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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClear Water-A Guide to Reducing Water Pollution 1990 Clear, water A Guide to Reducing Water Pollution SAVE THE PECONIC BAYS, INC. BOX 449, MATI"ITUCK, L.I., N.Y. 11952 1990 Clear Water-- A Guide To Reducing Water Pollution Published in 1990 by Save The Peconic Bays, Inc., a not-for- profit membership organization dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of Long Island's coastal waters, with special concern for the Peconic Bay Estuary. This Guide, or portion thereof, may be reprinted with at~ tribution to Save The Peconic Bays, Inc. While supplies last, copies may be obtained on written request to Save The Peconic Bays, Inc., Box 449 Mattituck, N.Y. 11952. Booklet free of charge; $1.00 for mailing costs. Publication was made possible by a grant (NHT-89-LI-047) From the N.Y.S. Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Natural Heritage Trust, obtained through the assistance of NYS Assemblyman, Joseph Sawicki, Jr. Cover: Original painting by Greenport, L.l.artist, Rich Fiedler Cover Photography: Gary Bartoloni Design: 20/20 Graphics Typesetting: Walter Ried, Times/Review Newspapers Research and Writing: Jeanne Martinet Printed by Command Web Offset Co. Table of Contents FORWARD TH~ P~comc ESrUAg¥ .............. Eastern Long Island Heritage Introduction and Historical Background What is an Estuary Problems of Estuaries PROTECTING OUR HEILIrrAGE ............................... 13 Solutions To The Problems What Has to Happen Now What You Can Do CONCLUSION ..........................................................35 BmLIOGIL~H'HY AND FLR~THER READING ........... 36 ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES ........... . .......... 38 ii iii This Guide is dedicated to all people who love the bays. We protect what we love. -- Jacques-Yves Cousteau Acknowledgements Educational materials from the following organizations were used in the preparation of the Guide; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; NYS Department of State/Coastal Management Division; NYS Department of Environmental Conservation; Suffolk County Dept. of Health Services/Office of Ecology; SUNY/Stony Brook/ Marine Sdence Research Center; NYS Legislative Commission on Wa ter ResourceNeeds for L.I.; L.I. Regional Planning Board; Alliance for the Chesapeake; Clearwater, Inc.; Group for the South Fork. Information presented at the 198%90 Save The Bays workshops also contributed to the content. Historical information was obtained from publications available in east end libraries. All other ref- erenced publications listed in Bibliography. Special thanks to: · Fran Flanigan of the Alliance For The Chesapeake for opening doors to understanding. · The Peconic Bay Citizens Task Force and Save The Bay members for continuing support and encouragement. · JoAnn Morgan for contributions to good communications. · Phil Marriner for editorial assistance. · Island Artists Gallery for their support. Forward "Coastal pollution is a problem that arises from the choices we make in using and/or abusing our coastal waters... If we fail to start now to change our ways, there will be a crisis in the 21st Century -- only 10 years away... Saving our coastal waters will depend on the efforts of private land owners, developers, farmers, industry, public officials and pressure from the general public to keep our beaches clean, our fish and wildlife healthy and productive -- our coastal waters alive and free from pollutign... The largest hurdle in controlling water pollution is lack of understanding. The general public and public officials must understand and acknowledge the connection between individual activities and land use practices to water qual- ity... With understanding through education, individual and collective efforts to change behavior and to become good stewards of our water resources can happen and can make a difference..." Excerpted from Coastal Waters in Jeopardy: Reversing The Decline, an oversight report of the Congressional Commit- tee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, published by Congress in 1989. This Guide has been written to help the reader gain a bet- ter understanding of the Peconic Estuary and what can be done to keep the waters dear. iv v SHELTER \ RIVERHEAD SOUTHAMPTON BROOKHAVEN Tm PECONIC BAY ESTUARY The WATERSHED area of the estuary includes all the land within the darker broken line. Polluting activities in the watershed affect the water quality. The Peconic Estuary. EASTERN LONG ISLAND'S HERITAGE INTRODUCTION AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Cradled between the two forks of Eastern Long Island lie some of the most beautiful, clear waters in the world -- the hays and creeks, harbors and coves of the Peconic Estuary. A water body where fresh water mixes with the salt water of the sea, the Peconic Estuary and its surroundings provide valuable economic, recreational and aesthetic resources and an environment highly suitable for life. The Peconic system, located less than eighty miles from New York City, is the largest estuary wholly contained in New York State. Its headwaters: the wild and scenic Peconic River. Its tributaries: the creeks of both forks. Its seaward boundary: Block Island and Long Island Sounds and the Atlantic Ocean. The unique character of the Peconic Estuary gives the area its special identity and natural maritime heritage. The miles of pristine protected waters in their tranquil coastal setting have long been sought after by people, and also by fish and wildlife. The bounty o f the bays -- sweet Peconic Bay blue-eyed scallops, succulent oysters and clams, a variety of finfish-- is esteemed far and wide, contributing greatly to the economy. The Peconic Estuary is the backbone of the fishing/tourist economy and the East End quality of life. For centuries, people who have loved and used the Peconic Estuary have known its rhythms, sounds and smells, its wildlife, wetlands, and diversity of uses as habitat and flyway, fish nursery and fishing grounds, work place and play ground. This ambience and diversity has attracted many people to its shores. Today the Peconic Estuary is suffering from the same pres~ sures and ills that have caused degradation in many other' estuarine waters throughout the nation. The very special qualities and natural resources that have attracted people are now in jeopardy. Rapid unplanned growth is straining the carrying capacity of the estuarine systems and generating an overabundance of pollutants that are altering the pristine quality of the bays. From 1985 to 1988, an algae bloom turned the clear waters of the Peconics brown and devastated the fishery and its economic base. The "Brown Tide" indicated that the Peconic Estuary was stressed. In 1990, the waters are clear again and the fishery is rebounding slowly. However, the Brown Tide was an early warning that it is time to take action to stem the pollution. It is time to "save the bays." It is time, perhaps, to return to the Native American way of treading lightly on the land and in the water. We are part of the earth and it is part of us... We do not own the fresh air, the sparkling water... All things are connected, Whatever happens to the earth, happens to us. Treat the earth well and it will treat you well... Chief Seattle Native American Several centuries ago, when the Manhanset, Corchaug, Shinnecock and Montauk tribes dwelled on the lands sur- rounding the bays, they took from the land and water only what they needed for sustenance. To the Native American, the natural resources were to be treated with care by all who benefitted from them. When the early English settlers came to eastern Long Island in the 17th Century, the Indian tribes turned over vast acreages to them, believing they were agreeing to share and care for the resources too. The Native Americans had no concept of private ownership of property. The colonists from New England who sailed into the Peconics, while they recognized private property, also practiced stewardship of resources and held -2- "lands in common" to be shared and cared for jointly. The early setffers on Eastern Long Island established the first two English towns in New York State -- at Southampton and at Southold. In 1990, as these two towns celebrate their 350th anniversary, the original "Commons" haveall but disappeared, and stewardship of resources is a concept that has nearly been forgotten. While we no longer speak of the "Commons," the Peconic Estuary is, and always has been, a common resource shared by the East End towns and villages, and the state. Historically, thePeconics provided the setting for a booming East End maritime economy during the 18th and 19th centuries. The whaling, fishing, and shipping industries flourished -- with large sailing vessels and small sloops coming and going throughout the bays. All of the winds that ever blew into all of the sails that were ever made... Left no mark upon the Earth...