Town funds shellfish restoration: $200,000 comes from water committee’s money

Patience paid off this month for representatives of the Cornell Cooperative Extension Marine Program when the Town Board approved a $200,000 allocation from Water Quality Improvement money (WQI) to boost shellfish habitat restoration.

According to The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, oysters, for example, “feed by filtering algae from the water, ultimately removing nutrients from the water, which, in excess, can degrade the aquatic environment. A single adult oyster can filter more than 50 gallons of water a day.”

From the start, aquaculture coordinator Kate Rossi-Snook has been the Island’s voice calling for restoration of the habitats that contribute to improved water quality.

She and Kimberly Barbour, Cornell Cooperative’s Marine Program Outreach Manager, and other Cornell Cooperative colleagues, have told the WQI and Town Board that the $200,000 price tag amount would not be sought in the future, but is needed now for the start-up.

“Without support from the town it’s unlikely efforts will be able to continue in 2023, as work and personnel will have to be directed to sites with commitments of funding in place,” the group said in an appeal made to the WQI.

A public hearing on the proposed funding was held March 14 with Town Board members posing numerous questions to Ms. Rossi-Snook and Ms. Barbour. Bayman Bert Waife also raised a number of questions about other programs aimed at improving outcomes for oysters and other shellfish, as well as eelgrass the grass that grows in bay bottoms.

The hearing was closed with no further comments.

WQI members ultimately decided to recommend the funding to the Town Board, which makes a final decision on money spent from the committee’s allocation of real estate transfer taxes.

WQI gets 20% of money allocated to the Community Preservation Fund through the real estate transfer tax paid by buyers of properties on the Island. The other 80% provides money to preserve open spaces, keeping them free from development.

“The multitude of species to be cultivated and propagated in support of water quality and habitat restoration goals calls for a wide scope of expertise, infrastructure and technical implementation of proven methodology,” according to the proposal submitted to the WQI.

The money will help to pay for personnel, purchase equipment and materials needed to conduct the project.

The startup involves site selection, the permitting process, test plantings and monitoring of the oyster, clam, bay scallop and eelgrass plantings.

As for future funding, the Marine Program seeks money from various agencies, foundations and contributors to continue to expand its operations throughout its many locations.

The highest restoration success and improvement of water quality comes from long-term commitments to expand, maintain and monitor restoration efforts, the representatives told the WQI and, subsequently, the Town Board.

The program contacts citizen scientists — volunteers, including students interested in participating in the program to learn from the professionals .

“Residents and visitors will be able to become educated on water quality issues and how land-based practices may impact the health of our environment and quality of our ground and surface waters,” according to the proposal.