Today, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Chris Murphy (D-CT) reintroduced the Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Reauthorization Act. The Long Island Sound borders New York and Connecticut, with more than 20 million people living within 50 miles of the Sound’s beaches. Decades of high levels of pollution, dumping of dredged materials, and releases of untreated sewage have put the Sound’s wildlife population, fisheries, water quality, and surrounding communities at risk. The economic viability of the Sound, which contributes around $9.4 billion annually to the regional economy, is dependent on activities like sport and commercial fishing, boating, recreation, and tourism. This bill would reauthorize a total of $65 million annually for water quality and shore restoration programs.
“Passage of the Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Reauthorization Act is necessary to protect one of New York’s most important natural and economic treasures,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I’m leading the charge to reauthorize $65 million annually for restoration efforts that will preserve the Sound’s long-term health for generations to come.”
“The Long Island Sound is a natural treasure and economic engine for New York that draws families, boaters, tourists, and anglers to our shores,” said Senator Schumer. “I’ve worked hard to deliver the federal funding to protect, clean up, and improve the Sound, its habitats, and beaches, but there is more work to be done. The Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Reauthorization Act will authorize $65 million annually for projects that will boost the Sound’s water quality, restore its shorelines and coastal wetlands, and ensure a cleaner environment for New Yorkers for generations to come.”
“Urgent action is needed to protect and preserve Long Island Sound – an ecological treasure home to precious wildlife,” said Senator Blumenthal. “The reauthorization of $65 million annually will support efforts to restore shore programs and improve water quality, after sewage, runoffs and other contaminants have polluted the Sound for years. I’ll continue to fight to protect Long Island Sound for nearby communities, wildlife populations, and future generations to thrive.”
“Shoreline communities in Connecticut rely on a clean, healthy Long Island Sound. We made historic investments in its restoration over the past few years, and we can’t afford to roll back that progress. I’m glad to team up with Leader Schumer and Senators Gillibrand and Blumenthal on this bill to protect the future of the Sound,” said Senator Murphy.
Representatives Nick LaLota (R-NY) and Joe Courtney (D-CT) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives. The bill is also supported by stakeholder groups in New York and Connecticut.
“The Long Island Sound is more than just a body of water—it’s a vital part of life for communities across Suffolk County. Protecting the Sound means supporting the local economies that depend on tourism, fishing, recreation and maritime industries. That’s why I proudly introduced companion legislation to Senator Gillibrand’s bill in the House, in partnership with my colleague across the aisle and across the Sound, Congressman Courtney. This bipartisan, bicameral effort underscores our shared commitment to investing in the future of our communities, environment, and the countless people who rely on the Sound. These legislative measures will safeguard the Sound and its watershed for generations to come, reinforcing my commitment to improving the quality of life for all Long Islanders,” said Rep. Nick LaLota.
“We are hitting the ground running in the new Congress to get the Long Island Sound Caucus’s top bipartisan priority across the finish line,” said Rep. Joe Courtney. “The Sound is a unique body of water and a powerful engine to our region’s fishing, shipbuilding, and ecotourism economies. Our bill ensures the Sound remains a valuable resource for our communities for years to come. I am confident that after the bill’s passage in the House last Congress and growing momentum in the Senate, we will once and for all send our bill to the President’s desk.”
“In the last decade there is much progress to report in restoring Long Island Sound. Water quality has improved, the dead zone has shrunk, wetlands have been restoration, fish passages have been created, and stormwater runoff is being filtered. We cannot stop now, we still have more to accomplish. The Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Reauthorization Act is critically needed to continue progress and ensure a healthy Sound for future generations. The Sound is an extension of our backyards, a gem that is beloved by millions of people. Thank you to Senator Gillibrand for her continued support championing protection for the Sound,” said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment.
“With its 1,194 square miles and over 23 million people living within fifty miles of its shorelines, Long Island Sound has served as a major economic driver for our local economies, estimated to exceed $10 Billion per year. The health of the Sound is critical to our economy, to the wildlife that inhabit it, and to the people who enjoy it. Over the past 20 years, the improved health of the Sound was made possible through projects funded by the bi-state and bipartisan Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Act. Since this Act expired at the end of 2024, it is critical that Congress reauthorize this bill and fund it at the authorized level of $65 million per year,” said Eric Swenson, Executive Director, Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee.
“Communities in Connecticut and New York depend on Long Island Sound for a vibrant economy as people near and far spend time here swimming, boating, fishing, and enjoying great seafood. Sustaining the Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Act enables everyone to work together for clean, healthy water and natural resources, which supports jobs around the region. A clean, resilient Long Island Sound is also essential to preserving populations of local plants and wildlife in the water and along the coastline,” saidHolly Drinkuth, Director of River and Estuary Conservation, The Nature Conservancy in CT.
“The continuation of efforts to preserve and restore the Long Island Sound depends on our youth. At Project Oceanology we raise students’ collective understanding of the vulnerability of the marine environment and what they can do to protect it. Our hands-on experiential educational programs are delivered on the waters and shorelines of the Sound. We integrate ocean literacy principles and Next Generation Science Standards into K-12 education. Since our founding in 1972 we have provided over one million participants including students, summer campers, teachers, and the public first hand opportunities to explore, learn, and take action,” said Andrew Ely, Executive Director of Project Oceanology.
“We are grateful to Senator Gillibrand and co-sponsors Senate Democratic Leader Schumer from New York and Senators Blumenthal and Murphy from Connecticut—for prioritizing the reauthorization of critical funding for clean water and restoration programs that protect and restore the health of Long Island Sound,” said Denise Stranko, executive vice president of programs for Save the Sound. “To reintroduce this bill this early in the new session demonstrates the leadership and commitment of our legislators from the Long Island Sound region, who have continued to champion this essential legislation and the important work it supports.”
“Investment in Long Island Sound is critical to the health of our communities,” said the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk Director of Conservation and Policy Dr. Sarah Crosby. “At The Maritime Aquarium, this investment is directly funding research that will inform restoration strategy and increase resilience of our salt marshes–ecosystems that protect coastlines from the devastating effects of hurricanes. We are grateful to Senators Gillibrand, Schumer, Blumenthal and Murphy, as well as Representatives LaLota and Courtney, for their unwavering support of Long Island Sound’s habitats and wildlife.”
“The Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Reauthorization Act is absolutely critical to the health and sustainability of the Sound as well as the prosperity of our coastal communities. On Long Island, the environment is the economy, and we commend and thank Senator Gillibrand and her fellow lawmakers for leading this charge and looking out for New Yorkers,” said Julie Tighe, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters.
In 1985, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in agreement with New York and Connecticut, created the Long Island Sound Study (LISS), a partnership charged with advancing efforts to restore the Sound and address low oxygen levels and excess nitrogen levels that have depleted fish and shellfish populations as well as hurt shoreline wetlands. In 1990, the Long Island Sound Improvement Act was passed, providing federal dollars to advance Sound cleanup projects, including wastewater treatment improvements.
In 2006, Congress passed the Long Island Sound Stewardship Act, which provided federal dollars for projects to restore the coastal habitat to help revitalize the wildlife population, coastal wetlands, and plant life. In 2018, Senator Gillibrand’s Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Act, which combined and reauthorized the two complementary water quality and habitat restoration programs, was enacted as a part of the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018. As of 2022, federal funding for the Long Island Sound had enabled programs to significantly reduce the amount of nitrogen entering the Long Island Sound from sewage treatment plants by 70.3% compared to the 1990s, reduce hypoxic conditions by 58% compared to the 1990s, restore at least 2,239 acres of coastal habitat, and fund 570 conservation projects.
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