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Adrienne Esposito

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Setalcott Cochair Robert Thompson and members of the Setalcott youth plant a tree at the event. Photo by William Stieglitz
Suffolk County Legislator Steve Englebright speaks at the event. Photo by William Stieglitz
Setalcott group photo. Photo by William Stieglitz
DEC Acting Commissioner Amanda Lefton speaking. Photo by William Stieglitz
Setalcott Nation Flag. Photo by William Stieglitz
Suffolk County Legislator Steve Englebright and Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico plant a tree at the event. Photo by William Stieglitz
Setalcott group photo. Photo by William Stieglitz

By William Stieglitz

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation joined local officials, environmental leaders and the Setalcott Indian Nation April 24 to celebrate the opening of the newly improved Conscience Bay-Little Bay Tidal Wetland Area. In honor of Arbor Day, native trees and bushes were planted for the long-awaited event.

The DEC effort to purchase the Conscience Bay land started in 2008, when a privately owned property came up for sale. The land the DEC already owned there was mostly underwater, but the acquisition created the opportunity for parking space. Closing the deal took until 2015. Then over the following decade the DEC acquired six more properties spanning 15 more acres. This allowed for the demolition of vacated houses to expand the view as well as the removal of septic systems and underground oil storage that endangered the water. 

“There was a choice to be made,” said Adrienne Esposito, executive director for Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “You could either see the beautiful area you see here today, or we could have had a condo complex, or a couple of very large mega-mansions. But instead, there was a collaboration… to make sure that this little spot here on Long Island would serve to be preserved, literally, for generations and generations.”

Collaboration was a major theme through the varied speeches, with great emphasis placed on the partnership between Town of Brookhaven and Suffolk County officials with such groups as the Peconic Land Trust, Three Village and Strong’s Neck civic associations and the indigenous Setalcott Nation, who will be stewarding the land and from whom Setauket’s name originates.

The history was a major theme too, in terms of both heritage and geography. “To understand the antiquity of this habitat, you have to go back about 10 to 12 thousand years,” said Suffolk County Legislator Steve Englebright (D, Setauket), explaining how, before Old Field Beach existed, large waves deposited the high-energy environment of the now-still bay. “To have preserved this ancient habitat with interdune swales of freshwater wetlands and dunes is really quite extraordinary.”

The heritage, of course, was especially personal to the Setalcott Nation. “I’m pleased and beyond words, I don’t know where to begin,” said Helen “Hart of Morning Star” Sells, co-chair of the Setalcott Nation. “I’m so happy that this land has been returned home.” She explained how as a girl she and her mom would play at that very shore and how they knew nearly everyone who lived in Strongs Neck. Sells recited a native prayer before the crowd, which emphasized appreciation for “the magnificent creation of mother earth” and “respect for all people.”

Her co-chair, Robert “Silver Wolf” Thompson, also spoke, along with Setalcott Youth Committee Chairperson A’riel “Thundering Sparrow” Hart. “We are hoping,” she said, “this is not the only time we get together and preserve our land. And this day, hopefully, is the beginning, and not the end, of this beautiful moment.”

Following the speeches, all organizers and representatives worked together in 60-degree heat to plant trees for the new site while hawks flew overhead, an animal which Sells highlighted as a sign of good luck and blessing for the Setalcott Nation. The planted species included 10-year-old black oak and red maple saplings, along with two-year-old white cedar saplings. Each is native to the area and had been grown at a local nursery.

In terms of next steps, DEC Acting Commissioner Amanada Lefton hopes proposed changes in the state budget, backed by Governor Kathy Hochul (D), will allow for improved efficiency in the land acquisition program. As for the Setalcott Nation, they will be kelp farming at the Setauket Harbor by Poquott, a practice that helps reduce nitrogen pollution in our waters and produces kelp that can be combined with soil for gardening.

Sells also said she hopes the Conscience Bay victory will be a step forward in one day achieving state and federal recognition for the Setalcott Nation, who are considered a nonreservation. “When we first started out… 20, 30 years ago… we understood there were steps that we had to do. So we’re climbing the ladder.” 

For more information visit the DEC website: dec.ny.gov.

