New York's Long Island Sound "No Discharge Zone"

You would have thought that this would have happened along time ago but yesterday New York State officials announced today that they are calling for New York's portion of Long Island Sound to be designated as a marine vessel "No Discharge Zone" by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

A "No Discharge Zone" (NDZ) designation means that boaters can't dump their sewage into these waters. Instead, boaters would dispose of their sewage at designated pump-out stations. Sewage from boats sometimes contains harmful levels of formaldehyde, phenols and chlorine, which are a risk to human health, and hurt marine life and habitats.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), along with the state Environmental Facilities Corp. (EFC) and the Department of State (DOS), has petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requesting the designation to protect Long Island Sound. The petition calls for a one-year phase-in for commercial vessels to comply with the No Discharge Zone to allow time for pumpout stations serving such boats to be built.

"With this request, we are taking an important step to protect and improve the quality of Long Island Sound's waters," DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis said. "In addition to making the water cleaner, this move will help in the on-going efforts to restore the Sound's aquatic habitat and make recreational opportunities in the Sound more enjoyable. This action will provide benefits for generations to come."

New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) President and C.E.O. Matthew J. Driscoll said: "Designating the Long Island Sound an NDZ will be a watershed moment for environmental protection in New York. For decades, the Sound's waters have had to cope with boat-related pollution. In requesting the NDZ designation, we recognize its invaluable recreational and commercial benefits, estimated at roughly $8 billion per year. At the same time, we are pleased to work closely with our state partners and coastal communities to provide boaters the services needed to restore and protect this remarkable waterbody."

Since 1976, New York State has established 12 other No Discharge Zones, including five on Long Island Sound: Mamaroneck Harbor (1997), the Greater Huntington-Northport Bay Complex (2000), the Port Jefferson Harbor Complex (2001), the Oyster Bay-Cold Spring Harbor Complex (2008), and Hempstead Harbor (2008). In May, DEC announced that it had set 2012 as a goal to establish No Discharge Zones for all water bodies in New York State.

In 2006, Connecticut declared all of their Long Island Sound waters as a No Discharge Zone. While New York State had been focusing on establishing No Discharge Zones for individual bays in the Sound, a more recent evaluation shows there are enough pumpout facilities to establish a No Discharge Zone for the entire Sound.

"New York State is blessed with some of the most incredible water resources in the nation which we treasure as both environmental and economic assets," Commissioner Grannis added. "Every step we take to protect and improve these resources is important for to ensure a step forward in creating healthy, vibrant, successful communities."

An chance for the public to comment will be announced in the Federal Register. After that the EPA will decide as to whether there are enough vessel pumpouts to support the No Discharge Zone. If EPA agrees, the No Discharge Zone would be enforced by DEC law enforcement, State Police and local authorities.