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Coastal Zone information Center Jbj COASTAL ZONE INFORMATION CEMR Ll .44 g N 44 f j" q - "OM* 41 ';Y @'N gO @k AMP O@ @' S Irg F" L Is, Tt -g N 7 4, y, qxfj@$ @X @ 4@@ e *$ 7p, fill, jq 'y 7 q A: M2 ,-,Tri - State Regional Planning Commission CONNECTICUT 0 NEW JERSEY 0 NEW YORK APRIL 1975 TC 330 T7 1975 THE TRI-STATE REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION... ...is an interstate agency that defines and seeks solutions to immediate and long-range problems in the development of land, housing, transportation and other public facilities in the New York metropolitan region covering 21 counties in New York and New Jersey and six planning regions in southwest Connecticut. Established by legislative action of the states of Connecticut, New Jersey and New York in 1971, the Commis- sion succeeds the Tri-State Transportation Commission formed by the legislatures of these states in 1965. Designated by the federal government as the official planning agency for the Tri-State Region, the Commission is also a central supporting resource for subregional and local planning. It provides assistance in solving problems that spread beyond local 'jurisdictional control. It also encourages coordination among all agencies charged with an interest in planning or providing transportation and other federally aided facilities within the Tri-State Region. The three states and the federal government finance the work of the Commission. Federal funds come from highway and mass-transportation planning and testing grants provided by the Department of Transportation, and also from planning grants provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Commissioners representing the three states are appointed by the governors in accordance with the laws of their respective states. Federal representatives are appointed by the appropriate officer holding such authority within the Executive Branch. THE COMMISSIONERS ARE Horace H. Brown, Chairman, Managing Director, Planning and Budgeting Division, Department of Finance and Control, State of Connecticut; Alan Sagner, Vice Chairman, Commis- sioner, Department of Transportation, State of New Jersey; Raymond T. Schuler, Vice Chairman, Commissioner, Depart- ment of Transportation, State of New York; John E. Zuccorti, Secretary, Chairman, New York City Planning Commission. Robert T. Cairns, Chairman, Connecticut Transportation Authority; Thomas E. Ford, Mayor of Leonia, State of New Jersey; Mrs. Lee Goodwin, Commissioner, Division of Hous- ing and Community Renewal, State of New York; S. William Green, Regional Administrator, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; Frank T. Johnson, Bell Telephone Laboratories, State of New Jersey; Samuel Kanell, Commis- sioner, Department of Transportation, State of Connecticut; Walter D. Kies, Chief, Planning Staff, Eastern Region, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation; Robert E. Kirby, Regional Federal Highway Administrator, U.S. Department of Transportation; Frederick P. Lenz, Jr., Mayor of Stamford, State of Connecticut; Patricia 0. Sheehan, Commissioner, Department of Community Affairs, State of New Jersey; Kenneth Vought, Regional Urban Mass Transportation Representative, U.S. Department of Transp- ortation; Herbert E. Werner, Mayor of Eatontown, State of New Jersey; Henry G. Williams, Jr., Deputy Director, Office of Planning Services, State of New York; David L. Yunich, Chairman, Metropolitan Transportation Authority. J. Douglas Carroll, Jr., Executive Director; Richard S. DeTurk, Deputy Executive Director. TRI-STATE REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION One World Trade Center, New York, N.Y. 10048 Telephone. (212) 466-7333 The preparation of this report was financed in part through federal funds made available by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Adminis- tration, and Urban Mass Transportation Administration under the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964, as amended; a comprehensive planning grant from tl)e U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; and In cooperation with the states of Connecticut, Now Jersey and New York. TSRPC 2069-4702-1000 4n5 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NOAA COASTAL SERVICES CENTER 2234 SOUTH HOBSON AVENUE CHARLESTON , SC 29405-2413 COASTAL ZONE INFORMATION CENTER The TRI-STATE COASTAL ZONE management perspectives Property Of CSC Library 4 CONTENTS Page Preface I I Findings and Recommendations 3 2. The Coastal Zone Now 7 3. The Marine Complex: nature working in the coastal zone 13 4. Recreation 21 5. Power Generation 25 6. Shipping 29 7. Waste Disposal 35 8. Land Development in the Coastal Zone 41 9. Managing the Coastal Zone 45 PREFACE Eight years ago this Commission (then a Com- City Planning Commission has already recognized this mittee) published a report of prospects for new de- opportunity and recommended substantial new non- velopment of released lands called The Changing commercial development along the shores of Man- Harborfront. It called for increased recreational and hattan, concentrating future cargo shipping on the residential usage, on both sides of the Hudson River Brooklyn waterfront and passenger shipping on the front froin'the Narrows Bridge to the George Wash- edge of midtown Manhattan. ington Bridge. We noted a number of events already "On the New Jersey side an alternating pattern moving in this direction: of residential and commercial can be foreseen starting "Railroad systems are merging, military bases at Edgewater and extending to Bayonne. Two wholly are being closed and shipping facilities are conducting new communities are suggested-one in Weehawken their activities on less water frontage. As a result, housing 20,000 persons, the other in Jersey City hous- lands are being released and facilities are being left to ing 65,000 persons. A vast park overlooking the Statue rot on both sides of the Hudson waterway from upper of Liberty and Ellis Island, previously proposed under Manhattan to the Narrows. New Jersey's Green Acres program, is another ele- "Redevelopment of these sites for industrial and ment in the evolving concept of opening the harbor commercial purposes, which at first seems logical and to its people." inevitable in such a central location, has distinct limi- tations. The congested harborfront sites must com- Now we are extending our studies to the far pete with the suburb's broad expanses, the Jersey reaches of shoreline in the Tri-State Region, finding Meadows and industrial parks in Brooklyn and Staten More emphasis on preservation of nature in those less Island. It appears that the harborfront will win out urban places, as discussed in the following pages. only in cases where an industrial plant requires direct However, the Commission maintains its strong interest access to the water. . I in the central harborfront that is shaking off its dingy "Thus, the opportunity arises to capitalize on industrial heritage. It now appears that the recom- the scenic assets of the port, providing for residential mendations of eight years ago inight be extended to and recreational use of the Palisades with views of the other waterways in the central area beyond the Manhattan skyline, the Statue of Liberty, the great Hudson River. We hope to pursue this interest in ship movements, and the Hudson itself. The New York future studies and reports. PASSAIC WESTCHESTER BERGEN @7 A !n BRONX MILES ESSEX CISON QUEENS UNION BROOKLYN RICHMOND CENTRAL WATERFRONT RECOMMENDATIONS PARK SHIPPING RESIDENTIAL RAILROAD INDUSTRY E@l INSTITUTIONAL 1. FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The Zone. Extensive and diverse, the Tri-State This will re quire a new design climate among coastal shores stretch over 1,200 miles, about twice agencies that construct facilities. A coastal the airline length. Of this length, oceanfront mainland zone management agency could couple certi- is 13 p@rcent, barrier beach is 10 percent and bay- fication