* This economy appeared to be compatible with the East End's natural resources, and the maritime character was shaped, which today, gives the area its "sense of place." The landscape still abounds with ships' Captains' homes replete with towers and "widow's walks" from where families could look seaward for the return of the ships. These houses, together with the smaller cottages of the ships' crews and baymen and artisans, create today's historic districts in the estuary's sea port towns. in the days of sailing ships, Riverhead, at the head of the estuary was a thriving shipping port-- as was Hampton Bays and Southold at Town Creek. Sag Harbor, Greenport, and Shelter Island were home to whalers who sailed the Seven Seas. From the hamlets and villages on both the North and *Wendell P. Bradley, Holiday Magazine -3- South Forks, baymen plied the inland waters, hauling theft catch with practiced skill, "gathering also wisdom as their daily fare; rich in contentment, breathing freedom's aft."* Today, the large sailing vessels are all but gone and the baymen's way of life is endangered-- almost destroyed by the Brown Tide and other pollution. The Peconics are still filled with boats fishing and cruising in the beautiful recovering waters. The scenic vistas in the Peconic Estuary are nature's wonders: white sandy beaches, rising cliffs and dunes, islands and peninsulas, creeks and coves, surrounded wetlands and salt marsh. The salt marshes teem with plant and animal life when the waters are clear and healthy. In the creek mouths, ospreys teach theft young to dive for fish and small bluefish leap the waves chasing baitfish. The great blue heron stalks the water's edge in search of food; the sand pipers scurry along the sand, while the snowy egret and the gull glide overhead. Mallards with theft large families paddle in the creeks; crabs scuttle beneath the waters. All these sights and more are found in the Peconics in 1990. The Peconic fisheries are rebounding. The scallops are returning and hopefully so will the abundance of weaks and other fish that disappeared during the Brown Tide. As we approach the end of the 20th Century, the Peconic Estuary's 340 miles of coastline surrounding the clear waters continue to be a very spedal place. But the same forces that have turned the rest of Long Island into a crowded suburban sprawl, destroyed resources, generated pollution and forever changed that part of the Island's character are moving eastward. These forces threaten the East End's natural heritage and economy. Today, the challenge for the people who live, work and play in the vicinity of the Peconic Estuary is: **Excerpted from The Sea Coast Town by Viney Wilder · To lmm how to control and manage growth. · To balance progress with conservation and protection of the natural resources which make the area so special. To curtail further degradation to our unique heritage and protect our economy and the resources on which it depends, we must become stewards of our coastal resources once again. The problems facing the Peconics are not unique. Studies completed for other estuaries around thenation haveconcluded that the problems affecting fragile estuary systems stem from too many people wanting to live near the coast and to use/ abuse the coastal resources. The resources' natural resilience becomes strained and no longer dependable. The bad news is that the problems are not apt to go away by themselves. However, looking at them helps us to prepare the way for solutions. The good news is that winning the battle to save the bays is possible with a well developed regional plan for managing the estuary -- and changes in our own habits and lifestyles. First and foremost, we must all agree that the bays and creeks, harbors and coves are worth saving, and that whatever must be done to prevent further degradation to the estuary system, must be done. The lessons learned from the other estuaries indicate that without this estuary-wide agreement, nothing can be accomplished. Next, we will need: 1. Assurance of the continued cooperation of county, state and federal agencies, in conjunction with the continued spirit of cooperation of the public officials and the people in the towns and villages that share the estuary. 2. A regional management plan for protecting the estuary and the resources to carry out the plan. 3. Partidpation in the plan by everyone who has a stake in saving thebays-a true commitment and sense of ownership of the estuary by all the people who use it, live around it, enjoy it. 4. An ongoing public education program so that everyone who affects the estuary can understand how to protect it. According to the U.S. EPA Office of Marine Esttmry Pro- tection (OMEP), people have to develop a different ethic about our coastal waters so they, as individuals and together, can have an impact. People have to realize that they must call for pollution controls. People have to lobby for, and support, the necessary zoning laws and land use changes that will protect the waters. And people have to understand that by reducing their own polluting activities (such as using minimum lawn fertilizer, conserving water, and reducing wastes) they can be part of the pollution solution. The Peconic Estuary and Eastern Long Island need not share the fate of the rest of Long Island. We can choose -- in our characteristic way -- to be different, to remain a "special place." With good planning and public accord, the East End can strengthen its economy without destroying its prime economic and natural resource -- the Peconic Estuary. The bottom line is: You and I -- in our roles as homeowners, businessmen, farmers, fishermen, boaters, beach lovers, elected and appointed public officials, and dtizens -- must make the difference.* *U.S. EPA Journal, "Having the Vision to Save Our Estuaries" by Lawrence J. Jensen -6- WHAT IS AN ESTUARY? Estuaries are generally defined as confined coastal water bodies that "connect with the open sea, where land-derived fresh water intermixes with the salt water. This saline mixture of water, stirred by currents, tides and winds, blends topsoil and other organic materials from the land into the ocean's minerals and organic products. The result -- a mixture which feeds a chain of life from plankton, small fish, shellfish and larger fish to the fish-eating mammals including man."* Thus, an estuary is a "cradle of life." Estuaries differ in size, shape and volume of waterflow, and are individually influenced by the geology of the region where they occur. The Peconic Estuary was formed both by stream erosion and by the action of glacial deposit. Two terminal moraines -- accumulations of earth and stones -- were deposited during stages of the Laurentide Glacier which began 50,000 years ago and receded 10,000 years ago. The oldest and southernmost moraine, called the Ronkonkoma, forms the southerly line of hills on the South Fork of Long Island eastward to Montauk and Block Island. As the ice mass receded, and then stalled, a second moraine was formed: the North Fork eastward to Fishers Island. The gladal deposits washed from the two moraines -- ranging from boulders, gravel and sand to fine silt and clay-- form the base of the Peconic Estuary and the coastal plains of eastern Long Island. Today, the Peconic Estuary system is a series of shallow, interconnecting bays with a watershed area shared by the six eastern Long Island towns. The water area encompasses over 100,000 acres with a coastline of 340 miles, and thousands of acres of tidal marsh. The Peconic Bays are fed by numerous *EPA Journal, "Protecting Our Estuaries" -7- creeks on both forks, by the Peconic River, and by underground streams from the watershed area. The Peconic watershed area includes portions of the Pine Barrens and the land area in the east end towns and villages within the dark line in the diagram on page vi. An estuarine watershed consists of all the land which contributes water to a specific water body. Water flows both in underground streams and surface water streams to the estuary. Any substance within the watershed which can be carried by water eventually reaches the hays and can affect water quality. So, it is not only the shoreline land use and the people who live on the water's edge that can affect the hays. It is improper land use and "people pollution" anywhere within the watershed that contributes to the health problems of estuarine waters. Thus, draw down in ground water from overdevelopment anywhere in the watershed area affects the quantity of the fresh water flow to the bays, which, in turn, affects the salinity of the estuary, and ultimately its health. Salinity (amount of salt in the water) together with tidal flushing (the coming and going of the water) controls marine life in the estuary. The constant mixing of salt water coming into the bays with the freshwater from rivers and streams flows heading seaward determines salinity content. The amount of salinity of marine, plant and animal life that can exist there. Between extremes of heavy rains and droughts, the fresh water flow varies widely. Wet and dry years can alter the quantities of salt in the bays and also the amount of pollutants that wash into the hays. Tidal currents help to mix fresh and salt water and also help to flush the pollutants out. The surviving spedes of marine life in the hays are those that are able to adapt to the comings and goings of fresh and salt water. These spedes also come and go in natural cycles.., up to a point. When the balance of the estuary is altered to the extent that an algae bloom (such as the Brown Tide) takes over for an extended period, then the goings of fish and plants happen more often and their comings occur more infrequently. The natural cycles are no longer natural. This is what happened in Chesapeake Bay: "the striped bass, the oyster, and the underwater grass beds continued to go and the marine life is now in no natural cycles and will continue to ebb until the massive and fundamental damage done to them by pollution is repaired."