WASHINGTON – Following the release of the biennial report card on the health of Long Island Sound, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Monday applauded the improvements while renewing his efforts to protect the Long Island Sound. The report card scores on water quality off Connecticut’s shoreline range from “A+” for Eastern Long Island Sound to “B-“ in lower Fairfield County, showing substantial improvements from two years ago.

“This report card is encouraging, but there is much more we can do,” said Murphy. “Folks in Connecticut depend on a vibrant, healthy Sound for sport and shell fishing, manufacturing, and tourism. I released my plan to restore and protect Long Island Sound, and I have used my seat on the Appropriations Committee to triple funding for the Sound in two years. This means a cleaner and more vibrant shoreline, and ultimately, it means more money flowing into local economies.”

As a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, Murphy was able to secure critical investments to protect and restore the Long Island Sound in this year’s Department of Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2019, and the Agriculture Appropriations Act of 2019. Murphy’s Long Island Sound Investment Plan supports federal programs that invest in Long Island Sound’s coastal habitats, coastal resilience, clean water and beaches, and finishing industry.

This report card was produced by Save the Sound, a bi-state program of Connecticut Fund for the Environment, and published in September 2018 using 2008-2017 data. Funding was provided by the Long Island Sound Funders Collaborative. Science direction was provided by Jamie Vaudrey, Ph.D. and Jason Krumholz, Ph.D.

 

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