Today, Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Suffolk County), Co-Chair of the bipartisan Long Island Sound Caucus, released the following statement after securing $40 million for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Long Island Sound geographic program.
“From fishing to tourism to its role as a critical natural resource, the Long Island Sound is much more than a body of water, it is a way of life. I’m thrilled to announce that I was able to secure $40 million to preserve the Sound in this year’s government funding process,” said LaLota. “This vital funding will help address pollution, improve water quality, restore important habitats, and protect the Sound for decades to come. The Sound provides invaluable resources to Long Island families, and I am committed to its preservation to ensure a healthier environment for future generations.”
“This funding supports so many critical clean water initiatives, including the Unified Water Study, which Save the Sound launched to enable groups around Long Island Sound to collect consistent, comparable water quality data from our bays and harbors. Now in its eighth season, the Unified Water Study features 27 partner groups, including Save the Sound, monitoring 46 bays and harbors along the margins of the Sound,” said Denise Stranko, Executive Vice President of Programs for Save the Sound. “The more we can track and document the impact of nitrogen pollution, the more effectively we can work to protect the environmental health of those bays and harbors. We appreciate Representative LaLota's efforts in securing this essential federal funding.”
Background:
In 1985, Congress created the Long Island Sound Study (LISS) to identify and address the major environmental problems affecting the Long Island Sound. The LISS brings together the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), New York State, Connecticut, non-profit organizations, and educational institutions to help restore and protect the Long Island Sound, including the watershed, which spans up towards New Hampshire and Vermont into Canada.
In September 2023, LaLota introduced the bipartisan Long Island Sound Stewardship and Restoration Act, which would reauthorize the Long Island Sound Program to ensure the protection and preservation of the Sound. The Long Island Sound Stewardship and Restoration Act would reauthorize the Long Island Sound Program through 2028.
In January 2024, LaLota testified at a Natural Resources Committee hearing in support of his Long Island Sound Stewardship and Restoration Act. The same month, LaLota testified at the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in support of including a reauthorization of the Long Island Sound Program in the biannual Water Resources Development Act.
The funding for the Sound is provided by the Interior and Environment Appropriations bill which was signed into law in March.
Previously, LaLota announced $1.3 million in federal funding for the Town of Smithtown’s stormwater infrastructure.
For a list of all funding secured by Rep. LaLota in FY24, click HERE.