Riverhead, NY, June 2013 – On Tuesday, June 25th, Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker attended a public hearing held by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The meeting reviewed the environmental impact of dredge dumping in the eastern portion of the Long Island Sound.
Legislator Anker posed several questions to representatives from the EPA regarding the screening process for the dredge materials being dumped. Concerns included whether materials were toxic and/or carcinogenic, what specific steps are taken during the screening process to ensure that harmful materials are not dumped, if any nontoxic materials can be recycled for beneficial use, and how the EPA can ensure that the Long Island economy will not suffer as a result of dredge dumping.
“In addition to environmental concerns, Long Island Sound has an $8.5 billion dollar tourist industry to protect,” said Legislator Anker. “Our waterways are a major attraction, bringing tourists to our area. It’s crucial that we do whatever we can to preserve tourism to ensure that the local economy will thrive.”
To contact the EPA or to sign up for email notifications about public hearings in your area, visit http://www2.epa.gov/home/forms/contact-epa.