BAY WATCH

Friends of the Bay Appoints New Director and Board President

The Board of Directors of Friends of the Bay is pleased to announce that Patricia Aitken will be the organization’s Executive Director.  Her appointment and that of a new Board President and officers was made at the January meeting of the Board of Directors.  “During her time at Friends of the Bay, Pat has shown that she possesses a comprehensive knowledge of the issues facing the Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor Watershed, as well as the ability to develop the relationships necessary to create the partnerships that are essential to achieving our goals.  Pat has the full confidence of the Board.  I look forward to continuing to work with Pat to keep Friends of the Bay a proactive and effective organization” said Barry Lamb, who is the newly elected President of the Board of Directors. 
Mrs. Aitken states “As a lifelong resident of the Oyster Bay area, our mission ‘to protect, preserve and restore the ecological integrity and productivity of the Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor Estuary and the surrounding watershed’ is one that resonates with me.   I care deeply about this area, and want to see it receive the care and attention it so richly deserves.” Mrs. Aitken joined Friends of the Bay in March of 2004 as the Coordinator of the Water Quality Monitoring Program
“I have been very fortunate to be at Friends of the Bay during the preparation of our State of the Watershed Report, and look forward to working with the community, environmental organizations, the Town of Oyster Bay and other government entities in the development of our Watershed Action Plan.  The Action Plan will build upon the twenty year history of Friends of the Bay and its recognition as one of the top environmental advocacy organizations in the region.  I am excited by the opportunity to continue to work with the dedicated supporters, volunteers and board members of Friends of the Bay, all in an ongoing effort to work in coalition to find solutions to the environmental challenges ahead.”
Beth Dalton-Costello, Friends of the Bay’s immediate Past President, will continue on the Board of Directors.  She has been involved with Friends of the Bay since its very beginning and is one of its staunchest supporters.  “As we enter into the third decade of being a voice for the bay, it is a tremendous pleasure to usher in our newest members on the Executive Board.  They each have a strong commitment to our mission and bring a wide range of expertise and passion to the work” stated Ms. Dalton-Costello.

Barry Lamb has been elected as President of the Board of Directors.  Previously Mr. Lamb served on the Advisory Board, the Board of Directors and on the Executive Committee as Vice President.  Most recently, Mr. Lamb initiated the creation of a partnership to establish a water trail for kayaks and canoes throughout the estuary.  Just weeks ago A New York State Department of State grant was awarded through the Town of Oyster Bay for the study and design of the trail.  Mr. Lamb, who lives in Bayville, is a life- long resident of the area and a dedicated environmentalist who enjoys sailing, kayaking and fly-fishing the waters of Oyster Bay.  He is a long time supporter of Friends of the Bay and has been active on local issues as Avalon Bay, the contaminated Mill Neck Bay Marina property and the soon to be resolved sewage discharge problem at the Birches development in Locust Valley.  Mr. Lamb is a Building Inspector and Tree Warden and serves on the Village of Bayville’s Zoning Board of appeals.  His experience in these areas makes him knowledgeable in municipal government, zoning, land use planning and stormwater management. 

Mickey Brennan, Adrian Kerrigan and Elaine McNicol Postley will all bring their talents and dedication to Friends of the Bay as Vice Presidents.  “These recent additions to our Executive Committee will serve to continue the strong leadership that has made Friends of the Bay so effective throughout its history.  I look forward to working with Pat, our Board of Directors, community leaders and other organizations to find watershed-based solutions to the issues that threaten this beautiful bay” stated Barry Lamb.  Michael Held and David Relyea will continue in their positions as Treasurer and Secretary.

Michael (Mickey) Brennan is the chief executive officer and founder of North Sea Partners LLC. Mr. Brennan has over two decades of global experience in the trading, research and distribution of credit market securities. Mr. Brennan was co-head of Global Credit and Loan Distribution at Citigroup in New York, and prior to that, he was head of High Yield and Distressed Securities Sales, Trading and Research at Citigroup in London. Under his direction, Citigroup was consistently ranked among the top three underwriters of global high yield securities. From 2001 to 2004 he was the head of high yield sales at Credit Suisse in their London office. During his career, Mr. Brennan has been instrumental in the largest and most prominent global high yield and leveraged buyout transactions. Mr. Brennan is a founding board member of Gateway Communications and Custom Vault Securities. An active philanthropist, Mr. Brennan is a director of the TLOA Fund. He is a graduate of Iona College.

