HEMPSTEAD HARBOR PROTECTION COMMITTEE
FINAL MEETING MINUTES
Meeting of August 6, 2003
Sea Cliff Village Hall – 7:30 pm
Present: Eric Swenson, Director, Tom Ryan (Oyster Bay), Aldona Lawson (Oyster Bay) Fred Pollack (N. Hempstead), Len Shaw (Roslyn), Danielle Oglesby (Glen Cove)
Discussion: (action items underlined)
I Call to Order at 7:40 pm
II Approval of Minutes of July 9, 2003 meeting – motion by Tom Ryan, seconded by Aldona
Lawson. Approved unanimously.
III Municipal Reports –
Oyster Bay – applied for an EPF grant for design of the KeySpan parcel if and when the Town takes ownership of it.
North Hempstead – issued a final scoping document for Hin Fin. It is now up to the developer to prepare the DEIS.
IV LIS CAC and Civic Group Updates – (none)
V Subcommittee Reports
Outreach & Public Education – a meeting is planned for later this month to brainstorm ideas for
submission to the Long Island Sound Study for its 2003-2004 small grants program (see below).
It is hoped that we can obtain a grant or grants to assist us in accomplishing some of our Phase II
public educational commitments. Since many of the original members of this subcommittee are no longer on the full committee, an influx of new members is needed. Eric will send out an appeal for municipal representatives and affiliate group representatives to join.
VI Announcements, Updates & Upcoming Events
Army Corps of Engineering meeting – a meeting with the Army Corps of Engineers will be held this Friday, August 8th at 10:00 am at the Town of North Hempstead law library to discuss the lower harbor habitat restoration study. Bill and Eric plan to attend. The meeting will also include the Manhasset Bay Protection Committee and discussion of a similar study in Manhasset Bay.
VII Funding Update
Nassau County funding contract – The Sea Cliff village attorney has faxed his comments on the draft agreement to the county attorney and we waiting to hear back from them.
2003 Dues – all members have paid with the exception of Nassau County, the Town of Oyster Bay and The City of Glen Cove.
VIII Harbor Management Plan
A review session was held on July 16th. John Ellsworth felt that he had most of the information necessary to address the Department of State’s comments. Two main areas require further information from the municipalities with respect to chapter 3 (inventory) and chapter 5 (quality communities):
- updating of any information shown in the draft sections
- the addition of further details to Map 3-6 with respect to areas where personal watercraft or excessive wakes are problems; any swimming areas not already identified; areas where dock applications are pending; areas where trail enhancements are a priority; areas where shoreline protection (bulkheading) needs to be more stringently controlled; areas where important scenic resources should be targeted for preservation; priority locations for enhanced public access; and specific areas for wetland restoration.
(Note: on July 29th, Eric circulated a supplemental information questionnaire to the municipal members with a request that this information be forwarded to John Ellsworth)
Issue of jurisdictional boundaries - in addition, it will be necessary for Glen Cove and the five villages to locate documents that describe their municipal boundaries. It was hoped that this information would be found in the Department of State’s files but a search did not reveal such information.
(Note: on August 6th, Eric e-mailed the municipal members with a copy of Cashin’s letter explaining the need for this information). A copy is attached.
Once Cashin receives this information and updates the draft plan, the Committee will hold a public meeting to obtain public comment on the document before finalizing it.
IX Phase II Measurable Goals Progress
Taking ownership of measurable goals (status) – Eric reported that volunteers have been obtained for 19 of the 32 measurable goals. The original intent was for each representative to “adopt” 3 or 4 goals. Since some merely volunteered their municipality (rather than individual representatives), we still have 13 goals that are looking for their owners. It was agreed that Eric would re-circulate the list showing who has volunteered for which item and request that other volunteers be solicited. Adopters need not be municipal members.
X Upcoming Grant Opportunities
There are two grant opportunities available – Long Island Sound Study small grants ($2,000 to $10,000) due September 12th and NYS DEC Water Quality Improvement Projects (Phase II Stormwater Implementation portion ($100,000 if all our municipalities commit to it) due September 30th.
Long Island Sound Study grants – grants are offered in the following categories and amounts:
National Estuaries Day (Sept. 25, 2004) events ($2,000 max.)
Education and Participation Projects ($5,000 max.)
Exotic Species Awareness ($10,000 max.)
