supplies on Long Island have been making headlines recently across Long Island. Unfortunately, it appears that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has sought to block the release of the study, which shows perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may be more dangerous than previously thought. In response to this, U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand recently called on federal regulators to release the study, citing this information that is vital to protecting public health.

These man-made chemicals (often associated with fire-fighting foams, stain and water-repellants, along with some paints, polishes and waxes) represent a new threat to our already fragile drinking water supply. Contamination starts on the surface, working its way into the ground and into our drinking water supply. Studies have continually shown the detrimental impacts of PFAS to Long Island water, and further studies are being conducted to better understand the health effects of these contaminants. Sadly, PFAS have also been found in humans, wildlife, and fish, and the EPA now considers these chemicals to be a likely human carcinogen. In a Newsday article published this week, Senator Schumer shared this statement:

I am deeply disturbed by reports that the Trump administration and top EPA officials are blocking a report vital to protect public health. The people of Long Island and beyond need and deserve to know just how harmful PFAS and PFOA, like those on the East End and around Gabreski (Air National Guard Base in Westhampton Beach), are to the body.

It’s becoming increasingly clear that we cannot rely on federal agencies like the EPA to be responsive to the environmental health needs of our local communities here on Long Island. We need more support from local and State governments to protect our drinking water! Tell your legislators to join Senators Schumer and Gillibrand in urging the EPA to release the PFAS study and to take a stand for clean water by protecting what we have. Tell them the need to clean up polluted drinking water, advocate for change, and invest in the long-term health of our bays, harbors, and other waterways. You can get involved by joining the Long Island Clean Water Partnership today!

First Harmful Algal Bloom of the Season

A few weeks out from Memorial Day, Long Island has seen our first HAB of the summer

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has had to temporarily close a portion of western Shinnecock Bay to harvesting shellfish due to red tide.  The red tide is caused by a toxic algae called Alexandrium which produces saxitoxin, a dangerous neurotoxin that cause paralytic shellfish poisoning in humans. Right now, 1,600 acres are closed for shellfishing. To learn more red tide, check out our previous blog post.

Red tide has appeared in Long Island waters for over a decade, leading to shellfish bed closures and causing a massive die-off of turtles in the Peconic back in 2015. Red tide, like other harmful algal blooms (HABs) that plague Long Island, are caused by excessive nitrogen in our waters.  Failing sewage infrastructure, outdated septics and cesspools have continued to exacerbate our nitrogen pollution problem, but we know what we need to do to combat red tide and other HABs: Upgrade our sewage and septic systems.

After red tide was found in Northport Harbor in 2006, Northport and Centerport Harbors became the epicenter for red tide. The outdated Northport Sewage Treatment Plant was discharging excess nitrogen and other pollutants into the harbor and led to Centerport Beach being closed for seven years. However, after fighting for funding to upgrade the plant and have state-of-the-art nitrogen reduction measures, Centerport Beach was open in 2015 and Northport Harbor did not have a red tide event in five years. Unfortunately, in 2018, 500 acres of shellfish beds in Northport Harbor were closed due to the emergence of red tide.   

In the near future, we must continue to fight the emergence of these algae blooms and work to reduce Long Island's nitrogen pollution output.  In some areas, that means upgrading sewage infrastructure. For the 360,000 people in Suffolk on septics and cesspools, that means upgrading to advanced on-site systems that will remove nitrogen.  New York State dedicated $10m this year for upgrading septics in Suffolk and $1m for Nassau, and Suffolk County has approved several systems that significantly reduce nitrogen entering our groundwater. Suffolk County is offering rebates for residents who want to upgrade to an advanced on-site wastewater treatment system and have already had success with systems that have been installed. To find out more, visit Suffolk County’s Reclaim our Waters Initiative.

Protecting Long Island’s Water for Future Generations

In recognition of Mother’s Day, we’re sharing a story of a Shelter Island Mom who is raising the next generation of environmental stewards.

Lora, who grew up on Shelter Island and whose Mom worked at the Mashomack Preserve, developed a love for the natural world at a young age. Now, as she raises her own kids on Shelter Island, she works to make sure that they develop that same connection to nature and grow up to be good stewards of the earth.

