(New York, N.Y. -– June 28, 2007) The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) unveiled today an expanded New York Bight Coastal
Monitoring program to study the ocean and collaborate with state and
local governments to protect the coastal waters of New York and New
Jersey. Using helicopters, ships and cutting edge technologies, the
Agency’s scientific assessments will go farther than ever.
“Clean coastal waters are among EPA’s highest priorities,” reiterated
Alan J. Steinberg, EPA Regional Administrator. “We are moving to create
a more effective and comprehensive ocean monitoring program, focusing on
improved methods to protect beach-goers and coastal communities. Let
there be no mistake, EPA’s monitoring activities this summer in the New
York/New Jersey harbor and along Long Island and New Jersey coasts
include an impressive array of surveillance, sampling and funding
activities.”
In a new development, EPA will augment efforts to track and examine
patterns of dissolved oxygen, among other indicators, in order to
examine and find effective solutions to improve water quality in the
entire New York Bight. The expanded dissolved oxygen program will be
implemented in conjunction with New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection
utilizing various state and federal vessels including the Ocean Survey
Vessel BOLD and the KENNETH BIGLANE. The program will collect
information over a wider geographic area, more scientific parameters,
and at 3 different depths. State of the art equipment will be utilized
to collect information about water from the surface to the bottom,
looking at parameters such as dissolved oxygen, temperature, salinity
and pH. In the past EPA collected a single bottom sample for dissolved
oxygen. Water samples will also be collected at the surface, middle, and
bottom for each location.
Other New York Bight Coastal Monitoring Program Highlights:
Floatables Surveillance Overflights: The EPA helicopter, the Coastal
Crusader, will continue to fly over the New Jersey/New York Harbor
Complex six days a week, starting May 21 through September 7. These
flights are conducted to identify floating debris slicks and to
coordinate cleanups with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in an effort
to prevent washups on the beaches of New York and New Jersey. In
addition, any observed oil slicks will be reported to the U.S. Coast
Guard for mitigation, for the purpose of containing the slicks and
preventing washups on the beaches.
Shellfish Bed Monitoring Program: An EPA helicopter will be used to
collect water quality samples to assist the New Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and the New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation in meeting commitments to the National
Shellfish Sanitation Program. To support this program, phytoplankton
samples will be collected along the New Jersey coast, in Raritan Bay,
Sandy Hook Bay, Barnegat Bay, Great Bay and Delaware Bay, four times
this summer in late June, early July, late July and late August.
Samples will also be collected for fecal contamination at 26 stations
along the Long Island coast from Rockaway to Shinnecock Inlet six times
this summer. In addition, a $50,000 grant is being awarded to NJDEP to
monitor for toxic pollutants in shellfish and to expand the
effectiveness of its risk communication program.
Beach Monitoring & Notification Program: Under the federal BEACH Act,
to date, $1.5 million dollars has been awarded to NJDEP to support its
beach monitoring program with local health departments in implementing
recreational beach monitoring and notification programs. An additional
$440,000 will be given to NJDEP this year to continue its beach
monitoring and notification program, to conduct a study of a rapid test
method for harmful pathogens and to conduct intensive sanitary surveys
at high priority beaches. Research studies have determined that water
quality samples need to be collected in the surf zone; samples collected
offshore do not represent water quality conditions for bathers. Thanks
to continued BEACH Act funding, the counties and local communities will
continue to monitor the beaches weekly as part of the state’s
comprehensive coastal monitoring program.
Rapid Test Method Research: In addition, EPA scientists, in close
cooperation with NJDEP, will use water samples collected by health
departments in Monmouth and Ocean Counties to do a special side-by-side
comparison of two different tests used to detect harmful pathogens. The
current commonly used method takes 24 hours to yield results, while the
new method can take as little as three hours, thus presenting nearly
real-time data. Results of this evaluation will be published and shared
with beach communities in New Jersey and New York to determine their
effectiveness and usefulness and to help further refine tests for use by
local and state authorities.
NJ Coastal Biological Assessments Research Project: EPA will be using
its vessel, the CLEAN WATERS, in partnership with NJDEP and Rutgers
University, to sample 100 stations from Sandy Hook to Cape May during
the ecologically critical summer months of August and September. The
samples will be analyzed for dissolved oxygen, temperature, salinity,
chlorophyll, water clarity (secchi depth measurements), benthic
(ocean-bottom dwelling) macro-invertebrates and grain size, which will
provide necessary information to develop better tools for identifying
biological impairment in the coastal zone of New Jersey. These tools
will allow for a more holistic, ecosystem approach to evaluating the
near-shore environment and the effect of seasonal hypoxia on benthic
communities. EPA is providing $350,000 in grant funding for this
project.
Total Maximum Daily Loads: EPA will be collecting additional data
throughout the entire New York Bight over a one to two-year period using
new technologies and various oceanographic research vessels, including
EPA’s Ocean Survey Vessel BOLD. This additional data will be utilized
to support the development of Total Maximum Daily Loadings (TMDLs) – a
pollution budgeting plan for the water - and will include, but not be
limited to, dissolved oxygen, nutrients, and general water quality
parameters (temperature, depth, salinity, etc.). TMDLs are a long term
tool for improving water quality that is being utilized in the core area
of the New York/New Jersey harbor. A mathematical model will be used to
assess current conditions and loadings of pollutants and to calculate
what loading reductions are necessary to meet water quality standards.
Past data has shown seasonal hypoxia and the waters along the NJ shore
are listed on NJDEP 303(d) list. EPA will focus on developing TMDLs and
an ecosystem approach to evaluating the near-shore environment, and the
effect of seasonal hypoxia on benthic communities.
Remote Sensing: In 2005, EPA funded a remote sensing chlorophyll meter
to be used on NJDEP’s fixed winged aircraft. The project was piloted in
2006 and will be used along the coast and in the back bays of New Jersey
in 2007. This remote chlorophyll sensing will provide a real-time
picture of the geographical extent of chlorophyll levels in the water.
Emergency Support: EPA will maintain and utilize its helicopter and
various oceanographic research vessels (BIGLANE, CLEAN WATERS, OSV BOLD)
to respond and provide sampling support to local, state and federal
partners.
For more information on EPA’s coastal water activities, visit:
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