Engagement Sessions to Give Public a Voice in Helping to Revise Plan for Long Island Sound

Long Island Sound Study to Sponsor 9 Public Engagement Sessions in May

The Long Island Sound Study is inviting residents of communities near Long Island Sound and throughout the watershed to attend an in-person or virtual public engagement session in May to learn about the challenges facing the Sound and the progress being made in its restoration. Attendees will be able to provide comments on what issues are important to them, which will be used to revise the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan, or CCMP, in 2025.   

Six in-person sessions, scheduled for daytime and evening, are scheduled for sites in Suffolk County, Queens, and New Haven along with three virtual sessions.

The CCMP addresses current and emerging issues for Long Island Sound: clean water, thriving habitats and abundant living resources, sustainable and resilient communities, and public involvement and stewardship. The Long Island Sound Study, a partnership of federal and state agencies working with local governments, communities, universities, and industry uses the CCMP as a blueprint to develop specific, measurable objectives to improve the health of the Sound and to commit to action plans to achieve them. It was last revised in 2015. You can find out more about the update plans here: A New Plan for 2025-2035.

The meetings will include: 

• A presentation on Long Island Sound, progress and challenges, and opportunities to help set future goals and action plans
• Tabling/Breakout sessions to brainstorm and gather feedback from participants on issues and objectives, hear what’s important to attendees
• Plenary discussion of comments/feedback
• Ideas for renaming the program
• Review of next steps 

This is a broad stakeholder meeting – all interested in Long Island Sound are invited!  

In-person Sessions 

• Wednesday, May 8, 2–4 p.m. and 6–8 p.m., Lighthouse Point Park, 2 Lighthouse Rd, New Haven, CT (Carousel Building; attendees are encouraged to park in the upper lots and walk to the building)
• Wednesday, May 22, 2:30–4:30 p.m. and 6–8 p.m., NYSDEC Division of Marine Resources, Kings Park, NY
• Tuesday, May 28, 2–4 p.m. and 6–8 p.m., Alley Pond Environmental Center, Queens, NY 

Registration for all in-person events is being coordinated by the Eastern Research Group on contract to EPA. Go to the following link to register for the session you want to attend.

Remote Sessions

• Saturday, May 11, 1:00–2:30 p.m. Register.

• Tuesday, May 14, 3:00–4:30 p.m. and 7:00–8:30 p.m. Registration for the daytime session and evening session.

Contact LISoundPlan2025@gmail.com for additional information.

---