Lora feels that it is important to get her kids outside and away from the many indoor distractions.  Her family spends a lot of time on the water – they go swimming, paddleboarding, explore the salt marsh, look for crabs, and go snapper-fishing at the end of the summer.  She is also a Girl Scouts Leader and leads an Island-wide beach cleanup.

“Shelter Island is just like the rest of Long Island – we have our aquifer as our source of drinking water and that’s it.”
Lora worries about the serious water quality issues that are plaguing Long Island – problems like harmful algae blooms and fish kills, that are caused by the excess nitrogen entering our waters.  She hopes that people will listen, take action and educate others, so that the next generation will have a beautiful natural world to inherit.

“It takes energy, but it pays off so much.”

Happy Mother’s Day to all the great moms out there that are raising the next generation of environmental leaders!

Help protect Long Island's waters for future generations - sign up to become a member of the Long Island Clean Water Partnership.

Where Has Nitrogen Reduction Been Successful?

While there is a big price-tag associated with upgrading the 360,000 cesspools and septic systems that leach nitrogen pollution into our groundwater, the cost of doing nothing is not an option as harmful algal blooms, fish kills, beach and shellfish closures continue to plague our region.

But as millions of dollars begin to be invested in alternative septic systems to reduce the flow of nitrogen pollution from sewage into Long Island’s waters, how do we know that the investment will pay off?  How do we know that less nitrogen will mean more fish, fewer closings of lakes and ponds, and healthier tidal marshes—to name just a few of the goals of the many people working at the state and local levels to improve our water quality and public health?

Chesapeake Bay, the nation’s largest estuary, has an answer. There, a 23 percent reduction in nitrogen pollution has been accompanied by a gain of 42,000 acres of sea grass—a vital underwater habitat that supports shellfish and finfish yet is extremely difficult to restore once lost. That’s an increase of 316 percent in seagrass cover since nitrogen reductions began there. Authors of a recent peer-reviewed study published in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Science call the return of sea grass to Chesapeake Bay an “unprecedented recovery.”

Other nitrogen-reduction success stories include increased dissolved oxygen in Long Island Sound following reductions of nitrogen discharges from sewage treatment plants, return of sea grass to Mumford Cove in Connecticut following the removal of a sewage outfall pipe, and a large resurgence in seagrass cover in Tampa Bay, FL, but the study’s authors say that “the Chesapeake Bay has seen greater total and proportional recovery than any other [sea grass] restoration project of which we are aware.”

Long Island has followed several of the policy changes implemented in the Chesapeake Bay region including rebate programs for onsite wastewater system upgrades. As long as we make the necessary investments, we can expect that our results will also emulate those of the Chesapeake.

Economic Gains from Better Water Quality

Economic gains from better water quality are no drop in the bucket, according to a Stony Brook University study based on Suffolk County home sales. The study found “a 1-foot improvement in water clarity” could result in housing value increases “equaling $2.7 billion in the aggregate for Suffolk County.”

The best way to stem the tide of destructive nitrogen pollution is to eliminate it at its source. In most places on Long Island, the primary source for nitrogen pollution is human waste water flowing from our septic systems. That waste water reaches our bays, harbors, ponds and creeks through ground water flow and threatens Long Island’s health, economy and quality of life. We’re fixing it now by modernizing and upgrading our wastewater treatment systems. This process is in its infancy and there is still a lot to be learned about best practices. Suffolk County is to be commended for taking steps to create a program that will mitigate nitrogen pollution at its source to protect our Long Island way of life for us and our children.

Perfluorinated Chemicals in Our Drinking Water

Island's water supply at risk

Emerging contaminants like Perfluorinated Chemicals (PFCs) present a new threat to our drinking water supply. Unfortunately, there is no set standard for these synthetic manufacturing chemicals that are widespread and have been found in bloodstreams of humans, wildlife and fish, and are considered by the US EPA to be a likely human carcinogen. We all know that Long Island’s sole source aquifer is already at risk, but with each passing day, it seems like the threats to Long Island’s waters just keeps rising.

In 2016, the US Environmental Protection Agency first confirmed unregulated PFCs in the local drinking water wells near the Westhampton Air Base. In August 2017, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation launched its own investigation into the source of PFC pollution responsible for contaminating more than 100 private wells near an airport in Westhampton. These investigations led researchers to suspect that the source of the PFCs was related to a firefighting foam used at the nearby air base for decades and had polluted residents’ drinking water. 