Projects would be announced by October 31st and must be completed by Sept. 30, 2004. If awarded, this work would start around the end of the year and be completed by September 30th of next year. Unlike some other grants, they will fund overhead and administrative costs including salaries so we may be able to pick up some of the costs for the Executive Director through this grant.
We believe that the public education grants fit in well with many of our public education / public involvement Phase II measurable goals and that selecting appropriate projects for funding would be a good exercise for a newly reinvigorated Outreach and Public Education subcommittee.
Since we are not involved with exotic species, if we were to apply, it would be for one of the first two categories. Examples of the types of projects that they are looking for are as follows:
Here is a list of the measurable goals / management practices that we see as potentially eligible for funding:
EDUATION GRANTS:
Classroom Education / School Programs
Outreach to commercial entities
Printed materials
Media campaign
Library of Educational materials
Speakers to Community Groups
Proper Lawn and garden care
Pollution prevention for businesses
Trash management
Proper disposal of household hazardous wastes
Local stormwater contacts
Website development
Attitude and awareness survey
Mailing list development and use
Storm drain stenciling
Stakeholder meetings
Educational materials on failing septic systems
Publicize availability of recreational sewage facilities
NATIONAL ESTUARY DAY ACTIVITY GRANTS
Events and programs
Displays
Posters & Signs
Attitude and Awareness Survey
Stream, Beach and Roadway cleanup
Wetland Plantings
Other ideas for National Estuaries Day - festivals, mobile exhibits, canoe and kayak tours, theatre, native plant sales, fishing clinics, beach grass plantings, beach cleanups, curb your dog campaign, estuary paddle, birding festival, etc.
Other ideas for Education and participation projects - household hazardous waste collections, watershed initiatives, impervious surface inventories, beach clean up, storm drain stenciling, monitoring, fish ladder installation, habitat restoration, septic system maintenance, discourage waterfowl feedings, curriculum inventory, a travelling display that could be used at festivals such as HarborFest - banner(s), literature display racks, printing of brochures, giveaways.
Details on their grant offering can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/region01/eco/lis/smgrants/04rfp.pdf
DEC Water Quality Improvement Project grants –
This series of grants which was just announced covers several areas. Those which appear most pertinent to the Committee are in the areas of Aquatic Habitat Restoration, Nonagricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control and MS4 Phase II Stormwater Implementation, the latter of which appears to fit mostly with the current needs of the Committee.
Funding under the Phase II portion is based on the number of MS4s participating. Less than 8
MS4s qualify for a $50,000 grant. 8 to 20 MS4s qualify for a $100,000 grant.
Note that we currently have 9 grants awarded and 2 others that we have applied for. All of these together have a cash commitment of approximately $150,000 with about $200,000 additional “in kind” services. Without Nassau County’s funding, we will not have the cash necessary to meet these commitments. In addition, one of the applications in process is for a DEC grant for $150,000 for Phase II implementation. This 75% grant would cover much of the same areas eligible for the new grant which is only a 50% grant. In light of these factors, discussion ensued as to whether we should be applying for the DEC grant. It was felt that we should apply since it is uncertain that we will be awarded the earlier grant but we should make it clear that we may not pursue this if we receive adequate funding under the earlier grant request. Eric agreed to discuss this further with Bill.
XI GIS Stormwater Inventory update - Eric reported that Nassau County was in the process of finalizing the data and that the project should be closed out shortly.
XII Other Items -
New Standard for Beach Closures – As a follow-up to our last meeting, Carol has spoken to John Jacobs from the Nassau County Department of Health and he has agreed to meet with the Committee at its October 8th meeting to discuss the new standard and its impacts. It appears that if the new (enterococcus) standard were in place this year, we would have had a number of beach closures this summer. It is thus critical that our residents are aware of the new standard.
Concrete Rubble behind tennis courts in Roslyn – Len Shaw reported that he had visited the site and had taken photographs. It appears that the concrete rubble and dirt piles are kept separate from the concrete rubble and that the piles are not as close to the water as originally thought. A rough estimate is that they are about 30 feet back from the water. A draft letter from the Committee to the Village has been prepared and is being reviewed. All the Committee can really do is voice its concern.
Next Meeting Dates: Wednesday, September 10th at 7:30 pm at Sea Cliff Village Hall
(NOTE: SEPT. MEETING CANCELLED)
Wednesday, October 8th at 7:30 pm at Sea Cliff Village Hall
The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:30 pm