* The overall flushing time of an estuary is most important because this action helps to rid the hays of pollutants. Within an estuary, flushing time can vary widely. For example, Flanders, Reeves and Great Peconic Bays in the western part of the Peconic Estuary are more vulnerable to pollution inputs because of their shallowness and longer flushing time. It takes two to three months to flush the effluent from the three sewage plants which empty into the Peconic River and thence into the hays. By contrast, Gardiners Bay, closest to the ocean and deeper, flushes itself in three weeks. The 208 Water Study of the Peconic estuary completed in 1976, and subsequent data, all stated that land use in the watershed area of the western part of the Peconics must be planned and managed carefully because of its potential to impact the hays. The pollution in the western portions will eventually move eastward as it has in Long Island Sound if the pollution is not controlled. In an estuary, all parts of the system are connected. Economic and Social Value of an Estuary: The Peconic Estuary is the East End's natural heritage and, as such, has been a rich resource through the centuries. Today it plays an important role in providing for the recreational needs of the region and is a vital part of the food chain. It is a major spawning and nursery area for coastal fish species and shellfish. The Peconic scallop fishery is of national importance, contributing (before the Brown Tide) over 1/4 of the nation's total supply of hay scallops. *Horton, Bay Country -8- -9-- Because of the bays' attraction to tourists, sports fishermen, and vacation real estate, the Peconic Estuary contributes greatly to the overall economy of eastern Long Island, Suffolk County, and New York State. In addition, the Peconic Estuary provides essential breeding grounds and habitats for a wide variety of waterfowl and other wildlife, including a large number of endangered species. Its marshes are of national importance as a part of the major path of the Atlantic Flyway used by migrating birds. The marshes and wetlands in the Peconic estuary system also help protect the waters from upland sediments and act as a buffer for shoreline properties, redudng the impacts of flood waters and storms. The Peconics have long provided protected harbors for boating and water sports, and deep water ports for shipping commerce. The bays and creeks, harbors and coves, have provided scenic beauty and peace of mind, as well as adventure and food for residents and visitors alike. Estuaries are said to contribute greatly to the surrounding area's quality of life. Estuaries also have provided a disposal area for sewage wastewater discharge and this use has contributed to the Peconic's health problems. PROBLEMS OF ESTUARIES An estuary is a water body and, like a human body, its health depends on what goes into it to keep it alive. In recent years, the Peconic appears to have ingested the wrong kind of food and its health has declined. The Brown Tide has hastened the decline and dramatically pointed out the need for measures to restore the system to good health. Since the Peconic Estuary is a regional resource, the deterioration of its water quality is a regional concern and its restoration and future management present a challenge to the people and the public officials in the Towns and villages in the region. The Peconic Estuary, particularly fragile because of its shallowness and low flushing action, is very vulnerable to continuous and cumulative impacts of various forms of -10- pollution. Because the Peconics have a difficult time cleansing themselves, particularly in the western bays, the more problems the waters incur, the more difficult it will be to restore them to good health. PROBLEMS OF ESTUARIES INCLUDE: 1. The main problemis their attractiveness to people. Increasing numbers want to live and play on the coast. This places heavy stresses on fragile estuarinesystems such as the Peconic system. 2. The use of estuaries to dispose of sodety's wastes has led to significant degradation. Estuarine waters have been impacted by sewage and industrial waste, highway, farm, and home runoff, animal and boat waste, and litter. 3. Wetlands loss due to filling and development also affects the ability of the esh mry to cleanse itself through marsh filtering. 4. Dredging activities and erosion from nm-off, boat wakes, and natural causes (storms) leads to shoaling and increased sedimentation problems. 5. Oil and chemical spills present serious threats to enclosed estuarine waters. 6. The largest problem, and the one most difficult to control is non-point source or "people" pollution which includes (1) storm water run-off of fertilizers, pestiddes, oil and gas, animal wastes and sediments (2) leaching of improperly functioning septic systems (3) a host of other human activities which contribute to the decline of water quality. (See the What You Can Do section.) All of these problems lead to changes in water quality such as excess levels of nutrients and low levels of dissolved oxygen and turbidity- which lead to: · Loss of aquatic vegetation and marine habitat · Accumulation of toxicity, diseased fish, shellfish, waterfowl and wildlife · Closures of beaches and shellfish areas due to contamination. Most eastern Long Island creeks are dosed to shellfishing due to storm water run-off contaminants and improper land-use such as siting marinas in restrictive, low-flushing embayments without legislating NO-DISCHARGE zone regulations and -ll - pump-out stations as pre-requisites. · Rise in inddence of reported human disease from consuming contaminated shellfish or swimming in contaminated waters. · Eutrophication -- or wasting away-- of the estuary system caused by excess nutrients from sewage disposal, run-off, and other non-point sources which leads to massive population explosions of tiny micro-organisms (algae "blooms" such as the Brown Tide). Under extreme and continuing conditions, these blooms deplete the level of dissolved oxygen in the water resulting in massive fish kills and other debilitating effects on the estuarine system. This leads to: Adverse economic effects on commercial and recreational fishing, boating, tourism and support services (lodging, food, restaurants, etc.) -- all major components of the economic system of eastern Long Island. Failure to solve the problems can only lead to declining tourism and lowered property values and severely weaken the economy. The Peconic Estuary, because of its very fragile nature, will suffer more and more degradation as the population on the East End increases.., unless steps are taken now to manage and protect the entire estuary, AND everyone cooperates and becomes part of the solution to save the bays. Protecting Our Heritage SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS WHAT HAS BEEN DONE When the Brown Tide first enveloped the Peconic Estuary in 1985, the Office of Ecology of the Suffolk County Depa,h~ent of Health Services began monitoring the water quality and the destruction caused by the bloom. In 1986, the second year of the Brown Tide, baymen, concerned dtizens, and public officials from the eastern Long Island towns and villages, formed the Bay Emergency Action Coalition and lobbied the County and State governments to take action to save the Peconic Bays. Public hearings were held during 1986 and 1987. Hundreds of people came to testify about the bays' problems and how they were affecting business and pleasure on the East End. As a result of public