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EarthCam showing live footage of Port Jefferson Harbor. Photo courtesy of Earthcam

By William Stieglitz

On the morning of April 14, an approximate total of 30,000 gallons of partially treated sewage was discharged into Port Jefferson Harbor over the course of two hours. According to the Suffolk County Department of Public Works, the discharge was caused by an electrical malfunction on a ultraviolet disinfection unit.  Upon identifying the problem, the plant ran the effluent through a second UV system, while they repaired and tested the first, then returned to routine operations. While the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation confirmed that the plant is now operating normally, but there are still health concerns. 

Port Jefferson village put out an alert, saying the sewage reached the surface of the water, and without the sewage having been fully disinfected, it can carry high levels of pathogenic bacteria and viruses. Residents and visitors are warned “to take precautions before recreating in Port Jefferson Harbor.” Additionally, the DEC announced a temporary closure on shellfishing for the harbor and its tributaries. The closure impacts approximately 1,639 acres of shellfishing beds in the NS5 harvest area, including Setauket Harbor, the Narrows and Conscience Bay, and will last until the department determines shellfish in the area are safe to use for food.

The response from local environmental groups has been one of concern for both the human and ecological impact. “It’s early spring, which means it’s spawning and breeding time for many species,” said Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment. She explained that finfish like winter flounder were at risk, as well as turtles and birds of prey that feed on juvenile fish. The horseshoe crab was of particular concern, as its population is already in steep decline in New York’s north and south shores. “This is the time when we want to protect this species, not add pollution to the water, which would harm them.”

Esposito predicted it would take “at least a couple of days” before the waters return to a normal state, but that it “is dependent upon water circulation and the tide.” She also said it would help for the DEC to do an investigation of what caused the UV unit to malfunction. “Is it because the unit is old? Does it need to be upgraded?” she asked. “Accidents happen, alright. And we understand that. But they need to assess the root cause and prevent it from happening again in the future.”

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Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
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Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz
Scene from the Long Island Youth Climate Summit. Photo by William Stieglitz

By William Stieglitz

Approximately 300 students from 17 local high schools and at least one middle school gathered April 4 for the first Long Island Youth Climate Summit at Stony Brook University. Organized by Students for Climate Action and Renewable Energy Long Island, the event centered on environmental education and advocacy, with students encouraged to get involved with grassroots.

“It’s really important that students remember that they have a voice, that they have power, that there’s a lot they can do locally,” said Harrison Bench from S4CA. “We are teaching students about the science behind climate change, the science behind renewable energy, but we’re also giving them practical tools in advocacy. … They go back to their towns, their communities, their schools, and they have the actual skills necessary to continue to push for change, where change matters most.”

Speakers at the event came from a variety of organizations. Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, taught how to distinguish misinformation from environmental fact. Energy and construction organizations, such as the Haugland Group and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, spoke on the benefits of offshore wind and solar projects, while also encouraging careers in climate and energy. And Monique Fitzgerald, a climate justice organizer at Long Island Progressive Coalition, shared information on New York’s 2019 Climate Act, which aims to lower greenhouse gas emissions but has not been fully funded, and encouraged calling on Governor Kathy Hochul (D) “to double down on investments in New York State.”

Additionally, there was a panel with six elected officials — Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R), Suffolk County legislators Steven Englebright (D, Setauket) and Rebecca Sanin (D, Huntington Station), Southold Town Supervisor Al Krupski (D), East Hampton Town Deputy Supervisor Cate Rogers (D) and New York State Senator Monica Martinez (D/WF, Brentwood) — who all spoke on the importance of advancing clean energy. Bench expressed that he would have liked an even larger turnout of representatives, saying “it would have been really great to have more Republican elected officials on the town board,” but also that he hopes to increase the number for next year.

The student response to the event was positive, with the teens saying they especially appreciated learning about offshore wind and hearing from keynote speaker Christopher Gobler, from the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University. “I like that it brings attention to a lot of the issues right now,” said a student from Westhampton Beach High School. “It’s super, super important, especially in our political climate, with the pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement.”

“I feel like it was very empowering,” said another student, who does local beach cleanup each summer. “Before, I thought that maybe I wouldn’t have had as much of a difference, like, just one person at a time. Now I’m hearing that there’s 300 other students here that are all here for the same reason. We can all go out together and all make an impact and that together, I feel like, [we] can really make a difference in the world, which is what I really care about the most.”

