(and Clam) in Oyster Bay Venditto

JOHN VENDITTO
Town Supervisor
Town of Oyster Bay
54 Audrey Avenue
Oyster Bay, NY 11771
PRSRT. STD.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
HICKSVILLE, NY
PERMIT NO. 496
Town Board
Joseph D. Muscarella
Anthony D. Macagnone
Chris J. Coschignano
Elizabeth A. Faughnan
Joseph G. Pinto
Rebecca M. Alesia
Town Clerk
Steven L. Labriola
Receiver of Taxes
James J. Stefanich
Residential Customer
OYSTER BAY ECO
Venditto Champions
Dune Stabilization Program
The Town’s Department of Environmental Resources
conducts an ongoing Dune Stabilization Program at Tobay
Beach. These efforts, which are aimed at preventing erosion and preserving the integrity of these critically important ecosystems, include the planting of dune grass, a proven
dune stabilizer; its thick stems reduce wind velocity near the
ground and trap windblown sand. Additionally, signage at
the beach and informational messages remind beach-goers
to avoid walking on, or otherwise disturbing, the fragile
dune structures. For futher information or to participate in
Dune Stabilization programs, call (516) 677-5943
FALL 2010
www.oysterbaytown.com
Keeping the Oyster
(and Clam) in Oyster Bay
New Waste Motor Oil Recycling Tanks Installed
and the Town’s Solid Waste Disposal Complex, Claremont
Road, Old Bethpage. The tanks at Theodore Roosevelt and
Tappen are open during park hours, dawn to dusk, seven days
a week. The tanks at the Solid Waste Disposal Complex are
open 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. seven days a week (excluding
holidays). “Many people change their own motor oil,”
Councilman Macagnone commented, “and these tanks, along
with our S.T.O.P. (Stop Throwing Out Pollutants) collection
days, provide convenient locations for residents to dispose of
the used motor oil.”
Don’t Feed The Geese
Town Councilman Anthony D. Macagnone at Town’s new waste
motor oil recycling tanks.
Town Councilman Anthony D. Macagnone recently checked
out the Town’s new waste motor oil recycling tanks at Theodore
Roosevelt Marina in Oyster Bay. Six new double-walled steel
tanks, which replace the fiberglass igloos, have been installed at
three locations: Theodore Roosevelt Marina, Bayview Avenue,
Oyster Bay; Tappen Marina, Shore Road, Glenwood Landing;
The Town’s GeesePeace program works to humanely
reduce the local geese population while encouraging them
to migrate to areas that allow us to peacefully co-exist.
The public can help the effort by not feeding geese (and
other wildlife). Humans feeding geese are a root cause of
problems with geese. People feed geese bread, crackers,
and other processed foods that are unhealthy for them and
can lead to bird diseases. Feeding geese causes them to be
aggressive and must be eliminated before they will leave.
Town Councilman Joe Muscarella
(second from right) and Town Councilwoman Rebecca M. Alesia join Dave Relyea (left), co-owner of Frank M. Flower
& Sons, Inc., and Tony Alfieri of the
Town’s Department of Environmental
Resources as they prepare to stock the
Town’s FLUPSYs (FLoating UPweller
SYstem) with 3,000,000 small “seed”
clams and 750,000 “seed” oysters.
Operated by the Town of Oyster Bay,
in cooperation with volunteers from the
North Oyster Bay Baymen’s Association
(NOBBA), the FLUPSYs help increase
shellfish populations around Oyster
Bay Harbor and South Oyster Bay. The
FLUPSYs have 30 gallon “silos” with
screens on which tiny one-to-two millimeter size “seed” clams and oysters
are placed. An economical pump system
brings a continual flow of naturally occurring nutrients and oxygenated water
from Oyster Bay Harbor to the seeds in
the silos. In this environment, the steady
diet of nutrient-rich water and protection
from predators such as crabs and sea stars
(starfish) allow the clams to grow faster
and have a higher survival rate. Once the
“seeds” reach approximately 10 millimeters in size, they will be placed into Town
waters. They will remain in those areas
until they reach harvestable size in about
two to three years.
“Clams and oysters play an important
role in keeping our waterways clean,”
commented Town Councilman Muscarella. “In the process of feeding, oysters
and clams filter up to 50 gallons of water
(continued on page 2)
Venditto:
TOBAY is a
Green Leader
Town Supervisor John Venditto
(right) and Town Councilman Joseph G.
Pinto recently visited one of the properties acquired under the SEA (Save Environmental Assets) Fund program and
discussed upcoming SEA Fund projects.
To date, the Town has acquired more
than 100 acres of open space and park
land under the SEA Fund program.
Going green is relevant these days
and for good reasons, too! The world
has a fixed amount of natural resources...some of which are already depleted. If we intend to leave our childeren
and grandchildren with the same standard of living we have enjoyed, we
must preserve the foundation of that
standard of living.