Adrian V. Kerrigan is the Senior Vice President of the Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB) headquartered in NYC.  CMMB is a faith based leader in global healthcare that last year provided over $285 million in medicine and medical supplies to the developing world.  Adrian is a consultant to many in the advancement, fundraising, higher education and non-profit worlds.
 
“I am so pleased to become Vice President on the Executive Committee of Friends of the Bay.  We look forward to advancing the mission of Friends of the Bay through our Watershed Action Plan and increasing awareness and support of our organization which serves and protects one of Long Island’s most beautiful and pristine natural resources.”
 
Elaine McNicol Postley grew up swimming, fishing and sailing in the beauty of Cold Spring Harbor and Long Island Sound.   She and husband, Dr. John Postley, reside in Mill Neck. Ms. Postley practiced corporate and securities law in Manhattan for 29 years.  In addition, for five years, she served as president of Goddard-Riverside, one of the most respected and effective community organizations in New York City. She brings to Friends of the Bay her experience in leading board oversight of significant budgets, multiple projects, over 50 employees and a substantial endowment. Ms. Postley will focus on development and oversight for FOB.

Ms. Postley commented on her support for Friends of the Bay “Oyster Bay and Cold Spring Harbors are the last living, thriving waters of the unique and exquisite North Shore. Sadly, these waters are imminently threatened. Our sister harbors sorely need remediation, a Herculean task. This is the moment to act. Friends of the Bay have just completed the first detailed Watershed Study of the Oyster Bay and Cold Spring Harbor Estuary. It is partnering with surrounding municipalities and other groups, to spearhead creation of a vital Watershed Action Plan to preserve and restore these beautiful estuaries.” The Board members and Executive Director of Friends of the Bay are expert, professional and seriously committed to the work. I will strive to support their efforts.  My grandchildren, Bea (8) and Griff (6), love swimming in the “real water” of Oyster Bay Harbor and boating and fishing with their great grandfather in Cold Spring Harbor. What better mission than to preserve this extraordinary heritage for all our children. ”

Mrs. Michelle Massarrone has joined the staff of Friends of the Bay as an office manager.  She brings twenty years of experience in non-profit, private and government accounting roles and has specialized skills in implementing accounting processes and procedures, as well as computerized accounting systems.  She comments that “her approach towards work is a ‘rolled up sleeve’ attitude.  I love to learn all about a company and assist in its growth.”

Here is a great old video of how oystering was done in England, courtesy of Youtube and Richard Sack, who found it and posted it - Oystering in 1920s England

From all of us here at Friends of the Bay – Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukkah, and best wishes for a Happy New Year! 

Announcing Our Winter Lecture Series

All lectures take place in the Friends of the Bay Offices at 2 Townsend Square (intersection of South and West Main Street, Oyster Bay). The doors open at 7:00 and lectures begin at 7:30.  We hope to start the New Year off with you!

Wednesday, January 13- James Cervino, PhD-

Understanding a Global Warming world and its effects on our coastal zone marine habitats from a local and global perspective, with a special note on how shellfish can help protect our coasts.  (Note that this is the second Wednesday of the month).

Wednesday, February   3- George Thompson of Dodds & Eder and Beth Fiteni of Long Island Neighborhood Network will address environmentally responsible and sustainable gardening techniques - how to have a beautiful garden and protect our water quality at the same time. 

Wednesday,  March  3-Dr. Matt Draud, Chair of Biology  of  C . W.  Post University:  The Diamondback Terrapins of Oyster Bay - Denizens of the Marsh.

Oyster Bay supports a robust population of the once critically endangered estuarine turtle, the Diamondback Terrapin. Over the past decade Dr. Draud and his students have studied many aspects of this population, including their demography, nesting habits, dietary habits, movement patterns, and hibernation. They have discovered a large adult population with mainly older turtles. It appears to be a population struggling to replace itself with young turtles. The main problem is lack of quality nesting habitat coupled with nest destruction by raccoons. In this lecture, Dr. Draud will present the natural history of the Diamondback Terrapin in Oyster Bay and discuss plans for the conservation of this important denizen of our marshes

Thank you for being a Friend of the Bay in 2009!  We are looking ahead to 2010 with many new plans and programs.   We hope you will support Friends of the Bay with a year end gift today.