But the problem doesn’t end in Westhampton…

After a sustained investigation, The Suffolk County Health Department is now expanding its own survey of private wells near the East Hampton Airport and a former sand mine after the discovery of PFCs in contaminated wells went from 59 to 63 in the nearby hamlet of Wainscott. PFCs are also now showing up in the hamlet East Quogue at a former town brush dump with significant potential consequences for local homeowners with private wells. 

So, what’s the concern? Unfortunately, EPA’s current lifetime health advisory level for PFCs is only .07 parts per billion, yet PFC concentrations in some private wells have been found to be more than 100 times greater. In addition to locating the sources of contamination, further studies are now being conducted to better determine the health effects of PFCs, with some researchers finding links between the chemicals and behavioral disorders, neurobehavioral development, and immune function.

Long Island needs strong protection by government at both the local and State levels to protect our drinking water. You can help us deliver this message!  Tell your legislators to take a stand for clean water by protecting the clean water we have, cleaning up our polluted drinking water, and investing in the long-term health of our coastal bays and harbors. You can also stay informed by joining the Long Island Clean Water Partnership today!

What is a Watershed?

What do those signs on the Long Island Expressway mean?

In November 2015, new signs began popping up along the Long Island Expressway alerting drivers of the watershed they were driving through. These signs read “Entering the… Long Island Sound, Peconic River or Carmans River Watersheds.” These signs are part of an important awareness and education effort that had long been advocated for by environmental groups and had finally been supported and implemented by the New York State Department of Transportation.

All of Long Island is a watershed, or an area of land that drains to a stream, river, lake, bay or wetland.  This also means that all of our activity on land has the potential to impact our waters – unfortunately, various forms of pollution on land’s surface can runoff and interfere with the health of our watersheds. Sewage from aging or poorly maintained septic systems, lawn fertilizers, pet waste, car fluids, toxic household chemicals and garbage can all be carried into our water if we’re not careful.

These signs aim to protect our watersheds by reminding us that on Long Island, we must all make a concerted effort to protect our waters by taking careful actions on land to reduce pollution. Maintain your septic system annually; eliminate toxic pesticides and fertilizers or choose organic and biodegradable products when caring for your lawn; pick-up after your pets; fix any fuel or fluid leaks from your car and don’t wash hazardous materials off your driveway; and never litter or dump garbage, cigarettes, leaves or chemicals into storm drains.

Stay up to date on all the ways you can protect Long Island’s water by becoming a member of the Long Island Clean Water Partnership. And never miss a blog post from the Partnership by signing up to receive our posts directly to your inbox here!

The Scoop on Pet Poop

Why picking up after your pet helps water quality

As spring progresses, Long Islanders are sure to be spending more time outdoors with their dogs at the beach, in the park, on hiking trails, or even just hanging out in the backyard. "Man's best friend" needs this time to exercise and play, and also to relieve themselves. Aside from common courtesy, there are some very important reasons why you should pick up after your pet. Here is the scoop on pet poop…

Facts:
1. The average pooch excretes 3/4 of a pound of waste per day - that's 274 pounds per year
2. Biodegradable doggie bags are not enough for pet waste - they have to be discarded in a trash bin to mitigate concerns of environmental impacts
3. The best way to dispose of dog poop is to flush it down the toilet

Pet waste is high in nitrogen and can contain disease-causing parasites and bacteria, which may end up in Long Island's water if left on the ground. Pet waste on the beach and along the roadside can easily wash into our bays, creeks, and harbors, as stormwater runoff after rain and snow melt flow across yards, parks, trails, and more. Excess nitrogen can lead to water quality conditions that kill eel grass, reduce nitrogen, and cause harmful algal blooms. Did you know that in addition to killing fish and making people sick, algal blooms may also be lethal to pets?

Being a responsible pet owner and picking up after your pet is a simple way to help reduce your impact on Long Island water quality. Be sure to carry extra bags with you when walking your dog and share with others when needed. Dispose of these bags by leaving them in a trash bin or flushing the waste down the toilet - without the bag of course! Remind friends and family of the impacts of pet waste on the environment. Also, never compost pet waste.

