Hempsteadharbor Protection Committee

HEMPSTEADHARBOR PROTECTION COMMITTEE

FINALMEETING MINUTES

Meeting of September 24, 2008

Sea Cliff Village Hall – 7:00 pm

NOTES: Items Requiring Action areItalicized and underlined in Bold.

Present: Bill Clemency (Chair, Flower Hill); Eric Swenson (Director), Joel Ziev (North Hempstead); Kevin Braun (North Hempstead), Councilman Fred Pollack (North Hempstead), Dan Maddock (Sea Cliff), Carol DiPaolo (Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor) and Sarah Deonarine(Long Island Sound Study Coordinator - NYS DEC, Bureau of Marine Resources).

Call to Order

Bill called the meeting to order shortly after 7:00 pm.

Approval of Minutes of August 6, 2008

Dan Maddock moved to accept the minutes. Kevin Braun seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

Announcements, Reminders, & Upcoming Events

Eric made the following announcements:

Sea Cliff Mini Mart – will take place on Sunday October 5, 2008 (Stormwater or No Stormwater – i.e. rain or shine). The Committee will have a double booth again this year. Eric has re-designed the display and had a printer professionally produce 12 laminated panels that explain various projects being undertaken by the Committee. Members are encouraged to stop by and/or help out at the booth.

Long Island Press article “Sick Bay – How Our Fragile Waters – And Our Health Are At Risk” appeared in the August 28 – Sept. 3 issue. Eric reported that it gave a very good overview of the problems associated with stormwater but it did not mention steps that the reader could take to help address the problems. Eric sent an e-mail to the paper and the author contacted him and stated that he made a valid point and asked if he could run Eric’s comments as a Letter to the Editor. Eric was unsure as to whether the letter was printed.

Report on Social Marketing Workshop - Carol DiPaolo reported that she, Aldona Lawson and Eric attended the Long Island Sound Study’s workshop at Planting Fields Arboretum on September 10thand that it was interesting and worthwhile. She stated that social marketing is a more holistic approach to promoting issues in that it focuses on a specific audience and then looks at what motivates them to act (rather than simply educating them). Eric pointed out that it also frequently uses a multi-pronged approach with many different community or government groups jointly pushing the same issue from different angles. The day-long workshop was a combination of presentations and hands-on exercises. During the exercises, the audience was divided into several groups and each group picked an issue and through the exercises, various methods were chosen. The group that Carol, Aldona and Eric participated in chose the topic of how to get homeowners or businesses to maintain their septic systems. Eric has a manual on disc if anyone is interested.

New Glen Cove DPW Director and HHPC Representative– Eric reported that Glen Cove will soon have a new DPW Director and HHPC Representative. He is Bill Arshanhault, a Glen Cove resident who formerly worked for Gannett Fleming (an engineering firm).

New conceptual plan for Glen Isle project in Glen Cove – Eric mentioned that the Glen Cove IDA and CDA have approved a new conceptual plan for the waterfront development project and that RexCorp - Glen Isle Partners has agreed to give a presentation on the proposal at the next HHPC meeting. [NOTE that since the meeting, RexCorp – Glen Isle Partners has requested that they be given a chance to give a public presentation in Glen Cove prior to giving one to the Committee]. The conceptual plan includes 860 residential units including 180 rental apartments and 86 units of workforce housing; approximately 41,000 square feet of cultural / arts and entertainment uses; a 250-suite hotel complex and luxury spa; new catering / restaurant facilities; approximately 50,000 square feet of office space; approximately 32,000 square feet of complementary retail space; a marina with 85 boat slips and 19.3 acres of public open space along the north side of Glen Cove Creek and adjacent to Garvies Point Preserve.

National Grid proposal to replace bulkhead at Glenwood Power Station – Eric reported that National Grid has applied to the NYS DEC for a permit to replace 577 linear feet of bulkhead a maximum of 36 1/2" seaward of the existing bulkhead and place 1950 cubic yards of backfill. Due to lack of clarity on the application, it was initially unclear as to whether the new bulkhead would extend 36-1/2 inches or 36-1/2 feet into the harbor. After discussion with DEC and calculating the amount of backfill, it became clear that it was “inches”. The Committee did not see a problem with the application but would like to see the inclusion, if possible, of a public walkway along the bulkhead. Eric will relay this to the DEC.

Municipal Updates

Sea Cliff – Dan Maddock mentioned that the Village will be commemorating its 125th anniversary on Sunday, September 28th at CliftonPark from noon to 5:00 pm and that all Committee members are invited to attend. In conjunction with this milestone, the Village has published a special 125th Anniversary Commemorative Edition of the Sea Cliff Bulletin which highlights the history and accomplishments of the Village. Included in this is mention of the waterfront revitalization that has taken place in the Village and mention is made of the village’s participation in the Committee and its efforts. Dan presented the Committee with a copy. Dan also mentioned that the beach improvement project is about a month away from completion. The Village is awaiting the delivery of railings for the new sidewalk and new boat racks. New lighting is about to be installed.

