CCFE PROGRAMS

Water is essential to a prosperous and safe community. CCFE has been involved in efforts designed to improve and protect water resources in New York, Connecticut, and the nation.

The Great Lakes

New York State Great Lakes Conference
Once again, CCFE led organizing of the 4th annual New York State Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Conference Uniting NY’s Communities to Restore our Freshwater Coast at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Buffalo, NY on October 23, 2009. Co-sponsored by members of the Healing Our Waters Coalition, Great Lakes Research Consortium, and the Center for Environmental Information, the 4th annual conference was a great success. Over 90 participants attended from New York’s community of environmental, sporting groups, local businesses, academia, and government community to advance and implement Great Lakes restoration in federally and in NYS.

Participants discussed and developed strategy on Great Lakes protection.
Each year the conference has grown, building a robust and diverse New York Great Lakes community and solidifying its effectiveness to advocate for needed restoration and protection at local, state, regional, federal, and international levels of policymaking.

Great Lakes Ecosystem and Economic Restoration Breakfast
Featuring Congressman Dan Maffei and John Austin of the Brookings Institution, CCFE and the Town of Irondequoit hosted an engaging breakfast meeting with more than 50 key municipal, business, and conservation leaders to discuss the economic benefits of investing in Great Lakes ecosystem restoration in late May.

Boundary Water Treaty Centennial Celebration!
On June 12-13, 2009 the United States and Canada celebrated our shared waters and 100-year anniversary of the Boundary Waters Treaty that protects the magnificent Great Lakes system in Niagara Falls. The Boundary Waters Treaty is widely regarded as the world’s first environmental treaty, and is critical to protecting our shared water resources. To celebrate this historic event, CCE organized an environmental fair at Goat Island. Families learned how they can protect our environment while enjoying free, interactive, educational displays from environmental organizations, exotic mammals and reptiles, and creative children's environmental arts and crafts with the support of the Canadian Consulate General and the Greater Buffalo Community Foundation.

CCE Featured Writer on Great Lakes Town Hall week of July 20, 2009
Like the town meetings on which it is modeled, the Great Lakes Town Hall provides a "space" where residents from all across the Great Lakes basin can come together to share and explore what it means to be a Great Laker – from discussing common concerns and policy initiatives to sharing the unique culture and experiences of life on our Great Lakes. CCE’s Dereth Glance posted the following essays: Celebrating Success & Maximizing Momentum, Looking Beyond a Legacy of Pollution, Short, but sweet, summer on the Lakes, and Great Lakes Energy Future at the Great Lakes Town Hall.

Smart, Green, and Clean 21st Century Water Management in the Great Lakes Regional Caucus
CCE co-sponsored, along with the Clean Water Network, Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, with support from the Mott Foundation, Environmental Support Center and the Environmental Facilities Corporation. Grassroots clean water leaders gathered to discuss sustainable water management issues, with a strong focus on effective policies and programs to prevent polluted runoff. Participants explored policy solutions from the "top down" (federal programs and funding) and from the "ground up" (local programs) over the course of the caucus held in Buffalo, NY October 22-23, 2009.

Onondaga Lake Watershed
CCFE is an active stakeholder in the Onondaga Lake Bottom Remediation Consent Decree. In August 2009 CCFE’s Dereth Glance was appointed to the Citizen Participation Working Group for the Onondaga Lake Bottom Subsite (CPWG) and was elected Chair by her fellow appointees. The establishment of the CPWG is an achieving of a long term goal to promote robust public involvement with the toxic remediation and restoration one of the most polluted lakes in the country.

Onondaga Lake’s primary tributary, Onondaga Creek, is also plagued by a legacy of toxic and municipal sewage contamination and is the subject of its own clean-up and remediation process. CCFE works to engage the public and monitors cleanup and remediation efforts. Since the inception of the Onondaga Creek Clean-Up Day six years ago, CCFE participates and supports this event and educated the public on the importance of maintaining and cleaning urban waterways.

CCFE’s Sarah Eckel served on the Green Infrastructure Outreach Committee that helped advance green infrastructure strategies to achieve water pollution reduction requirements to reduce Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) and influenced the development and launch of the County’s robust and innovative ‘Save the Rain’ campaign.

New York and Connecticut Estuaries

CCE’s Maureen Dolan Murphy helps present the SSER 2009 Stewardship Award.