While the main goal of greener
homes, schools, and public areas is to
have lower ecological footprints, it also
allows for healthier and more productive places to live, work, and play.
2.
OYSTER BAY ECO
16th Annual Marine
Education Day
Keeping the Oyster (and Clam)
in Oyster Bay
(continued from page 1)
a day, making the water cleaner for swimming, fishing, boating, and
all life in the bay. Using modern aquaculture techniques such as the
FLUPSY, the Town of Oyster Bay and the North Oyster Bay Baymen’s
Association are working to keep the oyster (and clam) in Oyster Bay!”
Supervisor Venditto Touts
Town’s Role in Environmental
Restoration of Hempstead Harbor
Town Supervisor John Venditto (3rd from
left) was joined by President Theodore Roosevelt,
portrayed by James Foote of Sea Cliff, in
congratulating seven exceptional young individuals on their outstanding performance
in the poster contest for the 16th Annual Marine
Education Day. The theme for this year’s contest
was protecting our marine environment on Long
Island.
Marine Education Day is held annually at
Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park, Oyster Bay.
Students in 4th grade are invited to participate
in the program, which features a variety of
presentations about marine life and marine
environmental issues.
Town’s Aquatic Harvester Keeps
Waterways Clean
If you live or boat along one of the 34 canals in Massapequa, you
may have seen a paddlewheel boat plying the waters. That is the
Town’s new aquatic plant harvester, which was acquired to remove
floating eelgrass and debris from the canals, according to Town
Councilman Chris J. Coschignano (center), who recently took a ride
with the harvester’s operator, Marvin Houle, and crew member,
3.
Supervisor Venditto
Details Successes of New
Town-Wide Yard Waste
Disposal Program
Town Supervisor John Venditto and
Councilwoman
Rebecca Alesia
recently
visited the Town’s Old Bethpage Solid Waste
Disposal Complex to observe the Town’s new
Yard Waste Disposal Program. Yard waste currently makes up nearly 25 percent of the waste
stream within the Town of Oyster Bay’s two
Sanitation Collection Districts. That translates
into an estimated 34,000 tons annually,
most of which was formerly transported to
landfills. The New York State Department
of Environmental Conservation has already
Supervisor John Venditto met with New York State Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis and other representatives of the
Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee, who visited Hempstead Harbor
on the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day to celebrate the important environmental progress that has been made on Long Island. Commissioner Grannis announced that recent tests showed dramatic improvements in water
quality in Hempstead Harbor, which may now support the reopening of
portions of Hempstead Harbor for shellfishing for the first time in over 35
years.
Town Bay Constables: Protecting our Waters
Oyster Bay Town Bay Constables offer a wide
range of services to the boating public, as well as
enforce State laws and Town ordinances, particularly
with regard to speeding and operating a boat while
intoxicated.
“Bay Constables serve a vital role in both the
safety and overall management of both our North
Shore and South Shore waterways,” Supervisor
Venditto said. “Bay Constables oversee the
placement of navigation buoys in Town waters,
perform marine patrol duties, and enforce codes and
ordinances relating to boating safety.”
The Supervisor added that they also work in
conjunction with the Coast Guard and the Nassau
County Marine Police to provide emergency rescue
services.
OYSTER BAY ECO
Councilman Chris Coschignano (center), Marvin Houle, and crew
member, Andrew Tralongo on the Town’s new aquatic harvester.
Andrew Tralongo, to see the equipment in action. The harvester
collects the eelgrass and debris from the water and a conveyor belt
moves it into the harvester’s hold. When the hold is filled, the harvester
can then transport it to the shore conveyor, where it is removed from
the hold and transferred into a truck for transport, or, to save time, the
harvester can transfer it to a transport boat, which then takes the
material to the shore conveyor. The eelgrass is trucked to the Town’s
Solid Waste Disposal Complex in Old Bethpage and is eventually
turned into mulch, along with the yard waste collected by the Town. The
harvester also has the ability to cut eelgrass, if necessary. “Eelgrass
ecosystems are a vital part of coastal embayments, providing habitat
for some fish and wildlife species, but the floating eelgrass and debris that accumulate on the surface of the water can create detrimental
environmental conditions in the canals and can pose hazards to boat
navigation,” Councilman Coschignano commented. “The Town’s
acquisition of this aquatic harvester will help further the Town’s efforts
to keep our waterways clean without disturbing the eelgrass meadows.”
Town Supervisor John Venditto and Councilwoman
Rebecca Alesia shown with compost at the Town’s
Old Bethpage Solid Waste Disposal Complex.
banned yard waste from disposal in incinerators
and is encouraging municipalities to recycle yard waste. “Under this new program, yard waste is taken to compost
facilities,” Supervisor Venditto said. “One of
the prime benefits of recycling yard waste is that
the cost to take these materials to a compost
facility is less than the cost to dispose of them
at a landfill. Also, some of the compost
will be made available, free-of-charge, to
district residents for use on their home gardening
and landscaping projects.” For more information,
call 677-5845