Estuary program asks $14,450 for support: Would be annual contribution for three years
A Peconic Estuary Partnership (PEP) representative brought a status report to the Town Board at Tuesday’s work session on projects funded by the five East End towns and a request for Shelter Island to increase its contribution to $14,450 for each of the next three years.
This year, the town’s contribution is $11,900; contributions started in 2021, with $5,950 and $8,925 in 2022. That represents the lowest amount paid by any of the five East End towns, with Southampton contributing the largest amount, with its share for 2024 through 2026 expected to be $467,500 each year.
Shelter Island’s contribution would come from the real estate transfer tax based on a recommendation from the Water Quality Improvement Advisory Board to the Town Board that makes the final decision on how the money is to be allocated.
PEP Outreach Coordinator Valerie Virgona outlined a wide number of projects in which the PEP has played an important role in the past three years, with specific attention to projects of interest to Shelter Islanders.
PEP was just evaluated by the Environmental Protection Agency and rated “proficient,” and Ms. Virgona noted PEP program is celebrating its 30th year.
Among the programs in which PEP has been involved are partnerships with the United States Geological Survey, Stony Brook University, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Cornell Cooperative Extension. Perhaps the best known projects involving Shelter Island is the USGS and PEP tidal monitoring system installed at South Ferry last December.
It was purchased and installed with Suffolk County capital funds to expand the USGS network of flood-resilient tide gauges and water quality monitoring in a vulnerable area of the central Peconic.
South Ferry President Cliff Clark provided space for the installation and monitoring with one requirement — that it serve as an educational tool to bring students to the site to learn about the importance of protecting water quality and the tools available to deal with issues in the region.
Other PEP programs are:
• Monitoring West Neck, Menantic and Dickerson creeks on Shelter Island.
• Otter surveys in the Peconics where Councilman Jim Colligan said one has been spotted at Fresh Pond and one or two at Kettle Pond at the Mashomack Preserve.
• The Eastern Peconic Blue Carbon project to sequester carbon and bio-extraction of nutrients in the area with a Stony Brook team using kelp, oysters and seagrasses to mitigate climate changes.
• Monitoring alewives that prey on small fish and shrimp. As a small schooling fish, alewives are preyed upon by many species of fish and wildlife, including species of high economic value, such as striped bass.
With Mr. Colligan’s leadership, the Island has taken an active role in PEP programs to support efforts to protect local and surrounding waterways.