of an economic enterprise with re- shores are 19 percent. The rest is sound and river quirements that it provide for public use of shores. The zoneJ1 has significantly more of the waters and shores. Region's residential, nonresidential and recreation uses than its limited area would indicate. Although its pro- 4. Set environmental tolerance standards, based portion of vacant and farm uses is below the Region's, on current ecosystem maintenance, to deter- almost 40 percent is still open. Even the central har- mine the limits of effluents, recreation de- bor is one-third undeveloped or in transition. velopment and other effects of human pres- sure. This requires research. Goal. Accommodate the economic, cultural and leisure needs of the Region's people requiring Administration. The three member states, location in the coastal zone and guard, restore or en- Connecticut, New Jersey and New York, are each em- hance the natural character and functions of the barked on management development studies financed coastal zone. Economic development and redevelop- through the U.S. Office of Coastal Zone Management. ment necessary to the Region's well-being, through A mandated product of these studies is a permanent certification by a rational management process, must mechanism for effecting coastal zone plans. be accommodated in the coastal zone. This includes According to federal guidelines, the mechanism shipping and access hereto, fuel importation, power should include the capability for administering regula- generation and waste disposal. Most, if not all, must tions, controlling development, resolving conflicts and be rendered environment ally acceptable as measured acquiring interests in land and water, by eminent do- against legislated standards. main if necessary. Also, planning activities must give due consideration to citizen opinion and to social and Strategies. To reach these goals, four strategies economic concerns. are recommended. In addition, it is recommended that the mecha- 1. Establish strict site regulations for activities nism also create a climate favorable to multipurpose seeking location in the zone. The conven- planning and design, and be coordinated with plans of tional forces-easily available parcels and ad- concerned political units, since natural, social and eco- jacent existing uses-should be reduced in nomic systems are notably independent of. political importance. This can be achieved by creating boundaries. land-trading opportunities and fostering long- range redevelopment plans through special Marine Environment. The objectives should be incentives. strict regulation of both filling and development of 2. Designate and reserve certain areas for the shores and wetlands and the cleanup of waters even heavy uses that will need water-oriented loca- where feasibility is remote. Private wetlands are now tion. Shipping, sewage treatment and power under regulation in all three states. generation and related transport will require Areas where fishing and swimming and natural positive decisions regarding their presence in ecosystems are still viable, but suffering, should be the coastal zone's future. specifically designated. Overland runoff of pollutants 3. Encourage the combination of natural land in these areas, usually considered a pro@lern of drain- uses-recreation, open space, scenic amenity- age basin studies, will need attention from the coastal with the necessary economic "heavy" uses. zone management agency. -!/Defined on page 8 "y 0 J TRI-STATE REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION 10 r 0 5 20 L \L -.1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NO I f :% b RECOMMENDED POLICY DISTRICTS TRI-STATE COASTAL ZONE Clean up pollut:d areas for restoration of marine life. Limit most of r sidential and commercial development to nonshore areas. Conser@e dunes, bluffs and wetlands, curtail filling. Expand swimming and boating within tolerance by natural environment. Monitor nongovernment recreation areas and preserve when threatened. Redeem disused harbor land for combined uses including amenities and shore access. P'o@ide shipping facilities with adequate upland areas and transport links. Clean up disused marine facilities and rotting piers and hulks. Redevelop or upgrade any substandard cottage areas. Regroup commercial uses and extend public access. Monitor nongovernment recreation areas and preserve when threatened. Control dumping to avoid degradation of natural functions. Recreation. In the often overcrowded and en- 2. Fuel imports, consisting mostly of petro- vironmentally sensitive coastal zone, additional recre- leum, could pose environmental hazards. For ation areas should be developed, but only when such example, not only the terminals themselves, are environmentally compatible and easily and equi- but also storage (onshore or inland?) and dis- tably accessible. Expansion of sports fishing appears tribution (pipeline or truck?) require coordi- possible as a way of serving needs of urban areas. nated management. For the future, port Use of prime beaches must be made more equi- consolidation, and increased pipeline distri- table by improving accessibility from the Region's bution, are recommended. A public-private central areas. This implies the selected expansion of construction body may be useful in effecting bus transport, possibly in combination with railroads. plans. Additional alternatives to seashore recreation should be provided. Part of this can be a stepped-up Waste Disposal. Water quality is improving in response to the surge of environmental interest among only some of the coastal zone water bodies. Federally the younger generation. The ecopark concept-auto- imposed targets aimed at achieving this goal are strin- less use of certain existing isolated regional parks-is gent. For instance, all water bodies "where possible" one possibility. A stepped-up federal role, as in the are required to be swimmable by 1984. Because of the Gateway National Urban Recreation Area, is highly chronic lag in funding waste-disposal operations, how- desirable in some areas. ever, it may be necessary to concentrate on threatened Current nongovernment recreation holdings water bodies. A minimum of 1,300 acres of land will should be carefully watched to anticipate their possi- be required along or near shores by new or expanded ble conversion to more intensive development. Gov- sewage treatment facilities. ernment acquisition may then be desirable. Shore lowlands will continue to be threatened by sanitary landfills of solid waste unless alternatives Power Generation. The coastal zone manage- are provided. Ocean dumping is under intensive study, ment agency could provide a badly needed mechanism and dumping at distant ocean sites may be part of the for deciding new sites for generating plants. Moreover, solution to getting solid waste away from the coastal a quasi-public corporation to build approved power- lowlands and preventing deterioration of marine generating facilities could be the answer to the pres- waters. ent stalemate in construction. The federal govexnment recently funded a pro- ject for a third aspect of waste disposal in the coastal Shipping. Two major shipping issues are related zone-the cleanup of drift and rot in the central har- to coastal zone management: bor area. 1. In the central port area the shift to contain- ers has been rapid. Terminals, by 1990, may Land Resources. An examination of the land require as many as 900 or more acres than needs of future coast-eligible activities shows no lack the 1,200 now used. However, current pro- of space. Without adhering to the goals and strategies posals for Brooklyn, Bronx, Staten Island mentioned earlier, however, development of these and New Jersey locations are sufficient to lands will remain chaotic. Private shore holdings (par- meet this need. Impact on residential com- ticularly recreational and resort uses) should be sur- -munities and access to highway and rail net- veyed to anticipate changes. Legal definitions of pub- works are major criteria in locating new lic rights along the shore need broadening beyond the terminals or expanding existing ones. present inadequate riparian rights. 