www.longislandsoundstudy.net October/November 2007 e-newsletter of the Long Island Sound Study (LISS)LIS Caucus to Hold Congressional State of the Sound Study Hearing
The co-chairs of the Long Island Sound Congressional Caucus, Rep. Steve Israel of New York and Rep. Christopher Shays of Connecticut, are holding public hearings in both states on the condition of the Sound on Saturday, Oct. 6.The purpose will be to discuss a solution-based study that will concentrate on several aspects of Long Island Sound including: water quality, land use, dredging, habitat restoration and stewardship. Each category will be assessed and a formal report will be issued at the end of the study, highlighting the areas of Long Island Sound that are in need of aid.
The New York hearing will be held from 9 a.m. to 10: 30 a.m. at the Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, in Centerport. The Connecticut public hearing will be held from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Norwalk Maritime Aquarium, 10 North Water St., Norwalk. Everyone from organizational advocates to private citizens will be given the opportunity to participate. If you plan to attend the hearing please RSVP James Arnold in Congressman Israel’s office by telephone at 631-951-2210 or e-mail for the New York hearing or Katie Brown in Congressman Shays’s office by telephone at 202-225-5541 or e-mail for the Connecticut hearing.
| Fellows to Study Invasive Species/Historic Oyster Beds
The Long Island Sound Study has awarded two fellowships to support students conducting research on Long Island Sound. The Fellows also will provide administrative support to the LISS Science and Technical Advisory Committee and gain hands-on experience in management programs. The Connecticut fellow, James F. Reinhardt, will research the physical affects (such as temperature and salinity) on the establishment success of invasive species in the Sound. Reinhardt is completing a doctorate in biology at the University of Connecticut at Groton. The New York Fellow, Elizabeth Joy Pillsbury, will be reviewing the historic oyster beds in Long Island Sound from the colonial era through the 1930s. Pillsbury’s research will help resource managers make decisions on the best sites to restore oyster beds. Pillsbury is completing a doctorate in history at Columbia University. The fellowships run through the 2007-2008 academic year plus summer. The fellowships are administered by the CT and NY Sea Grant programs with funding from LISS. |
| LIS Benthic Mapping Workshop
A Nov. 28 workshop sponsored by CTDEP, UCONN, National Undersea Research Center, and LISS will help identify and prioritize the key management issues involved in developing a benthic mapping program. The objective of the benthic mapping program is to help diverse user groups better manage life below the surface of the Sound by developing maps and databases that delineate the representative aquatic habitats of the Sound. As part of the workshop, managers | |  | | are being surveyed to identify the kinds of information about undersea features needed to be displayed in a geographic context. The workshop, by invitation only, is being held in Fort Trumbull, CT. |
| Bronx River Watershed Management Plan Now Available
The Bronx River Watershed Management Plan is now available for review. The plan is a comprehensive strategy to better manage stormwater pollution and improve water quality in the Bronx River and its tributaries. The plan is available The page contains reports, mapping, recommendations and other data and information in both draft and final forms, but all will be finalized this fall. | |  |
Mashantucket Pequot Museum Native Waters Exhibit
A new special exhibition, Native Waters: Sharing the Source, opens Oct. 14 at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum in Mashantucket, CT. The exhibit incorporates science, art, film and Native American cultural traditions to increase awareness and respect for water resources. Designed to represent a tepee, the display presents an engaging opportunity to learn about the importance of water through storytelling, audio and video presentations, and hands-on activities and science programs. One of several interactive components involves constructing a model watershed to appreciate how it consists not only of land and water, but also animals, plants, people and all that we build on it and add to it. Visitors can also try to guide a marble “raindrop” to a drinking fountain without polluting it along its path from the ground past potential contaminants, such as an animal feedlot. The exhibit runs through Dec. 30. For a calendar of upcoming events visit the Pequot Museum website. |
| Around the Sound
The State of Long Island Sound: What can we expect?
