Littoral​ Society

  • Home
  • What We Do
    • Education
    • Conservation
    • Restoration
    • Advocacy
    • Fish Tagging
    • Presentations
  • Where We Work
    • Sandy Hook
    • Barnegat Bay
    • Delaware Bay
    • Jamaica Bay
    • Sarasota Bay
    • National Policy
  • Who We Are
    • History
    • Staff
    • Officers & Trustees
    • Financial Accountability
    • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice
    • Contact
  • Newsroom
    • Littoral News
    • Press Releases
    • Videos
    • Publications
    • Reports
  • Blog
  • Join Us
    • Donate
    • Membership
    • Sponsor
    • Sign Up for Littoral Updates
    • Littorally Local
    • Lobster Run
    • Upcoming Events
    • Field Trips
    • Volunteer
    • Jobs
  • Store
  • Home
  • What We Do
    • Education
    • Conservation
    • Restoration
    • Advocacy
    • Fish Tagging
    • Presentations
  • Where We Work
    • Sandy Hook
    • Barnegat Bay
    • Delaware Bay
    • Jamaica Bay
    • Sarasota Bay
    • National Policy
  • Who We Are
    • History
    • Staff
    • Officers & Trustees
    • Financial Accountability
    • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice
    • Contact
  • Newsroom
    • Littoral News
    • Press Releases
    • Videos
    • Publications
    • Reports
  • Blog
  • Join Us
    • Donate
    • Membership
    • Sponsor
    • Sign Up for Littoral Updates
    • Littorally Local
    • Lobster Run
    • Upcoming Events
    • Field Trips
    • Volunteer
    • Jobs
  • Store

The Society Blog

Ask Your Senators to Pass the NY-NJ Watershed Protection Act

7/28/2022

 
Picture
Over the past few decades, huge strides have been made to improve the waters of the Hudson-Raritan watersheds, which include the ports in New York and New Jersey, as well as the Hudson, Mohawk, Raritan, Passaic, Hackensack and Bronx rivers.
 
However, the New York – New Jersey Watershed Protection Act would supercharge those efforts by establishing a $50 million a year federal fund for restoration similar to existing funds for Long Island Sound and Chesapeake Bay.
 
Recently, the bill, which has been championed for a decade by Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY), passed in the House of Representatives as part of a larger funding package. Now it must be taken up by the US Senate, where in January companion legislation was introduced by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). You can help by thanking these sponsors and contacting your senators (find their contact info) to encourage support.
 
“Our waterways are key economic, environmental and recreational engines for our communities,” Congressman Tonko said. “Despite this, our New York-New Jersey Watershed—the most populated watershed in America—has been neglected without key federal investments that would serve our Capital Region and beyond. My legislation responds to that long-failed opportunity by providing federal support to facilitate local restoration projects that promote healthy ecosystems, increase coastal resilience, improve water quality, address the needs of communities facing environmental injustice, and increase public access across our historic Watershed. I’m delighted to advance this legislation that will bolster this vital resource for our communities to enjoy now and for years to come.”
If passed, this program would coordinate restoration and protection activities among government entities and conservation partners throughout the watershed, while also establishing a grant program to support essential and long overdue projects in habitat restoration, flood management, protection of drinking water supplies, community access to waterfronts, environmental education, and recreation.
 
In addition to creating a new program administered by the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service, the NY-NJ Watershed Protection Act would:
  • Ensure that restoration efforts use science-based principles.
  • Recognize and prioritize the need for restoration funds to be delivered to frontline communities experiencing environmental injustice.

“The New York-New Jersey Watershed is a vital natural resource, providing economic and environmental benefits to nearby communities as well as greenspace for millions of Americans to enjoy,” said Sen. Booker. “As the watershed is increasingly threatened by rising sea levels, storm surges, and the harmful effects of legacy pollution, I am introducing this legislation to make federal investments that help restore the natural resources of our region, mitigate flood risks, and create greater recreational opportunities for residents to enjoy.”  
 
