{"id":22908,"date":"2021-09-01T10:02:37","date_gmt":"2021-09-01T14:02:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nysacc.org\/?p=22908"},"modified":"2021-09-07T13:28:54","modified_gmt":"2021-09-07T17:28:54","slug":"focus-on-a-conservation-advisory-commission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nysacc.org\/index.php\/2021\/09\/01\/focus-on-a-conservation-advisory-commission\/","title":{"rendered":"Focus on a Conservation Advisory Commission"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Focus on a Conservation Advisory Commission\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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THE VILLAGE OF OCEAN BEACH ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION (\u201cVOBEC\u201d)<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Incorporated Village of Ocean Beach (celebrating its 100th <\/span>anniversary as an incorporated village in 2021) is the largest of 16 communities of Fire Island, a 32-mile-long barrier island south of Long Island, located in Suffolk County. With an off-season population of 24 (2018) that expands exponentially during the summer, the village is typically reached by ferry from Long Island. VOBEC was formed in 1979 as a seven-member Mayoral-appointed advisory group, originally known as the Conservation Commission. Our mandate is not only to advise the Mayor, but to educate the community on environmental issues relevant to our coastal community. We accomplish this objective by hosting an annual environmental awareness day, publishing a quarterly newsletter, coordinating annual beach clean ups and advising the Village on a wide range of environmental topics.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Environmental Awareness Day <\/b><\/p>\n

Each year VOBEC hosts an Environmental Awareness Day, which includes speakers on a host of timely environmental topics that affect Ocean Beach. In past years, topics have included the role of beneficial insects, as well as plantings designed to attract essential pollinators; sustainable fisheries in the Great South Bay, focusing on the cottage industry of Kelp Farming; the potential impact of off-shore drilling on Ocean Beach; and current efforts to revitalize the Great South Bay. We hope to have a speaker discuss green infrastructure at our 15th <\/span>Annual Environmental Awareness Day later this season.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Communications <\/b><\/p>\n

As part of our mandate to educate the community, VOBEC prepares a newsletter dedicated to environmental issues relevant to Ocean Beach on a quarterly basis, and contributes environmentally focused articles to the Village of Ocean Beach Bulletin Board Facebook page on a monthly basis. A collection of past newsletters can be found at VOBEC.org, our website dedicated to keeping the community apprised of up-to-date environmental developments in Ocean Beach. VOBEC will continue to bring speakers to the community, and provide timely practical environmental information as part of this mandate.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Beach Cleanup <\/b><\/p>\n

For over 20 years, VOBEC has been spearheading an annual beach clean-up in September, which is organized globally by the Ocean Conservancy in conjunction with its International Coastal Cleanup. VOBEC manages the event locally, debris on the beach is collected by volunteers, and VOBEC submits a summary of debris data to the Ocean Conservancy for tabulation into its annual report. Up until three years ago, this was done solely by Ocean Beach. In 2018, we expanded the project to include other communities. This year, VOBEC will be coordinating its cleanup efforts with the Fire Island communities of Oakleyville, Point O’Woods, Ocean Bay Park, Seaview, Ocean Beach, Corneille Estates, Summer Club, Robbins Rest, Atlantique and the Lighthouse Park.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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General Environmental Issues <\/b><\/p>\n

Although Ocean Beach is a seasonal community, VOBEC members meet year-round. Throughout the year VOBEC provides input to the Village on a wide range of environmental topics, including the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program, recycling programs in place in the Village, noise abatement issues, creation of a list of native trees, brush and shrubs suitable for planting in Ocean Beach, and was able to coordinate the Village joining with other communities along the East Coast to successfully oppose the re-opening of offshore drilling and seismic blasting. In addition, VOBEC was instrumental in establishing an environmental awareness program at the Ocean Beach Youth Group summer camp. We strive to adapt to the needs of the community, so when Suffolk County eliminated plastic bags, we were able to distribute reusable grocery bags made from recycled plastic to residents of Ocean Beach and nearby communities.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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(Below is information from VOBECs website) <\/b><\/p>\n

LONG ISLAND WINDFARM <\/b><\/span>No Longer Tilting at Windmills<\/p>\n

In June of 2019, New York State promulgated the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) which formalized a number of climate goals for the State including a goal that by 2050, greenhouse gas emission levels in the State, will be reduced by 85 percent when compared to the baseline year of 1990. To achieve this goal, the CLCPA identified a number of ambitious targets for the power sector; specifically requiring that by 2030, 70 percent of the State\u2019s electricity must come from renewable energy sources. In line with this target, with potential implications for coastal residents, is the requirement that by 2035, at least 9,000 MW of electricity should come from offshore wind energy. This is a substantive increase over a prior goal of generating 2400 MW of power from wind by 2030.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Fire Island residents should be aware that on October 23, 2019, the Governor announced that the State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) had finalized contracts with two companies to provide approximately 1700 MW of offshore wind power which is enough to power up to 1 million homes. The two leasehold areas are depicted below or click here<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Information on the State\u2019s Master Plan for offshore wind, various fact sheets, as well as information concerning various studies and resources both completed and ongoing relating to offshore wind impacts can be found here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

The offshore wind projects associated with the State Master Plan have been the subject of a Generic Environmental Impact Statement published in May 2018 (GEIS), and more recently in February, 2020, a Supplemental GEIS was published and approved by the PSC. The SGEIS was needed to an expected additional procurement of approximately 1,800 MW of offshore wind in the near term. These and other documents such as comments on these documents by various stakeholders can be found on the NYPSC website in PSC Case number 18-e-0071.<\/p>\n

The timeline listed on this website suggests an approximate commissioning date of this first phase of the project (1700 MW) as 2024.<\/p>\n

More recently, in 2020, NYSERDA has provisionally awarded two additional offshore wind projects, totaling 2,490 megawatts. Empire Wind 2 (1,260 megawatts) and Beacon Wind (1,230 megawatts) of Equinor Wind US LLC will generate enough clean energy to power 1.3 million homes and will be major economic drivers, supporting:<\/p>\n