5 2. THE COASTAL ZONE NOW As the effects of increased population with a How can laws be administered to stop un- machine style of life strain the resources of our conti- wise modification of wetlands and guard or ne'nt, unwelcome effects are nowhere more apparent restore their invaluable contributions to the than in the coastal zone. Competition between profit- welfare of the Region and the Atlantic sea- able market uses and public purposes goes largely un- board? controlled. The odds are usually in favor of the more In what order, and to what extent, should profitable developments. we continue improving the water quality of Now there is a new imperative. Natural balances the estuaries, bays and oceanfront? -from local to planetary -are in danger of destruction through extensive use of such natural resources as How can the responsible agencies upgrade, land, water and air. The coastal zone planning ap- convert or replace substandard shore'housing proach presented in this report springs in large part and change the uses and activities in obso- from this new concern. Our work is only one of many lete, transition tracts? responses to this continuing exploitation of natural How should future water-to-land goods and assets. The three states of the Tri-State area, all with fuel handling be designed, and where located? restructured administrative agencies, are becoming in- How can we maintain or reclaim scenic and creasingly involved in wetlands preservation, in water leisure areas along the water for use by all and air resources planning and control and in regu- the Region's people? lated utilization of shore areas. As an agent of the states, the Tri-State Regional Planning Commission has drawn up this guide for the following three pur- poses: GOAL AND OBJECTIVES 1 .To present findings and recommendations for consideration by the state, federal and local To resolve these issues, we urge the Region to agencies involved in coastal zone planning accommodate the essential economic, cultural and and management. leisure needs of its people in the coastal zone, and 2. To serve as an assessment of the impact of guard, restore or enhance the natural character of the the Commission's plans on the coastal zone. coastal zone. 3.. To furnish details of the Commission's Pursuit of this goal means we must accomplish Regional Development Guide for application the following objectives: in the highly sensitive coastal areas of the - Manage development so that natural resource Tri-State Region. opportunities and limitations are meshed By request of participating agencies, areas be- with market conditions. When resources can yond the official Tri-State Region were included for be used by two or more activities, accommo- study purposes. The elements studied include conser- dation should take place. In this manner, we vation and restoration, power generation, shipping can help reconcile current and projected and fuel receipt, waste disposal and land development. needs with limited resources in socially, en- vironmentally and economically accepted ways. COASTAL ZONE CHALLENGES Evolve and apply tolerance limits on activity in the coastal zone. Such limits will be re- Among the issues in the coastal zone are lated not only to present conditions, but also to potential restoration or enhance- As a matter of simple preservation, what is ment. These limits may mean either the dis- required to reduce damage on the coastal placement of traditional uses from the zone areas from flooding during storms and the or the development of new technologies beaches and dunes from erosion? with modified impacts, or both. the strip is based on lines of land-use change, linear DELINEATION OF THE COASTAL ZONE elements and, in some segments, an arbitrary distance. This relatively narrow zone was justified because of Since delineations may vary with purpose, there the prior existence of comprehensive and functional are three approaches to defining a costal zone. plans for the Region as a whole. 1. Definition by natural functions. This defines The New Jersey Coastal Area Facility Review Act (CAFRA) has defined its administrative territory an area affected by estuarine or marine eco- mainly by major roads and rail lines modified by estu- logical process, or characterized by such land arine districts and other water-related functions like forms as dunes, floodplains or wetlands. resort areas. 2. Definition by human functions. In settled In its interim recommendations, the Long Island territory, coastal areas are marked by activi- coastal zone study has defined the coastal zone as that ties related to the sea and estuaries -shipping, area extending 500 feet inland from the mean high recreation, waste disposal and others. water mark or to the ten-foot elevation, whichever en- 3. Definition by existing administrative units. compasses a larger area of land. This approach uses government divisions In Maine, all municipalities touching the sea or (towns, counties), visible edges provided by estuaries were included in the administrative zone. In highways, railways or other linear elements, California, a complex approach hased on ecological or merely a suitable standard distance. factors and physiographic features was evolved. It is likely that all definitions will be eclectic, The present study has dealt with a "maritime but, for administrative purposes, it is important that edge." But owing to data limitations, the definition of all areas of natural functions be included. THE FIVE COASTAL SUBZONES AND AGENCIES RESPONSIBLE IN THE TRI-STATE STUDY See pages 4i & 46 for current planning activities r 7 L -1 7 JULY 1073 7 r HUDSON RIVER N.Y. STATE OFFICE OF -PLANNING E ERVICES LONG ISLAND SOUND NEW ENGLAND RIVER BASINSCOMMISSION HARBOR ,@IPORTAUTHORCTY ATILANTICNORTH ;,/., . , FOLK REGIONAL PLANNING BOARD oz. y c G-. OF NASSAU- Z_CIT@ PLANNING COASTAL SHOREFRONTS SEGMENTS MILES ATLANTIC WEST Shoreline length 1,238 - DIV OF STATE& Airline length 573 REGIONAL PLANNING Mainland oceanfront 161 Barrier oceanfront 121 Barrier bayfront 163 Mainland bayfront 67 8 ZONE COMPLEXITY The five subzones are not only convient study units but also have their distinct traditions, ambience and problems. The following decriptions, including the results of the land-use mapping and quantification project of the coastal zone task force coordinated by Tri-State in 1972, show the range and diversity among the subzones. HUDSON ESTUARY (NEW YORK PORTION) In this "oscillating lake," tides carry salt water a long way up and narrow mouth impedes flushing to the bays and oceans. Although apparently sparsely de- veloped, this subzone contains scattered industrial areas, resulting in a substantial 18 percent nonresiden- tial use. There are also large stretches of residential development, mostly of low and medium density. 