After about 4 hours of learning, students took a break for pizza and to meet with exhibitors from organizations such as PSEG Long Island, the New York League of Conservation Voters and Drive Electric Long Island. They then reconvened for action items, starting with making postcards to send to their congressional representatives. Students wrote letters on one side and got creative with designs on the other. Among the colorful images of wind turbines and the globe were messages such as “Only One Planet Earth,” “Use your brain power! Support wind power!” and “Please support renewable energy before we go under water.” Afterward, the students started petitions to bring back to their schools, focusing on crafting their asks, arguments, methods of distribution and timeline.

Melissa Parrot, executive director of ReLI, said the summit “exceeded our expectations.” She wanted the event to be solution oriented rather than just restating the problems. “We know we wanted climate science. We know we wanted action. We know we wanted careers. We know we wanted elected officials to be part of this process. So it kind of just figured itself out.”

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Horseshoe crab. Stock photo
Gov. Hochul says regulation authority should stay with DEC

By Mallie Jane Kim 

New York’s horseshoe crabs remain available to use as bait, after Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) vetoed a bill that would have prohibited the practice. Long Island environmental groups that had advocated for increased protections were not happy with the move.

Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY.) Photo Courtesy of www.governor.ny.gov

“I’m angry and disappointed,” said George Hoffman, cofounder of the Setauket Harbor Task Force, which monitors water quality in area harbors and was one of about 60 organizations that signed on to a September letter urging Hochul to sign the bill.

“It will be hard to build enthusiasm among the environmental community for this governor,” Hoffman said.

Hochul’s Dec. 13 veto argued the species is already regulated by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), and said the bill could have “unintended consequences” on managing species like whelk and eel, which are harvested using horseshoe crabs as bait. 

“While this bill is well intentioned,” she wrote in a letter to the state assembly, “the management of marine species is better left to the experts at DEC.”

She also expressed concern the bill could be detrimental to the commercial fishing industry and the biomedical field, which uses horseshoe crab blood in the development of vaccines.

Members of the commercial fishing industry were grateful for the reprieve. 

“We’re thrilled that legislation didn’t take the place of science,” said Bonnie Brady, executive director of Montauk-based Long Island Commercial Fishing Association.  

Brady questions the sufficiency of methodology and equipment used to count New York’s crab population for the ASMFC’s report, which rated the state’s stock of horseshoe crabs as “poor.” She laid out her concerns in a letter to Hochul earlier this month, arguing the species is already highly regulated and not overharvested. 

“Fishermen’s lives and livelihoods depend on this,” Brady said. “Fishermen deserve the best science available — we aren’t doing anything that’s even close to on par with what other states are doing.”

Brady added that fishermen do not want to see the species depleted, and they will work within the regulations they are given.

Before its veto, the bill drew attention from legendary conservationist Jane Goodall, who urged Hochul to sign the bill to protect the ancient species, calling on their “shared sense of responsibility for the natural world.”

For her part, Hochul said she is directing DEC to evaluate whether additional measures could help protect the species, and she pointed to the agency’s current efforts to address concerns about overharvesting, including harvest prohibitions during the May and June spawning season. The agency also limits the annual horseshoe crab harvest in New York waters to 150,000, which is half the quota allowed by the ASMFC.

Environmental groups are not taking her assurance as consolation. 

“Governor Hochul didn’t just drop the ball; she dropped the axe,” said Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Farmingdale-based Citizens Campaign for the Environment, in a statement. “It’s unacceptable to allow the continued antiquated practice of chopping up horseshoe crabs so they can be used as bait by fishermen.”

Esposito said her organization will keep advocating for stronger regulations to ensure long-term protection of the species.

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Young horseshoe crabs at West Meadow Beach, Stony Brook. File photo

By Mallie Jane Kim

Legendary conservationist Jane Goodall added her voice to those asking Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) to sign a bill that would prevent the harvest of horseshoe crabs in New York waters for biomedical or commercial fishing purposes.

Dr. Jane Goodall Photo courtesy of National Geographic

“As leaders, we have the unique ability to ensure that vulnerable species like the horseshoe crab, which has been part of our planet’s history for over 350 million years, are protected for future generations,” Goodall wrote in her plea to Hochul.

The Horseshoe Crab Protection Act passed the New York State Assembly and Senate last June, but the governor has yet to sign or veto it. If she does not sign the bill by the end of 2024, the bill is essentially vetoed and would have to go through the legislative process again next year. 