Help mitigate some of the harmful effects of pet waste on water quality, and pick up after your pet to keep our beaches, parks, and trails clean and safe for everyone to enjoy. Take action and join the Long Island Clean Water Partnership today! 

Celebrating World Water Day 2018

No matter the borders that one resides in or the language that one speaks, one commonality that unites the globe is a dependence on water. Today, this invaluable resource of water is celebrated around the world in honor of World Water Day! Being the largest island in the continental United States, Long Island has an even greater reason than most to recognize the role that water plays in sustaining our lives.

Created in 1993, the UN-designated “World Water Day” is celebrated every March 22nd to raise awareness of the widespread challenge of declining water quality. The theme for World Water Day 2018 is “Nature for Water”, which explores the nature-based solutions that can be used to restore degraded waterbodies and prevent further damage to the world’s water quality. Asides from targeting the primary cause of nitrogen pollution – compromised cesspools and septic systems- it is especially important for Long Islanders to pursue water quality solutions that use the environment around them. These nature-based solutions are especially relevant to limiting the frequency of storm water runoff – the second largest threat to Long Island’s water quality after failing cesspools. Stormwater runoff moves contaminants from the surface, whether it is road salt or fertilizer, into the island’s waterbodies, thereby degrading the quality of the water. Let’s take a look at some of the ways that we can utilize “Nature for Water”.

• Coastal Erosion Control – With over 118 miles of shoreline, Long Island’s battle for clean water is largely fought on the beaches. Extreme weather conditions severely damage and erode the coast along Long Island. Once eroded, coastlines are prone to allowing contaminants to enter waterbodies and increased flooding. As a result, control over the erosion of these beaches is heavily sought. Known as the first line of defense for beaches, dunes and the reconstruction of damaged dunes are a primary tactic used in controlling this erosion. By repairing fallen dunes, communities can provide a natural barrier against destructive winds and waves that erode Long Island’s coastlines.

• Salt Marsh Protection – Before 1974, over 10,000 acres of salt marshes, also referred to as wetlands, were destroyed. Since that time, the environmentally sensitive role that these ecosystems play has been recognized and efforts to protecting them have expanded. Salt marshes help to prevent pollutants from reaching beaches and bays that would otherwise would travel through storm water runoff and other means, prevent shoreline erosion and flooding that often times brings contaminants back into waterbodies and provide protected habitats for threatened fish, birds and other wildlife. Because of this relationship with water quality protection, healthy salt marshes on Long Island must be protected and degraded salt marshes must be restored. Currently, efforts to restore hundreds of acres of wetlands on the South Shore are ongoing and making significant progress.

• Green Infrastructure – As the 18th most populated island in the entire world, Long Island certainly has an extensive system of infrastructure and development. However, in order to improve its water quality, Long Island must build a different type of infrastructure: “green infrastructure”. This includes the planting of native gardens and trees, installation of green roofs or rain gardens and construction of permeable pavements. All of these improvements work to prevent polluted storm water from running into Long Island’s water bodies and further degrading the quality of the water.

On this World Water Day, take a moment to appreciate the opportunities that clean water provides communities and to learn more about ways in which our water quality can be improve through the environment that surrounds us. To learn more, visit our section on “Long Island’s Water” or email us at info@longislandcleanwater.org.

Never miss an update from the Long Island Clean Water Partnership - sign up for blog email updates here. 

What's On Your Lawn?

High-nitrogen fertilizers are poisoning Long Island water

Though temperatures are still chilly, this is the time of year when many homeowners prepare to sign annual lawn maintenance contracts with Long Island landscaping professionals. But many of the very products that keep the grass a green, do more harm than good to Long Island’s water resources. Pesticides along with high-nitrogen, and “quick-release” fertilizers have been proven to contribute to Long Island’s water quality problems, and these water quality problems can pose a threat to humans, pets, and wildlife.

Pesticides and fertilizers can both contaminate our drinking water, as well as our ground and surface waters. Fertilizers have also been a factor in “fueling” harmful algal blooms that result in fish kills, shellfish bed closures, beach closures, and more. Did you know that chemical fertilizers and lawn treatments can even interfere with natural photosynthesis by coating grass and plants with chemicals that are difficult to absorb? These harmful chemicals can also kill off the beneficial microbes found in healthy soil that are needed to grow healthy plants. Many homeowners don’t realize the impacts of these chemicals used to keep properties picture perfect, but there are steps you can take to protect yourself and Long Island water, and still have a healthy attractive lawn.

