From left, Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth, Deputy Mayor of Glen Cove Maureen Basdavanos, Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino and Town of North Hempstead Environmental Specialist Kevin Braun look over the debris collected at the cleanup of Hempstead Harbor.
NORTH HEMPSTEAD — CSEA members from the Town of Oyster Bay, the City of Glen Cove and the Town of North Hempstead joined together to help purify Long Island’s waters during the Hempstead Harbor cleanup.
CSEA members’ participation was crucial to the success of the cleanup project.
“Those of us who were a part of the cleanup also worked on the logistics for the project,” said Town of North Hempstead Environmental Control Specialist Kevin Braun. “Once we got approval from our supervisors to proceed with our plans, we got to work.”
Project planners decided it was best to focus their efforts on Mott’s Cove due to its proximity to the Town of North Hempstead boat launch, where the debris would be disposed of.
It was a matter of safety that made the cleanup action necessary.
“Debris in the harbor led to obstacles in the waterway where collisions could happen,” said Braun. “In addition, it helps improve the waterways and wetlands because this debris is detrimental to the natural habitat, the nesting birds as well as the juvenile fish hatcheries that are all a part of the ecosystem. It’s also a visual improvement for the constituents of the area.”
If debris is left in the harbor, the waterway could prove to be hazardous.
“There’s no way of knowing what kind of byproducts the debris is giving off,” said Braun. “For example, there’s a boat that we need to remove. We don’t know if that boat has oil in it or some other kind of dangerous materials. We know that we have to get the boat out because it could have a detrimental effect down the line because of toxins that it could be putting into the water.”
In the end, the cleanup participants cleared enough debris to fill three 30-yard dumpsters, weighing about 60 tons in total.
The working relationship between members in the three municipalities that participated in the cleanup project could not have been better.
“Working with CSEA members from surrounding areas was easy,” said Braun. “We knew the mission at hand and we did it to the best of our ability. In addition, the City of Glen Cove provided cover for those of us from the Town of Oyster Bay and North Hempstead who were removing the debris by having CSEA [members employed as]bay constables patrol the waters, ensuring that no one got hurt and that the debris wasn’t lost or separated.”
The debris removal went so well that there are hopes to continue the effort.
“This was an initial cleanup. We’re looking to get an agreement together so this can be a long-term cleanup initiative,” said Braun. “It feels good to do something that will benefit the environment.”