The year is fast winding down, and many of us are caught up in last minute gift shopping, trying to think of what to give as a gift.  This year, more than in others, people seem to want to give a meaningful gift.  So many have been affected by the economic downturn, many people the ability to give want to help others less fortunate.  If you are inclined, give the gift of membership in an organization you already support, or make a donation to that organization in someone’s name.  I know I am not alone in saying that Friends of the Bay would be very grateful for any such gift, as would any organization.

Another gift that I always like to give is a book (and you could always give a certificate of membership or notice of a donation made together with a book, so that there will be a present to open).  I especially like to give books to children, to encourage a life long habit of reading.  Here are some suggested “green” books from the National Environmental Education Foundation. 

For elementary school ages:

A Day in the Salt Marsh – Kevin Kurtz - Fun-to-read, rhyming verse introduces readers to hourly changes in the marsh as the tide comes and goes. Watch the animals that have adapted to this ever-changing environment as they hunt for food or play in the sun, and learn how the marsh grass survives even though it is covered by salt water twice a day.

The Giving Tree  - Shel Silverstein - ‘Once there was a tree…and she loved a little boy.’ So begins this tender story about the capacity for unconditional love and generosity, written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein.

The Magic School Bus - Wet All Over: A Book About The Water Cycle - Joanna Cole   - Ms. Frizzle’s class is learning all about water. But instead of taking them to a water theme park, Ms. Frizzle takes them on a seriously wet and wild ride - through the water cycle!

 Middle School: 

The Big Book for Our Planet - Jean Craighead George - Nearly thirty stories, poems, and non-fiction pieces by such notable authors as Natalie Babbitt, Marilyn Sachs, and Jane Yolen, illustrated by the likes of Steven Kellogg and Susan Jeffers, demonstrate some modern environmental issues, e.g. overpopulation, tampering with nature, litter, pollution, and waste disposal.

A Drop of Water: A Book Of Science And Wonder - Walter Wick - The curious, protean nature of water has fascinated people for ages, and Walter Wick–the photographer of Scholastic’s highly acclaimed I Spy series–is no exception. Like many old-fashioned science books, A Drop of Water ends with a list of simple experiments that may lure the young reader into the world of scientific investigation. This book, however, stands on its own as a beautiful, notable collection of photographs.

How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate - Lynne Cherry and Gary Braasch - Two leading environmental authors, Lynne Cherry and Gary Braasch, have come together to produce a new book for middle school-age children that explains climate science.  How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate presents clear science and outstanding photos of the evidence gathered by leading scientists all over the world. 

High School:

Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness - Edward Abbey - Edward Abbey’s account of two summers spent in southeastern Utah’s canyonlands tells of his stint as a park ranger at Arches National Monument, of his love for the natural beauty that surrounded him, and of his distaste for the modernizing improvements designed to increase visitation to the park.

Unlocking the Secrets of America’s Wetlands   - Judith F. Taggart - This is an introductory guide to wetlands suitable for adults or high-school students. It helps the reader understand what wetlands are, wetland ecology, and why these valuable ecosystems are important for clean water, wildlife habitat, fisheries, and more. A number of federal agencies, national organizations, and programs are listed, along with contact information.

The Norton Book of Nature Writing - Robert Finch (Ed.) – -This anthology contains 124 pieces by classic and contemporary nature writers.

These excerpts were taken from the website of the National Environmental Education Foundation.  There are many more excellent suggestions on their website at http://www.eeweek.org/resources/green_reading.htm#middle.  

Oyster Bay unfortunately no longer has a bookstore, but Book Revue in Huntington is an excellent local, independent bookstore.  And, if you cannot afford to buy all the books you wish to read, or don’t have the room for them, the public library system is hands down the best bargain ever.  If you or your children don’t have a library card, get one for Christmas!

