Provide assistance to the interstate environmental commission to implement its project to support the long island sound comprehensive conservation and management plan to protect and restore the long…

The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Geographic Programs – Long Island Sound Program (CFDA 66.437) awarded the Interstate Environmental Commission (IEC) $2,038,690 in Project Grant funding, effective October 1, 2025 through December 31, 2027, to implement water quality monitoring and pathogen management activities supporting the Long Island Sound Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan. The award funds a comprehensive monitoring program including twelve weekly water quality surveys to assess hypoxia onset, extent, and duration in western Long Island Sound; coordinated weekly and bi-weekly long-term monitoring at 22 historical monitoring stations; monthly surface data surveys for chlorophyll-a and coastal acidification parameters; and implementation of a pathogen monitoring survey to identify sources of elevated pathogen levels leading to shellfish harvesting area closures. IEC coordinates with state and federal partners including the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to advance public education and environmental protection objectives for the Sound.

Through sub-awards, IEC has engaged multiple regional partners to deliver monitoring services during fiscal year 2026, including the University of Connecticut ($75,372), Harbor Watch at Earthplace ($75,372), Salonga Wetland Advocates Network ($56,529), Cornell Cooperative Extension Eastern Suffolk ($27,686), and Cornell Cooperative Extension Western Suffolk ($10,000), along with seven additional environmental organizations receiving $18,843 each to conduct a minimum of eight monitoring events at designated waterbodies between May and September 2026. All sub-awardees follow standardized quality assurance protocols and submit 2026 season data by December 31, 2026, supporting the overall objective to develop replicable methodologies for pathogen monitoring applicable to areas with similar contamination issues throughout Long Island Sound.

Description

The purpose of this agreement is to provide assistance to the interstate environmental commission to implement its project to support the long island sound comprehensive conservation and management plan to protect and restore the long island sound. These activities are intended to support the recipient's goal to implement its own water quality monitoring enhancement program for hypoxia and pathogen management to educate and inform the public and other interested entities in the health and the protection of long island sound and the environment. Specifically, under this grant agreement the recipient will supports activities to 1) conduct water quality monitoring of summer hypoxic conditions in western long island sound and its embayment's; 2) continue coordinated weekly and BI-weekly long-term monitoring of a suite of in-situ parameters at a network of 22 historical monitoring stations; 3) coordinate with the connecticut department of energy and environmental protection and other long island sound partnership partners involved in monitoring long island sound; 4) implement a pathogen monitoring survey to identify the source(s) of elevated pathogen levels leading to shellfish harvesting area closures; 5) review prior water quality data from the new york state department of health and pathogen track down studies in and around long island sound to determine the best sampling design and analytical methods; solicit input from local, state, and federal partners; and 7) develop and pilot a methodology that can be applied to areas with similar contamination issues throughout the sound.activities:interstate environmental commission will conduct twelve weekly water quality monitoring surveys to assess the onset, extent, and duration of hypoxia. They will also conduct monthly surface data surveys for chlorophyll a and coastal acidification parameters and will report findings to the long island sound clean waters and healthy watersheds workgroup, the connecticut department of energy and environmental protection, and the US environmental protection agency.subrecipient:interstate environmental commission will award a subaward to the coalition to save hempstead harbor to conduct water quality monitoring of physical, chemical, and biological indications of pollution in the outer and inner hempstead harbor, and glen cove creek, earthplace at harborwatch to coordinate and conduct pathogen monitoring throughout the western sound with 17 small monitoring groups.outcomes:outcomes include; 1, research, monitoring, and modeling to support the attainment of water quality objectives is maintained improved, 2. A better understanding of coastal acidification in the open sound and its interaction with other prominent stressors like eutrophication and hypoxia, 3. A scientific understanding of long island sound to support management is increased through strengthened research monitoring, mapping and modeling. Deliverables include, 1. Continued weekly to biweekly dissemination of summer in situ water quality data from stations in wlis including summaries highlighting significant measurements or areas of concern via email to stakeholders. All field data and laboratory results will be collated and maintained in a format that enables compatibility and sharing among liss end-users, 2. BI-weekly surface data for TSS from all historical stations and surface data for BOD and nutrients from stations. All data will be uploaded monthly to relevant databases (i.e., WQX, IEC water quality database) and disseminated when available ), 3. Monitoring for parameters related to coastal acidification (alkalinity, DIC, omega estimates) will be performed at all or a subset of stations during weekly (summer) runs 4. Staff will work with the LIS clean waters and healthy watersheds work group and ctdeep to deliver a coordinated sound-wide water quality report after the monitoring season. Improved assessment of wlis in terms of environmental factors affecting hypoxia dyna