2 2 Low density is fewer than two dwelling units per acre; me- dium is two to eight dwelling units per acre; high is more than eight dwelling units per acre. Older centers usually have waterfront areas under re- development. There are railroads on most of both banks, a few parks (10 percent of land) fronting the river, a lively history and satisfying, sometimes spec- tacular, scenery. About half the measured study area is vacant or undeveloped. Shoreline Length : 195 miles Airline Length: 142 miles Activities Acres Percent 7 Low density Residential 9,900 18 9 Medium density 2 High density 3 Manufacturing 1 Extraction Nonresidential 9,960 18 5 Utilites 2 Transportation 3 Commercial 4 Institutions Recreation 5,780 10 Agriculture 2,410 4 Vacant/ Undeveloped 27,940 50 Total 55,990 100 THE HARBOR LONG ISLAND SOUND The harbor comprises the mouths of the Concerns with the proper use and enhancement Hudson, Hackensack, Passaic and Raritan rivers, vari- of marine resources have turned this large water body ous creeks and canals, and a semi-strait (the East into a single planning unit. Nonresidential land uses River). It is both symbol and foundation for the Tri- are a surprisingly large share (16 percent), contributed State Region's economic wealth and influence. But mainly by the urban western Connecticut shore. Util- large sectors of its shore are unprofitable or archaic. A ity uses alone account for 6 percent of the sound's tremendous rail system still carries large volumes to, coastal strip. The Long Island and eastern Connecticut from and within the port but much of it is obsolete or shores have small harbors used primarily for recrea- underused. Intra-harbor transport has traditionally tional boating and secondarily for handling fuel, sand been difficult; railroad transfers are slow or unavail- and gravel, and a few other commodities. These shores able, and freeway connections are incomplete or over- also have stretches of largely natural wateredge. Wet- taxed. Thorough renewal and realignment are neces- lands are an important resource in the sound, and sary. A surprisingly large portion -one-third -of the boating and swimming potentials are enormous. study area turns out to be vacant or undeveloped, rep- resenting a promising resource. Additional areas are Shoreline Length: Connecticut 150 miles ripe for changed use. New York 125 miles Those living or working in high buildings enjoy Airline Length: I 10 miles priceless views of the rivers. But the rest are hard put Activities Acres Percent to enjoy them, since much wateredge is cut off by 35 124 Low density roads and piers. The fascinating traffic on the river is Residential 103,320 9Medium density largely hidden from view except from skyscrapers or 2High density the Staten Island Ferry. 2Mfg. and Extr. Shoreline Length: 256 miles 6Utilities Activities Acres Percent Nonresidential 48,315 16 2 Transportation 11 8Low density 3 Commercial Residential 10,380 3High density 3 Institutions 2Light mfg. Recreation 21,890 8 7Heavy mfg. Agriculture 14,970 5 1Extraction Vacant/ Nonresidential 31,260 36 7Utilities Undeveloped 105,230 36 14 Transportation I Commercial Total 293,725 100 4Institutions Recreation 16,940 20 Undeveloped 28,560 33 Total 87,140 100 10 ATLANTIC NORTH ATLANTIC WEST nds and ex- The Long Island oceanfront, its barrier islands Ocean County, with its barrier isla and the great bays have little market uses, only I per- tensive bays, is similar to the Nassau-Suffolk coast. cent. They are devoted mainly to leisure and residen- But the Monmouth County frontage in large part is a tial uses. Agriculture, at 9 percent, appears significant. solid band of seasonal housing (being converted to The wetlands and rich bay bottoms form part of the year-round use) with commercial centers. T 'he area eastern seaboard ecosystems, wild fowl migration ref- serves as vacationland for many families from the uges and commercial shellfish beds. The coastal bays Region's central areas as well as from the Philadelphia are a priceless resource for boating and fishing and the and Trenton sectors. Probably much of the measured ocean beaches are matchless for outings. However, undeveloped area (57 percent of the subzone study both are threatened, the first by the pollutants of en- area) lies around the bays. croaching urbanization and the second by storm and wave erosion. Shoreline Length: 212 miles (oceanfront mainland 24, mainland bay 67, barrier ocean- Shoreline Length: 300 miles (oceanfront front 49, barrier bayfront 72) mainland 137, barrier oceanfront 72, Airline Length: 106 miles barrier bayfront 91 ) Activities, Acres Percent Airlinelength: 115miles 1 17 Low density Activities Acres Percent Residential 13,580 29 10 Medium density 27.0 Low density 2 High density Residential 59,235 30 1.8 Medium density 2 Commercial 1.2 High density Nonresidential 2,150 4 @: I I I f 2 Institution Industrial Ut 4,890 10 ti iliti Recreation .2 @es Nonresidential 9,248 5 .2 Transportation Undeveloped 27,020 57 2.4 Commercial Total 47,640 100 1.4 Institution Recreation 21,691 11 Agriculture 18,833 9 Vacant 86,082 45 Total 195,089 100 REGIONAL AND COASTAL ZONE LAND-USE PROPORTIONS RESIDENTIAL NONRESIDENTIAL RECREATION AGRICULTURE AND VACANT 0% 25% % 75% 100% TRI-STATE REGION EXTENDED TRI-STATE COASTAL ZONE See map on page 8 for definitions of Region and Coastal Zone. COASTAL ZONE COMPARED TO REGION tion of open land in the zone is considerably lower than the Region's. The entire zone makes up about 12 percent of The coastal zone has a higher proportion of resi- the Region. The variations and specialties of the sub- dential, nonresidential and recreational land uses than zones are generally reliable, although proportions are the extended Tri-State Region. These differences are sometimes distorted by the way the zone was deline- moderate, with the spread consisting of no more than ated. But the summaries given here are backed by five points. However, the differences suggest that for other tools - principally maps at a large scale (1" = the zone as a whole, extra pressures for coastal land 2000') and a computerized inventory of characteristics from the residential, nonresidential and recreation sec- by square-mile units. These tools are ready for use as tors have been in operation. Conversely, the propor- further coastal zone studies are required. SHARES OF REGION'S LAND IN THE COASTAL ZONE TOTALLAND RESIDENTIAL NONRESIDENTIAL RECREATION AGRICULTURE AND VACANT 5% 10o/1 15% 12 3. THE MARINE COMPLEX: nature working in the coastal zone The new ecological era has made us painfully 4. upland protection, by buffering storm waves aware that shores, marshes and shallows.where fresh- and absorbing large volumes of water; and water meets salt are both productive and unusually 5. erosion control, through accumulating silts sensitive to human impact. Also significant are the and stabilizing watercourse banks. deeper areas of the bays, the central waters of the sound and the New York Bight-important to the Regarding the second and third reasons, the high food chain and sport and commercial fishing activity, proportion of the estliarine-related fish catch to the notably the shellfish industry. A third natural feature total in all three states is an indication of the impor- is the ocean strip with its beaches, the dunes and the tance of estuarine areas. barrier islands-all vital, irreplaceable assets. Linking Marine marshes and meadows-preferably in- these elements is the water itself, the quality of which cluding the offshore shallows-are now protected by affects the ecosystem, including human activities. each of the three member states. Although the laws differ in detail and emphasis, all regulate, through per- mits, significant proposals affecting the legally de- WETLANDS fined wetlands. Thus, the first skirmish in the battle for wet- For wetlands, the objective is clear: Disturb or lands may have been won by protective interests. degrate no more shores, marshes and shallows except However, we now enter a difficult era of testing and for imperative purposes. This objective springs from a determining impact limits. Court tests will ensue; preading realization that these areas are valuable for many areas will need acquisition; certainly a stepping- five reasons: up of fiscal commitments by the federal government, I .nutrient recycling, as a bas is for a complex the states, the counties, the localities and private food web; groups 1. will be essential. 2. nursery for the survival and rapid growth of Federal coastal zone legislation has already ad- the fry of species important to the food sup- dressed this problem, providing management guide- ply of man; lines and funds and a program for establishing marine sanctuaries. The progress of the various clean water 3. wildlife habitat for waterfowl and mammals programs will also determine the ultimate fate of of economic and recreational benefit to man; wetlands. ESTUARIN E-R ELATED FISH CATCH Shares of clockside value of 1968 commercial fish catch FINFISH SHELLFISH TOTAL STATE Connecticut 71% 31% 40% New Jersey 87 78 85 New York 81 75 74 Source: Appendix U, Coastal and Estuarine Areas, North Atlantic Regional Water Resources Study, p. 47. 