Because of your partnership and support, Friends of the Bay was able to accomplish many things this year.  Thank you to all of you who have assisted us in our valuable work.   Our accomplishments this year include:

Friends of the Bay’s State of the Watershed Report was released to the public.  The State of the Watershed Report will serve as the basis for a watershed management plan and actions to remediate threats to the Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor Estuary, such as polluted stormwater runoff, loss of open space and habitat, and haphazard, uncoordinated and unsustainable development.

In March our volunteer driven water quality monitoring program was honored with an award by the Environmental Protection Agency as an organization which has made a significant contribution to improving the local environment.  Shortly thereafter, Friends of the Bay members were proud to be at a landmark groundbreaking ceremony for long-awaited upgrades to sewer and water infrastructure to connect the homes in the Birches residential subdivision to the Glen Cove sewage treatment plant.  This will eliminate chronic cesspool overflows to Mill Neck Creek and is the result of many years of hard work by Friends of the Bay, our volunteers and supporters.

Partnering with the North Oyster Bay Baymen’s Association, the Town of Oyster Bay, local organizations and residents Friends of the Bay has participated in two major harbor cleanups in the spring and fall.  Friends of the Bay assisted in the effort to remove invasive Water Chestnut from the Mill Pond.   The harbor is significantly healthier because of the efforts of Friends of the Bay supporters.

In the coming year, Friends of the Bay will continue with several projects that are already in the early stages.  In April, we initiated a partnership with several other non-profits, local municipalities and government agencies for the purpose of developing a water trail for kayakers and canoeists.   Friends of the Bay is investigating multiple opportunities for improved fish passage at tributary streams throughout the watershed and has begun working to advance the construction of an already designed “rock ramp” fish ladder at Beaver Dam.  This project has been stalled in the planning stage for years and is critical for the diadromous species that must pass this barrier to spawn. And finally, we are exploring the possibility of creating a shellfish spawner sanctuary in Mill Neck Creek.  With the Birches sewage problem coming to an end, reconstructing the oyster reefs and clam beds that historically existed will provide the ecosystem with food, habitat and water filtration and will provide breeding stock that will ensure that natural sets of juvenile shellfish do not become a thing of the past.

These efforts to protect the Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor depend on true partnership.  We cannot do it alone.  It takes community commitment to keep our waters clean and healthy.   Friends of the Bay is the only organization whose sole focus is the quality of the water in the Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor watershed.   By supporting Friends of the Bay you become an integral part of a community of committed

friends and neighbors who care about sustaining the incredible resources of this watershed area, not only for the here and now, but also for generations to come.

We appreciate, and need, your support more than ever in these challenging economic times.  We have a strong mission and vision for the coming year.  Can we count on your support as we move ahead?

None of this would have been possible without you.   Your support is very deeply appreciated.  If you have not already made a gift to Friends of the Bay, please consider doing so.  You may rest assured that your donation will be used locally to help our community.  We ask you to keep Friends of the Bay at the top of your charitable interests during this season of giving and please make a gift that will allow us to continue our important work together.

Thank you for being a Friend of the Bay! 

A large group of volunteers and friends came to the Friends of the Bay Office on Wednesday, November 18 to celebrate all we have accomplished this year, and to acknowledge the great work done by our volunteers. 

Perhaps the most visible of volunteers  are our water quality monitors.  Many people may think of the weather we have in the summer, when it is warm and sunny and wonderful to be out on the bay.  But it is not always great weather – I am reminded of a day in early spring when Carla Panetta, Jack Panetta and Lorna Mann huddled under the boat tarp to stay dry, or just last week when Lorna came out to do monitoring in Mill Neck Creek on the first day of the recent nor’easter, and of course Terry Kattleman’s famous remark about feeling like a pot roast, made one incredibly hot day in August.  Boat captains Hank Kasven and Scott Sayer are both very dedicated to making sure our program stays running.  They are very knowledgeable about safe boating and each has their own distinct sense of humor and brings substantial knowledge about the environment to our program.   The Environmental Protection Agency honored our dedicated group of volunteers with an award in March of this year. 

Beginning with Friends of the Bay’s Cinco de Mayo Party, the Audacious Cruise, and finally Celebrating the Bay at the Brennan home, our event committees worked very hard this year to ensure that our programs would be adequately funded and that the work done by Friends of the Bay would be able to continue.  Committee Chairs Felicia Anastasi, Carolyn Kenavan, Beth Dalton, Maureen Brennan, Carla Panetta, and Fran Leone led these efforts.  All these events were successful and fun filled .  At Celebrating the Bay, we met Frank Leone, the Best Friend Forever of Friends of the Bay. 