Local advocates and environmental groups who sent letters and organized postcard campaigns to motivate Hochul to call up the bill welcomed Goodall bringing her influence to the cause.  

“It’s a rare and special event when Dr. Goodall reaches out and requests New York help her in saving our planet’s endangered species,” said Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Farmingdale-based Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “Governor Hochul should heed the wisdom and vision that Dr. Goodall provides and immediately sign this important legislation.”

The pioneering primatologist, who has dedicated her life and career to protecting wildlife and the environment, pointed out in her letter the role horseshoe crabs play in coastal ecosystems as well as the food chain for migratory birds such as red knots.

Horseshoe crabs are considered “living fossils” since they have been around an estimated 450 million years, and they are more closely related to scorpions and spiders than to crustaceans. The species, which is monitored and regulated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, has seen a steady decline in recent decades.

Environmental advocates worry that since Connecticut and Massachusetts recently enacted stronger protections for horseshoe crabs and other neighboring states are considering rule changes, biomedical agencies may draw their attention to New York waters.

Currently the main harvesters of horseshoe crabs in New York waters are commercial fishermen, who use the animals as bait for eel and conch. 

Long Island fisheries and the Long Island Farm Bureau have asked the governor not to sign the bill as written, saying efforts in recent years to sustain the species — including limiting the annual total harvest of horseshoe crabs to 150,000 — need a chance to make a difference. They say the legislation is based on emotion rather than science.

“If [the agencies] felt that the horseshoe crab stock was in danger, we would hear about it first,” said Bonnie Brady, executive director of Montauk-based Long Island Commercial Fishing Association, in a previous conversation with TBR [“The bill has passed in Albany, but awaits governor’s signature,” Sept. 20, 2024]. “To use a law to regulate a fishery, when they are already regulated by appropriate bodies that have the science to back it, is just not the way to allow fisheries to survive.”

Goodall specifically addressed preventing the biomedical uses of horseshoe crabs’ blue blood and asserted that synthetic alternatives mean harvesting the animals is not as necessary for research and vaccine development. 

In her letter to Hochul, she appealed to a “shared sense of responsibility” for the natural world.

“I have devoted my life to preserving the planet,” Goodall wrote. “I hope together, we can make a lasting difference in this important corner of the world.”

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Horseshoe crabs at Cedar Beach in Mount Sinai. Photo by John Turner
The bill has passed in Albany, but awaits governor’s signature

By Mallie Jane Kim

The future of a bill to enhance protections for horseshoe crabs in New York waters is unclear, but advocacy around the issue is heating up.

If signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), the bill would prevent the taking of horseshoe crabs for commercial or biomedical purposes in New York. The bill was passed by the state Assembly and Senate June 7, and though it has not yet been called up by the governor for consideration and potential signature or veto, advocates for and against the bill have been working hard to make their voices heard.

“Our job is to make sure the governor is aware that the horseshoe crab is a beloved species, it’s in danger and she can help it,” said Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the Farmingdale-based Citizens Campaign for the Environment, which is spearheading efforts to encourage the governor to sign the bill.

Fifty-eight groups signed on to a September letter urging Hochul to adopt the bill, including Audubon, Sierra and Rotary clubs from around Long Island, as well as the Port Jefferson Harbor Commission, The Whaling Museum & Education Center of Cold Spring Harbor and the Setauket Harbor Task Force.

Thousands of citizen postcards supporting the bill are on the way to the governor over the next weeks, according to Esposito, who predicts the bill won’t get called up before December, a pattern she has noted for environmental bills over the last few years. 

“The tough bills are the ones they wait longer to call,” she said. “The issue now is to make sure the public raises their voice.”

Horseshoe crabs, which are relatives of arachnids like spiders and scorpions, are considered “living fossils” since they have been around for an estimated 450 million years, but they have faced a steady decline in recent decades due to harvesting and habitat loss, impacting bird species that feed on horseshoe crab eggs during migration, like red knots. Commercial fisherman rely on horseshoe crabs as bait for whelk, and its blue blood is prized for biomedical research and vaccine development — though there are not currently any permits for biomedical harvesting in New York.