13 WETLANDS OF THE TRI-STATE COASTAL ZONE MAJOR SUBZONE ACRES AREAS ACRES LOST PROBLEMS CITED Hudson River 1,05G4- 7 2,180 (12.8%) Dumping (1953-64) Fill for industry, roads Thermal pollution Harbor 20,000+ 3 20,000+ Water pollution Long Island Sound Connecticut shore (1959) 5 760 (fresh) being inventoried under wetlands law Pollution 15,500 isaline) Landfill 14,750 Long Island Shore (1971) 2,145 (intertidal and meadow) 33% of Nassau County's, 28% in private ownership Nassau County 355 40% of Suffolk's: 1954-68 72% in unprotected municipal ownership Suffolk County 1,790 44 Atlantic North 11971) 18,000 25% of Suffolk's, Duckfarm wastes 1 %of Nassau's: Thermal pollution Nassau County 9,130 1964-71 Landfill Suffolk County 8,870 Atlantic West Middlesex, Monmouth, 30,000* N. A. N.A- Ocean counties (N.J. State) (232,650) N. A. 24,600:1954-64 Poisoned shellfish beds Filling "Canat communities" under Wetlands Act of 1970. N.A.: not available. 14 realm because of their relative scarcity and severe water pollution, which has led everyone to consider them ruined and irredeemable. But four large marsh areas persist in the backwaters of the Harbor. 1. The Hackensack Meadowlands support four forms of marsh life in some abundance- waterfowl, muskrat, killifish and plume- -and are worthy of preservation in cer- grass tain areas. The Hackensack Meadowlands development plan sets aside 2,740 acres of the marsh for these natural life forms and .... .. .... others that may be restored as pollution is curbed. 2. A second large wetland area is in western Staten Island. Here, small portions are pre- WETLAND AND SHELLFISH RESOURCES served in the city's Springville and Latourette parks. Most of the area is city-owned and is DEGREE OF WETLAND DEGRADATION slated for sanitary landfill. .......... ........... LITTLE OR NONE 3. In Raritan Bay, about 1,000 acres of saltmarsh ---------IMODERATE maintain a higher level of tidewater ecosys- tem than the Hackensack and Staten Island EXCESSIVE areas and are important to migrating water- ............ UNKNOWN fowl. New Jersey's Cheesequake State Park is a large estuarine preserve. -acre estuary, now SHELLFISH HABITAT 4. Jamaica Bay, a vast 13,000 only about half its size of a century ago, is by Source: National Estuary Study, Vol. 1. Jan. 1970. no means the "open sewer" of popular opin- ion. In its central marshlands, 4,000 acres are still largely intact. The Bay is at the conflu- CENTRAL WETLANDS ence of two principal waterfowl flyways and is still a major breeding ground for marine HUDSON RIVER life. Current water improvement programs, Several major areas, totaling about 1,050 acres, while delayed by inadequate financing, will present a-variety of plant and animal habitats, wild- eventually improve the water so that swim- fowl flyway points and estuarine ecosystems. Cruger ming can occur on the periphery. If wastes and Constitution islands and the Piermont marshes are from industries around Jamaica Bay and notable among the seven. In addition to smaller scat- storm runoffs from Kennedy Airport can be tered marshes, there are 1,500 acres of shallows with further controlled, and deep dredged pits submerged rooted vegetation. filled, estuarine life will multiply in response. Losses in the recent past have not been tabu- Current studies underway by The Port lated, but all areas have had dumping operations, some Authority of New York and New Jersey to of which are continuing. At Haverstraw, about 200 control the waste content of runoffs from acres have been filled. At Tarrytown, a large factory the airport should aid in achieving this objec- was built on filled marsh. Croton Point in Westchester tive. A report by the National Academy of County and other large marshes north of Kingston are Sciences and the National Academy of Engi- currently receiving extensive fill. neering stresses that further fill, dredging, The river, as a spawning ground, habitat and mi- diking, channeling or storm protection struc- gration swirnway for sport and commercial fish, is tures should be put off until the estuarine widely believed to be threatened by thermal pollution potentials are fully in focus. The targeted and fishkills at the water intakes of power-generating uses of this great resource, within an hour's plants. Mechanical solutions will prevent most fish- ride of millions of people, should be swim- kills; undesirable warming of the water may be avoided ming, fishing, nature enjoyment and educa- by locating plants or discharge pipes where heat will tion, boating, and the estuarine complex on be dispersed. (See Chapter 5.) which several human activities depend. Its inclusion in the Gateway National Urban THE HARBOR Recreation Area has gone a long way toward Wetlands of the Harbor subzone are a forgotten assuring these uses. 15 CLOSED SHELLFISHING AREAS JANUARY 1973 NEW YORK MARINE DISTRICT CLOSED SHELLFISHING AREAS - JANUARY 1973 Source: N.Y. State Department of Environmental Conservation Federal prohibed waters outside the three mile limit are in a circular area with dumping grounds in the bight as center and a radius of six miles. COMMERCIAL FISHING Supplying fresh seafood for the Region's tables was an important coastal tradition. The closing of most oyster and clam beds for reasons of virus and bacterial contamination is a result of the glaring mis- use of coastal resources. However, commercial fishing continues as a significant activity in the zone. New York figures on catches typically show in- creases form 1970 to 1971. This difference may be un- reliable as a trend. Deepwater fishing, in contrast, is reported ot be declining. Fishing boats are forced to go farther for their finfish and lboster catches. Fisher- men cite two problems: dumping of sewage sludge and other wastes in the bight and overfishing by foreign fleets. We already have a partial solution to the second difficulty-a treaty with the Soviet Union preventing fishing from January to April. In response to recent legistlation, alternatives to and regulations and stan- ards for ocean dumping are being investigated. CONNECTICUT Connecticut's shellfisheriers consist of approxi- mately 64,000 acres, generally located from Green- wich to Branford. Total product value in 1964 was estimated at $2.5 million. About 35 percent of these grounds have been closed by the state department of health because of poor water quality. The clean water task force concluded in 1966 that the major estuaries could never be reclaimed for direct-market shellfish- ing, and stressed that guarding the remaining clean waters and restoring the marginal ones was therefore especially critical. The task force also noted that a prosperous commercial and sport finfishery has been largely lost. But a variety of sports fish and fairly rich food chain for sustaining them make recreational fishing still important. Among shellfish, lobsters are the most impor- tant catch and the only one that shows recent growth. In the ten years from 1958 to 1968, commerical lob- stermen increased almost fivefold from 176 to 695, and in 190 the catch was valued at about $1 million annually. Catches of clams, scallops and mussels are minimal. In 1970, the hard clam arvest was valued at $250,000. Scallops were valued at more than $500,000 in 1953, but catches are now insignificant. However, in the seventies, the oyster harvests have increased dramatically. From an annual average of only 250,000 pounds in the sixties, the catch is now 5 million pounds, almost up to the 1930's level. The main strategy has been to increase transplantation of Connecticut-grown seed oysters to clean waters on both sides of the sound. The potential catch is un- known, but continued cooperation among the indus- try and state and federal agencies will bring further increases. 