outcry, research into the Brown Tide organism was funded and begun, and monitoring of the bays continued. After three disastrous years of the Brown Tide, a Task Force was appointed to oversee: (1) The research into the Brown Tide organism (2) The monitoring of the bays' water quality (3) The development of a comprehensive management plan based on a sdentific assessment and evaluation of the Peconic Estuary's problems. This project, known as BT-CAMP (Brown Tide Comprehensive Assessment and Management Program) began in the spring of 1988. Under the direction of the Office of Ecology and the Task Force, the project will be completed in the Fall of 1990. The final product will be a plan with recommendations and/or measures to help restore the environmental integrity of the affected marine waters and protect the estuary for the future. In 1987, a citizens advisory coundl-- the Peconic Bay Brown Tide Citizen Task Force -- was also created by the County to provide two-way communication with the public regarding the BT-CAMP project. ThIs dtizen group was made up of members of the original Bay Emergency Action Coalition which represented over 7,000 east-enders. The dtizen task force held open meetings at the County Center in Riverhead to receive comments from the public and to discuss the findings of BT-CAMP. They also: · Developed and began to implement a communications plan for explaining the bays problems to the public. · Held two STATE OF THE BAYS conferences which brought attention to the condition of the bays and helped to develop an action agenda for their restoration. · Lobbied for the Peconic Estuary to be included in the National Estuary Program after their research ted them to determine that this was the only way to get sufficient funding to help the bays. · Formed an educational organization, "Save the Peconic Bays, Inc." for raising funds to develop public education programs such as this booklet and the accompanying video. · Developed the concepts and co-sponsored the 1989-90 SAVE THE BAYS workshops~or public officials and the general public dealing with the problems of the bays and solutions to the problems. · Worked with the County Legislature in communicating with the other levels of government about taking measures to help the bays. On the local level: Officials from the Towns sharing the estuary responded with various actions such as: · Assessing the effects of storm-water run-off and beginning to take steps to prevent this form of pollution. · Investigating the relation of land use to coastal water pollution and developing legislation and methods to protect wetlands and buffer areas. · Upgrading sewage plants · Developing local waterfront plans · Looking into methods to control boat pollution In 1988, after the first STATE OF THE BAYS conference, the towns agreed to support National Estuary status for the Peconics. The towns also supported the Green Seal Program, a project involving local baymen in the re-stocking of the fisheries depleted by the Brown Tide. On the County level: Suffolk County was the first to respond to the bays' problems with a bi-partisan effort. Spearheaded by County Executive Patrick Halpin and County Legislator Fred Thiele, the County continues to lead the way in protecting the Peconic Estuary by enacting legislation to promote: · Critical area designation of all shoreline areas within 500 feet of the waterways in the estuary · Pump-out stations and No-Discharge zones · Enactment by New York State of the Pine Barrens/Peconic Maritime Reserve Act to declare the significance of the estuary and its watershed area The County also continues to fund the efforts of the Office of Ecology on behalf of the Peconic Estuary and is working on the nomination document for National Estuary status for the Peconics. On the State level: New York State has responded by cooperating with Suffolk County on the BT-CAMP project, National Estuary status preparation, and enacting the Pine Barrens/Peconic Maritime Reserve legislation. The Governor has appointed a Coastal Task Force to look into the problems of the state's coastal waters. The New York State Depaihiient of State's Coastal Management Division and the New York State Depax~iment of Environmental Conservation have partidpated in all the STATE OF THE BAYS conferences and SAVE THE BAYS workshops. The Depm iment of State has held a series of hearings and conferences in 1989-90 to address coastal water problems and continues the work with the East End towns and -15- villages in developing local waterfront plans. On the Federal level: Responding to the dtizen Task Force's call for action, eastern Long Island Congressman George Hochbrueckner, working in concert with other New York members of Congress, succeeded in placing the Peconic Estuary on the National Estuary "priority list" in the Fall of 1988. The Congressman continues to work towards getting the Peconic Estuary into the national program. WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN NOW Winning the battle to save the bays is possible with strong commitment from local governments to a comprehensive ESTUARY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. This program will control both point and non-point pollution and protect living resources throughout the entire Peconic estuary system. Such a program will be based on scientific data and will evolve as follows: 1. The complete report and recommendations of the BT- CAMP project, due in the Fall of 1990, is the first step in the management program. The report will outline the key causes of pollution in the bays and how they can be controlled. Various means of control will be recommended. The recommendation in the report, to be implemented, must be adapted by the towns and villages that share the estuary. The recommendations will be published in local newspapers and also be available from "Save the Peconic Bays, Inc." To make sure this first step becomes a reality, a public outcry will probably be needed. 2. Next, the BT-CAMP project needs to be expanded to include the entire estuary. (BT-CAMP deals mainly with the western portion.) Inclusion of the Peconic Estuary into the NATIONAL ESTUARY PROGRAM should follow to insure a complete management program and federal funding toimplement the needed pollution controls. Endorsement by the towns and villages is necessary to secure US EPA approval of the Peconics for acceptance into the National Estuary program. What is the National Estuary Program? A local/state/federal partnership that came into being in 1987 as coastal waters were in noticeable decline all over the United States. The program is administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Marine Estuary Protection (OMEP). OMEP provides 'the technical and financial resources needed to restore the Peconic Estuary. The National Estuary Program is entirely -16- -17- different from the restrictive Estuarine Sanctuary that was proposed for the Peconics in 1980. The National Estuary Program includes all local concerns and all problems through its public participation requirement. The management plan for the Peconic Estuary will be drawn up with full participation from the people and officials in the towns and villages on the estuary. Town and village officials are waiting to hear from the public that there is wide support for the National Estuary Program. YOU CAN VOICE YOUR OPINION TO YOUR LOCAL OFFICIALS. 3. All the people who enjoy the bays can help the Peconic Estuary by supporting the National Estuary Program and by: · Supporting your town or village's local waterfront plan. If your town does not have one, urge your local officials to contact the Coastal Management Division of the New York State Depa~ tment of State for assistance in developing a plan. · Learn all you can about estuaries, coastal zone management, resource and habitat protection, and scientific land-use planning and designing with nature. · FOLLOW THE SUGGESTIONS LISTED IN THE NEXT SECTION WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PROTECT THE BAYS Dirty water pouring from a pipe into the harbor is easy to spot and control. It costs money for mitigating measures to stop this point source pollution, but the water can be diverted away from the waterway. However, chemicals, soil particles and petroleum products are not as noticeable as they run off the pavement or land into the same waterbody. This nm-off is all part of non-point source pollution, a serious threat to our coastal waters and beaches. The largest hurdle in controlling non-point source pollutionis lack of understanding. The general public and public officials alike do not recognize that there is an extremely important connection between individual activities and land use practices and water quality. According to the U.S. EPA, the key to stopping non-point source pollution is to make people understand that they own the problem and