The overall failure rate dropped by 2% from 2024, but high bacteria counts persisted despite this being a dry monitoring season.

Check out the full results from 2025: www.savethesound.org/what-we-do/h... 2/2

Thanks to the hard work and commitment of our staff, seasonal staff, and 16 volunteer community scientists, we were able to collect and process 745 water samples from 66 locations in the western Long Island Sound during our 2025 bacteria monitoring season. 1/2

At the end of a stormy Thursday last week, Emily Bulmer, our environmental analyst, went to City Island to check on our boat. She found this waiting for her.

If you're going to put a bow on the end of the 2025 Unified Water Study season, a full rainbow over Long Island Sound is the way to do it.

Emily Bulmer, our environmental analyst, and Emma Phillips, our environmental tech, found them Wednesday when retrieving our logger apparatus from Mamaroneck Harbor, where it’s been deployed throughout the six-month Unified Water Study season (which ends today).

Behold the Coffin Box Bryozoan, a filter-feeding invasive species perfectly nicknamed for Halloween.

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... which will help us identify whether the fecal bacteria present in collected samples came from humans (the target DNA for this test). Knowing the source of bacteria pollution makes it a lot easier for municipal leaders to determine how to resolve the problem. 2/2

Elena Colón, our lab manager, spent time recently taking the very beginning steps of preparing plasmid-derived DNA Standard Reference Material, which is used to quantify how much target DNA is in a water sample. This is an important part of the process of Microbial Source Tracking ... 1/2

Emily Bulmer, our new Environmental Analyst, has spent much of her first month at Save the Sound getting familiar with her new territory. She recently explored the Western Narrows of Long Island Sound with Peter Linderoth, our director of healthy waters and lands, aboard the Terry Backer I.

It was great to see our friends from @nylcv.bsky.social, who visited our Larchmont office Thursday to discuss environmental priorities for Westchester County and NYS and to check out our John and Daria Barry Foundation Water Quality Lab.

Restoration is resilience: New York Oyster Projects

The problem: coastal erosion from storm surge & sea level rise, degraded water quality, New York Harbor's oyster population, once half of the world's oysters, collapsed in the 1900's

The action, restoring Oyster reef habitat: Buffers storm impacts and protects shorelines by breaking waves & dissipating energy. Each oyster filters up to 50 gallons of water per day. They filter out excess nutrients from stormwater runoff and sewage overflows.

The climate connection: climate change ins increasing storm intensity & frequency, which coupled with sea-level rise, erodes our coastlines. oysters break wave energy & prevent erosion. Oyster reefs grow out and up, and can adapt to rising sea levels. Increased precipitation from climate change can lead to more stormwater entering our waterways. Oysters filter pollution.

Save the Sound works with Billion Oyster Project to restore oyster reefs across Long Island Sound.

Oysters are a powerful resilience tool because they can grow up and adapt to rising sea levels while helping prevent coastal erosion.
#restorationisresilience

* Email the Governor directly: savethesound.quorum.us/campaign/143452

* Join Ella McGrail, our NY policy coordinator, and activist kHayl this Thursday for a webinar discussing how to communicate most effectively with your state representatives. savethesound-org.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

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David Ansel, VP of our Center for Water Protection, spoke at a press conference Tuesday in Northport, urging Gov. Hochul to sign the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act.

Encourage the Governor to provide the same protections for horseshoe crabs in NY that are already in place in CT in two ways:

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You’re invited! Join Save the Sound’s Annual Meeting & reception on Nov. 2 at the Larchmont Yacht Club. Connect, celebrate, and hear updates from President Leah Lopez. Members will also vote for the Board.

Free for members; $25 non-members: www.savethesound.org/annualmeeting/

The project will: increase grid reliability, create high-paying local jobs, and support continuing investments in the local and regional economy.

It's important to keep up the momentum for offshore wind. We need projects like Revolution Wind to deliver on the promise of clean, homegrown energy for our region.

The importance of revolution wind

What is revolution wind? Connecticut's first offshore wind project, staged in New London and built off the shore of Rhode Island. 704 megawatts of clean, local power starting in 2026. A reliable power supply for 350,000 homes.

Revolution wind is 80% complete, and it will have real benefits for CT electric rates.

Impact to electric rates: revolution wind power is needed to meet electricity demand starting next year. Without it, we would pay more for electricity from other sources like natural gas. New gas pipelines cost more than $10 million per mile. New gas plants cost 3x more than just three years ago, and wouldn't be ready until the 2030s.

Last month a federal court lifted the administration’s stop work order on Revolution Wind, an offshore wind farm that will begin delivering power to Connecticut next year. We must keep up momentum on this renewable energy source that will offer clean, reliable, and affordable power to our region.

Westchester The latest news from Westchester

Peter Linderoth, our director of healthy waters and lands, weighed in for this @news12wc story: westchester.news12.com

Then, on an early morning monitoring outing, Peter spotted a small, perhaps juvenile (and camera-shy) grey seal at the eastern entrance to New Rochelle Harbor.

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We've had a lot to talk about this week regarding water quality in Westchester.

David Ansel, VP of our Center for Water Protection, and associate Soundkeeper Allison Rugila took Assemblywoman Amy Paulin through New Rochelle Harbor to discuss water quality challenges in + around her district.

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Living shoreline techniques: marsh planting, fibrous sill, rock sill, live crib wall, oyster reefs, dune vegetation, sand replenishment

The climate connection. Living shorelines: absorb wave energy & reduce erosion from more frequent and intense storms. Adapt and grow with rising seas. Remove carbon from the atmosphere through native plants. Act as a sponge during flooding events. Provide habitat for fish, birds, and shellfish.