Local fisheries oppose the bill

Opponents of the bill don’t believe a complete ban on harvesting horseshoe crabs is an appropriate way to protect the species, since it is already monitored and regulated by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation.

“If they felt that the horseshoe crab stock was in danger, we would hear about it first,” said Bonnie Brady, executive director of Montauk-based Long Island Commercial Fishing Association. “To use a law to regulate a fishery, when they are already regulated by appropriate bodies that have the science to back it, is just not the way to allow fisheries to survive.”

Some individual members of the association have written to the governor advocating against the ban, according to Brady, who added that she believes the proposed regulations are based on feeling, not fact. 

“No one wants to see [horseshoe crabs] become depleted to the point where their continued vibrance is in danger,” Brady said, explaining that whelk fishing is a significant aspect of day fishermen’s seasonal catch. 

“It would be like suddenly someone says, ‘We’re going to take 20% of your paycheck going forward without any scientific basis for doing so and without any compensation,’” she said. “Would you be OK with that?”

The Long Island Farm Bureau, based in Calverton, is also advocating against the bill with state lawmakers on Long Island and the governor’s office in Albany, according to the bureau’s administrative director Rob Carpenter. 

He emphasized that the state DEC’s efforts to preserve the species since the population levels in New York were rated “poor” in 2019 — including voluntarily limiting the annual take of horseshoe crabs to 150,000 and requiring mesh bait bags to reduce the amount of crab that fisheries need to use in whelk traps — should be given a chance. 

“Before we go and ban everything, I think that needs an opportunity to really work,” he said.

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By Mallie Jane Kim

[email protected]

Permanent protections for New York horseshoe crabs cleared a major hurdle during the last days of the 2024 state legislative session, passing both the state Senate and Assembly on June 7.

“It’s extremely exciting,” said Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Farmingdale-based Citizens Campaign for the Environment, which advocated for the bill. “The horseshoe crab has ambled around the earth for more than 350 million years — we think they have a right to continue to do so.”

The bill, which still needs the signature of Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) before becoming law, would prevent the taking of horseshoe crabs for commercial or biomedical purposes from state waters. The animals are used as bait for commercial whelk and eel fishing operations, and their blue blood is used to improve vaccine safety and aid in biomedical research, though a synthetic alternative is already in the works for that purpose.

The species has faced a steady decline in the last few decades, which in turn impacts birds like red knots, who feed on horseshoe crab eggs during their migration.

Not everyone is happy with the bill as it is currently written.

“The commercial fishing industry here on Long Island is going to be severely impacted by the passage of this bill,” said Rob Carpenter, director of the Long Island Farm Bureau, which advocates on behalf of commercial fishermen. “Their needs are not addressed in the bill.”

Carpenter, who indicated he hopes for the bill to be amended or vetoed, said horseshoe crab is the only usable bait for commercial fishermen catching whelk. 

“If they are not allowed to utilize it, that means the state has just shut down an entire industry of fishing for an entire species,” he said.

The state Senate passed the bill 53-7 and the Assembly sent it through 102-39. Five North Shore legislators voted against the measure, namely Assemblymembers Jake Blumencranz (R-Oyster Bay), Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Smithtown), Jodi Giglio (R-Riverhead) and Fred Thiele (D-Sag Harbor); and state Sen. Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk).

Esposito, who previously said she hoped new protections would incentivize commercial fishing operations to find alternative baits, said she knows from her recent time lobbying for the bill in Albany that the farm bureau and biomedical industry representatives are lobbying against it.

Biomedical companies do not currently harvest from Long Island waters, according to Esposito, though she is concerned stricter rules in neighboring states like Connecticut and Massachusetts could bring New York’s horseshoe crabs to their attention. 

“The fact that they are lobbying against this bill is absurd,” she said. “We’re not inhibiting the medical industry — they have alternatives and they’re using alternatives. They’re just crying wolf.”

According to state governmental procedures, since the Legislature is now out of session, the governor will have 30 days to sign the bill once it is delivered to her, but there is no indication of when that delivery will happen. If the bill is not delivered to the governor before the end of the year, or if she does not act within 30 days of delivery, the bill is effectively vetoed. 

“Our job’s not done yet,” Esposito said. “Now we’re going to begin our campaign to request the governor sign it.”

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Horseshoe crabs spawn at West Meadow Beach. Photo by Toby Stime

By Mallie Jane Kim

New York’s horseshoe crabs may see new and permanent protections, if a bill in Albany is successful — something local environmental groups are rooting for.