that their individual and collective efforts can ma ke a difference. If you live on eastern Long Island in the watershed area of the Peconic Estuary (see diagram opposite p. 1), you may be contaminating the estuarine waters by your every day activ- ities such as washing, fertilizing, and improper waste disposal. With each rainfall, pollutants generated by these activities are washed from streets and lawn, or leach from improperly working septic systems and enter creeks or stormwater drains that flow into our hays. This is NON-POINT source pollution, also known as "people pollution" because it comes from human activities. Each one of us contributes to this form of pollution. And each one of us, through simple changes in our activities, can help to keep the waters clear. On the following pages, there are suggestions for changes you can make at home that mn make a difference. -18- -19- BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR SEWAGEAVASTEWATER DISPOSAL SYSTEM To save the hays, we must be concerned about what goes into them. In by-gone years with sparse population, waste water was piped directly into creeks and bays. Nature provided the purification. But as the p opu lation increased, the aquatic systems could no longer absorb the large volumes of waste water without environmental damage and human risks. Today, the waste water that goes down our drains must be treated at centralized sewage treatment facilities or within individual household disposal systems consisting of septic tanks and leaching pools. Waste disposal through these methods can be non-polluting provided the systems are designed, constructed, used properly, and are kept in good working order. The two main signs of a system needing attention are effluent rising to ground level and clogged drains and toilets. Even with a system in properly working order, there are some simple things people can do to diminish water pollution from sewage wastewater. Watch what you put in ~ your sewage system. Many products we use in our homes (oven clean- ers, paint removers, for instance) if poured down the drain introduce toxic contaminants to the waste water and can inhibit the system's ability to work properly. Be sure you do not pour these products into sinks or toilets. - 20 - Instead, dispose of them through your local STOP program (call your Town Hall for instructions for toxic disposal). Become a label reader. Toxic components include: lye, phenols, petroleum distillates, trichlorobenzene. Some products become even more dangerous when mixed with others. For example, chlorine bleach mixed with ammonia can produce deadly chloramine gas. Substitute non-toxic solutions for cleaning, such as washing soda, whenever possible. One of the most used home cleaning products is detergent. Many of the detergents made for washing machines and dishwashers contain phosphorous which has been shown to cause water quality problems in creeks and hays. The detergent industry has responded by developing products that contain little or no phosphate. Check your detergent label for phosphorous content. It ranges from 13% to 0. Buy the lowest content you can find. And measure your detergent carefully; large quantities can be harmful to proper waste processing and ultimately to the bays. If you have a home sewage (septic tank) system, make sure you have your tank inspected each year, and pumped out every $ to 5 years. Pollution of coastal waters and ground water will occur if your system is not operating properly. Septic tank additives are not recommended and can damage the system. Garbage disposals are also not recommended; they contribute unnecessary solids and grease to your septic system. To avoid clogs, do not put cigarette butts, plastics, grease, disposable diapers or any non-biodegradable material into the system. Protect your home septic system by knowing where all the components are located on your property. Never permit heavy equipment to pass ove~ your system. Make sure rain water drains away from the septic tank. Don't plant trees or shrubs near drain lines; their roots can clog the lines. Distribute your washing chores throughout the week to avoid overloading the system on any given day. Swimming pools should be located well away from septic systems. To find out more about home sewage systems, contact the Suffolk County Department of Health Services. A US EPA study shows that there are over 22 million septic systems in the United States, and 50% of them are failing. These failures lead to coliform and ammonia (nitrates) leaching into our fresh water supply and our coastal waters. Homeowner maintenance of septic systems in coastal areas such as eastern Long Island is very important in controlling water pollution. Ifyouareconnectedtoapublicsewersystern, raake sure the system is operating correctly. Let your public officials know that you want them to protect your hays and creeks from sewage overflows and un- treated sewage. Prevention of pollution costs far less than dean-ups and restoration of degraded waters. ,If a sewage treatment plant is not working properly, nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous contained in sewage wastewater are discharged into the hays and cause both health and nuisance problems. Nutrients also fuel the growth of algae and are responsible for loss of oxygen to the estuary ecosystems, causing serious water quality problems for the bays. You can control some of the pollution by following the same suggestions given under no~ sr~w^aE svs~r~as, watching what you put down your drains and conserving water usage. SAVE WATER ' \. Water conservation is important in curtailing coastal water pollution, because the groundwater on eastern Long Island flows into the estuaries. This mix of freshwater with sea water keeps the delicate balance of the estuarine ecosystem and the vitality of the hays. A certain percentage of all freshwater used on eastern Long island is lost through evaporation. As a result of this water loss, freshwater inflows to the hays are declining. This means that, during dry spoils, the salt content of the hays increases significantly which, in turn, can drastically alter the estuary's ecosystem. (E.g., the Brown Tide organism thrived in increased salinity). Water conservation measures can help maintain freshwater inflows to the hays and prevent the adverse consequences of too much salt. Being careful about the amount of water you use in your home will not only help the bays, but can also save you money. Conserving water reduces wear and tear on your septic system, your well-water pump, and uses less energy. If you are connected to public sewer and water systems, redudng water use can mean substantial savings on your sewer, energy, and water bills. Water conservation can be decreased by 15 to 20 percent without major discomfort or expense through simple common sense actions. Check for, and elirainate any leaks in faucets, toilets, hoses andpipes. To do this, check your water meter while no water is being used, if you have public water. If the dial moves, you have a leak. If you have a private well, you have a leak if the pump keeps going when you are not using water. Test for leaking toilets by adding food coloring to the tanks. Don't flush for 30 minutes and then -22- -23- check the bowls. If color appears, you have a leak. You can save thousands of gallons of water per month by fixing leaks. Think before you turn on a faucet. A full gallon of water can nm out of your faucet in less than 60 seconds. Don't nm water continuouslywhen washing dishes, food or other items in the sink. Run your dishwasher and clothes washing machine only when you have full loads. Don't run water constantly while shaving, brushing your teeth or washing your hands. Take short showers instead of a hath. Don't run water to get it cold; keep a container of water in the refrigerator. Install water conservation devices in your home. Low flow shower heads are inexpensive and reduce flow by at least 25%. Faucet aerators cut water flow by 50% while still maintaining normal pressure. All of these are available at low cost and will conserve water and save money. ff you do not have the newer low flush toilets, you can reduce water flow by placing 2 half-gallon plastic bottles filled with water in the toilet tank. This saves one gallon with each flush. By composting, instead of using your sink garbage disposal, you can save a great deal of water also. Always be sure your faucets are completely turned off. Know where your water shut-off valves are so you can shut of f water in an emergency. Water your lawn and wash your car only when absolutely necessary. Water your lawn during the coolest part of the day to avoid rapid evaporation. Set a kitchen timer to remind yourself to turn off your sprinkler. If you have a sprinkler system, install a time controlled/weather sensitive device. Trickle