Featured Story

Facing the effects of climate change on the North Fork

Brought to you by:

On more than one occasion, Shelter Island’s North Ferry Company has had to briefly shut down operations to deal with docking difficulties caused by rising tides. Applications in Southold Town for coastal erosion protection devices are on the rise. And flooding and puddling have become more prevalent in some neighborhoods in the last five to 10 years.

These were among the impacts of climate change discussed at a forum May 22 at Vineyard Caterers in Aquebogue. “The Effects of Climate Change on the North Fork” was the fourth in a series of 10 panel discussions on newsworthy topics affecting Southold and Riverhead towns, hosted by Times Review Media Group.

“I’ve been immersed in the subject of global warming for at least 10 years,” said panelist Mark Haubner, vice president of the North Fork Environmental Council. “Climate change presents us with some of the most immediate and observable impacts that we can see for ourselves on the North Fork.

“We have collectively changed the composition of the atmosphere, and our oceans are swelling due to the amount of carbon we are producing,” he said.

Mr. Haubner was joined on the panel by Southold Town Trustee John Bredemeyer, North Ferry general manager Bridgford Hunt, Marie Beninati of Southold VOICE, Kevin McAllister of Defending H2O and Joyce Novak of the Peconic Estuary Program. County Legislator
Al Krupski (D-Cutchogue) contributed to the discussion as an audience member.

See full coverage from the event below.

Facing the effects of climate change on the North Fork