Fact Sheet/Spring 2005
NATIONAL
ESTUARY
PROGRAM
I 987 by amendments to the
restore, i
=r Act to identify,
protect nation
traditional regulatory
proaches t
protection,
environmental
3 NEP taraets a
I range or issue
gages local communities in
the process. The program fo-
estuary, but on maintaining
the integrity of the whole sys-
and biological properties, as
well as its economic, recre-
ational, and aesthetic values.
* EPA Contact
Johanna Hunter
(617)918-1041
hunter.johanna@epa.gov
^Long Island Sound
Office
MarkTedesco
(203)977-1541
tedesco.mark@epa.gov
United States
Environmental Protection
t Agency New England
Customer Call Center
888-372-7341
www.epa.gov/regionl/
eco/lis
Long Island Sound
What Makes Long Island Sound Special?
Hong Island Sound is an estuary, a place where saltwa-
ter from the ocean mkes with fresh water from rivers
and the land. Long Island Sound is unique in that it
has two connections to the sea-The Race to the east
and the East River to the west-and several major rivers.
Hhe Sound provides feeding, breeding, nesting,
and nursery areas for a diversity of plant and animal
life, and contributes an estimated $5.5 billion per
year to the regional economy from boating,
commercial and sport fishing, swimming, and
sight-seeing.
Why Does the Sound Need Special
Attention?
Hvlore than 8 million people live in the Long Island
Sound watershed, and the associated development
has increased some types of pollution, altered land
surfaces, reduced open spaces, and restricted
access to the Sound.
^-Despite improvements over the past 30 years, seri-
ous problems remain, particularly hypoxia (low
dissolved oxygen), which is caused by excessive
nitrogen loading from sewage treatment plants and
polluted runoff into the Sound, and the historic
loss and degradation of fish and wildlife habitat.
What are the Long Term Goals?
> Meet GT and NY water quality standards for dis-
solved oxygen by 2014.
^Restore 2000 acres of tidal wetlands and other
coastal habitats and 100 river miles of migratory
fish habitat by 2008.
Progress/Goals for the Future
What Partnership Progress was Made in
2002-2004?
^-Upgrades completed by the end of 2004, reduced
sound-wide discharges from sewage treatment plants
by nearly 28 percent from early 1990s.
*-CT completed the first two years of its Nitrogen Credit
Exchange program.
HJSGS and NEIWPCG conducted three years of
monitoring to identify sources and quantify loads of
nitrogen from the upland states in the Connecticut
River watershed. These collaborative projects are pro-
viding information that will form the base for a nitro-
gen management plan in the entire Connecticut River
basin.
Hocal, state and federal agencies worked to restore
175 acres of habitat, and 24 miles offish passage.
Since its inception, the Habitat Restoration Initiative
has restored 535 acres and6l miles of fish passage.
Hn 2004, the Habitat Restoration Initiative published a
coastal habitat restoration technical manual
What Major Actions are Planned for 2005?
^-Funding for local implementation projects will be pro-
vided through the new Long Island Sound
Futures Fund, a cooperative effort administered by the
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
*-The LISS will re-evaluate needed nitrogen load
reductions using updated modeling tools and
monitoring data.
-------
Long Island Sound
Major Rivers
County Lines
Background
* Getting Resources: With leadership from the Long Island Sound Congressional Caucus and sup-
port from local environmental groups and the public, Congress passed legislation in 1990 establish-
ing the EPA Long Island Sound Office with its own funding authorization, through which more than
$35 million have been appropriated to support the program. Connecticut and New York have already
spent millions to upgrade sewage treatment plants, controlpolluted runoff, and restore habitat, and
also have committed to spend hundreds of millions more to complete the job.
* Making Plans: In 1994, the LISS completed the Long Island Sound Comprehensive Conservation
and Management Plan (CCMP), which describes the major problems affecting the health of the
Sound's ecosystem and the actions necessary to solve them, outlines a "phased" plan for reducing ni-
trogen loads to the Sound, and recommends development of a regional habitat restoration strategy.
>Setting Goals: In 1998, the LISS reached historic agreements to reduce human-caused nitrogen
loads to the Sound from CT and NY sources by 58.5% by the year 2014 and restore 2,000 acres and
100 river miles of natural habitat by 2008. Efforts to meet nitrogen reduction goals were further
strengthened with the approval of the LIS TMDL in 2001.
>Measuring Progress: The LISS has provided funding for an ambient water quality monitoring pro-
gram to measure changes in dissolved oxygen levels since 1987, and both states monitor sewage treat-
ment plant effluent to measure changes in nitrogen loads to the Sound.
* Getting Results: Since 1990, nitrogen discharges from sewage treatment plants in CT and NY
have been reduced by more than 28%. Since setting habitat restoration targets in 1998, LISS part-
ner agencies have restored 535 acres of coastal habitat and opened 61 miles of river for passage of
anadromous fish.
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency New England
Customer Call Center
888-372-7341
www.epa.gov/region1
What Major Actions are Planned for 2005?
(continued)
*-The Stewardship Initiative will combine
Geographic Information Systems data to identify
priorities for land acquisition and protection, for
increasing and improving public access, and for
managing use conflicts around ecologically
sensitive areas.
KCT and NY will continue high priority habitat
restoration projects.
NATIONAL
RE* «*¥!!¥?
Who are the Partners?
EPA New England • EPA Region II • EPA Long
Island Sound Office • Connecticut Department of En-
vironmental Protection • New York Department of
Environmental Conservation • New York Depart-
ment of State • New York City Department of Envi-
ronmental Protection • USDA/Natural Resources
Conservation Service • New York Sea Grant • Con-
necticut Sea Grant • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers • U.S. Geological
Survey • University of Connecticut • University of
Connecticut Cooperative Extension System • SUNY
Stony Brook • Westchester County Department of
Planning • New England Interstate Water Pollution
Control Commission • Interstate Environmental
Commission
KConnecticut Department of
Environmental Protection Contact:
Paul Stacey
(860)424-3728
paul.stacey@po.state.ct.us
Note: EPA New England offers businesses and municipalities information and assistance to improve compliance with environmental laws and be better stewards of their
local environment. Please call to learn how EPA can help.
Printed on 100% recycled/recyclable paper with a minimum 50% post-consumer fiber using vegetable-based ink EPA 901-F-05-007
------- |