“Horseshoe crabs were once abundant in our local harbors and lined the shores of Port Jefferson and Setauket Harbors during the May breeding season,” said George Hoffman, co-founder of the Setauket Harbor Task Force. “They are a big deal with harbor lovers.”

Horseshoe crabs, which are more closely related to arachnids like spiders and scorpions than crustaceans, are considered “living fossils” because they’ve existed, unchanged, for an estimated 450 million years, surviving through multiple mass extinctions. 

But the species has faced a steady decline in the past few decades due to harvesting and habitat loss, which in turn affects species of birds that rely on horseshoe crab eggs as mid-migration sustenance. The crabs are commercially harvested for use as bait by eel and conch fishing operations, and their blue blood is used in biomedical research and for improving vaccine safety.

The new bill, introduced by Assemblymember Deborah Glick (D-Manhattan), would amend state law to prohibit the taking of horseshoe crabs for commercial or biomedical purposes from state waters, but would allow for approved scientific or educational uses, like for zoos or aquariums.

The Assembly’s Committee on Environmental Conservation approved the bill on May 14, and it now sits with the codes committee. If the bill passes there, it would face a vote by the whole Assembly. 

On May 21, state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D-Manhattan) introduced a “same as” bill in the state Senate, and because it counts as a revamped version of a previous horseshoe crab bill that already passed through relevant committees, this bill is ready for a floor vote.

Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, warned that because Connecticut and Massachusetts recently enacted stronger protections for horseshoe crabs and neighboring states are also eying changes, New York’s population could be at greater risk.

“We’re very concerned that’s going to draw more eyes on New York’s horseshoe crab population,” she said.

According to New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation, a permit holder can currently harvest up to 200 horseshoe crabs per day in New York. The state has an annual harvest limit of 150,000 each year.

A report by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission indicated coastwide harvesting of horseshoe crabs for bait peaked in the 1990s at about 2.75 million crabs, but was down to about half a million in 2022, partly due to more efficient equipment that allows fishermen to use much less bait. 

Still, Esposito said harvesting horseshoe crabs to chop them up as bait is “archaic,” and said commercial fishing enterprises have been talking about finding alternative bait sources for decades. “This will incentivize finding alternative baits for fishermen to use to successfully catch conch and eel,” she said.

For Hoffman, stopping the “rapacious takings” that have lowered horseshoe crab populations is essential.

“We must do all we can to save them,” Hoffman said. “We can’t let them be hunted to extinction.” 

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Speakers at the October 31, press conference, from left to right, Adriene Esposito, Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Chris Gobler, Professor at Stony Brook University, and Peter Scully, Deputy Executive of Suffolk County.

New 2023 Map Shows Record Number of Harmful Algal Blooms and Dead Zones Across Long Island

Scientists at Stony Brook University have completed their assessment of water quality in Long Island’s surface waters for 2023 and the news was not good –the announcement was made today at a press conference on the shores of Great South Bay. During the months of April through September, every major bay and estuary across Long Island was afflicted by harmful algal blooms (HABs), oxygen-starved, dead zones, and fish and turtles kills.  Excessive delivery of nitrogen from onsite wastewater has been cited as the root cause of these disturbing events.

“Some aspects of 2023 were the ‘new normal’ for Long Island, but there were disturbing, unexpected outcomes as well” said Dr. Christopher Gobler, Professor of Stony Brook University.  “This was the worse year for harmful algal blooms on Long Island, ever.”

Gobler explained that there was a record-setting five shellfish bed closures in five locations covering thousands of acres across Long Island due to the occurrence of blooms of the saxitoxin-synthesizing alga, Alexandrium. Saxitoxin causes the human health syndrome, paralytic shellfish poisoning.  These five closures in April and May were following by an additional closure that began in May and extended into the summer that was caused by a bloom of Dinophysis in Moriches Bay that reached record densities.Dinophysis contains okadaic acid, a gastrointestinal toxin and the 2023 bloom was record-setting.

“While a Dinophysis bloom in the Flanders Bay region in 2011 had been globally deemed the most intense Dinophysis HAB ever recorded at two million cells per liter, the event in Moriches Bay exceeded 100 million cells per liter, and sustained densities in the millions for over a month.”, commented Gobler.