irrigation is an effective way to water vegetable and flower gardens. It can cut water use by 30-70%. Think Water Conservation. It isn't ha~d; it won't change your life to any great extent. But conserving water can help save the hays. Conserve water also when you are at work, at school, or visiting. Bring your good conservation habits with you. Help to educate other people. TAKE PROPER CARE OF YOUR OUTDOOR PROPERTY Rain water flowing off your property can pick up pollutants and carry them to nearby waterways or storm drains that empty into the estuary. What you do with and on your land can have an adverse impact on the water quality of the bays. It is very important to control run-off from your property by controlling your use of pollutants outdoors. Be careful with fertilizers. Fertilizers contain nitrates and phosphates that, in abundance, cause algae blooms. Make sure your fertilizer treatments are needed and proper for your soil and vegetation. Check with the Soil Conservation Service (See p.38) Slow- release fertilizers are the best choice. Avoid overuse. Do not apply before a rainfall or on a windy day. If you live on a waterway, prevent fertilizer run-off and sediment erosion by using plants and ground cover as a buffer near the water's edge. Rotate your garden plantings each year to balance nutrients in the soil and lessen need for fertilizer. Consider converting lawn area into natural landscaping using shrubs and native plants instead of grass. These forms of vegetation require little fertilizer and lessen the chances of this form of pollutant entering the estuary. Be careful with pesticides. Many products made to exterminate pests are also toxic to humans and aquatic plant and animal life. If you must use toxic chemicals, choose those that are specific to your problem and use as little as possible. Read the pesticide label carefully before purchasing. Make sure you use the right - 24 - - 25 - amount at the right time in the insect's life cycle. Use natural alternatives or less toxic products such as insecticidal soap and oil sprays, whenever possible. Plant borders to repel insects. Encourage lady bugs, praying mantises and toads in your garden. They eat garden pests. Try "Integrated Pest Management" -- contact Cooperative Extension for information. Control other pollutant sources. Be careful that water from your driveway with oil and gas residues does not go directly into a waterway. Divert driveway run-off into swales or pebble trenches. Never empty swimming pools directly into a waterway. Even small amounts of chlor- inated water can kill fish and shellfish. Drain your pool into an expanse of lawn to take advantage of the filtering capacity of the soil. Protect wetlands. If your property is adjacent to or near wetlands, take every precaution to preserve them. They are nature's treatment plants and filtering systems. When wetlands are healthy, they filter out many pollutants from rain run-off. Do not push trash, branches, leaves or grass cuttings into the marsh. Remove any debris that you find in the wetlands. Control run-off from your property with a buffer of plantings, or swales or berms. Conserve water outdoors, too. In addition to the information contained in the save water section, there are other ways you can conserve water. One inch of watering per week in dry weather, applied in early morning or evening, should be suffident to maintain your lawn -- if you have planted the correct form of grass for your soil. To measure water amounts, put a container in the lawn area being watered and check it every 30 minutes to see how long it takes to accumulate one inch. Use that time as a guide to control water usage. Also when creating outdoor living areas, choose permeable surfaces such as stones, bricks or wood for decks and patios so rain water can re-charge into the ground instead of running off. Select plants that require little water and fertilizer. For more information on lawn and garden care, contact Cooperative Extension. Be careful With your pets. Animal wastes contain bacteria and viruses that can contaminate shellfish and cause the dosing of bathing beaches. Pick up after your pets and dispose in toilet or garbage receptacle so their droppings do not wash into the bays. -26- -27- BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR CAR Motor oil, battery acid, gasoline, car wax, engine cleaners, antifreeze, degreasers, radiator flushes and rust preventatives are examples of automotive products containing toxic chemicals. Some car owners do their own maintenance work such as changing the oil. Some people pour the oil down a storm drain which eventually finds its way into the bay. A single quart of motor oil can contaminate thousands of gallons of water. Disposing of antifreeze is also a problem. Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol which is poisonous to people, pets, fish, and wildlife. Dispose o foil, antifreeze and other car care products by taking to recycling areas. Ask your local gas station if they provide this service; or check with your local STOP program. Read the label, know what you are buying when you purchase car care products and what the hazards are. Use the least toxic products you can find and never buy more than you need. Be careful when washing your car. Use non- phosphate detergents and curtail excessive rinsing by washing one section at a time and rinsing quickly with a hose that is high pressure, low volume. Make sure that the area where you are washing or working on your car does not drain into a waterway or storm drain. You can divert this run off into swales or find a permeable surface nearby to perform maintenance on your car. - 28 - BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR BOATING ACTIVITIES The Peconic Estuary, a beautiful system of harbors, bays, creeks and coves in eastern Long Island, has been provided by nature for all of us to enjoy. For boaters, these waters offer relaxation and recreation. In turn, boaters contribute to the economy of the towns located on the estuary. But careless boating activities also contribute to the estuary's environ- mental problems. All of us, especially boaters, have a lot to lose if the waters continue to deteriorate. As a boater, you can play a role in keeping the waters dear and enjoyable. No wakes. In creeks and coves, boat wakes con- tribute to shoreline erosion. Eroded sediments cause the waterways to become shallow. Sediments also cut off light to underwater marine life, killing that part of the ecosystem of the est,ary that helps keep the bays dean and productive. To minimize erosion -- slow down -- before the speed marker, and keep your speed low so your boat produces no wake. Speed limits are designed to protect both you and the marine environment. Control toxic chemicals. Chemicals include the phosphates in the soap you use to wash your boat, the petro chemicals In oil and gas, boat paint and other toxics used in boat maintenance products. Check ail soap products to make sure they are phosphate-free. Be careful when taking on gas and oil that they do not spill Place a bilge pillow (an oil absorbing sponge available In marine stores) in your bilge to remove oil from your bilge water. Do not drain engine fluid into the water and be careful where you empty your bilge. Make sure work on your boat is done on land -- away from the waterway -- using non-toxic products. Ask your marina operator to help keep the waters you use free from pollution. Bottom paints are a necessary evil, but careful application can minimize the impact. Bottom scrapings are particularly toxic and should not be allowed to enter the waterway. Contain wastes. The Peconic Estuary has been severely affected by an algal bloom termed the "Brown Tide." Nutrients including those from human and animal wastes are known to contribute to algal blooms. Human waste can also contain disease-carrying organ- isms. These pollutants can have a serious impact on public health and can result in contamination of bathing beaches and valuable shellfish areas. They can also affect the water quality for water skiing, board sailing and other contact water sports. Use on-shore rest rooms as much as possible. Use pump-out facilities. Discharges from marine sanitation devices can cause pollution, particularly in creeks and in the shallow, Iow flushing areas of the bays where tidal currents are not strong enough to disperse pollutants. The Peconic Bays are having difficulty in keeping themselves clean and need our help. If you have an installed toilet, make sure you have an operable marine sanitation device -- it's the law! Don't discharge in shallow restricted embayments. There is an increasing concern about the effect of chlorine on aquatic life. Many Type I and Type If marine sanitation devices use chlorine and other disinfectants. The adverse impact of chlorine can be lessened