www.longislandsoundstudy.net June/July 2008 e-newsletter of the Long Island Sound Study (LISS)LISS Happenings:
Climate Change Monitoring Program to Be Implemented In the Sound
This year, LISS partners in NY and CT proposed a sentinel site monitoring program to distinguish possible environmental changes brought about by climate change. The immediate goal for the project is to establish two core "sentinel" sites in the Sound, one in NY and one in CT, where continuous monitoring of conditions would occur. A Science and Technical Advisory Committee team will develop recommendations for site locations and parameters. The long-term vision is to establish multiple sites in Long Island Sound and in the region to better understand how climate change is currently impacting the Sound, detect early-warning indicators of future impacts, and be able to make recommendations for action and preparation to government officials, state and local agencies, and the general public.
Look for Sound Health 2008 in July
Sound Health 2008, Long Island Sound Study’s environmental indicators report, will be available as a newspaper insert for Sunday newspaper subscribers in the Long Island Sound coastal areas on July 27. The report also will be available on-line at www.longislandsoundstudy.net on July 27 as well as weekly newspapers in select villages and towns on July 31. The report tracks the health of the Sound by looking at trends in water quality, key animal species, key habitats, and population and development. This year’s issue also will include features on climate change’s impact on Long Island Sound and a photo display of the CT River, the source of 70 percent of the Sound’s fresh water. Copies of Sound Health also will be available at the EPA Long Island Sound Office. Contact info@longislandsoundstudy.net for more info.
Sound Update Focuses on Climate Change
The most recent issue of Sound Update, the Long Island Sound Study’s newsletter, is now available online. This issue focuses on the possible effects of climate change on Long Island Sound; the federal, state, and local actions that are being taken to reduce emissions; and ways that you can help! If you are interested in receiving a hard copy of the newsletter, contact info@longislandsoundstudy.net. Otherwise, the newsletter can be accessed online at LISS’s Web site. DownloadCT Sea Grant to Publish Salt Marsh Field Guide
CT Sea Grant will publish an illustrated Tidal Marsh field guide for Long Island Sound in the fall thanks to a grant from the Long Island Sound Study. The guide will identify common plants of the Sound’s tidal marshes, and will be distributed to area schools as a guide to learn about and appreciate a coastal habitat essential to the food web.
“Paso a Paso”—Step by Step Guide Available in Spanish!
The Long Island Sound Study’s brochure “Step by Step: A citizen’s guide to curbing polluted runoff” is now available in Spanish! Learn how everyday actions, such as washing your car and fertilizing your lawn, can impact Long Island Sound. The brochure was translated by CT Sea Grant. If you would like to receive copies of this brochure, please contact info@longislandsoundstudy.net.
|
| Soundwide NEWS  Back to top
Alexandrium Bloom Closes Shellfish Beds on Long Island’s North Shore
Intense blooms of a potentially harmful algae, Alexandrium fundyense, closed shellfish beds in all of Northport Bay, Duck Island Harbor, and Centerport Harbor in the town of Huntington in northwest Suffolk County beginning May 6th and 7th (Northport Harbor is already closed to shellfish harvesting). Effective May 28th, the closed area was expanded to include all of Huntington Bay, Lloyd Harbor, and Huntington Harbor. This species of algae produces a neurotoxin, known as saxitoxin, that causes paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), a condition that, in extreme cases, can be fatal in humans who consume shellfish contaminated with the toxin. Initial symptoms can occur in the first two hours after ingestion of affected meat and include tingling or numbness in the tongue, lips, and face, nausea, and dizziness. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Bureau of Marine Resources monitors shellfish beds on Long Island and regulates shellfish bed closings. A recorded message regarding the status of the shellfish closing can be heard by calling (631) 444-0480. Some New England areas are also experiencing intense Alexandrium blooms. For more information about the NY closure, please visit the shellfishing section of the NYSDEC Web site.
Nissequogue River Watershed Action Plan Presented
The Nissequogue River is one of LISS’s inaugural stewardship areas and will serve as a model for developing Action Plans for the other stewardship sites. The Nissequogue River Watershed Steering Committee presented its draft plan for the Nissequogue River watershed to more than 60 members of the public on May 8th in Hauppauge, NY. The plan is available online at the Nissequogue Watershed Web site and a short version of the meeting will be available at Islip.TV. |
| Web Links
Eelgrass Blog Covers Long Island Projects
Want to know more about efforts to restore underwater seagrasses in Long Island Sound? Check out a new blog by Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County. It describes the efforts to plant and maintain eelgrasses in Long Island Sound -- including at St. Thomas Pt, where a project was funded through the Long Island Sound Futures Fund. The eelgrass blog also discusses projects in the Peconics and the South Shore. The blog is on the Web site of Seagrass LI.
EPA Stormwater Webcast
The Phase II stormwater requirements have been in place for five years. How well is your local stormwater program running? Is your program fully up and running? Can you demonstrate how effective your program has been over the first five years? These are some of the questions that we will explore and discuss in a webcast on June 4 from noon to 2 p.m. that will assess the effectiveness of local (MS4) stormwater programs. In addition to a discussion on where Phase II programs should be after their first five years, this webcast will feature an in-depth discussion of setting measurable goals and measuring performance. To register for this free webcast, please visit the training section of the EPA’s National Pollution Discharge Elimination System Web page. | | | Please note: This email message is being sent to subscribers of the Long Island Sound Study E-Newsletter. PLEASE DO NOT REPORT THIS MESSAGE AS SPAM. Unsubscribe or update your subscription at http://www.longislandsoundstudy.net/cgi-bin/list.htm |
|
Long Island Sound Study EPA Long Island Sound Office
888 Washington Boulevard
Stamford, CT 06904-2152 Phone: (203) 977-1541 Fax: (203) 977-1546
|
|