There are also “unsung” volunteers who provide office and technical support like Frank Sappell, who has been so generous in assisting with computer issues and Chris Gallagher, whose company Rhapsody Computer Services donated the monitor which is soon to be installed with the help of Larry Nathan from Appliance World and Scicom.   Joe Skopek of Chromatrope Designs has done so much graphic design work for us in addition to running our website, and Richard Sack and Peter Braune, two incredibly talented photographers.  And people like Caroline Dubois who is always willing to help get the word out about Friends of the Bay or Rob Brusca, who is always there to lend a hand. 

Thank you also to all the community members who have come out to help us for the Harbor Clean Up in April, the International Coastal Cleanup in September and who helped in the effort to remove invasive water chestnut from the Mill Pond.  Your willingness to make a commitment to help your local environment is commendable.

For updates on Friends of the Bay activities, check our Blog and Facebook page and become a Fan of our Facebook page!  Friends of the Bay has been nominated for Best Environmental Organization on LI for the fifth year in a row by readers of the Long Island Press – last year other winners included  the Nature Conservancy and the Bronx Zoo –which are  two huge international organizations.  I think that being in their company is something to be very proud of.  So, please vote for us, and make us #1 in 2010.

I have a solicitation
I’d like to toast you with holiday cheer
but can hardly afford an Oyster Bay beer
To continue to offer environmental solutions
we really need your Tax-deductible contributions
Visit www.friendsofthebay.org where it says ‘Donate’
And keep Oyster Bay Harbor in a fine state!

The next lecture (on Wednesday, December 2) in Friends of the Bay Winter Series will feature Aaron Virgin of the Theodore Roosevelt Audubon Sanctuary speaking about “Our Feathered Friends from the North: Wintering Waterfowl on Long Island”.  The talk will consist of why waterfowl migrate and winter in our area and what makes our area so appealing to waterfowl.  Aaron will provide an overview of the different types or groups of waterfowl, e.g. geese, swans, dabblers, divers, and he will “dive” (Aaron’s pun, not mine!) into more specifics on some of the more common waterfowl such as scaup and mergansers. Why duck hunters are allowed to hunt in the Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge and the role of the duck hunters will also be discussed during his presentation.  The doors open at 7, and the lecture will begin at 7:30.  Please join us for an opportunity to learn more about these winter residents.

This past week there was a large flock of buffleheads in Mill Neck Creek, and a smaller raft of them on the Mill Pond in Oyster Bay.  These small black and white ducks are striking and are among my favorite visiting winter waterfowl. 

Last week, I joined a group of birders who were in search of a Barnacle Goose at Sunken Meadow State Park.  A barnacle goose is a medium-sized goose with a white face and black head, neck, and upper breast, and a white belly.  It’s a very pretty bird.  Barnacle Geese breed mainly on the Arctic islands of the North Atlantic and usually winter in the Hebrides of Scotland, England or the Netherlands, so to see one on Long Island is a rare occurrence, and brought birders from all over to see it.  I met one couple who drove down from Ithaca just to see this bird.  A pink-footed goose has also been seen at Sunken Meadow, but I was not one of the lucky ones who spotted it.  Hopefully he will stay there for a while and I’ll get another chance.  Why they are here is open to debate – it’s possible they are escapes from a private collector, or that they were blown off course during their migration by one of the winter storms in the North Atlantic.  In any event, birding is a great reason to get outdoors.  Come to Friends of the Bay’s lecture on the 2nd, and learn what waterfowl you may see here. 