16 NEW YORK MARINE DISTRICT ing is prohibited. Raritan Bay's poisoned clambeds, if For the ocean and tidal waters of New York up cleaned, would have an annual value of mote than $3 to the Tappan Zee Bridge, the finfish and shellfish million. Finfishing continues in Raritan Bay and the landings for 1970 and 1971 are surprisingly large in lower bays, but at a reduced rate. It is valued at view of the prevalent belief that fishing has been al- $200,000-versus a potential of $3-4 million. most ruined. From the 100 square miles of Great South Bay alone came 45 percent of the nation's 1970 ATLANTIC WEST Production of hard clams. In spite of reported water Almost all the stream estuaries and inner bay quality improvement, more shellfishing territory is be- shores of the New Jersey maritime counties have seen ing added to the uncertified class. In fact, out of 67 their shellfishing activities cut by pollution. areas in the New York Marine District, nine show sig- As for finfishing, New Jersey as a whole was nificant increases in the proportion uncertified. Only fourth in the nation in weight of catch and eleventh one shows a portion recertified. Thirteen are 100 per- in value (almost $10 million). About 90 percent of cent uncertified and three others are more than 50 the value comes from menhaden, a low-value fish im- percent uncertified. portant as a source of industrial oils and fish meal. FISHERY LANDINGS IN THE NEW YORK MARINE DISTRICT 1970 1971 Finfish POUNDS DOLLARS POUNDS DOLLARS Mainly flounder, porgy, whiting, and stripers 16,439,020 $ 2,380.433 20,067,422 $ 2,552,933 Shellfish Lobsters 1,647,267 1,846,887 1,790,518 2,053,784 Hard clam meats 7,905,552 8,976,947 8,549,196 10,756,939 Oyster meats 519,181 1,074,870 -778,464 1,681,811 Others 5,804,380 1,811,124 5,057,972 1,498,966 Total 15,876,380 $13,709,828 16,176,150 $15,991,500 Source: New York state Department of Environmental Conservation. THE HARBOR THE FUTURE Over the decades, shellfish beds were gradually Fin and shellfish problems are the subjects of closed as health authorities linked hepatitis with con- active research, and various solutions have been de- taminated clams. Raritan Bay, except for a small area veloped: chemical control of predators, cleansing of behind Sandy Hook, was the last closed in 1961. shellfish from moderately polluted waters and artifi- Jamaica Bay has been closed for decades. Poaching, cial spawning. But controlling water quality is still an resulting in a health hazard, persists even though dis- essential ingredient in any program aimed at signifi- couraged by patrols. For a radius of six miles around cant restoration of the zone's recreational and com- the dumping grounds in the New York Bight, shellfish- mercial fisheries. 17 THE PHYSICAL SHORELINE A complete coastal zone management program would assess the potential and limitations of these types of shores for natural processes and recreational The physical structure of the shoreline varies and water-oriented development. Wetlands, as noted widely in the Tri-State area. We are able to note the above, are receiving special attention. However, the following types of waterfrontage: vulnerability' of the bluff and barrier structures to - the palisades structure of much of the tidal currents and storm erosion gives cause for par- Hudson River shore; ticular concern. Breaching of the barrier islands during storms - the flatter shores of rivers, bays and estuar- will cause flooding of development both on the islands ies, often with marshes; and along the mainland bay shores. Recreational - the bluff areas of the north shore on Long beaches will often be narrowed or wiped out. At the Island, mainly unstable sand with narrow same time, natural restorative action by littoral drift beaches; and may, in some areas ' be hampered by the very means (groins, embankments) taken to prevent erosion. - the barrier islands and peninsulas with their Since two-thirds of the shoreline is at present beaches and dunes. Some dunes are also devoted to recreation, with an even higher proportion found on the mainland, as in Monmouth in critically eroding segments, the future of a great County. recreational resource is highly uncertain. Coastal flood SHORELINE CONDITIONS (IN MILES) NEW JERSEY NEW YORK Atlantic Atlantic Raritan Nassau & Bays: Long Coast coast: & sandy Staten 1. Rock- Suffolk: Oyster Island Suffolk: Nassau: Manasquan- Atlantic Sandy Hk- Hook Sub- Lower Coney away Atlantic to Eastern N orth North Cape May* Bays* Manas. Bays total Bay Island Beach Coast Moriches Forks Shore Shore Phy5ical Character Beach 97 35 27 19 178 Q 3 10 108 7 BB 80 10 Other 0 205 0 1 206 1 2 0 0 165 80 7 6 Stability critical erosion 74 10 27 6 117 7 3 10 108 0 75 87 9 Noncritical erosion 12 63 0 9 84 6 2 0 0 172 93 0 7 Noneroding - 11 167 0 5 183 D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ownership Federal 8 30 6 0 44 0 0 1 14 15 4 0 0 Other Government 66 27 11 7 ill 9 3 7 36 67 40 16 4 Nongovernment 23 183 10 13 229 4 2 2 58 90 124 71 12 Use Recreation (government) 88 119 14 8 229 7 3 7 50 77 32 16 3 Recreation (nongoverment) 0 23 10 2 35 1 1 2 8 25 9 16 0 Other Use 0 1 0 9 10 .5 1 1 33 26 94 44 10 Undeveloped 9 97 3 1 110 0 0 G 17 44 33 11 3 Length of Shore 97 240 27 20 384 13 5 10 108 172 168 87 16 Sandfill Sandfill Recommended by Bulk- Bulk- Sandfill Sandfill Sandfill Sandfill Sandfill Sandfill Sandfill not Sandfill Sandfill Sandfill National Shoreline Study heading heading Bulk- Bulk- given Groins Revetments heading heading Initial Costs (millions) $84.0 $4.3 $49.0 $2.3 $139.6 $3.0 $1.4 $5.3 $156.8 not $59.4 $91.8 $10.7 given *Includes segments from Cape May to Great Bay on southern New Jersey coast outside the study area. Source: National Shoreline Study Regional Inventory Report, North Atlantic Region, Corps of Engineers, Vol. 1. 18 STATE PARTICIPATION IN BEACH-EROSION CONTROL IN REMAINING SHARE STATE OF FEDERAL PROJECTS IN OTHER PROJECTS Connecticut 50% 67% (publicly owned) 33 (privately owned) New Jersey 75 75 New York 70 70 Source: National' Shoreline Study Regional Inventory Report, North Atlantic Region, Vol. 1. NYC: CONNECTICUT TRI-STATE REGION Throgs Connecticut Neck to Westch. Sub- Incl. Westch. Shore total Fishers 1. Regional Total* ...... .. ....... . ......... 9 4 331 45 654 51% 9 37 307 1125 638 49 0 0 299 25 441 34% 18 41 339 240 663 51 0 0 0 5 188 15 a 0 0 34 5 83 6% 11 9 202 50 363 28 SHORELINE EROSION 7 32 402 215 846 66 V NONCRITICAL 7 8 210 30 469 36% CRITICAL 2 6 70 225 330 26 9 27 250 15 275 21 0 0 108 0 218 17 ......... BEACH is 41 638 270 1,292 100% not not Sandfill Source: National Shoreline Study. given given Bulk- heading Revetments not not $328.4 $35.0 $503.0 g en given 19 protection and the integrity of the bay ecosystems - Potential beach development accessible to are also at stake. But under existing federal laws, beach the centers of urban population. erosion-control projects constructed with federal as- sistance are, with certain exceptions, limited to shores - Beaches where storm breakthroughs affecting in public ownership and public use. State participation the bays might occur. in funding beach protection works has been extensive. A great deal of the critically eroding shoreline is pre- - Other critical situations to be defined. sumably included in authorized federal and state- supported projects. The costs cited above are assumed 3. Assure that human activities no longer in- to be in addition to current appropriations. crease erosion or damage the remaining in- Further attention should be given the problem tegrity of the barrier beach system. Wetlands of beach erosion. legislation does not cover development on 1 .Determine the probable future fiscal re- the barrier islands nor the bay foreshore. This sources available for beach protection. means that these critical areas are protected 2. If the resources are expected to be inade- only by local zoning. It is recommended that quate, setup a priority system with attention shore protection monies be linked to proper given in somewhat the following order: beach and dune zoning, either under local jurisdiction or under a broader mechanism - Existing close-in beach developments acces- for controlling coastal zone uses. (See sible to the Region's urban population. Chapter 9.) 