If you feel you must fertilize, and in many cases you don’t really have to, please tell your landscaper you don’t want toxic chemicals used on your property, and ask for low-nitrogen and “slow-release” alternatives to fertilizers designed to “green-up” your lawn in an instant. These fertilizers can quickly bypass your lawn and pass directly into our ground and surface water. By contrast, slow-release fertilizers are broken down over time by microbes in the soil, require less regular use, and provide nutrients more evenly and effectively to plantings over the course of the entire growing season. Opt for biodegradable and organic alternatives. Learn more about non-toxic lawn products at I Love Long Island, and check out this news clip about the dangers of high-nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides.

Long Island water is at risk, and improper lawn care adds to the problem. Be informed on what is being put on your lawn, and consider Long Island landscapers that use that natural products when signing up for lawn care services this year. You can make a difference in Long Island’s water quality and help protect your family, pets, and wildlife.

Join the Long Island Clean Water Partnership today and take action to protect Long Island water!

Coastal Flooding and Water Quality

How Nature Can Help Reduce Impacts of Flooding

The severity and impacts of coastal storms and flooding are getting worse. Reducing the risks that storms pose always involves multiple solutions working in tandem. These solutions include: early warning systems; manmade or “built” solutions like reservoirs, dams, levees, seawalls and pumps; working with willing communities and homeowners to move people out of areas that are subject to frequent flooding, and nature itself. 

There is arole that nature itself can playin helping reduce flood risk for communities while providing other benefits, like improved water quality and enhanced recreational opportunities and wildlife habitat, all of which can also enrich local economies. Such “nature-based solutions” or “natural infrastructure” are important as part of a holistic approach to coastal resilience.

But to be effective, our natural systems need good water quality so that they can be healthy and resilient.

Science Shows that Marshes Reduce Property Losses

A study commissioned by The Nature Conservancy showed that coastal wetlands in the northeastern U.S. prevented $625 million in property damages from flooding during Hurricane Sandy. The study also showed that these same wetlands reduce annual storm damage by at least 15 percent. There are many cost-effective and sensible ways to finance natural infrastructure for coastal flood damage reduction and support the re-building of coastal resilience.

Currently, less than 3 percent of funding currently goes to natural infrastructure as opposed to “grey” or “built” infrastructure. This is a coastal investment portfolio that should be re-balanced, especially when funds are made available for rebuilding after major storms. 

Dunes Provide Protection at South Seaside Park, N.J.

In December 1992, a Nor’easter caused significant flooding and erosion at South Seaside Park, in part because naturally occurring dunes there had been removed years before to improve ocean views and beach access. After the 1992 Nor’easter the community used snow fencing to help rebuild the dunes and then stabilized them by planting dune grasses. When Hurricane Sandy hit in 2012, the dunes were 25 feet high and 150 feet wide. During the storm, these dunes protected the community from severe damage and flooding along the ocean front. The dunes, rather than homes, businesses and infrastructure, took the brunt of the storm.

South Seaside Park also serves as acase studyfor theNaturally Resilient Communitiesprogram, which is a partnership of county governments, professional engineers, community planners, floodplain managers and conservationists who work with communities to improve their quality of life and economies through the use of nature-based solutions.

Beaches and Wetlands Reduce Flood Damage at South Cape May, N.J.

At the 200-acre South Cape May Meadows Preserve, The Nature Conservancy has worked with partners to restore wetlands and sand dunes that have helped protect the neighborhood located behind them from the impacts of several storms, including Hurricane Irene in 2011 and Sandy in 2012. This natural infrastructure protected Cape May Point during Hurricane Sandy against the third highest storm surge experienced since Hurricane Gloria in 1985. The restored wetland absorbed nearly 10 inches of rainfall—also the highest recorded since 1985—resulting in minimal damage to nearby neighborhoods. 

In 2014, Conservancy scientists produced an analysis of the economic and social benefits of the ecological restoration at South Cape May. They found that the restoration helped reduce the average flood damage per storm from $143,713 to $3,713 (for the same level of storm surge). During Sandy, nourished beaches on New Jersey’s Atlantic Coast reduced the likelihood of severe damage or destruction to “first row” homes and businesses by 50 percent.