“Celebrating the Bay” was the theme of Friends of the Bay’s benefit held on October 16 at the home of Maureen and Mickey Brennan.  The warmth and graciousness of the hosts who so generously opened their home to Friends of the Bay set the tone for a lovely evening.   It truly was a fun filled celebration of the treasures of the bay and of the friends and supporters who work together to protect our harbor.  Rooms were filled with people enjoying freshly shucked oysters, cocktails and sampling hors d’oeuvres.   Even the floral décor provided by Tuesday and Company featured oysters and stems from the bay.  In an unusual twist on selling raffles, guests had the opportunity to purchase keys to treasure chests from young pirates (members of the Junior Coalition of the Friends of the Bay).   Each treasure chest had a different theme, such as “The Couch Potato” – which included a large screen TV, cigars, artisanal beer and three nag and whine free hours, or an “Interior Redesign Chest” which included a design by Ken Kelly, an interior design consultation by DiSalvo Interiors, and a certificate to Appliance World.   Live auction packages, one of which was for a sunset cruise in Oyster Bay Harbor also generated a lot of excitement.   Frank Leone won the opportunity to be the BFF (Best Friend Forever) of Friends of the Bay.  He will do water quality monitoring with Pat Aitken and the water quality volunteers, have lunch with Friends of the Bay board members, and be presented with the official Friends of the Bay oyster, among other things.  It was all light hearted fun, but raised money to support a very worthy cause.   

Beth Dalton Costello thanked the Brennans for their support not only of Friends of the Bay but for the Oyster Bay community and their willingness to be active participants in the community. In her comments Pat Aitken, Acting Director of Friends of the Bay, mentioned some of the achievements of Friends of the Bay this year – winning an award for the water quality monitoring program from the Environmental Protection Agency, seeing a resolution to the sewage problem at The Birches, two very successful harbor cleanups, and conducting a full season of water quality monitoring.  She mentioned that one of the goals of Friends of the Bay is to expand the monitoring of streams and outfalls which currently being done only four times a year to being done on a monthly basis.  This will provide a better picture of what is happening upstream that will affect the bay.  The State of the Watershed report, which will provide a direction for remediation and improvement projects in the months and years to come.

At the end of her remarks, Pat Aitken said “I’m frequently asked – what is the worth of the bay?  I can tell you that the shellfish harvest is worth $7 million dollars annually.  That does not include revenues from tourism, and recreational boating.  But, I think there is a much more important worth to be considered - What is it worth to you to have seen a painting by Monet, heard the Ode to Joy, or read Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass?  And how would you feel if one day, those masterpieces were irretrievably damaged, or worse yet, lost forever?  I think that is how we have to think about our bay – as a masterpiece.  We ask for your assistance in ensuring that it is not irretrievably damaged.  Thank you for coming tonight and supporting our mission.”

Friends of the Bay truly has wonderful friends!

Friends of the Bay presented our “State of the Watershed Report” at a public meeting held in our offices at 2 Townsend Square on Wednesday, November 4 at 7:30 pm. 

Friends of the Bay is committed to the protection of the Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor Estuary and the surrounding watershed.  We are actively involved in water quality protection, watershed and wetlands conservation, land use planning, research, education, and  community action and advocacy.  Working with the Town of Oyster Bay and other governmental entities, stakeholder groups, and the general public, Friends of the Bay has prepared this State of the Watershed Report with two overall objectives:

The State of the Watershed Report summarizes existing environmental and land use conditions in the watershed.  It is a comprehensive document that integrates many environmental indicators to assess the current health of the watershed and potential future threats.  The report provides a baseline assessment of watershed conditions, which can be updated periodically to evaluate changes in the watershed and help direct watershed management planning.

The State of the Watershed Report is the first step in developing a watershed management plan for the harbor complex, following an approach endorsed by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) for developing watershed-based plans.  The State of the Watershed Report will serve as the basis for the development of a subsequent Watershed Action Plan, which will identify prioritized action items to protect and improve the ecological integrity of the estuary  and surrounding watershed.

The Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor Estuary and its watershed have been facing increasing challenges in recent years.  Illegal dumping and polluted stormwater threaten water quality, development pressure is reducing the amount of open space and increasing impervious surfaces in the watershed, and man-made dams and culverts inhibit fish passage along streams.  Use impairments to shellfishing, public bathing, fish consumption, habitat/hydrology, aquatic life and recreation have been identified for parts of the harbor complex.  Future uncontrolled development in the watershed will increase the quantity of stormwater runoff to Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor, despite a 2003 NYSDEC report that highlighted urban runoff as the dominant source of pathogens to the estuary complex. 

Over the next several months, Friends of the Bay will build upon the findings of the State of the Watershed report to begin the next phase of the watershed planning process, which is to develop a Watershed Action Plan for the Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor estuary.