20 4. RECREATION Of all human activities along the coast, recrea- - protection from dangerous currents. Swim- tion is most compatible with the marine environment. ming sites will be limited to protected coves, However, certain recreational activities or heir acces- lakes behind railroad embankments or new, sory needs present serious environmental hazards and protected facilities combined with other de- must be planned within strict tolerance limits. velopments; Without the Region's extensive saltwater shores, our population would be deprived of much of its pres- - gradually sloping bottom or susceptibility ent opportunities for swimming, fishing and boating. to filling at reasonable cost; Recreation takes up about 10 percent of the study - sufficient upland for beach area, services, area land, ranging from 20 percent in the Harbor sub- game areas and parking; and zone to 5 percent in Atlantic North. - adequate access, without disturbing adjacent Our goal is to increase leisure use of the coastal neighborhoods. zone by reclaiming derelict and wasted portions to permit additional development for recreation. To pre- Natural swimming spots, properly sited and de- clude overloading, we must plan acceptable alternates veloped, should not be ignored, since they may be less to coastal locations. These might include more inland expensive to build and maintain and have a "feel" parks and pools and high-intensity leisure complexes about them that pools cannot provide. in population centers, 'Me only natural swimming beaches currently This study has not attempted to predict de- programmed in the Hudson and Harbor areas are at mand. Instead, it has focused on the suitability of Eastchester Bay, actually part of Long Island Sound, shores and waters for swimming, boating and fishing and Breezy Point and Sandy Hook as part of the Gate- and on the environmental concerns arising from in- way National Urban Recreation Area. complete recreational planning. It is assumed that if As a future compromise between the sand beach coastal integrity is strained by these facilities, recrea- and the pool, floating frames may be utilized. This de- tional demand must be satisfied by alternate means vice will be especially suitable in urban areas where elsewhere. development has pinched the shore. SWIMMING LONG ISLAND SOUND Although the sound waters tack the excitement Since the existing stock, resources, characteris- of the ocean surf, they offer a splendid swimming tics and potential for swimming vary among the sub- resource. Large state parks are found on both the zones, it will be instructive to consider them sepa- Connecticut and the Long Island shores. Many munic- rately or in pairs. ipalities also maintain beaches, sometimes restricting their use to residents, a policy that obviously needs HUDSON RIVER-HARBOR SUBZONES reassessment. A century ago, river swimming was important. On the Connecticut shore, sandfill is usually But with preemption of the harbor area by economic necessary to prepare the sunning and rest areas and activities, railroad construction up the valley, steadily the swimming shelf. The westward section of the mounting pollution and increasingly stringent safety Island's north shore is also inclined to be swampy and and health regulations, swimming virtually disap- muddy, but the eastward portion has sand beaches. As peared. In the relatively unpolluted reach from mentioned earlier, water pollution in and around the Yonkers to Poughkeepsie, there are two popular river harbor has deprived urban areas of swimming oppor- beaches -Westchester County's St. George's Island and tunities, and restoration is a vital part of water-quality Croton Point-but they are alone. programming. If pollution can be abated, the potential de- New swimming sites are needed on the sound. mand for river swimming in the Hudson and Harbor Among these should be large regional cbastal parks ac- subzones is strong. Swimming facilities of all sizes cessible from the Region's center. Tentative recom- would be limited not by demand or site availability, mendations by the Long Island Sound Study include but by monies for acquisition, development and oper- a Long Island Sound trust to purchase, with 75 per- ation. However, certain requirements are important, cent federal assistance, key parcels of shore land to be for example: managed as part of the state park systems. The study 21 also envisions islands constructed from solid wastes as Services recommends the acquisition of waterfront additional recreation facilities. sites, specifically beach parcels from Shinnecock to The State of Connecticut has recommended an Montauk and at Montauk Point. additional swimming capacity for 50,000 persons on its sound shore, with enough for 45,000 more in the western sector. The South Central Connecticut Plan- BOATING ning Region recommends an eventual capacity for 108,500 beach users for its westerly shoreline. For the Resources for boating, including moorings, easterly sector, an eventual capacity of 105,000 units launching ramps, repair and services, are more numer- is recommended. At present only 3.6 percent of this ous than those for swimming. shoreline sector is government-owned. The Greater Bridgeport Planning Region recom- Connecticut. Recent studies show about mends 1.24 acres of public beach per 1,000 persons 130,000 registered boats on the sound. In addition, including parking space. Sixty additional beach acres approximately 50 party boats and charter boats were are required to meet this standard. operational. ATLANTIC OCEANFRONT New Jersey. In recreation study regions border- (TWO SUBZONES) ing the coastal zone, New Jersey has upwards of 15,000 berths at 275 private club commercial facili- AJI ocean beaches should be allocated to recrea- ties, in addition to an unspecified number of municipal tion and eventually opened to the public. Measures to moorings. The state itself maintains 90 access points safeguard the environment, however, must not mean and there are other nongovernment ramps. that only the privileged few who live in adjacent areas will be allowed to enjoy them. New York. New York City has about 9,000 To insure this equality of access, two planning moorings, 7,000 of them at piers. Jamaica Bay accom- policies are required: modates 60 percent of the city's boating facilities. In 1. Regional beaches on barrier islands should be the Hudson subzone, there are about 4,400, with served mainly by buses from urban areas or 3,400 at piers. The New York portions of Long Island staging points rather than by land-consuming Sound have 12,500, with 8,000 at piers. Along the automobiles. This will result in less parking South Shore of Long Island, there are 19,000 moor- space in presently undeveloped areas and less ings, almost all at piers. The New York total is 45,000 parking congestion in urban foreshores. with more than 80 percent at piers. 