Here’s something from Rob Buchanan, intended for all concerned parties.  It has details about how you can get involved with the sustainability of New York’s harbor now and ongoing:

The New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program is multi-agency effort, administered by the EPA, whose aim is to protect and improve the quality of our estuary for all of its inhabitants. It has a small budget and limited influence, but most of the major ‘players’–the Port Authority, the Army Corps of Engineers, the DEC and New Jersey DEP–are a part of it, and thus it has the potential to be a useful forum for discussions about estuary-related policy and decision-making. The HEP Citizens Advisory Committee is intended as a conduit for non-profits, neighborhood groups, and individuals who would like to have a voice in those discussions. So if you’re interested in where we’re at estuary-wise, or if you have a particular issue you’d like to raise, please consider joining this call tomorrow, or coming to our meeting on October 24 (details TBA).

More on HEP and the CAC at the HEP website: www.harborestuary.org

Thanks,

Rob Buchanan
New York co-chair, HEP CAC

More:

Hi Everyone,

Just a reminder that we have a conference call scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday August 29, from 10 to 11:30 AM, which all current and prospective members are invited to join. Here’s a tentative schedule:
10-10:30: Michelle and Rob offer a roundup of HEP news and developments, including the plans for a HEP 2.0 and the new, expanded geographical area, and seek input on what ‘the citizenry’ would like to say at the HEP Management Committee meeting on September 12. Here is the preliminary agenda for that meeting:

– Agenda review and approval of minutes from June meeting (Nyman – 10 min)
– Abandoned boats and shoreline debris (30 min – Nyman/Shadel/others)
– No Discharge Zone (states)
– CAC report out (15 min – Buchanan and Doran-McBean)
– Presentations from the Harbor School (15 min – Fisher)
– Coordination with other regional initiatives
– Hudson River Estuary Program (15 min – Dunwell)
– Raritan River Initiative (15 min – Shaw)
– Announcement of new Small Grant Project Selections (10 min – Munoz)

 

10:30-11: Michelle and Rob listen while CAC members outline specific estuary-related projects, concerns, etc. This is a chance for groups and individuals to share local news and issues with the wider group–in bullet-point form, please, since we’ll be pressed for time!
11–11:30: discussion of the agenda and any special presentations for our October 24 meeting in New York City (10 AM-1 PM, location to be determined).
To join the conference call, please dial:Toll free number: 866-299-3188

Conference code: 2126373791#
For more information, please email the committee co-chairs:
Michelle Doran-McBean (New Jersey):futurecityinc@gmail.com
or Rob Buchanan (New York): avironvoile@gmail.com

We hope to hear from you Wednesday!