Driving Success Through the Federal and Bi-State Partnership

Karen Chytalo served in various positions for the Long Island Sound Study (now Partnership) for 20 years from 1986 to 2006. In this article, she describes the importance of the bi-state and federal partnership in restoring and caring for the Sound.

First, congratulations to the Long Island Sound Study, now the Long Island Sound Partnership, for 40 years of a successful partnership and many more years to come.  The LIS Partnership is like a car, while the rear-view mirror is small, the front windshield is large.  Got to keep moving, planning, researching, monitoring and implementing because so much more needs to be accomplished to restore this significant resource.

The Long Island Sound Study began in 1985, when Congress appropriated funds for the U.S. EPA and the states of New York and Connecticut to research, monitor, and assess the water quality of the Sound.  The Long Island Sound Study focused on environmental problems that were Soundwide and required a bi-state response.  Much needed funds were provided to hire staff to initiate the planning and monitoring so that we could understand “why” the Sound was having numerous, multi-species summertime fish kills and colorful algal blooms as well as other problems.  As in all successful partnerships, everyone brought something to the table.  Connecticut had a large-sized vessel that is sea-worthy and could monitor the Sound for water quality and fishery resources.  New York was investigating the fish kills and passed numerous bond acts to implement eventual plan actions (most significantly $200 million for LIS in 1996).  EPA had the funds and leadership to establish a workable partnership to include technical experts and concerned organizations.

In 1987, Congress approved Clean Water Act amendments to establish the National Estuary Program to protect and restore water quality and living resources of estuaries of national significance.  The Governors of Connecticut and New York submitted a nomination to EPA to be officially included in this program.  In 1988, Long Island Sound was designated an estuary of national significance.  We became one of 28 estuaries with this designation, and among the first four designated.  In 1990, Congress passed the LIS improvement Act to complete drafting the initial plan and oversee plan implementation. To guide implementation the program completed its first Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan in 1994.  

After much work monitoring and modeling the water quality of the sound, not to mention many intense meetings, EPA approved New York’s and Connecticut’s Total Maximum Daily Load plan to achieve nitrogen load reduction targets.  No states had ever developed such a plan for a large body of water.  It was a big deal that included complicated consent orders and permits.   Our habitat restoration effort was also huge that required a lot of municipal and public involvement as well as permits.  Numerous projects were identified, some shovel ready with sponsors and others that required more planning.  While New York’s  earlier bond acts only funded implementation, EPA funded the planning to prepare restoration projects to be implemented.  Team work! 

Through the years, numerous state laws intersected with the LIS Partnership action plans such as the state’s open space management plans.  Federal, state, municipal and non-profit dollars were used to acquire significant habitats around the sound.  These are just a few examples on how you develop, update and implement a plan through a successful federal and state partnership.  You work together, add money, you get the job done.

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