Long Island Estuaries
New York State is fortunate to have over 1,500 square miles of bays and estuaries and 120 miles of ocean shoreline. The Long Island Sound and the South Shore Estuary Reserve contribute to the regional economy, New York & Connecticut’s current culture, and their historical maritime culture. CCFE works to preserve, protect, and restore our ecologically important bays and estuaries. CCFE is an active member of the Long Island Sound Study Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) and chairs the South Shore Estuary Reserve (SSER) Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC). The LISS CAC meets 4 times a year and the SSER CAC meets bi-monthly.

CCFE also continues to serve on the SSER Stewardship Award Subcommittee. The subcommittee worked to put in place an annual “Stewardship Award” that is given to an individual, group, or business that has demonstrated dedication to protecting and preserving the estuary. The fifth annual South Shore Estuary Reserve (SSER) Stewardship Award to Mr. Cory Weyant and the Seatuck Environmental Association for their dedication in protecting and restoring the Reserve. The award was presented at the annual SSER Boat Tour, October 15, 2009. There were approximately 100 people in attendance.

Beaver Dam Creek Working Group
The town of Brookhaven established the Beaver Dam Creek Working Group in 2009 to assist and advise the town on strategies to address and ameliorate the environmental and human public health concerns caused by the leachate plume emanating from the towns landfill facility. CCFE is an active member of the working group. The working group assisted the town in identifying the extent of the plume, homeowners that need to be switched to public water supply, and additional monitoring areas. In 2009, the Beaver Dam Creek Taskforce met: January 1, February 27, April 3, July 10, and November 16.

Suffolk County Clam Management Workgroup
In order to protect and manage the possible recovery of the hard clam population in the Great South Bay, the Suffolk County Department of Environment and Energy convened the Great South Bay Hard Clam Restoration Working Group in late 2008. The working group was given 3 goals:

1. The development of interim management measures for the short-term protection and the juvenile hard clam population
2. The creation of a long-term management strategy for the protection of the health of the Great South Bay ecosystem and the return of a sustainable clam harvest from the Great South Bay Waters and
3. Increased coordination and emphasis on the enforcement of shellfish regulations and protections throughout the Great South Bay

CCFE is an active member of the working group. The working group has released their interim recommendations for the short-term protection of the juvenile hard clam population. In 2009 the working group met in February, March and September.

Long Island Sound (LIS) Protection
CCFE actively educates members of the public and elected leaders on the progress being made in restoring the health of Long Island Sound, as well as new emerging threats to the Sound. CCFE works to ensure that there is adequate money for protection and restoration of the Sound. In October of 2009 CCFE was asked to provide testimony to the House of Representatives Committee of Transportation and Infrastructure; Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment on the current state of LI Sound and future funding needs.

Invasive Species
The Carmans River, located in Brookhaven, NY, is one of four major rivers on Long Island. It used to be a 10-mile river, beginning north of the Long Island Expressway and flowing all the way to the Great South Bay. Centuries ago, dams were installed that created a series of lakes. The lakes have since provided energy, recreation, and a source of income for citizens in the area.

Recently, the Carmans River has been seriously threatened by two invasive plant species, Variable Leaf Milfoil and Cabomba. These are highly invasive species that have been increasing in population steadily since their introduction to the lakes a few years ago. These invasive species have become so concentrated that they have choked out native plants and marine life, inhibiting life in the river.

In December of 2007, a Carmans River Task Force was created to address the serious invasive plant problem. CCE teamed up with Yaphank residents, elected officials, and other organizations to address the problems in these lakes. CCE’s Executive Director, Adrienne Esposito, oversees the seventeen diverse members that make up the working group. The main goal of the Task Force is to review and evaluate all options of management and eradication of the invasive species of the upper and lower lakes. The Task Force has recommended remediation options to the Town of Brookhaven for addressing these invasive species, in ways that will cause the least possible harm to the native plants and marine life in the lakes. Nelson, Pope & Voorhis, have been chosen by the town as the contractors to do the feasibility study. The task force met in March and September in 2009. Over 30 people attend each meeting.

