Long Island Sound is a vital recreational, tourist and economic resource to New York and Connecticut, generating over $8.5 billion in annual revenue for the local economy. The health of the Sound is important to the livelihood of the communities that surround it. There are over 20 million people that live within a 50-mile radius of Long Island Sound—that’s 10% of the United States population! CCE is very active in working to restore and protect the Sound. We have led the fight against Broadwater, a liquefied natural gas facility, fended off plans to dump toxic dredged material into the Sound, and continually advocate for adequate federal funding to continue restoration efforts.

On Tuesday October 6, 2009, CCE’s Adrienne Esposito testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment. Read Adrienne’s testimony, and watch the video from the hearing.

CCE’s Long Island Sound campaigns:

Lobster Moratorium
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission recently proposed a five year moratorium on harvesting lobsters from New Jersey to Massachusetts. CCE strongly opposes this moratorium, which would completely devastate the few remaining lobstermen in the Sound. The proposed solution does not address the problem; the decline of the species is not due to over fishing, but comes as a result of warming waters. CCE supports implementing a federal bi-state v-notch program as this program has proved successful in the past. A v-notch program would protect the species while also maintaining the maritime history and generational livelihood of lobstermen in the Sound.

Comments to the Department of Environmental Protection re: Lobster Moratorium

Comments to Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission re: Lobster Moratorium

Long Island Sound Protection
The Long Island Sound is a vital recreational, tourist and economic resource to New York and Connecticut, generating over $5.5 billion in annual revenue for the local economy. CCE continues to work to secure funding and actively participates in all cleanup efforts in the Sound.

Broadwater: Liquefied Natural Gas Facility Endangers Long Island Sound Victory!
The attacks on Long Island Sound continue. Broadwater, a venture between Shell Oil and TransCanada Pipeline, is seeking to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility nine miles off Rocky Point in the middle of the Long Island Sound. If approved this facility could represent the first of its kind throughout the world and would be the largest industrial use in the Sound. CCE is working to stop development of this LNG facility.

Long Island Sound Dredged Materials Victory!
On April 9, 2004, the Environmental Protection Agency released a plan to designate two sites in Long Island Sound as long-term dumpsites, to receive 20 million cubic yards of untreated dredged material. CCE opposed this harmful plan. In spring of 2005, New York and Connecticut came to an agreement, which marked the beginning of the end to dumping in the Sound!

Millstone Nuclear Power Station
Millstone Nuclear Power Station in Waterford, Connecticut uses 2 billion gallons of Long Island Sound water per day for its outdated "once-through cooling system” which kills billions of larvae, eggs, juveniles, and adult fish through entrainment, impingement, and thermal shock. CCE is working to urge the CT Department of Environmental Protection to require Millstone upgrade its cooling system to a "closed-cycle system" to protect marine life by reducing water usage by 90%.

Updated by tbono 7/22/10