Nature’s Strength Depends on You

Nature can be a big ally in helping to protect us against coastal storms. But nature also depends on us to keep it healthy. You can help keep our marshes (and other habitats) healthy by limiting your use of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides that runoff and harm wetlands and marshes.

Public Hearing Will Be Held on Federal Offshore Drilling Proposal

Oil and Gas Drilling in the Atlantic Would Threaten Long Island’s Communities, Beaches, Fisheries, and Economy

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has proposed to open the Atlantic Region Outer Continental Shelf for the leasing, exploration and development of oil and gas.  The environmental community, public health advocates, business leaders, and the public have come out against offshore drilling in the Atlantic region, which would leave us vulnerable to oil spills and could cause lasting damage to our coastal ecosystem. Hundreds turned out to warn of the dangers of offshore drilling at a public hearing held by the NYS Assembly in Smithtown last month, and there has been a bi-partisan call from elected officials at all levels of government to exempt our region from this plan in order to protect our water resources and our economy.  With the momentum against offshore drilling building, federal decision makers have scheduled a public hearing so Long Islanders can go on the record about their concerns.

The US Department of the Interior will hold a public hearing on offshore drilling on Friday, March 2nd, from 12pm-2pm at Brookhaven Town Hall.

Oil and gas drilling has caused lasting damage to communities around the country and we cannot afford for Long Island to be next.  Catastrophic oil spills like the Exxon Valdez and Deep Water Horizon destroyed local fisheries, threatened human health, and left environmental damage that would take decades to recover from. Even without a large spill like Exxon Valdez or Deep Water Horizon, fossil fuel exploration during normal conditions can have a lasting impact. Seismic blasts used in oil exploration have been shown to disrupt marine life, from whales to zooplankton, and can kill or severely injure fish and shellfish, including those of commercial importance like squid, lobster, and scallops.

Long Island is already experiencing the impacts of climate change. Extreme weather events, sea level rise, salt water intrusion, ocean acidification, and warming temperatures threaten our water resources and our way of life. In addition to the potential direct impacts from seismic blasts, leaks, and spills, offshore oil and gas drilling would thwart the significant investments made to mitigate climate change locally and improve water quality in our bays, lakes, estuaries, and ocean. After decades of work to restore our waterways and fisheries, there is no reason to undo critical ocean protections.

If you cannot make it to public hearing but would like to weigh in, you can still submit comments to BOEM until March 9th.

How much water do you use daily?

There’s more to daily water use than you think!

Most people go throughout their day without thinking about where exactly their water is coming from and how much of it they are using. We turn on our sink tap and always expect water to come flowing out. When we do take a moment to think about our water use, common activities come to mind: showering, brushing our teeth, flushing our toilets, etc. However, many of us forget to take into account the water that we use indirectly, like the water that is used to make our food, water contained in the products we buy, or the water used produce our energy.

Did you know that for each mile we drive, about 7 gallons of water is used? Do you have a cat or dog at home? There’s a lot of water that goes into their food too! Water is used to make the new clothes and products we buy.  It takes about 100 gallons to grow and process 1 pound of cotton and on average, we go through about 35 pounds per person of new cotton each year. Reading this blog on your smart phone? Well, it took about 3,190 gallons to make your device.

On top of this, many Long Islanders love their lawns – or should we say Lawn Islanders! In the summer, about 90% of water use on Long Island goes towards watering lawns.

Although supply is cheap and plentiful, excess water use does threaten the quality and quantity of our water supply. In some areas of Nassau County’s north and south shores and around Montauk in Suffolk County, overuse is leading to saltwater intrusion –salt water seeps into Long Island’s sole source aquifer when the amount of fresh water being removed exceeds the amount being replenished by precipitation. Excess irrigation on lawns, golf courses and other green spaces also affects water quality. Runoff from watering lawns or irrigating farms causes excess nitrogen and pesticides to enter our water bodies.

Want to find out how much water you use? – Visit https://www.watercalculator.org/

After you discover how much you use, the site provides great tips on how you can reduce your water consumption!