Living shorelines allow for designs tailor-made to the specific needs of each habitat and community.

Living shorelines are responsive and adaptive, and let marshes move upward with sea level rise and allow sea life to thrive. #Restorationisresilience #CTSustainabilityandResilienceWeek

Restoration is resilience: living shorelines

What is a living shoreline? An innovative solution that cooperates with nature's design to help coastal communities adapt to climate change.

The problem: Hardened shorelines. Seawalls and bulkheads are typical methods that armor shorelines for protection. Lead to erosion of neighboring coasts. Cannot adjust to changing conditions like sea-level rise. Harm critical coastal habitat.

The action: design and install a mosaic of rocks, oyster reefs, salt marsh grasses, native shrubs, and more that naturally adapts to sea level rise while buffering against wave energy and flooding.

(1/2) This week is CT Sustainability and Resilience Week! Living shorelines are a key piece to resilience in coastal communities.

Each living shoreline is customizable to match the challenges of specific locations.

In September, the Six Lakes Park Coalition and the Town of Hamden co-hosted a movie night in Hamden and collected more responses to our community visioning survey to help shape the future of a Six Lakes Park!

Press Release: Save the Sound Disappointed by Community Advisory Committee Support for Proposed Casino in Ferry Point Park - Save the Sound After months of community members expressing concern over the impact of a proposed casino project in Ferry Point Park—including rejections from Community Board 10 and the NY City Council—the Community...

Save the Sound was disappointed by the Community Advisory Committee vote this morning that allowed Bally's application to develop a casino complex in Ferry Point Park to advance to the final stage of the licensing process.

Read our full statement: www.savethesound.org/2025/09/29/p...

Restoration is Resilience: Westchester Stream Barrier Inventory. Mapping our way to a resilient future.

The problem: Small dams, culverts, and road-stream crossings block fish migration and disrupt river connectivity

Restoration. The action: mapping over 350+ crossings to guide barrier removals. Restoring fish passage, habitats, and climate-ready rivers.

The climate connection: improved water flow reduces flood risk and strengthens natural infrastructure. Restoring fish passage and biodiversity creates a more resilient watershed as storms intensify. Risk assessments include potential failure under climate stressors. Smart, data-driven prioritization guides restoration for resilient waterways.

We're gathering data, mapping fish-blocking structures, and ranking which to remove or retrofit first with the Westchester Stream Barrier Inventory.

The result? Data-backed plans to reconnect rivers and build resilience, transforming data into resilient communities. #restorationisresilience

Restoration is resilience: Dana Dam

The Problem: Blocked fish passage, safety hazards, fragmented ecosystem

The Action: Dam was removed in September 2023. Riverbanks were stabilized, native vegetation was planted, and the riverbed was restored.

The climate connection. A reconnected river: means a reconnected floodplain, creates 5 miles of new habitat for migratory fish, and creates a more connected, resilient ecosystem.

Obsolete dams threaten communities, providing no flood control and posing a hazard in the event of a breach. As storms get stronger and aging infrastructure falters, dam removal isn’t just restoration—it’s climate adaptation. #restorationisresilience

Thanks to our donors and matching supporter, we’ve reached our goal and doubled our impact to protect Long Island Sound. This funding boosts our Soundkeeper team and supports efforts to fight water pollution, defend the coast, protect wildlife, and safeguard the lands and waters we love.

Restoration is resilience: Rain Gardens

The problem: Expansion of impervious surfaces, compacted soils, polluted runoff entering our waterways and Long Island Sound

The Solution: Rain gardens are shallow, planted depressions in the landscape. They let runoff soak into the ground instead of flowing into storm drains. They filter pollutants and provide native habitat.

The Climate Connection: Green infrastructure mimics natural hydrology to reduce runoff & flooding, improves local water quality, and reduces downstream nutrient loading for more resilient watersheds.

Rain gardens are quietly transforming how we manage runoff. By capturing water before it floods our streets or drains into rivers, these gardens act as natural filters, trapping pollutants and replenishing groundwater. #restorationisresilience

Nico Acuna Perales from our Soundkeeper team heads out weekly on the Terry Backer II to collect data that tracks water quality in eelgrass restoration areas.

Support this work through our Soundkeeper Match—every gift doubled through Sept. 15, up to $25K: www.savethesound.org/match

Time is running out to share your concerns over the proposed casino complex in Ferry Point Park. You can:

* Testify at the Community Advisory Committee public hearing Tuesday: nycasinos.ny.gov/event/ballys...

* Submit comments related to the environmental impact of the project: p2a.co/iVQs8Ig

You can:

* Testify at the next—and likely last—public hearing: 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 9 at American Turners NY. nycasinos.ny.gov/event/ballys...

* Submit written comments to the CAC: p2a.co/iVQs8Ig

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By the end of the month, the Community Advisory Committee will vote to decide whether there's support for Bally's casino complex in Ferry Point Park in the Bronx.

There's still time to share your concerns about the project with the CAC!

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Restoration is resilience: Sunken Meadow State Park

The problem: Blocked tidal flow, outdated infrastructure, degraded marshes & polluted stormwater runoff into Long Island Sound

The action: Phase 1: removed invasive species and planted native salt marsh grasses. Phase 2: Installed bioswales and wetland retrofits across 16+ acres of parking lot

The Climate Connection: Green infrastructure filters & slows stormwater, reduces runoff pollution into the sound, defends against urban flooding.

At Sunken Meadow State Park, we led a restoration effort to re-establish native salt marsh and retrofit the parking lot with bioswales and wetland features. These upgrades reduce pollution, restore coastal habitat, improve water quality, and make the park more resilient. #restorationisresilience