Tags Posts tagged with "Emily Mandracchia"

Emily Mandracchia

Harbor road, Stony Brook, blocked off. A collapsed dam stood just beneath the road, to the immediate left of Stony Brook Harbor. Photo by Denis Lynch

By Emily Mandracchia

Nearly one year after Harbor Road in Stony Brook collapsed, the unrepaired road is raising serious public safety concerns for residents and first responders. The delay has led to increased emergency response times and growing fears that the situation could result in avoidable loss of life or property.

At a June 17 Fire, Rescue and Emergency Medical Services & Preparedness Committee (FRES) meeting in Hauppauge, residents and officials voiced frustration over the inaction and jurisdictional confusion surrounding the collapsed roadway. They warned that the current detours and narrow, curving side roads are not appropriate for emergency access and are already contributing to slower response times for fire and EMS services.

Beth Zweig, a resident of Head of the Harbor, said the risk is not theoretical. “This is not speculation. Five and seven minutes could be the difference between a person found DOA or a house burned down,” she told attendees, describing the main thoroughfare as “nearly impassible.”

In response to public pressure following a community rally earlier this year, the Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO) promised to provide a list of provisions that would render them comfortable signing the FEMA application. Instead, according to a June 10 letter from WMHO’s attorney, the organization presented a list of stipulations that the town and federal government would need to meet in order to access the site for repairs — without accepting ownership or signing off on the application.

The lack of a signed agreement is preventing FEMA funding, which is tied to a 30-month deadline for project completion. Nearly 10 months have already passed. If the parties fail to act soon, the funding could be rescinded. Suffolk County Legislator Robert Trotta estimates repairs could cost $8 to $10 million.

Dominick Thorne, a Suffolk County legislator and member of the Public Safety Committee, warned at the June 17 meeting that continued delays not only jeopardize FEMA funding, but could expose all involved parties to greater legal risk if emergency response is compromised.

“There will be more lawsuits if someone calls the fire department and they don’t make it,” Thorne said.

The Village of Head of the Harbor officials have expressed concern that the current situation has created unsafe conditions for residents and placed emergency responders in a difficult position. 

Public safety officials have not confirmed whether any formal emergency response assessments or contingency plans have been issued regarding Harbor Road, and no agency has stepped forward to assume full responsibility for leading the recovery.

Community members have called on Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine to take a leadership role in coordinating a resolution, citing his prior involvement with infrastructure issues and relationships with local stakeholders. As of this writing, no direct action has been announced by the county executive’s office.

For residents and first responders alike, the concern is that the longer the road remains closed, the higher the chance of a preventable tragedy.

The Atlantic horseshoe crab. Public domain photo

By  Emily Mandracchia

In response to the alarming overharvesting and endangerment of horseshoe crabs on Long Island, conservationist John Turner of Seatuck is launching a groundbreaking fall project to create a lab-based, sustainable bait alternative — one he hopes will protect both marine life and local fishing livelihoods.

Horseshoe crabs are commonly used as bait for whelk, a carnivorous snail, and eel fishing; there are minimal measures currently in place to prevent over-harvesting. Long Island’s shore birds and migratory birds rely on horseshoe crab eggs for protein. Inhabiting as far north and south as Nova Scotia and Mexico, Horseshoe crab eggs are an essential food source for migrating shorebirds, fish and benthic (bottom-dwelling) species. Further, they are food sources for loggerhead sea turtles. Even sparrows feast upon their protein-rich eggs. 

Turner said these “very significant crabs”  linger on the sound’s floor, thereby increasing turbidity and stirring up a variety of food sources for other species. 

The consequences of horseshoe crab endangerment is not limited to our island’s coastal populations; they are most valuable to humans for their blood proteins which are extremely sensitive to bacteria, making them an effective reagent. 

The extracted compound, known as Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL), acts as an indicator on screen-injected drugs and implanted biomedical devices for detecting gram-negative bacteria — Turner cites as a huge reason to thank these spider-legged creatures. Unfortunately, according to The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the mortality rate of these crabs, once released back into the wild, can surpass 30%. 

In terms of policy, Turner states that extremely small-scale measures may be decided by local jurisdiction. In the past, harvesting quotas have been instituted, reaching 150,000 crabs per year per location, as specified by the Department of Environmental Conservation.

