Action on the Forge
»The Forge River in Moriches, New York, was thrust
into the public spotlight in June 2005 when a whitish-gray plume consumed
the river. Fish and crab carcasses floated on the water as juvenile eels
rose from the depths to breathe and blue crabs scuttled ashore to survive.
The Forge was dying and spreading its contagion into the greater reaches
of Moriches Bay. Fred Chiofolo, a bayman for more than 40 years in the
area, said, “This was a golden place and always one of the great
places to fish for crabs, eels, clams, flounder, bunker, everything.
It’s horrible what’s happened and, what’s more, most
of the recent shellfish closings in northern Moriches Bay are a result
of the Forge.”
The dire conditions set in motion a call to action. The community quickly
rallied, appearing by the hundreds at press conferences and meetings
in an effort to save the Forge. Concerned residents trained by the Peconic
Baykeeper regularly tested the waters, recording dissolved oxygen levels
and collecting samples for fecal bacteria. In September 2005, Peconic
Baykeeper petitioned the New York Department of Environmental Conservation
to classify the Forge River and its tributaries as impaired waters. Under
the Clean Water Act, states are required to identify impaired waters
where conditions prevent specific “designated” uses. In this
instance, the Forge failed to provide the water quality necessary for
the survival of its fish populations. The river’s high level of
bacteria also presented a serious threat to the people who use the bay.
In April 2006, after nearly a year of testing and the community’s
clear demand for action, the state granted the petition and placed the
Forge on the impaired waters list.
Already the designation has prompted new leadership and action at many
levels. The Town of Brookhaven has taken the lead to create the Forge
River Task Force, composed of government officials, citizen leaders and
public interest groups, including Peconic Baykeeper. The Task Force is
analyzing the factors that caused the decline and will make recommendations
to guide restoration efforts. Ironically, the distinction of being an
impaired waterbody has been the impetus to reverse decades of neglect
and indifference. w
No Swimming
While there are many sources of nutrient pollution in the watershed, testing
has revealed a significant source is nitrogen-enriched groundwater. The
culprit is most likely the thousands of antiquated cesspools present
in high-density communities in the watershed.
In 1609, Samuel de Champlain came up the Richelieu River and found a big lake that he promptly named after himself. Today, the lake is suffering from nutrient pollution. In 2002, Vermont and New York adopted and EPA approved a pollution reduction plan for phosphorus. In the almost five years since the adoption of the plan, however, no significant reductions in phosphorus have occurred in the lake. This year the state legislature passed a law requiring Vermont, which contributes most of the phosphorus, to reopen and rewrite the plan. Lake Champlain Lakekeeper and Conservation Law Foundation played a critical role getting this law passed and forcing the state to adopt an industrial stormwater permit to stop polluted runoff. Plans to commemorate Champlain’s arrival are now underway for 2009. But without real progress on nutrient pollution, the celebration of the 400 year mark may be more of a funeral than an anniversary.
(Istock)