The Oyster Bay Sewer District was complimented on the progress by the LISS (Long Island Sound Study) Biennial Report. The Town of Oyster Bay is seeking a Federal No Discharge Zone designation to add to that progress in protecting the Oyster Bay-Cold Spring Harbor Complex.

The Oyster Bay Sewer District was highlighted in an article in the 2005-2006 LISS Biennial Report "Protection + Progress." The article states: "By upgrading its wastewater treatment plant using the Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) process, the Oyster Bay Sewer District applied advanced technology to meet its nitrogen reduction target eight years ahead of schedule.

"In addition to improving water quality in the Sound, the upgrade will improve water quality in Oyster Bay, a valuable resource that includes a National Wildlife Refuge and the state's largest commercial oyster hatchery.

"Nitrogen is removed from sewage in two phases - an aerobic phase (with oxygen) that changes ammonia in sewage to nitrates and nitrites, and anoxic phase (without oxygen) in which nitrates are broken down by bacteria to a harmless gas. In an SBR, the treatment process occurs in one tank (in a single batch) with a computer regulating when diffusers bubble oxygen into the tank in the aerobic phase, and when the diffusers are turned off for the anaerobic phase. SBR takes up less space and treats sewage quicker than other nitrogen removal processes. It's also faster to build than other systems.

"The upgrade came on line in December 2005 and immediately reduced nitrogen discharges to less than 60 pounds a day compared to as much as 230 pounds before the upgrade. The decrease exceeds the reduction the district was required to achieve in stages by 2014.

"The project cost $10.6 million. The Oyster Bay Sewer District contributed $3.9 million, with New York providing the remaining funds through the New York State Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act. The hamlet is the first north shore community to complete a plant with SBR technology. Huntington and the Suffolk County Department of Public Works in Port Jefferson are also constructing facilities that use the SBR process."

The article went on to discuss Connecticut's campaign to create "No Discharge Areas." The article says: "In 2006, Connecticut took major strides toward banning sewage discharged from boats.

"The state received approval from the EPA for its third No Discharge Area (NDA) for the Sound, and also applied for a fourth NDA that would complete the ban from Rhode Island to the New York State line.

"The latest approved NDA restricts boaters with toilets from discharging treated sewage in the waters from Groton to Guilford. Now boaters must use pumpout boats or pumpout facilities on shore. [Releasing un-treated sewage is already illegal.] The state received the designation after demonstrating to EPA that vessel waste could affect local water quality, and that sufficient pumpout facilities were available to boaters.

"There are an estimated 20,000 boats with toilets in Connecticut waters at any time during the boating season. Pollution from these boats is a relatively small contributor to water quality problems, but a discharge could be a serious local problem. Raw or poorly treated sewage can spread disease, contaminate shellfish beds, and lower oxygen levels in water, causing stress to fish and other aquatic animals.

"Discharge of sewage in poorly flushed harbors or coves where vessels may congregate can certainly pose a significant water quality issue," said Rick Huntley, Supervising Environmental Analyst with the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection Office of Long Island Sound Programs. Even a small discharge of sewage over a shellfish bed could make people sick from eating shellfish raw."

The article says, "The National Research Council and the United Nations Environmental Programme have recognized nutrient pollution as one of the greatest threats to the health of coastal waters. In the Sound, the nutrient nitrogen has increased 400 percent since the early 19th century, primarily due to the increase of sewage caused by population growth. This excess nitrogen contributes to low oxygen zones, the loss of seagrass, and reduced biodiversity."

That created the need for the EPA, New York and Connecticut to work toward reducing nitrogen levels. "In 2006, the LISS Policy Committee also authorized the Management Committee to conduct a technical review of the progress being made toward achieving water quality standards for dissolved oxygen and adjusting reduction goals as appropriate. The report should be completed by December 2007.

"Sewage treatment plants are not the only source of nitrogen entering the Sound. Other sources include polluted runoff from impervious surfaces and discharges from boats."

The Town of Oyster Bay is involved in creating a federally approved Oyster Bay Harbor No Discharge Zone. While currently people are mandated from dumping sewage into the waters of Oyster Bay, the town is seeking a federal designation for the area which will "put teeth into the law," said a town spokesperson.

The spokesperson explained, "To initiate the NDZ process, an interested party, group, or local government can discuss their concerns with the appropriate state agency (in the town's case it is the State Department of Environmental Conservation) that addresses vessel sewage discharges. If the state determines a waterbody to be appropriate for designation as a NDZ, the state can submit to the EPA Regional Administrator an application to have the waterbody (or waterbodies) of concern designated.

The spokesperson said, "The town has already drafted its application to the State DEC and we are awaiting written letters of support from all the villages bordering Oyster Bay Harbor. Once those letters have been received, the application and letters will be forwarded to the DEC."

The town contacted the villages of Cove Neck, Lloyd Harbor, Laurel Hollow, Bayville, Lattingtown, Oyster Bay Cove, Mill Neck, Centre Island, Nassau County, Suffolk County and the Town of Huntington. The letters were sent to the mayors of the villages and to Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi and Suffolk County Supervisor Petrone.

Bayville Mayor Vicki Siegel said, "The town has an answer from Bayville. We sent it back about a month ago. They said they needed it back before June 22. They sent a draft of the application and I read it and made some corrections in it as it is applied to Bayville and we faxed it over to them as well as sending a hard copy."

Oyster Bay Cove Village Clerk Donna Harris said the village had received the draft NDZ material in May and Mayor Rosemary Bourne signed the petition and they mailed it back to the village on June 12. Mayor Bourne said, "If there should be No Discharge Zone in our waters I would love it."

Centre Island Mayor Jack Williams said, "On June 4, I wrote to Neil Bergin, commissioner of the Department of Environmental Resources saying, 'I reviewed your draft copy of the No Discharge Zone petition for the Oyster Bay Cold Spring Harbor Complex and I wholeheartedly endorse moving ahead with the plan as mayor of a village that is directly affected. The designation is one that I have been advocating for many years and I am delighted to learn that it is finally moving forward toward implementation."

Lattingtown Mayor Clarence Michalis said he has received the draft copy for the proposed No Discharge Zone. He plans to bring it before his board on Thursday, July 12 since it needs an endorsement by the village trustees. "We'll probably have our lawyer look at it too since it is a draft and a draft is subject to revision - -which would make it different in its final copy. If they have no objections and the lawyer doesn't, we will sign it and send it to the town."

From his years of experience as mayor of a small village he said, "No one is opposed to it, just cautious - and to be sure it doesn't cost us any money that would affect the taxpayers."

Kyle Rabin, Friends of the Bay executive director said. "The No Discharge Zone is something FOB has had as a priority for many years and we are glad the town is making progress on this front."