Mark Tedesco, Director, U.S. EPA Long Island Sound Office, is the feature speaker in the October program of the SoundWaters Business and Environment lecture series. Tedesco will be discussing the state of Long Island Sound, its health today and trends for the future. In celebration of SoundHarbors Week Stamford 2007, SoundWaters also will recognize the City of Stamford for its environmental achievements. The program is being held Oct. 4, from noon to 1:30 at the University of Connecticut’s Stamford campus. Admission is free, but registration is requested. Space is limited. Please e-mail SoundWaters or call 203-406-3335.
Save the Sound’s Invasive Plant Workshop
Charlotte Pyle, a landscape ecologist at the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, will be leading an invasive plant workshop on Oct. 10. The free workshop, sponsored by Save the Sound, will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hanson Exploration Center, Beardsley Park in Bridgeport. Attendees will learn techniques to identify and control invasive plants. The workshop includes a presentation, lunch, and outdoor fieldwork along the Pequonnock River. For more information or to make a reservation e-mail Robin Kriesberg or call at 203-787-0646. RSVPs are required by Oct. 3. Southeastern New England Marine Educators’ Annual Meeting
The annual meeting of the Southeastern New England Marine Educators (SENEME) will be held Oct. 13 at Project Oceanology in Groton, CT. For more information, call 860-405-9007 or visit the SENEME web site.
Teacher Workshop for 5th through 9th grade science teachers
The Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, in conjunction with NY Sea Grant, is holding a professional development workshop Oct. 27 and Oct. 28 on biodiversity and global climate change for fifth to ninth grade teachers. This workshop will be held at Nissequogue River State Park and it is approved for 0.8 hours credit by Eastern Suffolk BOCES. Participants must pre-register by contacting Jim Sirch, Project Director by e-mail or telephone (203) 432-6919. More information
Estuarine Research Federation Conference
Registration is now open for the Nov. 4 to Nov. 8 Estuarine Research Federation conference in Providence. More information
Curtis and Edith Munson Conservation Lecture Series
The Center for Coastal and Watershed Systems at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies will be holding its annual Curtis and Edith Munson Conservation Lecture Series from October through December. This year’s topic is The Future of Fisheries: Over-Harvested or Sustainably-Managed? The series will present contrasting views of the state of the worlds marine fisheries, explore some of the ecosystem impacts of commercial fishing and review techniques currently used to achieve sustainable management of exploited marine fish populations. Lectures are free and open to the public. For more information, e-mail Martha Smith at martha.smith@yale.edu or call at 203-432-3026. |
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| | Grant Opportunities National Sea Grant Office released the requests for proposals The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) released the requests for proposals (RFPs) for this year’s funding competitions. The NSGO website gives basic information about the intent of the RFPs and their deadlines. For full details, readers are referred to www.Grants.gov with a specific Federal Funding Opportunity number for each RFP. If just browsing on Grants.gov, please note that Sea Grant is within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminstration (NOAA) within the United States Department of Commerce. For submission details in Connecticut contact the Connecticut Sea Grant office at (860) 405-9128 and in New York visit the website http://nysgproposal.org/. |
| EPAWater Quality Standards Academy
On Nov. 26, the Office of Water's Office of Science & Technology will present the Water Quality Standards Academy, a 5-day training course for persons with less than six months experience in Water Quality Standards, in Arlington, Virginia. Over the years, the Academy has hosted thousands of students from regions, states and tribes, industry and environmental groups, municipalities, academia, and watershed groups. This basic course introduces all aspects of the water quality standards program (for example, interpreting and applying water quality standards regulation, understanding policies and program guidance, and developing water quality criteria). More information and pre-apply on-line |
|  | | Celebrate World Water Monitoring Day
World Water Monitoring Day is an international outreach program that builds public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world. World Water Monitoring Day is held annually between September 18 and October 18.
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Long Island Sound Study EPA Long Island Sound Office
888 Washington Boulevard
Stamford, CT 06904-2152 Phone: (203) 977-1541 Fax: (203) 977-1546
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