Healthy Water, No Limits

Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor
Protection Committee

What We Do

The Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor Protection Committee was formed in 2010 to improve the health of Oyster Bay and Cold Spring Harbor by coordinating the efforts of eleven (11) municipalities in the watershed and engaging the public.

Community Engagement

To increase awareness of and connection to our local waters we have been working with the residents, villages, the Town of Oyster Bay and numerous community organizations on an oyster gardening program since 2017.

Best Management Practices

Provide guidance and assistance to member municipalitie in carrying out the federal and state mandated stormwater permit requirements (MS4), enhancing their training, and public outreach.

Advocate

Through a variety of techniques, including supporting Friends of the Bay’s and others water sampling, in-person investigations, drone thermal imagery, and microbial source tracking, we identify pollution sources and promote corrective actions.

Accomplishments

Get Pumped!

Innovative cooperative septic system education program

Joint cesspool education program with Manhasset Bay and Hempstead Harbor protection committees raised awareness of this overlooked issue. Training and actions advocated became the basis for Suffolk ad Nassau county septic programs.

Government Efficiency

Sharing training, resources, and data

Independently and cooperatively with fellow protection committees, save municipal members time and money toward MS4 compliance, providing outreach on many of the recommended activities (i.e. septic system education, geese and pet waste management, fertilizer use, and oyster gardening outreach/stewardship activities).

Water Quality

Taking action to address pollution sources

Identifying and addressing majore souces of pollution, such as pathogens, including human waste and nutrient enrichment to local waterways. Support Friends of the Bay’s monitoring program and successfully advocated for $250,000 Suffolk County grant.

Shellfish Restoration

Putting the oyster back in Oyster Bay

North Shore Oyster Gardening, celebrating its 10th season, has become a model outreach program. Supported the establishment of spawner sanctuaries as a home for 00,00+ oysters seeded, whcih attracted millions more from the Town of Oyster Bay and others. This program also facilitated the establishment of spawner sanctuaries and restoration research.

Attracting Resources

Supported obtaining $1M in federal, state, and county funds

Facilitated the awarding of more than a half dozen grants totaling more than $1M to support septic education, identifying sources of water pollution, and shellfish restoration.