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Bad Valentine: Red Algae Turns LI Waters Pink

It's not Mother Nature sending an early Valentine but if you love Long Island's waters, you should know about the red algae that's been swirling around in and coating our icy shores pink. Dasysiphonia japonica is a seaweed native to Asia and is known for its bushy scarlet fronds that can cover the sea floor. As it breaks apart and begins to decay, the color can range from a striking bright pink to purple to brownish red. It's recently been found in both Southold and the Great South Bay.

Something to take to heart: this invasive macro-algae (or seaweed) isn't toxic to humans; however it could alter the seascape and the marine food web if it disrupts or displaces native- species.

Here’s What You Should Know

According to researchers studying it, this algae species was first reported in Rhode Island in 2007 and was then subsequently found in 19 sites from Maine to Long Island Sound in 2012. A recent photo taken in Great South Bay caught the attention of two Long Island marine researchers who confirmed the species identification and are now enlisting citizens to help. If you want to know what it looks like and to help map it, check out this page.

For the moment, scientists aren't sure what impact this species will have in our local waters, like Great South Bay. But every few years, we get a new species that takes up residency in our waters. Only time will tell how well it acclimates and how other species adapt to it. But since the arrival of D. Japonica our waters have certainly become much more colorful.

What’s the Difference Between this Red Algae and “Red Tide?”

D. Japonica is a type of red macro-algae, commonly called seaweeds.   It’s not harmful to humans and it can be seen with the naked eye. But we don’t fully understand its impact to wildlife and the marine environment. There are other macro-algae found around Long Island, and of many different colors (some are native and some are even red).

By contrast, a “red tide” is a harmful micro-algal bloom of phytoplankton (microscopic creatures that cannot be seen with the naked eye, however in large concentrations they can change the color of the water). Red algae creates a toxin that can trigger deadly paralytic shellfish poisoning in animals and humans that eat polluted shellfish.

Algae thrives on nitrogen and sometimes “blooms” therefore causing them to be visible to humans.  Nitrogen pollution from sewage and fertilizers, like we have in most Long Island waterways, often results in excessive growth of algae that can have cascading impacts on our waterways.    

You can check out our previous blog post on red tides for more information on this toxic phenomenon.

What Can We Do About Algae?

We may not have control of the distribution of algae in our waters, but we can help keep our waters healthy and resilient by reducing our fertilizer usage, pumping our cesspools and thinking about upgrading to advanced wastewater treatment. For more information on how you can help, visit LICWP’s website.

World Wetlands Day

Long Island's wetlands are at risk

Today, February 2, is the 47th anniversary of the first internationalConvention of Wetlands, which was held to focus government attention on the critical environmental and human value of wetlands. These diverse natural communities include marshes, swamps, bogs, mudflats, and other saturated lands, that are both ecologically valuable and critically important to all of us as nursery grounds for shell and finfish. Many wetlands also provide natural buffers for stormwater, floodwater control, and significant protection against coastal storms and erosion.

On Long Island, tidal wetlands are found in varying degrees all across our 1600 miles of linear shoreline and they are an essential component of our Long Island way of life. Recognizing the importance of these unique habitats, New York State passed the Tidal Wetland Act in 1973. Despite numerous conservation efforts, many of Long Island's wetlands were lost to development and today, many are still at risk from nitrogen pollution.

Increased nitrogen pollution from untreated sewage has been directly related to a dramatic increase in harmful algal blooms - resulting in fish kills, turtle kills, and a loss of commercially valuable finfish and shellfish - that degrade the value of our local wetlands. Scientific research has also shown that excess nitrogen weakens and kills eelgrass, which provides vital underwater habitats for scallops and finfish. Nitrogen has also been shown to weaken the root structure of tidal marshes, leaving them vulnerable to collapse and destruction in the face of coastal storms and wave energy.

There is no question that Long Island's wetlands need our help. So, as the rest of the world celebrates World Wetlands Day, let's think globally and act locally. Take steps at home to limit your impact on water quality, contact your elected officials and tell them to help residents reduce nitrogen in our bays and harbors, and upgrade your septic system with a new advanced treatment system that will substantially reduce to nitrogen pollution coming from your home wastewater.Suffolk County and some East End towns, includingEast Hampton, Southampton, andShelter Island have generous rebate programs to help qualified homeowners pay for the cost of a new advanced treatment septic system.

Join the Long Island Clean Water Partnership today and take action to protect Long Island's wetlands!