If you discharge waste only in waters deeper than 20 feet and in areas where tidal movement will disperse the contaminated waste. Boats with Type IH systems and all boats berthed at marinas should use on-shore sanitary facilities. Ask your marina owners and operators to partidpate in the "Save the Bay" effort. Ask them to maintain a used oil drum to recycle your boat's oil. Encourage them to control the m-off from the marina into the waterway. Make sure your marina is not a health hazard and does not pose threats to swimming - 30 - areas, habitats, water circulation and water quality. Keep all trash on board and dispose of it ashore in proper receptacles. Retrieve any trash you see floating in the water. Styrofoam, plastics, cans and other debris can injure fish and add to the bays' problems. Most debris does not disintegrate; it remains in the bay for years. Careless boating activities are only a small part of the po llution problem. But the cumulative effects of all the small parts are very serious. Be part of the solution. A little care when you are on the water can help. BE CAREFUL AT THE BEACH AND ALONG THE SHORE Any litter you leave behind can find its way into the bays. Take your trash with you and pick up any you find along the way. Join in a beach clean-up campaign or organize one of your own. Every Fall there is a nationwide clean-up -- contact Save the Peconic Bays or Group for the South Fork for information. The beaches need cleaning on an on-going basis to prevent the litter from washing into the bays. Adopt a beach or a creek for periodic clean-ups. Please let Save the Peconic Bays know of your involvement so we can keep records of which areas still need help and also publicize your efforts through the AROUND THE BAYS newsletter. Learn more about marine habitats, animals and plants in the Peconic Estuary. The more you learn about the ecosystems and how it works and how everything is connected, the better able you will be to help care for the bays. Check the resource lists and bibliography in the back section of this booklet. - 31 - OTHER THINGS YOU CAN DO TO SAVE THE BAYS: GET INVOLVED After reading the preceding pages, you know that there are many changes you and your family can make in your own activities to help keep th e waters clear. Th ere are other important steps you and your neighbors and friends can take. Encourage your church group, your local service organization, your civic or homeowners association, your business organization, your historical society, your senior dtizen group, your garden club, your cultural organization, your youth groups to get involved in the area-wide effort to preserve and restore the Peconic Estuary. Devote one or more of your meetings to learning more about the bays and creeks, the marine resources and how individuals and groups can make a difference. The resources listed on the back pages can help; call on them for speakers and materials. Join and/or financially support environmental organizations that are working to protect the coastal waters. Ask the organizations you belong to to join and support as a group. School-age youngsters can organize junior chap- ters of Save the Bays either in school or after school. Many teachers have indicated that they would like to help their students become involved with protecting the environment. On eastern Long Island, where large portions of the towns are in the coastal zone, the coast and the bays provide many opportunities to become involved. - 32 - Write letters to public officials. Let your elected representatives know that you and your neighbors are concerned about the quality of life in and around the Peconic Estuary. Urge your town officials to work together with the offidaIs of the other East End towns in a regional effort to protect your regional resource -- the Peconic Estuary system. Ask them to support the nomination of the Peconics into the National Estuary Program. Urge them to take advantage of local waterfront planning expertise from the Depa~tment of State Coastal Management Division and to make control of storm-water mn-off and other sources of non- point pollution a high priority for the town or village. Get involved with your local governraent. You and your neighbors can add your voices to the citizen outcry for good land use planning and zoning laws that protect the bays, creeks and marine resources. Support efforts to preserve open space in the watershed area and protect wetlands. The results of scientific studies support the theory that there is a strong relationship between improper land use and declining water quality. The health of the Peconic Estuary system dearly depends on wise use of the entire watershed area. Controlling the adverse effects of future growth is vitally important to the health of our coastal waters. Your local officials need to hear that you are concerned. Attend local Town board meetings. If you need help in becoming involved, contact one of the local organizatiOns listed or your local League of Women Voters. Aboveall--practicestewardship. Thewiseuseof natural resources -- stewardship -- begins at home. Stewards are people who care about the bays and nature and want to make a difference. Stewards are conservationists -- they recycle, re-use, buy carefully, use carefully, dispose carefully. And they encourage other people to become stewards. You can make a difference. You can be part of the solution to control water pollution. - 34 - Conclusion If we want clear, productive coastal waters that accom- modate all segments of sodety, our planning and solutions for the Peconic Estuary must be comprehensive and long term. And we must take action now. Future planning of land and water use must be examined to see if it is adequate to achieve and maintain good water quality. Inclusion in the National Estuary Program will enable us to set priorities, and will provide federal funding. This Program does not mean loss of local control; rather it assists local governments and the people in the Towns to protect the bays properly so our children, grandchildren and future generations will be able to enjoy the bays' resources. To preserve the bays, choices must be made and a proper balance achieved. We, the people who want to live and work and play on or near the water, "must learn to understand and appreciate and become a part of all the ways we and nature are connected. We have to begin to look at our priceless natural world in a new way.., and treat it with awe and respect*." We must recognize that people themselves are the major problem. As more and more people have come to live and play around the bays, the bays have been strained. People generate sewage and garbage, destroy natural settings for houses and lawns, use pesticides and fertilizers, oil and gas carelessly. Recognizing we are a major part of the problem, we, the people, must become a major part of the solution. If the Peconic Estuary is doomed, our East End economy, our property values, our recreation, our shellfish and finfish -- our very quality of life -- are doomed. But, with a strong commitment from the people and the public officials of the East End Towns and Villages and the cooperation of government agendes on all levels, we can keep the waters clear. If we care about our East End way of life, we can save the bays. *Horton, "Bay Country" - 35 - BibliogE_ap_hy. Alliance for the Chesapeake, The Bay Book, and other educational materials. Berry, Thomas, The Dream of the Earth 1988 Blake, Melanie, Secrets of the Sea, 1972, April House, Inc. Capra, Fritjof, The Turning Point, 1982, Simon & Schuster Carson, Rachel, Silent Spring, The Edge of the Sea, The Sea Around Us Cousteau Society, Calypsoand Dolphin Logs-- articles from 1989,1990 issues Cronin, William, Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists and Ecology Environmental Protection Agency, U.S., Journal, Volume 13 No. 6, July/Aug. 1987 Falorp, Nelson P., Cape May to Montauk, 1973, Viking Press Hardy, Charles D., A Preliminary Description of the P econic Bay Es tua ry, 1976 Marine Science Research Center, SUNY/Stony Brook Horton, Tom, Bay Country, 1987, John Hopkins University Press. L.I. Regional Planning Board, Non-Point Source Handbook NYS Legislative Commission on Water Resource Needs for Long Island, Reports NYS Department of State, Coastal Management Division, Reports from 1989 hearings on the state of the New York coast NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Conservation magazine Science, Vol. 211, 13 March 1982, "Shallow Water Ecosystems" Sterling, Dorothy, The Outer Lands: A Natural History Guide, 1978, WW Norton Suffolk County Department of Health Services, Office of Ecology/ Bureau of Marine Resources -- Reports on the Brown Tide Comprehensive Assessment and Management Program. Further Reading.