Environment Overview

Policy Issues

Environment

Environment Overview

Environment on Long Island

Long Island has a very unique environment. Long Island has everything from wet lands to forests. The area also has large open fields which are now being bought up by County and Town governments as well as Non-profit organizations to preserve the natural beauty of Long Island. The government has also designated the Pine Barrens as a natural reserve. This area used to be part of a forest that covered over a quarter million acres on Long Island.

Long Island is surrounded by water. The north side of the island there is the Long Island Sound and the south side of the island there is the Atlantic Ocean which until the 1980s was being polluted by sewage waste. In a report done by the Atlantic/Long Island Sound Basin Waterbody Inventory/Priority Waterbodies List, in 2002 it examined the water quality of the Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean surrounding Long Island. The report found the Long Island Sound had Low Dissolved Oxygen which caused the death of many fish and crustacean and deterred new fish from inhabiting the area. The report also said that stormwater runoffs transport significant amounts of pollutants to the waters of the basin.

Most of the drinking water on Long Island comes from the underground Aquifers. The three most important aquifers are the Upper Glacial Aquifer, the Lloyd Aquifer, and the Magothy aquifer. Most of Nassau County’s water and about half of Suffolk County’s water comes from the Magothy aquifer, the largest of the three.

More Policy Issues >>

Environmental News

Bishop Bill To Protect Estuaries Advances In Senate - July 1, 2010

Congressman Tim Bishop's legislation to protect and enhance America's estuaries reached an important milestone yesterday when it was approved by a Senate committee.

Process to Remediate Clogged Canaan Lake Begins - April 6, 2010

Patchogue, Wednesday, March 3: Legislator Jack Eddington joined Canaan Lake community members and environmental professionals to begin the process of remediating the Canaan Lake system now being stifled by the invasive plant life known as cabomba and milfoil weed.

CONGRESSMAN BISHOP, LI HOME RENOVATORS WARN NEW EPA RULE COULD PUT THOUSANDS OUT OF WORK IN LESS THAN MONTH - March 30, 2010

Congressman Tim Bishop was joined by over 50 members of the Long Island chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (LI NARI) to urge the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to delay implementation of a new lead paint rule. Congressman Bishop was joined by Congressman Steve Israel in sending a letter to the EPA.

DEC Temporarily Closes Shellfishing Areas in Nassau and Suffolk Counties - March 30, 2010

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced that it has designated shellfish harvesting areas in Nassau County and Suffolk County as temporarily closed to shellfishing. These temporary emergency closures are in response to the extraordinary volume of storm water runoff caused by locally heavy rainfall that is affecting Long Island today and Monday, March 29 and 30, 2010.

DEC Reopens Additional Shellfishing Areas in Suffolk County East End Towns - March 19, 2010

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced that it has reopened more shellfishing areas in Suffolk County that had been closed because of heavy rains last week.

Levy Seeks to Preserve Additional 25.5 Acres at Saw Mill Creek in Riverhead - February 22, 2010

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy has filed legislation to authorize the purchase of an additional 25.5 acres in the vicinity of Riverhead’s Saw Mill Creek.

Levy Announces Preservation of 57-Acre Farm in Town of Riverhead - February 17, 2010

On Feb. 2, Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy announced the approval of legislation to preserve the 57-acre Harriman Estates Nursery Property in the town of Riverhead.

Levy Announces Preservation of 60 Acres in Wading River - February 17, 2010

On Feb. 2, Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy announced the joint acquisition of nearly 60 acres of open space in Wading River with the town of Brookhaven.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy Protects Over 25 Acres of Open Space in West Babylon - August 18, 2009

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy today announced his latest open space initiative, preserving over 25 acres of environmentally sensitive land within the Town of Babylon. Located along the Santapogue Creek in West Babylon, this 26-acre parcel of open space consists of three lots environmentally sensitive wetlands situated between Montauk Highway, residential communities and the Great South Bay Shopping Center.

More News >>