Southold Town joins state in lawsuit against EPA
The Town of Southold is joining the lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency for dumping dredged materials in Long Island Sound.
The suit was originally filed by New York State on Aug. 17. The EPA’s site designation violates both the Ocean Dumping Act and the Coastal Zone Management Act, according to a press release. Dredged materials from Connecticut have been disposed of in Long Island Sound for at least 10 years now.
There are two dumping sites due north of Southold: one just north of Greenport and another west of Fishers Island.
“Allowing dumping of potentially contaminated dredge spoils in the Sound just flies in the face of common sense,” said Town Councilman Bob Ghosio. “The fact that these dump sites are just off the environmentally sensitive shores of Southold Town is especially troubling.”
The EPA said in 2016 it would dump dredged materials into the eastern Sound, but local environmentalists have been speaking out against this because the materials could potentially be harmful to the environment.
“The town board’s unanimous support of joining the state’s lawsuit against the EPA will ensure that our interests are represented and hopefully stop this ill-conceived plans,” Mr. Ghosio said.
