Bipartisan Suozzi Helps Deliver Bivalves (Oysters) to the North Shore

Glen Cove, NY - On Tuesday, Congressman Tom Suozzi (D - Long Island, Queens) was joined by Eric Swenson, Executive Director of the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee, along with local elected officials and volunteers delivering 80 crates of “spat-on-shell” oysters to be planted along Nassau County’s north shore of the Long Island Sound. These 1 million oysters will not only help revive the area’s shellfishing tradition but will help further cleanse the harbor’s water.

“Protecting and preserving the Long Island Sound, our ‘National Park,’ and its shellfishing heritage, is a top priority and a shared responsibility,” Suozzi said.

"I have worked on restoring shellfishing beds, reseeding our harbors, cutting nitrogen from sewage treatment plants and stormwater runoff, and cleaning up pollution in the Sound," added Suozzi, citing his 30 years in public service, first as Mayor of Glen Cove in 1994, then as Nassau County Executive in 2002.

Since coming to Congress in 2017, Suozzi has helped deliver an increase of 1000% in funding to improve the Long Island Sound. He was Co-Chair of the bipartisan Long Island Sound Caucus, and during his tenure, helped increase funding for the Long Island Sound Geographic Program by 1000% (from $4 million in 2016 to $40 million in 2023) 

North Hempstead Councilwoman Mariann Dalimonte praised Suozzi’s commitment to the Sound by saying: “In 2021, Tom invited me to a press conference to announce federal funds he had allocated to Hempstead Harbor for oyster seeding. During the press conference, I advocated for, and asked him not to forget about Manhasset Bay. He assured me that he would not forget and soon allocated $100K from the grant for oyster seeding in Manhasset Bay. Today, we deposited another million spat-on-shell oysters in Manhasset Bay with the funding Rep. Suozzi secured. I am incredibly grateful to Rep. Suozzi for hearing me and delivering for Manhasset Bay.”

Long Island Sound's coastal areas enjoyed a rich shellfishing tradition for generations, particularly in and around Hempstead Harbor. Poor water quality, however, forced the closure of these shellfishing areas for many years and dramatically reduced the number of naturally occurring clam and oyster beds. 

These oysters, and 5 million more already in Hempstead Harbor and Oyster Bay, were funded with a grant obtained by Suozzi as part of his relentless 30-year pursuit to improve water quality in the Long Island Sound.

Thanks to the efforts of many, including the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee, Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor, Manhasset Bay Protection Committee, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Friends of the Bay, the Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor Protection Committee and more, dramatic improvements have been made to water quality.

Last week, Suozzi also hailed the bipartisan passage of H.R. 5441, a bill that reauthorizes Long Island Sound Programs until 2028.  The bipartisan bill, passed by a vote of 333 to 51, was cosponsored by Suozzi and reauthorizes the Environmental Protection Agency's Long Island Sound programs through 2028. The programs, which include a stewardship grant program, focus on conserving the Sound.