__ Abbott, R. Tucker, Sea Shells of North America, Golden Press Blumer, Karen, Long Island Native Plants, 1990, Growing Wild Publications Brown, Lester, Building a Sustainable Society, 1981, WW Norton Coates, Gary, Resettling America, Knowledge Systems - 36 - Commager, Henry Steele, The American Mind, 1950, Yale University Press Costner, Booth & Gettings, We All Live Downstream, 1986, Water Works Publishing Co., Eureka Springs, AK Di Silvestro, Roger L., Fight for Surv~oal: Audubon Perspect~es, 1990, Wiley Dodd, Debra Lynn, The Non Toxic Home Elgin, Duane, Voluntary Simplicity, 1981, Wm. Morrow Ferguson, Marilyn, The Aquarian Conspiracy, 1980 Harman, Willis, Global Mind Change, 1988 Henderson, Hazel, Politics of the Solar Age, 1981 Kieran, John, Natural History of Nero York Kourik, Robert, Gray Water Use in the Landscape, Edible Publications, CA Lappe, Frances M., Rediscovering America's Values Lyon, Thomas J., Th/s lnarmperable Lande, Houghton Mifflin Matthiessen, Peter, Men's Lives, 1986, Vintage Prt~os McHarg, lan, Design with Nature, 1969, Natural History Press, NY McKibben, Bill, The End of Nature, 1989, Random House MRSC, SUNY/Stony Brook, Marine Wetlands of Nassau & Suffolk Counties, 1972 Milbrath, Lester W., Envisioning a Sustainable Society, 1989, SUNY Odum, Eugene P., Ecology Ee Our Endangered Life Support Systems, 1989, Sinauer Oppenheimer, Michael, & Boyle, Robert, Dead Heat Overton, Jacqueline, Indian Life on Long lsland, 1963 Palmer, Arthur F., Toward Eden, 1981, Creative Resource Systems, N.C. Peterson, Roger Tory, Fidd Guide to the Birds Seymour, John & Giradet, Herbert, Blueprint for a Green Planet Sim, Herbert S., Fishes, 1955, Golden Press State of the Environment, 1987, The Conservation Foundation State of the World, 1990, The World Watch Institute Stokes, Sam, Preserving Rural America Teal, John & Mildred, Life and Death of the Salt Marsh Two If By Sea: Fighting the Attack on America's Coasts, Coastal Alliance Ursen, M.J., Life In and Around the Salt Marshes, 1972 50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth, 1989, Earthworks Press New Opt/ons Newsletter, P.O. Box 19324, Washington, D.C. 20036 Utne Reader, P.O. Box 1974, Marion, OH 43306-2074 - 37 - ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN Cousteau Society, Dolphin Log Dobbs, Horace, The Mag/c of Dolphins, Sheridan House Hammerstrom, Francis, Walk When the Moon Is Full Keepers of the Earth, Fulcrum Press, 350 Indian St., #510, Golden, CO 80401 Lambert, David, Planet Earth Lockart, Lynne & Barbara, Rambling Raft, Tidewater Publishers Miller, Christina & Berry, Louise, Coastal Rescue, 1989, Atheneum, NY National Wild Life Sodety, Ranger Rick, and In My Own Back Yard magazines Payne, Robert, The Island Wonders of Learning kits, National Geographic Educational Services, Dept. 90, Washington, D.C. 20036 Environmental Resources SUFFOLK COUNTY Most of the suggestions offered in this GUIDE are easy to follow. There are, however, some atoms where you may need more advice or where you may want to report pollution to the proper authority. The following listings are for your further assistance. Telephone numbers are in area code 516. EROSION/SOIL TESTING Cornell Cooperative Ext. Services 727-7850 Soil and Water Conservation Dist. 727-2315 LAWNS, GARDENS, AGRICULTURE As above PESTICIDES National Pesticides network Emergency & Info 800-8,58-7378 SEPTIC SY~I'EMS Suffolk County Dept. of Health Services/Environ. Protection 548-3076 SEWAGE SPILLS NYSDEC Division of Water 751-7900 RECYCLING/DISPOSAL OF OIL, PESTICIDES, AND HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTES Call your local Town government for the rules in your area. OIL SPILLS/CHEMICAL SPILLS National Response Center (24 hfs/day) (800) 457-8802 - 38 - NYSDEC (800) 457-7362 U.S. Coast Guard 473-3570 WATER QUALITY/WATER TESTING SC Dept. of Health Services 548-3076 ENERGY CONSERVATION LILCO 727-2250 Cornell Cooperative Extension 727-7850 HABITAT & WILDLIFE PROTECTION NYSDEC 751-7900 Okeanos Ocean Research Foundation 728-8013 COASTAL ISSUES/COASTAL PLANNING NYS Dept. of State-Coastal Management Division 474-9200 162 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12231 MARINE FISHERIES & RESOURCES Cornell Cooperative Ext./Marine Program 727-3910 NY Sea Grant 632-8737 NYDEC 751-7900 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES/CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT Group for the South Fork 537-1400 North Fork Environmental Council 298--8880 Save the Peconic Bays, Inc. 298-4620 and the other organizations listed. EASTERN LONG ISLAND ORGANIZATIONS CONCERNED ABOUT THE BAYS & THE ENVIRONMENT ACCABONAC PROTECTION COMMITTEE 210 Old Stone Hwy. East Hampton NY 11937 AUDUBON Moriches Bay c/o Schemer Red Cedar Point Hampton Bays NY 11946 L.I. BAYMEN'S ALLIANCE c/o Can'era 193 Riverside Dr. Flanders NY 11901 CONCERNED CITIZENS OF MONTAUK POBox 329 Montauk NY 11954 CONCERNED WIVES OF SHINNECOCK FISHERMEN c/o Kozofsky 9 Oak Street Hampton Bays NY 11946 GRASS GREEN, BAY CLEAN 162 Inlet Road Southampton NY 11969 GROUP FOR THE SOUTH FORK PO Box 569 Bridgehampton NY 11932 L.I. PINE BARRENS SOCIETY 97 Lakeside Trail Ridge NY 11961 NATURE CONSERVANCY PO BOx JJJJ East Hampton NY 11937 NEW SUFFOLK ASSOCIATION PO Box 147 New Suffolk NY 11956 - 39 - NORTH FORK ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL Box 799 Mattituck NY 11952 NFEC-WEST Box 633 R[verhead NV 11901 OKEANOS OCEAN RESEARCH FOUNDATION POBox 776 Hampton Bays NY 11946 OPEN SPACE COUNCIL PO Box 275 Brookhaven NV 11719 PECONIC LAND TRUST PO Box 2088 Southampton NY 11968 RED CEDAR POINT ASSOCIATION PO Box 300 Hampton Bays NV 11946 COMMrlTEE FOR FLANDERS 1182 Flanders Road Riverhead NY 11901 SAVE THE PECONIC BAYS, INC. Box 449 Mattituck NY 11952 SIERRA CLUB L.I. Sie~a PO Box 210 Syosset NY 11791 SHELTER ISLAND ASSOCIATION 92 Gardiners Bay Drive Shelter Island NY 11965 SOUTHOLD/2000, PO BOx 154, Peconic NY 11958 OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS CONCERNED WITH ISSUES RELA t P.a.~ TO COASTAL WATERS ALLIANCE FOR THE CHESAPEAKE 6600 York Road Baltimore MD 21212 AMERICAN AUDUBON SOCIETY 950 Third Avenue New York NY 10022 AMERICAN LITI'ORAL SOCIETY Sandy Hook Highlands NJ 07732 CENTER FOR MARINE CONSERVATION 1725 DeSales St. NW Washington DC 20036 THE COUSTEAU SOCIETY 930 West 21st St. Norfolk VA 23517 EARTH ISLAND INSTITUTE 300 Broad way Suite 28 San Francisco CA 94133 ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND 257 Park Ave. S New York NV 10010 GREENPEACE 1432 U Street NW Washington DC 20009 NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION 1412 16th St. NW Washington DC 20036 NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL 122 East 42nd Street 45th Floor New York NY 10168 NATURE CONSERVANCY 1815 Lynn St. Arlington VA 22209 OCEANIC SOCIETY 218 D Street SE Washington DC 20003 ROCKY MOUNTAIN INSI'ffUTE 1739 Snowmass Creek R. Old Snowmass CO 81654 WORLD WATCH INSTrFUTE 1776 Massachusetts Ave. NW Washington DC 20036 MARINE EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS O~'Pt~RING PROGRAMS IN MARINE EDUCATION -- LONG ISLAND AREA. AMERICAN LIITORAL SOCIErY Sandy Hook Highlands NJ 07732 CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION/MARINE PROGRAM 39 Sound Ave. R[verhcad NY 11901 CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION 4-H PROGRAM 246 Grilling Ave. Riverhead NV 11901 MARITIME CENTER ON LONG ISLAND P.O. BOx 991 Huntington NY 11743 MUSEUM OF LONG ISLAND NATURAL SCIENCES SUNY/Stony Brook NV 11794-2151 MYSTIC MARINELIFE AQUARIUM 55 Cogan Blvd. Mystic CT 06355-1997 LIVING MARINE RESOURCE INSTITUTE (LIMPd) SUN'Y/Stony Brook NY 11794 NEW YORK AQUARIUM Boardwalk & West 8th St. Brooklyn NY 11224 NYS DEC -- QUOGUE W1LDLIPE REFUGE & NATURE CENTER Old Country & Old Main Rds. Quogue NV 11959 NEW YORK OFFICE OF PARKS, RECREATION AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION -- L.L REGION Belmont Lake State Park P.O. Box 247 Babylon NY 11702-0247 PROJECT OCEANOLOGY Avery Point Groton CT 06340 SAG HARBOR WHALING MUSEUM Main Street Sag Harbor NY 111963 S.C.O.P.E.P.O. Box 186 Kings Park NY 11754 SOUTH FORK NATU RA L HI STORY SOCIETY P.O. Box Nature Amagansett NY 11930 SUFFOLK MARINE MUSEUM Montauk Highway West Sayville NY TOWN MARINE MUSEUM BluffRoad Amagensett/Contact East Hampton Historical Society 101 East Hampton NY 11937 U.S. DEPT. OF THE INTER[OR WILD LIFE REFUGES Call 286-0485 GROUP FOR THE SOUTH FORK 537-1400 NATURE CONSERVANCY Shelter Island Chapter 324-1330 NORTH FORK ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL 298-8880 SAVE THE PECONIC BAYS, INC. 29B-4620 SAVE THE BAYS -- VIDEO TAPES of 1989-90 Workshops -- Experts discuss Stormwator Run-Off; Sewage & Septic Systems; Boater Pollution; Coastal Management. To borrow, call CORNELL COOP EXT./MARINE PROGRAM 516-727-3910 For information on the DEC Environmental Education Camp Program, Contact: DEC Camps Room 504 50 Wolf Albany NV 12233 (518) 457-3720. - 41 - - 40 -