The Town of Oyster Bay received a $244,000 grant from the state Department of State for its ocean-to-bay habitat restoration. It is part of the agency’s $2.4 million investment to advance preservation of the South Shore Estuary Reserve.
The department awarded eight Long Island projects and nonprofit organizations with grant funding at a press conference at TOBAY Beach on Wednesday, Sept. 24, through the South Shore Estuary Reserve Local Assistance Grants Program.
The state says the money will help advance priorities to improve water quality, increase shoreline resilience, improve habitat health, and advance environmental education and economic development.
Oyster Bay Town officials said the funding will primarily go toward seeding for shellfish in the Great South Bay and the town’s dune grass planting program to protect the shores.
Joseph Saladino, Oyster Bay’s supervisor, said the town’s programs make “a big difference.”
“Estuaries are vital for the health of our communities,” he said. “They provide a habitat for wildlife, they provide flood protection, environmental sustainability, and of course, some of the greatest recreational opportunities.”
Saladino said protecting the estuaries is a joint process and requires collaboration with different municipalities and levels of government.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers pumped tens of thousands of tons of sand back onto TOBAY Beach before the start of the summer, something that happens each year, according to Oyster Bay Town officials
Kisha Santiag, deputy secretary of state for Planning, Development and Community Infrastructure, said at the press conference that the South Shore Estuary Reserve is one of the state’s “most remarkable natural treasures” which are vital to local communities in the region.
State Assembly Member Michaelle Solages said the grant recipients are “good stewards” of nature and have worked to protect Long Island’s south shore.
“Long Island needs to be protected,” she said. “We feel the effects of climate change.”
Secretary of State Walter Mosley said the grants help support economic development, outdoor recreation, community resiliency and public education in the region.
“The South Shore Estuary Reserve is one of New York’s most valuable natural resources, and these grants will help ensure it remains healthy and resilient for generations to come,” he said in a statement.
The seven other grant recipients were the Nassau Soil and Water Conservation District for $236,000, Stony Brook University for $819,900, Citizens Campaign for the Environment for $238,000, Suffolk County for $275,000, the Seatuck Environmental Association for $70,000, the NY Sea Grant for $50,000 and the Village of Southampton for $506,000.
The program provides funding for projects such as coastal resilience projects that emphasize natural and nature-based approaches, stormwater and marine debris management, and public access to recreational activities and other water-based recreation, according to the state