But Turner says this is no solution, nor is it sustainable. 150,000 is a great number when considering how horseshoe crabs were exponentially more abundant in the past, especially because just one bird may rely upon hundreds out of a 4,000-egg nest to migrate — causing a ripple effect across the food chain. Humans are not exempt from the effects of wildlife endangerment.

Alongside the DEC, the Cornell Cooperative Extension and Stony Brook University, Turner’s project expected to launch this fall will craft lab-effective bait, which also must be cost and yield-dependent for fishers who participate in the trial.

Even still, stricter measures are necessary in keeping the horseshoe crab population abundant and thriving. Turner cited possible four five-day bans around new and full moons in May and June where harvesting is illegal so the crabs may spawn and disseminate uninterrupted, or total closings at certain locations. The DEC describes that sampling for taking population estimates would be conducted around these optimal moon phase and tide stage to indicate trends in horseshoe crab population.

Former closures have suggested that it takes between 8-10 years before changes in abundance of spawning-aged crabs are observed as a result of these management changes by the DEC, and an increase in adult horseshoe crab abundance is expected to begin in 2028.

State legislatures are still capable of vetoing these stricter conservation measures, as the  DEC’s overall goal is to improve the stock status of horseshoe crabs in the New York region over time while still maintaining use of the species, specifically “ecosystem services, commercial harvest and observation and appreciation.” 

Regardless, Turner remains cautiously optimistic as new, more serious regulatory policies for quotas or commercial banning still have a chance to be passed if conservation groups are persistent. 

Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine

By Emily Mandracchia

On May 27, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R) and Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina (R) were joined by Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. (D) and other town supervisors and county officials to announce the results of a large-scale crackdown of illegal cannabis shops involving multiple jurisdictions throughout the region. 

With the goal of maintaining public safety and wellness, New York State law officially stipulates the prohibition of cannabis and other THC-related products at mobile retail or civic settings that may include vendors, such as farmer’s markets, street fairs, historical or religious societies among others. 

New York State Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay

According to District 4 Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay (D, Port Jefferson), this crackdown also includes prerolled joints, THC vapes and edibles or tinctures containing THC. Regardless of whether the vendor possesses a license to operate a brick-and-mortar dispensary, the sale of such products is still considered illegal on the basis of the mobile venue sale. Violators are subject to what Kassay refers to as a “hefty” fine and any further disciplinary action deemed necessary.

Products that are listed to contain less than or equal to 0.3% THC are not restricted by NYS law insofar as they are properly labeled according to both federal and state cannabis and hemp product regulations. Kassay recalls that residents are often surprised when she informs them that, currently, there are “no licensed cannabis dispensaries in the Town of Brookhaven, and that any shop that has been selling intoxicating cannabis products has been doing so illegally.”

Accessibility to intoxicating products at pop-up venues enable their legality and accessible use to impart a more present danger onto the surrounding public. Kassay said herself that she had visited a street fair and witnessed a vendor unlawfully selling cannabis products firsthand. Kassay writes, “In speaking with the event’s coordinators, it came to light how many community members aren’t aware that it is currently unlawful for intoxicating cannabis products to be sold at pop-up markets in New York State.” 

Catalina stated similarly that there is a wealth of anecdotal evidence that suggests the cannabis sold to minors is often laced with unknown chemicals and additives; people have “no idea” what they are buying. Further, those who applied for licenses but have not been approved often still sell cannabis in the interim. Increase in road accidents, medical afflictions and the deterioration of the quality of business communities and public safety all served as catalysts for the agreement that the current NYS cannabis policy required further refinement.

New York State’s Office of Cannabis Management will be engaging the public with a proposal regarding future licenses for cannabis sales at pop-up events like street fairs and farmers markets, which would require both a licensed vendor and a licensed grower to be in attendance. 

For now, the crackdown offers a temporary solution to the problem — provided that the official proposal will most likely be introduced in June 2025 with a public comment period to follow.

In the meantime, it is recommended that any suspicions of illegal cannabis sale are reported to the NYS Office of Cannabis Management. Illegal sales encompass those that are without license, made to minors, illegally packaged products, incite adverse medical reactions, or otherwise spark enforcement concerns. For more information on these guidelines, visit cannabis.ny.gov/report-an-incident. 

To receive this NYS OCM proposal when it is released and to engage in the public comment opportunity or to share any other questions or concerns, please contact Kassay’s office by emailing [email protected] or calling 631-751-3094.