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Boaters No Longer Allowed To Discharge Sewage in Bay Waters Near East Hampton

Release Date: 01/28/1999
Contact Information: Mary Mears (212) 637-3669 / mears.mary@epa.gov

(#99014) NEW YORK, N.Y. -- It's official! Boaters can no longer discharge treated or untreated sewage into the harbors, creeks and bays near East Hampton, New York. In a move that will further protect areas of the Peconic Bay, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved a New York State Department of Conservation (DEC) plan to prohibit these discharges, which contribute to the contamination of water in the Peconic Bay. EPA and DEC have determined that there are a sufficient number of pump-out facilities located in the area to receive the sewage from vessels. Vessels will not be allowed to discharge their sewage within the area, called a "No Discharge Area," defined in DEC's plan, which includes Northwest Creek, Three Mile Harbor, Hog Creek, Accabonac Harbor, Napeague Harbor and Lake Montauk.

"Treated sewage from vessels is a source of bacteria and other pollutants that can contaminate the water in Peconic Bay," said Jeanne M. Fox, EPA Region 2 Administrator. "The designation of this 'No Discharge Area' means that waters in this area will be cleaner this summer season when people go to area beaches."

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner John P. Cahill said, "The establishment of a No Discharge Area in the Peconic Bay will complement our extensive efforts to restore and protect the waters of Long Island Sound and the Peconic Bay. Boaters can help us make 1999 a watershed year for Long Island Sound the Peconic and South Shore estuaries. This year, Governor Pataki is seeking to provide $50 million in grants to Long Island communities to help eliminate water quality pollution problems. The cooperation of Long Island's boaters in this effort will go a long way to restoring this remarkable water body to full health."

While today's determination is limited to the harbors and bays within the Town of East Hampton, efforts are underway to secure no discharge area designations for harbors and the bays of the other four towns surrounding Peconic Bay. These plans are part of an overall effort to protect and restore the Peconic Bay Estuary, which is made up of a series of shallow, interconnecting bays fed by groundwater, creeks, and rivers between the twin forks of the eastern end of Long Island. The Peconic Bay Estuary and its 340 miles of coastline support a variety of marine life, birds and wildlife, and is also a vital economic, recreational and scenic resource for Long Island.

In 1992, EPA formally established the Peconic Estuary Program Management Conference, which is made up of federal, state and local governments, and environmental groups and businesses. The Management Conference is developing a plan to address nutrient over-enrichment, coliform contamination, toxic chemical contaminants and brown tide algal blooms. A draft of this plan, called a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP), will be released to the public this summer. This draft CCMP will include a section on controlling sources of pathogens, including treated and untreated sewage.

DEC, working in cooperation with East Hampton, petitioned the EPA to establish these "No Discharge Areas" in June 1998. Under national marine sanitation standards, vessels operating in these waters are currently prohibited from discharging untreated sewage, but are allowed to discharge treated sewage from approved marine sanitation devices. The discharge of both treated and untreated vessel sewage is prohibited in "No Discharge Areas."

For more information contact:
Mary Mears, Press Office
EPA Region 2
290 Broadway
NY, NY 10007-1866
Voice: 212-637-3669 FAX: 212-637-5046 E-Mail: mears.mary@epamail.epa.gov