Fish & Wildlife Conservation:
 
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Fish Enhancement, Mitigation and Research Fund

Long Island Field Office Federal Projects:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers coordinates with the Service on all proposed construction projects, such as for flood control, shoreline stabilization, or navigation. Our role is to ensure that construction is planned with a view toward conservation of fish and wildlife. Hard Clam Restoration Project: In the fall of 2000, the Long Island Field Office conducted finfish surveys for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposed "Hard Clam Restoration Project" in Great South Bay, Long Island, New York under the National Transfer of Funding Agreement. The information gathered from this survey was used to evaluate potential impacts of the Corps' proposed project on benthic finfish communities within the project area. Fire Island Inlet to Shores Westerly Inlet Maintenance and Beach Nourishment Project: The Long Island Field Office Service has also contracted with the Corps' Operations Division to undertake surveys and monitoring of populations of threatened and endangered species within the Corps' Fire Island Inlet Navigation and Shores Westerly Beach Nourishment Project. The project area extends approximately 5 miles from Fire Island Inlet to Gilgo Beach, New York, and provides habitat for Federally and State listed species such as piping plover, least tern, American oystercatcher, and seabeach amaranth. The Service has partnered with the Citizens Environmental Research Institute to monitor for threatened and endangered species activities in the project area and to implement protection measures in consultation with local landowners. This joint effort by the Corps and Service has been instrumental in assisting the local public landowners in managing for threatened and endangered species on their parklands.   Fire Island Inlet to Montauk Point Beach Erosion Control and Hurricane Protection Project (FIMP): The Service is also engaged in the development of the Army Corps of Engineers' Fire Island Inlet to Montauk Point Beach Erosion Control and Hurricane Protection Project, providing technical assistance on the development of environmental studies. This project spans 83 miles along the south shore of Long Island and includes habitat for many threatened and endangered species, waterfowl, shorebirds, and plants species. Sensitive habitats which fall within the project area include submerged aquatic vegetation, saltwater wetlands, freshwater wetlands and early successional beach habitats. The Service has recommended a number of studies to the Corps which should be undertaken to establish a baseline assessment of species in the project area including surveys for shorebirds and waterfowl, back-bay finfish and shellfish. Orchard Beach Erosion Control Project, Bronx County, New York: Under the National Transfer of Funding Agreement, the Service was contracted by the Corps to assess fish and wildlife resource impacts from a proposed reconstruction of an engineered shoreline. Specifically, reconstruction includes initial beachfill and periodic nourishment as well as reinforcement of an existing groin. A draft Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act Report (FWCAR) was prepared and the Service is currently negotiating with the Corps on mitigative measures to be incorporated into the project design and Final FWCAR. Westhampton Interim Storm Damage Reduction Project: The Service completed both Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act and Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultation with the Corps for a proposed 30-year beach fill/dune construction project, involving the placement of sand, removed from an offshore borrow area, on the shoreline for storm damage protection. Due to potential project impacts to the federally threatened piping plover, a final biological opinion was completed in accordance with Section 7 of the ESA. Initial construction began in 1996 and concluded in late 1997. The project is on-going. Intracoastal Waterway: The Service is partnering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) in the design of a shorebird habitat enhancement project under the Corps Beneficial Use of Dredged Material Program covering the Federal Intracoastal Channel in Moriches Bay, Long Island, New York. Planning is underway for several islands located in Moriches Bay. Preliminary investigations have identified the following islands as being suitable for habitat enhancement: New Made Island, West Inlet Island, East Inlet Island (in the Town of Brookhaven). Dredged material from the Intracoastal waterway will be used to enhance nesting habitat for shorebirds which require open/semi-open sandy habitats. Presently, these islands are heavily vegetated with Phragmites and woody vegetation. Further investigations by the Corps, Service, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Town of Brookhaven will be conducted in the development of detailed enhancement plans. Construction activities are anticipated to be initiated in September of 2002.