New York State Sea Grass Taskforce
Seagrass populations are declining worldwide, and in New York’s marine waters alone, as much as 75%-90% of our native seagrass, eelgrass, has been lost since 1930. Some hypothesized causes of the decline include the “wasting disease”, recent harmful algal blooms such as brown tide, reduced water quality, boating/fishing/shell fishing activities and rising water temperatures. Recognizing the importance of seagrasses to the health of local waters, the resources they support, and the subsequent need to research, monitor, and restore these valuable habitats, on July 26th 2006 Governor Pataki enacted Chapter 404 of the Laws of 2006, establishing a Seagrass Task Force within the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). Citizens Campaign Fund for the Environment is a member of the taskforce. The NYS Seagrass Task Force was charged with developing and presenting a seagrass management plan and recommendations to the Governor and state officials by December 31, 2009. This report was completed in Dec 2009. Meetings Jan 8, March 10, April 15, June 24, Aug 24 and Dec 1, 2009.

Power Plants Kill Fish
In June 2009 CCE launched a new campaign entitled “Power Plants Kill Fish” to educate members of the public and elected officials on how Long Island’s 5 steam electric power plants effect marine life. CCE worked with Network for New Energy Choices (NNEC) to release the report “Power Plants Kill Fish: National Grids LI Power Plants and their Adverse Effects on Coastal Fish”. The report documented billions of fish, fish larvae, and fish eggs are killed annually due to the power plants antiquated open loop cooling systems. The report also highlighted how new technology, namely closed loop cooling can reduce fish kills by 95%. Along with the report CCE & NNEC created and distributed over 5,000 copies of a public friendly brochure.

Suffolk County Sewage District and Wastewater Taskforce
In March 2008, Suffolk County established a Suffolk County Sewage District and Wastewater taskforce to deal with the critical issue of sewage in Suffolk County. Suffolk County is 75% unsewered, with most of the residents having cesspools, and many of the businesses not having access to hook up to a sewage treatment plant. The taskforce was established to create a plan that recommends sewer priorities to the County; which could include upgrading and expanding existing plants and adding new facilities. Citizens Campaign Fund for the Environment is a member of the taskforce. In 2008 the taskforce held 5 public meetings (March 20, April 23, May 29, August 11, August 18, and November 6), where they heard from residents, businesses, and municipalities on sewage and sewer concerns. The taskforce anticipates the release of their comprehensive plan in early 2009. The results of the Task Force was released in Spring 2009.

Byram Watershed
The Byram River serves as the border between Greenwich, Connecticut and Port Chester, NY. The River is 20 miles long and is an important tributary for the Long Island Sound. It acts a nursery for many signature aquatic species that benefit the food web and the regional fishing industry. Due to outdated sewage pipes, illegal hookups into storm water pipes, and non-point source pollution, the river is polluted and does not meat EPA standards for bacteria contents. In March, CCFE worked with the Byram Watershed Coalition to promote and host an educational symposium at the Greenwich Library to present the river’s beauty, potential, and challenges. More than 50 people attended the event.

CCFE continues to work with the Byram Watershed Coalition to further the process of transforming Byram River into a clean and healthy river for New York and Connecticut. The Byram Watershed Coaltion meets four times a year. In December, CCFE met with the Port Chester Village Manager to discuss the Villages’ plan to meet EPA standards to ensure a healthy and clean river.

Desalination
Throughout 2009, CCFE has worked with the Rockland Coalition for Sustainable Water to promote water conservation, water efficiency, and green infrastructure throughout Rockland County to avoid the construction of an energy intensive water filtration plant from being built along the Hudson River. The Hudson River is an important estuary that contributes to New York’s economy, heritage, recreation, environment, and aesthetic beauty. A desalination plant will use enormous amounts of energy, contribute to climate change, and have a significant negative impact on the quality of this important river.

In the spring, CCFE worked with the Rockland Coalition for Sustainable Water to organize an educational forum, which highlighted the importance of the Hudson River, the dangers of desalination, and environmentally friendly alternatives. In October, CCFE also worked with the Rockland Coalition to host an environmental debate between incumbent Rockland County Executive Scott Vanderhoef and the challenger, Orangetown Supervisor Thom Kleiner, focusing on water issues including desalination and water conservation. The Rockland Coalition meets on a monthly basis with over 20 participating members.

Ocean Protection

In 2009 CCFE continued collaborations with a number of environmental organizations in the NY Ocean and Great Lake Coalition to advance ocean and Great Lakes protection and restoration. CCFE, in conjunction with the coalition, is active in educating the public and policymakers on Ecosystem Based Management (EBM). EBM takes a holistic protection approach, which is a positive departure from the species-by-species management approach that state agencies have historically taken. CCFE participated in 2 New York State stakeholder forums on Ecosystem Based Management, one at Hofstra University (February 24) and one at Stony Brook University (February 26).