“Investing in our waterways like those in the New York-New Jersey Watershed is vital to protecting our economic and environmental future. The NY-NJ Watershed is one of our most important natural treasures and serves as a vital economic anchor between our states,” said Sen. Gillibrand. “This legislation is critical to protecting the NY-NJ Watershed’s long-term health and environmental quality and will support New York State’s local economy for years to come. I am proud to be co-leading this important legislation with my friend and colleague, Senator Booker.”
 
“From climate change causing more frequent storms and rising sea levels to pollution and hazardous waste, it is now more important than ever to invest in the protection and restoration of the New York-New Jersey Watershed,” said Sen. Menendez. “Restoring the watershed will improve the ecosystems for marine and wildlife populations, improve water quality, increase public access, and improve the quality of life for the millions of Americans living within the watershed. With revenue from tourism, fishing, and other recreational activities, the watershed is vital to the regional and national economies, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the critical bill.”
 
“From the Hudson Valley to the New York Harbor our rivers and waterways generate billions in economic activity, are vital pathways for both commerce and recreation, and are some of our most invaluable natural wonders,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “The New York-New Jersey Watershed Protection Act will turn the tide for the cleanup and restoration of our waterways and ensure their environmental beauty continues to flow for generations. I am proud to co-sponsor this legislation that puts the environment and frontline communities suffering from environmental injustice first.”
​
“The waters and coastal environments of the New York and New Jersey region are the foundation on which our communities and lives are built” said Tim Dillingham, Executive Director of the American Littoral Society, “The support this legislation will provide will help us be better stewards of these waters, protecting and restoring them for today and tomorrow.”
 
The bill is supported by the American Littoral Society and more than 40 other regional and national organizations, as well as almost every member of Congress in the Hudson-Raritan rivers watershed.
Cheryl
8/20/2022 02:40:53 pm

Need a website where I I can report coastal debris, had it before.


Comments are closed.
    BLOG HOME

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017

     Subscribe in a reader

    Categories

    All
    5k
    Action
    Advocacy
    Amazon
    Art
    Asbury Park
    Ballot Question
    Barnegat
    Bay
    Beach
    Benefit
    Biomedical
    Breakfree
    Camp
    Celebration
    Cleanup
    Climate
    Coast
    Conservation
    Crafts
    Delaware Bay
    Delbay
    Drilling
    Dune
    Dune Grass
    Earthday
    Earth Day
    Economy
    Eggs
    Election
    Estuary
    Event
    Family
    Fishing
    Fun
    Global Warming
    Horseshoe Crab
    Jamaicabay
    Legislation
    Litter
    Live Music
    Lobster
    Long Beach Island
    Marine Science
    NJ
    NY
    Oil
    Open Space
    Oyster
    Oystere
    Parade
    Party
    Plastic
    Policy
    Pollution
    Protect
    Race
    Rain Garden
    Red Knot
    Reef
    Restoration
    River
    Run
    Sandy Hook
    Shark Fin
    Shell-a-bration
    Shell Bagging
    Shore
    Shorebird
    Summer
    Superstorm Sandy
    Surfcasting
    Tag
    Tagging
    Tourism
    Volunteer
    Wetlands
    Wreck Pond

     Subscribe in a reader

Picture
18 Hartshorne Drive
​Highlands, NJ 07732

What We Do

Education
Conservation
Restoration
Advocacy
Fish Tagging

Where We Work

Sandy Hook
Barnegat Bay
Delaware Bay
Jamaica Bay
Sarasota Bay
National Policy

Who We Are

History
Staff
Officers & ​Trustees
Financials
Contact

Newsroom

Blog
Press Releases
Videos
Publications
Reports

Join Us

Memberships
Donate
Sponsor
Upcoming Events
Field Trips
Volunteer
Jobs
Donate
Membership
Mailing List
Volunteer
Privacy Policy
Copyright ​© 2017, American Littoral Society, All Rights Reserved
Photo used under Creative Commons from A. Strakey