Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan (LINAP) Newsletter

August 2018

This Month’s Topics:

• Town of Hempstead Shellfish Hatchery Expansion Project
• Town of Southampton Expands Septic Incentive Program
• Town of North Hempstead Offers Town Residents Sustainability Classes

Upcoming Events:

• Estuary Day – Saturday, September 15th, 9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
  Seatuck Environmental Association – 550 S. Bay Ave, Islip, NY 11751
  Come participate in a variety of activities that will be going on throughout
  the course of the day and learn what you can do to help reduce nitrogen
  in Long Island’s waters. Fun activities for adults and kids.
• Suffolk County Fertilizer Turf Management Course
  Friday, September 14th – 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
  100 Veterans Memorial Highway, Hauppauge, NY 11788
  Please call Jennifer McGivern to pre-register at (631)-853-4412
  A $10 registration fee will be collected at the door

Town of Hempstead Shellfish Hatchery Expansion Project

Town of Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen was joined by State Senator Todd Kaminsky and environmentalists from the Town’s Department of Conservation and Waterways to break ground on a hatchery expansion project, which will produce millions of additional clams and oysters for local waterways.

The expansion, funded through a $400,000 grant from the New York State Department of Environmental  Conservation, will be complete by December 2018. The project will nearly quadruple the hatchery’s output, creating millions of oysters and clams that will be used to filter and reduce pollution in local waterways, as well as attract new marine life, and act as natural buffers against rising sea tides and hurricanes.

Town of Southampton Expands Septic Incentive Program

The Town of Southampton will expand it’s septic incentive program for residents who want to replace outdated septic systems by increasing the maximum rebate available and broadening the eligibility criteria.Southampton’s septic incentive program, approved by the Town Board in August 2017, originally offered rebates up to $15,000 for households with incomes up to $500,000. The Town Board unanimously voted to raise the maximum rebate to $20,000 and will now offer the rebates to households with a higher income. A property owner who makes between $500,001 and $1 million per year is now eligible for a $20,000 grant or 25 percent of the project’s cost, whichever is less. Households with an income of less than $300,000 are eligible for 100 percent reimbursement, and those with incomes between $300,001 and $500,000 are eligible for 50 percent of the project cost.

The rebates are financed through the town’s Community Preservation Fund.

The Town of North Hempstead offers Home Sustainability Classes for Town Residents

The Town of North Hempstead is offering classes for Town residents that educate homeowners on sustainability practices that will help to reduce the use of fertilizer and pesticides and support water quality and water conservation. The classes cover the following topics: Composting, Installing and Using a Rain Barrel, Creating a Rain Garden, Native Plant Gardening and Sustainable Yard Care. For more information or to register for a class call 516-869-6311 or email [email protected].  You can also register online.