long island sound presentation sept 16 2014

8/10/2019 Long Island Sound Presentation Sept 16 2014

1/38

Public Meetings

September 2014

Draft Comprehensive Conservation

and Management Plan Update


2/38

Welcoming Remarks in WestburyTown of North Hempsteads Supervisor Judi Bosworth


3/38

Welcoming Remarks in the BronxAdam Green, Executive Director of Rocking the Boat


4/38

The Bronx River American Eel Monitoring Project

Environmental Job Skills Spring 2014

In partnership with

the Wildlife Conservation Society


5/38

Guest Speaker in New HavenDr. James Tait,

SCSU Associate Professor of Science Education and Environmental Studies

Hurricanes and Sea Level Rise


6/38


7/38

Why is it so important to protect the Sound?

How did we get here?

Successes and Challenges for the Sound

What does the Plan recommend?

Review Ecosystem Targets

Give us feedback on the proposed Ecosystems Targets

How to provide feedback on the Plan Update

Questions

Meeting Agenda


8/38

Introductions

Elected Officials

Mark Tedesco, Director EPA Long Island Sound Office

Project Team

Participants


9/38

Why is it so important to protect andrestore Long Island Sound?

Mark Tedesco Director Long Island Sound StudyEPA Long Island Sound Office, Stamford Government Center

We need your input

on the Plan Update


10/38

Where We Started


11/38

1994 CCMP Hypoxia

Toxics

Pathogens

Floatable debris

Land use

Living resourcesand habitat

239 actions in

37 action areas


12/38

Watersheds of LIS


13/38

Success:Declines in big sources of N

Source Trend Descript ion

WWTPs (CT, NY) 88% of WLA target

Atm. Deposition 26% TN, 50% NO3

Agricultural 25-40% in fertilizer and livestock

Urban storm water 2-3% in impervious areas

Septic 8% in basin population (1990-2010)*

Turf Fertilizer ? 1-2% in turf/grass areas

* 40-200% increase in NO3in Suffolk County groundwater (1987-2010)


14/38

Point Source Nitrogen Trade-Equalized Loads

1995-2013 from 106 NY/CT STPs

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

Tho

usan

ds

TElbs

/day

Target NY CT

WLA

13


15/38

Maximum Area/Durationof Hypoxia

58

73

82

49

41

55

6468

35 34

48

73

51

35

66 6561

55

69

53

58

79

45

40

54

88

62

35

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013

Days

LISSur

fac

eArea=

1,3

20m

i2

Area of Hypoxia Duration of Hypoxia

Pre-TMDL Area Ave. = 208 mi2

Duration = 56.2

Post-TMDL Area Ave. = 176 mi2

Duration = 56.3 Warmest

spring on

record


16/38

Current

eelgrass

(in orange)

LIS Eelgrass Survey 2006, US Fish & Wildlife Service

Historical

eelgrass

distribution byTown (black

dot)

Increase of 4.5% ineelgrass 2009-2012,

29%between 2002-

2012

Eelgrass area expanding


17/38

Opened 300 milesof riverine migratory

corridors to

diadromous fish

since 1998.

Restored 1,548

acres of habitat since

1998, 77% of 2000acres by 2020 goal.