North Hempstead – Kevin Braun mentioned that the Town would be closing on the “Scotto property” within the next few days and that this was the final piece of property necessary to complete the harbor trail from what used to be called “Bar Beach” south to the Roslyn viaduct. The Town already has a grant for trail construction over this area. The Town will also receive nearly $ 20,000 in funds from the Nassau County Soil and Water Conservation District for the removal of invasive species and planting of native species in the restored wetland areas south of HempsteadHarborPark and Beach. The Town will be hiring the firm of EEA, Inc. to carry this out. The Town is also in the process of selecting advisory committee members for its Blueway trail project in the harbor. Kevin also mentioned that signs have been put up by the launching ramps advising that personal watercraft are prohibited in the lower harbor. With respect to the proposed Hin Fin development, Kevin reported that the Town is awaiting the submission of site plans from the developer.

Oyster Bay – Eric reported that the Town had successful beach cleanups in Oyster BayHarbor and in South Oyster Bay as part of international beach cleanup day. The Town is also moving forward with a grant toward the purchase of a floating restroom for Oyster BayHarbor

LISS CAC and Civic Group Updates

L.I. Sound Study Citizens Advisory Committee – Joel Ziev reported that the CAC is in the process of reorganizing its subcommittees. Since many of the subcommittees have not really functioned as intended over the last few years and since they often overlapped with subcommittees of the Long Island Sound Study Management Committee, the CAC and the Management Committee will now primarily function with combined subcommittees with a few ad hoc committees unique to the CAC. At the CAC’s recent meeting in New York City which Joel, Carol, Eric and Aldona attended, presentations were given on New York City’s efforts to comply with the Long Island Sound nitrogen reduction goals and TMDL compliance.

Coalition to SaveHempsteadHarbor – Carol DiPaolo reported that the Coalition was involved in two beach cleanups on September 20th as part of international beach cleanup day. 19 persons participated at Sea Cliff Beach removing 19 bags totaling 232 pounds and 48 persons participated at TappenBeach collecting 16 bags weighing 75 pounds.

2008 Member Dues Update

Eric reported that all nine municipalities have now paid their 2008 dues.

Water Quality and Monitoring Programs

2008 monitoring program– Carol reported that the DEC recently conducted a fish survey in the harbor and that the results were interesting. Some fish that were rarely seen in the past were seen in significant numbers. This information will be included in the annual report. She also mentioned that she purchased a turbidity meter and has been attempting to correlate its readings with depth readings from a secchi disk. She mentioned that portions of the bulkheading in Glen Cove Creek have been re-built in the former Li Tungsten site area and the Nassau County DPW yard area. She pointed out that she has had ongoing difficulty in finding someone to analyze algae samples when she comes across algae blooms. There is only one person in the Nassau County Health Department that knows how to identify the various algae types and he does not work at the lab. He cooperates whenever he can but his regular duties often preclude him from doing so. After discussion, it was felt that this may be a good project for Glen Cove High School Marine Biology students (whose teacher had contacted the Committee asking about potential projects). Eric will contact the teacher to explore the idea of students performing analysis of the algae samples.

LIS Futures Fund Grant award– Eric mentioned that the Committee, through the Village of Sea Cliff, is expected to receive a $ 35,000 Long Island Sound Futures Fund grant for its 2008 water monitoring program and that the EPA will be holding a press conference in Rye, New York on September 26th. Carol DiPaolo planned to attend the event.

Shellfish re-opening project – Eric mentioned that a sufficient number of water quality samples have now been collected and the results show that part of the harbor meets the water quality criteria for re-opening of shellfish beds. Shellfish tissue samples were collected for analysis but unfortunately due to mishaps on the part of the overnight delivery service, the samples (which needed to remain frozen) embarked on a zig zag journey across the country for several days before reaching their respective labs. By the time the samples arrived, they had long since thawed out. As a result, additional samples will now need to be collected, prepared and sent to laboratories. The DEC also needs to conduct a shoreline sanitary survey (which is already underway) and once these are completed, undertake the regulatory process to declare the beds opened.

Shellfish density survey– Eric reported that the Town of Oyster Bay and its consultant, Cashin Associates, have completed the shellfish density survey of the harbor. Eric passed around a short summary which can also be found as an attachment to these minutes. The study is expected to be released sometime in October.

Shellfish Pathogens TMDL – meeting with DEC staff – Eric reported that a meeting has been set for October 16th with NYS DEC to discuss the shellfish pathogen TMDL that has been issued for HempsteadHarbor and 26 other waterbodies. The meeting was requested by the Committee due to concerns over the methods used to determine the required reduction in pathogens and in order to clarify its impact on local governments. Eric, Carol, Dan Fucci and possibly Ken Arnold are expected to attend.

No Discharge Zone Status

Eric reported that the EPA expects to issue its final approval on or about September 30th and then publish it in the Federal Register a few days later. At that point, the harbor will have its official status. Eric mentioned that he had been in touch with Newsday writer Bill Bleyer, who indicated that he may do a follow-up story when the EPA grants its final approval. Eric mentioned that this will dovetail with the Committee’s Clean Marinas project (see below).