On the heels of these spring events came something new for Long Island, namely a HAB called Pseudo-nitzschia that contains a neurotoxin known as domoic acid that causes amnesic shellfish poisoning.  The bloom covered south shore regions from Islip through Quogue across much of Great South Bay, all of Moriches Bay, and western Shinnecock Bay.  Beyond detecting tens of millions of cells per liter, this bloom was also producing the toxin domoic acid, representing a new public health threat.

“This algal toxin has never been seen in Long Island waters and has had significant mortality effects on marine mammal on the west coast.  Its high density in regions that had been previously flushed by the New Inlet that closed in 2023 suggests that, in addition, to excessive nitrogen loads, poor flushing contributed to this event.”, said Gobler.

And the HABs did not stop there.  In mid-July, a rust tide began on the east end of Long Island, starting in Shinnecock Bay and ultimately spreading through all of the Peconic Estuary.  Rust tide is caused by the alga, Cochlodinum, that is ichthyotoxic, meaning it can kill fish and has been responsible for fish and shellfish kills on Long Island.  The 2023 rust tide was the earliest start ever for a Rust Tide, and this was also the longest lasting rust tide as the event extended into early October.  In 2012, the Gobler lab published an article in an international, peer-reviewed journal identifying the ability of excessive nitrogen to intensify these HABs, and in a 2019 publication, they identified the increase in summer water temperatures since the 20th century as a factor allowing these blooms to occur all summer in NY waters.

The HABs also extended inland in 2023 as there were more than were two-dozen lakes and pind that experienced outbreaks of blue-green algal blooms, a serious concern for both human and animal health.  The south fork of Long Island was called out for hosting the ‘Dirty Baker’s Dozen’ as 13 water bodies in this region experienced these toxic blooms in 2023.   For the past seven years, Suffolk County has had more lakes with blue-green algal blooms than any other of the 64 counties in New York State, a distinction that is likely to be repeated in 2023.  Blue-green algae make toxins that can be harmful to humans and animals and have been linked to dog illnesses and dog deaths across the US and on Long Island.

The 2023 water quality impairment map also documented more than 30 distinct low oxygen ‘dead zones’ across the north shore, south shore, and east end of Long Island.  All life in the ocean outside of some bacteria require oxygen to persist, a fact motivating the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation to strive for all water bodies at all times to have no less than 3 milligrams of dissolved oxygen.  All 30 dead zones failed to meet this standard.  While fish kills were not widespread in 2023, a lack of oxygen did contributed fish kills in locations on the south shore.

Over the years, the occurrence of harmful algal blooms and dead zones has contributed to the collapse of critical marine habitats such as seagrass, major fisheries on Long Island such as bay scallops and hard clams, and coastal wetlands that help protect waterfront communities from the damaging impacts of storms.  Groups such as The Nature Conservancy have been working for more than a decade to revive and restore these habitats and shellfish but have been challenged by events such as those witnessed during the summer of 2023.

Excessive nitrogen coming from household sewage that seeps into groundwater and ultimately, into bays, harbors, and estuaries or, in some cases, is directly discharged into surface waters, is a root cause of the maladies of 2023. Excessive nitrogen stimulates algal blooms that can, in turn, remove oxygen from bottom waters as they decay.  Suffolk County and Nassau County recently completed ‘subwatershed studies’ that identified wastewater as the largest source of nitrogen to surface waters and set goals for reducing nitrogen loading from septic systems as a defense against these impairments.

Despite the gloomy news, there were some signs of hope in the data.

“In Long Island Sound, the western dead zone in 2023 was significantly smaller than it was 20 year ago thanks to sewage treatment plants removing 60% more nitrogen and reducing the flow of nitrogen into the western Sound”, said Gobler. “This proves that reductions in nitrogen loading does improve water quality.”

Counterbalancing this high note was the growth of a second dead zone in central Long Island Sound emanating from Smithtown Bay suggesting this region now needs significant reduction in nitrogen loading.

The report on the summer of 2023 was compiled by the Gobler Laboratory of Stony Brook University that has been monitoring and sampling Long Island’s waters on a weekly basis every summer since 2014.  Data was also generated by the Long Island Sound Study which is funded by US Environmental Protection Agency.  The data was reported weekly on News 12 and Newsday as part of their weekly Water Quality Index.