Protected 2,580

acresof land

since 2006

Success:Restoring

Habitat


18/38

Success:Innovation and Integrated Science

Summary

53 authors

6 editors

7 chapters

558 pages

First synthesis of

science in 35 years

National models for science

and management

- Bubble permits, N credit exchange- Bioextraction

- Climate change monitoring

- NEMO program


19/38

Challenge:Climate Adaptation

Coastal

resiliency

Increased storms

Food web

changes

Marsh loss


20/38

Challenge:Sustainability

Energy

and water

use

Growth anddevelopment

Transportation


21/38

Challenge:Progress onNutrient and Pathogen

Pollution

Infrastructure upgrades

Storm

water

Lawns

Septic systems


22/38

Challenge:Connecting Everyoneto the SoundPreserving open space

for recreation

Public access

Environmental

justice


23/38


24/38

CCMP Update


25/38

Strategic Priorities

Understanding the value of

ecosystem goods and services

Wetland loss, changing food web,

increased susceptibility to hypoxia

Report cards on water and

habitat quality with targets for

improvement

Maintain open water

monitoring and expand citizen

science in embayments

Broaden the base of support

by working in EJ communities

Enhance N reduction

tributary states, runoff, turffertilizer, septic systems

Consider embayment

conditions: HABs, SAV, shellfish

Continue to protect and restore

habitat with consideration of climate

change

Support sustainability and climate

adaptation

Build partnerships in EJ

communities

Science and Management Protection and Restoration


26/38

20 measurable ecosystem targets

136154 39 1064

CCMP Update Structure


27/38

Clean Waters and Healthy Watersheds

Four Themes

GOAL: Attain water quality objectives by reducing pollutant

and nutrient loads from the land and the waters impacting

Long Island Sound.


28/38

Ecosystem Targets

Reduce the area of waters with unhealthy oxygen levels.

Implement all management actions necessary to attain established

nitrogen reduction targets.

Improve water clarity to support aquatic grass communities.

Reduce the area of paved-over land through Smart Growth, Low

Impact Development, and green infrastructure.

Preserve open space and natural landscapes.



29/38

Thriving Habitats and Abundant Wildl ife

Four Themes

GOAL: Restore and protect the Sounds ecological balance

in a healthy, productive, and resilient state for the benefit of

both people and the natural environment.


30/38

Ecosystem Targets

Reopen 200 miles of river to fish.

Increase the area of eelgrass habitat by 2,000 acres and the area of

tidal wetlands by 532 acres.

Restore 3,000 acres of coastal habitat.

Improve the quality of the seafloor by 20% to support marine life.

Thriving Habitats and Abundant Wildl ife


31/38

Sustainable and Resilient Communities

Four Themes

GOAL: Support vibrant, informed, and engaged communities that use,

appreciate, and help protect Long Island Sound.


32/38

Ecosystem Targets

Decrease growing waters prohibited for shellfish harvesting, and increase the

sustainable harvest of shellfish.

Promote plans for sustainable infrastructure and resilient shorelines.

Maintain navigable channels in harbors and bays while protecting the environment.

Reduce the levels of contaminants in finfish.

Increase the awareness and knowledge of Long Island Sound issues and solutions.

Reduce by 50% the number of beach-day closures due to poor water quality.

Decrease the amount of marine debris affecting the shoreline and waters.

Increase access points and shoreline length accessible to the public by 10%.

Sustainable and Resil ient Communities


33/38

Sound Science and Inclusive Management

Four Themes

GOAL: Manage Long Island Sound using sound science

and cross-jurisdictional governance that is inclusive,

adaptive, innovative, and accountable.


34/38

Desired Outcomes

Increase the scientific understanding of Long Island Sound to

support management through strengthened research, monitoring,

assessment, mapping, and modeling.

Implement actions through coordinated strategies by all levels of

government and diverse stakeholders.

Adapt and improve implementation through the application of new

information and knowledge.

Sound Science and Inclusive Management


35/38

Three themes with targets are in the handout.

We are interested in: which targets resonate most strongly;

do the targets seem too vague, too ambitious, too specific.

Discussion at meeting and Feedback through the web.

Provide direct feedback on Ecosystem Targets


Thriving Habitats and Abundant Wildlife

Sustainable and Resilient Communit ies

Sound Science and Inclusive Management (no targets)


36/38

Where you can find the Draft Plan update

for review

Long Island Sound Study

Websitewww.longislandsoundstudy.net

Presentation will

be posted soon


37/38

Questions about the Plan Update?

In Connecticut

Mark Parker

CT DEEP

Judy PrestonCT Sea Grant

For assistance contact:

In New York

Cassie Bauer

NY DEC

Amy MandelbaumNY Sea Grant


38/38

THANK YOU!

long island sound presentation sept 16 2014

Documents