Clean MarinasProject

Eric mentioned that on September 17th he and Aldona attended a half day workshop in Matawan, New Jersey on Clean Marinas. According to Eric, New Jersey is in the forefront of the 23 states with Clean Marina programs and New YorkState is among the least involved. Under the federal Clean Water Act, marina vessel wash water is prohibited from entering nearby surface waters. New Jersey and Connecticut are both taking steps to enforce this before the end of this year. New Jersey has issued a proposed Permit by Rule which is expected to be finalized soon. The workshop featured presentations by a number of marinas on the systems that they designed to capture and dispose or re-use the wash water. Systems cost from a few hundred dollars to over $ 20,000. Pressure washing of the boat bottoms can lead to wash water that contains copper, lead and zinc in part per million range. Because of small particle size, it is difficult to settle out these particles prior to discharge. In some cases, sewage treatment plants accept the discharge and in other cases, they do not. It appears that while the concentrations can be high, the overall volume of flow is not (the biggest marinas in NJ wash about 200 boats per year). Some have closed loop systems that filter and re-use the water but over time, the water becomes more and more concentrated to the point where it can become hazardous to use and then disposal becomes an even more costly and difficult process. Eric has contacted Ken Arnold to see if the Glen Cove wastewater treatment plant would accept marina vessel wash water and he has asked Peter Witkowski, also of NC DPW, to look into this. A discussion then ensued on the alternative bottom paints that are now on the market and whether these help solve the problem or help create new problems.

Coastal Signage II Project Update

Eric and Kevin reported that they are still awaiting approval from the DOS on the draft signs that were submitted.

Scudder’s Pond Subwatershed Study, Retrofits & Improvements

Eric reported that RFP responses for Scudder’s Improvements Phases I and II are due Friday, Sept. 26th. Assuming that the Committee / Village receive proposals, they will be circulated to the review team for review. As for the storm drain retrofit project, Eric mentioned that someone had suggested a possible solution to sampling in the catch basins. The suggestion was to use a battery-powered boat washout pump connected to a plastic tube that would be run to the discharge point of the catch basin inserts. The hose could be hung inside the catch basin and the pump carried with the sampler. Eric will discuss the idea with the two manufacturer representatives to see if this is feasible.

Powerhouse Drain Subwatershed Plan

Eric mentioned that the review team had recommended award of the contract to Cashin Associates and that he had prepared a draft letter agreement which the Village was reviewing. Once the agreement is sent and signed by all parties, the kickoff meeting can be held.

The meeting adjourned at approximately 9:00 pm

NEXT MEETING: October 22nd, 7:00 PM – Sea Cliff

September 17, 2008

HempsteadHarbor Shellfish Survey – Preliminary Summary Report on Progress

Cashin Associates, P.C. (CA) conducted the field component of a shellfish survey of HempsteadHarbor between August 2 and 10, 2008. The survey was performed in accordance with methodologies utilized for shellfish surveys in Oyster BayHarbor and South Oyster Bay in previous years. The methodology basically involved the collection of bottom samples with the use of a barge-mounted crane and clam-shell bucket, and the screening of the sediment through culling racks that claimed materials down to approximately one-quarter inch in size. The number and size of shellfish species, as well as shellfish predators and other mollusks and crustaceans, were measured and recorded. Locations of each sample station were determined by GPS.

A total of 122 samples from 61 different stations throughout the harbor were taken. The study included all portions of the harbor from Roslyn Viaduct on the south to the open sound along a line running from Prospect Point on the west to DosorisIsland on the east. Stations were positioned along a roughly 1,000 foot grid, including near shore and open harbor areas at depths between 4 and 30 feet (high tide).

General findings of the survey are summarized below:

• Clam densities were generally low throughout the harbor.
• Clams at relatively high abundance were found in the inner harbor south of BarBeach peninsula, along the shore at DosorisIsland, along the shore at Prospect Point, in Mosquito Cove off Glen Cove Creek and along the shore just to the north of the Glen Cove jetty.
• The most healthy populations of clams, based on abundance and a size distribution that included young clams (seeds and littlenecks), were found at DosorisIsland.
• The open harbor area, with substrates consisting of mud, generally had low clam density, or no clams present.
• Shellfish predators found in the survey included moonsnails, starfish, oyster drills and several species of crabs. Although data analysis has not yet been performed, the density of predators seemed high relative to the abundance of clams. Many dead clams indicated predation by moonsnails.
• Overall species abundance, based on the number of different species found, was lower than found in Oyster BayHarbor.
• Other species found at high abundance in certain areas included the blue mussel (Mytilis edulis), the slipper shell (Crepidula spc.), the duck clam (Mulinia lateralis), and the dwarf tellin (Tellina agilis).

Sediment samples were collected at each station to allow for characterization of sediment type with respect to grain size at each location.