The study was supported by the Chicago Community Trust and an anonymous donor.

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File photo by Raymond Janis
By Samantha Rutt

As the local election season intensifies, Suffolk County’s wastewater infrastructure has now become the defining policy issue, with residents and environmentalists demanding immediate action to address what they consider an environmental crisis.

Water quality of Long Island’s coveted waterways is currently suffering as the county’s wastewater infrastructure deteriorates rapidly. Much of the system was built decades ago and has not been adequately upgraded to meet the demands of the growing population, critics say.

“Clean water is crucial to the health of our families, the lifeblood of our economy and central to our way of life,” said businessman Dave Calone, Democratic candidate for Suffolk County executive running against Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine (R). “Unfortunately, our water quality is at an all-time low, and we need to act now to protect it.”

Local officials, residents and environmentalists have voiced concerns over the issue. Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, said, “Suffolk County Legislators have an ethical and moral obligation to protect our drinking and coastal water resources.”

County Water Quality Restoration Act

The Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act, a plan to restore the county’s water quality, includes two bills that would create a fund to restore clean water by connecting homes and businesses to sewers and finance clean water septic system replacements.

“The need for an overall plan for wastewater infrastructure has been well-recognized for more than 60 years,” said Peter Scully, deputy county executive for administration.

Earlier this year, Scully had spearheaded a proposed 1/8 penny sales tax initiative to finance wastewater infrastructure. This proposal was rejected by the county Legislature in July, setting the stage for a contentious election season over this issue [See story, “Suffolk County Legislature recesses, blocks referendum on wastewater fund,” July 27, TBR News Media].

“Tragically, the Legislature doesn’t consider this a priority and has refused to let the public vote on this plan,” Esposito said. “Letting the public vote on a clean water referendum is good policy and good for democracy. It is deeply disturbing that the legislators support neither of those objectives.”

Impact on elections

The Republican vote to recess has met with fierce opposition from county Democrats, who are using the wastewater controversy to highlight differences in platforms.

“Republicans did not vote to put the referendum on the ballot,” said Keith Davies, Suffolk County Democratic Committee campaign manager. “It is clear that Republicans chose not to trust voters to make their own decisions. In our opinion, it was the wrong decision.”

Responding to these charges, county Legislator Stephanie Bontempi (R-Centerport), who is defending her 18th Legislative District seat against pediatrician Eve Meltzer-Krief (D-Centerport), indicated that her caucus is avoiding a rush to judgment.

“Rushing to pass legislation that is flawed and that will raise our taxes is simply irresponsible and not what our residents deserve,” Bontempi said. “Holding off with a referendum for a couple of months will certainly not lead to the end of Long Island, like some fearmongers like to claim.”

Many of the county’s wastewater treatment plants, pipelines and pumping stations are well past their intended lifespans, representing a growing risk for sewage leaks, overflows and contamination of local waterways and bays.

Meltzer-Krief warned that this could have devastating consequences for the region and its fragile ecosystems, including its renowned coastal areas and marine life.

“The quality of our waterways and bays here in Suffolk County is currently the poorest it has ever been,” she said. “The main cause is nitrogen runoff from outdated cesspools and septic systems which flows into our waters and triggers potentially toxic algal blooms which deprive marine life of the oxygen they need to survive.”

Research from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency indicates that nitrogen from sewage is suffocating Long Island’s bays and harbors, contaminating drinking water and causing fish kills and algal blooms.

“Thankfully, scientists know how to reverse this troubling and urgent environmental concern and clean our waters,” Meltzer-Krief said.

But, she added, “It is the responsibility of our county legislators to follow the science and protect our children from the toxins in the water by securing funding for the recommended clean water infrastructure.”

While local officials and environmental organizations have been sounding the alarm for years over aging infrastructure, progress has been slow and funding for these projects has often fallen short of what is required.

Restoring clean, healthy water requires drastically reducing nitrogen pollution from its primary source — Suffolk County’s approximately 360,000 nitrogen-polluting cesspools and septic systems.

“Once the legislation has been amended to properly address our wastewater infrastructure, the voters will be able to decide,” Bontempi said. “The Republican majority at the Suffolk County Legislature wants clean water, too.”

Suffolk County elections will take place Tuesday, Nov. 7.

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