2. Although many municipally owned and con- THE FUTURE trolled beaches will and should exist, munici- The future of boating promises a substantial, al- palities should not preempt the oceanfront. though not spectacular, increase in demand. This de- This may mean that municipalities with mand will probably express itself at all income levels- beachfronts more than adequate for their from the casual renting of boats to the ownership of own residents should open them up to the cruisers and yachts. Unless definite action is taken, public or transfer the administration of opportunities will remain scarce near the center of the portions to the state for regional use. (The Region. It is in the central waterbodies, where en- Long Island Sound Study recommends tena- vironmental impacts would be minimal, that large new tively that state and federal agencies assist in supplies of boating facilities would seem most suit- maintaining underutilized municipal beaches able. In the outlying reaches, the environmental im- allowing public access. pact of new boating facilities will be critical. Although Possible parking congestion on streets upland we need additional facilities there, they must be from beaches is another reason for considering more planned strictly within the environment's tolerance beach busing. Staging points for bus shuttles are com- of them. promises with auto access. They require the availabil- The State of Connecticut has recommended ap- ity of vacant land away from the shore. Floyd Bennett proximately 200 additional boating facilities in the Field as a staging area for Breezy Point buses is de- western sector of its sound coast. In the eastern sec- sirable for the short term.'A long-range solution may tor, it foresees a need for 210 private exclusive boat- be the development of light rail transit to existing ing facilities. The Long Island Sound Study has tena- shore communities on Rockaway Peninsula and to the tively recommended 14 public sail and small power- Gateway recreation developments at Riis Park, Fort board rental facilities at urban places around the Tilden and Breezy Point. sound. The State of New Jersey recommends a fivefold The State of New Jersey recommends an addi- increase in beach acreage in Monmouth and Ocean tional 13,000 berths (above the present 12,000) in counties. The New York State Office of Planning Monmouth and Ocean counties. 22 Among subareas, the South Central Connecticut Fishing is largely a matter of boating. Bank, pier Regional Planning Agency recommends 1,600 addi- and surf fishing persist, however, particularly at pop- tional slips in its western sector and 3,900 in the east- ulous urban beaches like Coney Island and Asbury ern sector. No other cities or subareas have proposed Park. Jetties along the beach are also used for night additional boating facilities in their recreation pro- fishing. The significance of and potential for nonboat grams. One reason for this deficiency may be the ex- fishing, mainly in the Harbor subzone, is uncertain, peclation of eventual boating facilities combined with but is worthy of investigation. This potential is inti- waterfront parks and residential developments. mately connected, to water cleanup. In addition to the marina facilities, embarkation points for groups will be needed-fish charters and EXTANT PLANS special services to Gateway beaches, for instance. Connecticut's plans call for a nonboat fishing capacity for I percent of the population. Much of this BOATING ISSUES capacity would be saltwater. New Jersey is calling for Several obstacles to boating occur in the central a twelvefold increase in fishing facilities in Ocean and waterbodies. Filled-out shores offer little protection Monmouth counties and even higher increases in the against storms. Urban waterfronts offer slight scenic districts bordering the Hudson and Harbor subzones. satisfaction, although the Manhattan skyline is an ex- The New York Office for Planning Services advises ception. Floating debris can be dangerous to the speed- early development of fishing and other facilities at ier craft. Tidal currents and wakes from large ships are state-owned parks. often hazardous. Air and water pollution are also de- The Long Island Sound Study has tentatively terrents, although if problems of access and construe- recommended additional access to existing groins, tion could be solved, these deterrents would not be breakwaters and jetties lincluding those of utilitiesl overriding. and additional fishing piers, as well as artificial reefs The accessory uses required by boating activities at six points around the sound. -principally parking and feeder roads-may distress surrounding residents. This aspect must, of course, be considered in locating boating facilities. OTHER COASTAL RECREATION Another issue is the problem of effluent from boats: raw sewage and garbage as well as debris from The foregoing has dealt with the three major the storage, repair and disposal of obsolete craft. The recreation pursuits carried on in the coastal zone. first is of major concern in the Harbor area. The pol- Naturally, other leisure activities occur there. lution of certain constricted bays and estuaries by careless boaters is a problem in the other subzones. NATURE-ORIENTED ACTIVITIES ne Long Island Sound Study, in its draft rec- Nature study and appreciation and photography ommendations, asks that the U.S. EPA set and enforce will never be a mass attraction, but they harmonize interim standards for holding tanks and that states well with conservation efforts. Access by rowboats provide portable pumpout facilities immediately. and walkways, as well as sites for potential observa- tion points, labs and instruction and exhibit areas, FISHING should be considered. Fishing is a recreational pursuit that holds con- LEISURE PARKS siderable promise. Even now, there are more than 1.6 Leisure parks on the waterfront have an am- million saltwater anglers in New York waters, and an biance arising from the meeting of land with the ex- increase of 7 percent annually is predicted. Demand panse of sky and water and views beyond. Preferably, from Westchester County and the north shore of Long they would include historic or geologic features and Island is estimated at about 475,000 anglers. Connect- some degree of elevation. Views of shipping and other icut reports more than 340,000 saltwater fishermen. economic activities would also lend interest. In the Northeast Atlantic, the recreational catch is as Active recreation, naturally, can be included in much as 40 percent of the commercial finfish harvest. these parks. Although only indirectly related to the Fishing near the shore depends mainly on water water, they may be necessary to the population of a quality. In the Harbor subzone, fishing will be mini- waterfront park. Almost every kind of land use, if mal, because of the slowness of water cleanup. In the properly designed, can be combined with waterfront other subzones, environmental tolerance of the neces- parks. sary moorings, parking, channel dredging, boat efflu- Examples are waterfront development as ents and noise will set the limit. On the positive side, sketched in the Lower Manhattan development plan, the construction of artificial fishing reefs from non- the South Street Seaport complex, the park atop the polluting solid wastes has been successful in generating sewage treatment plant in the Hudson at 125th Street, fishing "hot spots" along the Long Island coast. the new Harlem River Bronx State Park and areas 23 accompanying housing on Roosevelt Island. In Staten Increased federal participation is exemplified in Island, the South Richmond "new community" plans the recent establishment of the Gateway National call for waterfront parks. Port Totten on the sound in Urban Recreation Area. For this, certain parks and Queens is regarded as a potential leisure area. military bases were transferred to the National Park In New Jersey, Liberty State Park has a water- Service, thus unifying their management and relieving front orientation, and housing development at Tide- New Jersey and New York City of an administrative water Basin will have water-related leisure areas. and financial burden. The Long Island Sound Study Hudson County has recommended that 146 acres of staff has discussed the possibility of special federal the Palisades escarpment and part of Constable Hook funding for the Long Island Sound heritage, a pro- in Bayonne both be given park status. posed coastal open space network around the sound, 24 5. POWER GENERATION The Tri-State Region-like much of the North- SITING ASPECTS east-is in the grip of an electrical energy shortage. When we experience brownouts or voltage reductions, The additional electric generating plants re- we blame utility companies for inadequate planning. quired in the next 20 years to serve the expected But in many instances, their proposals are paralyzed demand in the Tri-State Region will use up some 6,500 by an aroused public concern for environmental pro- acres of land, except in cases where they may be lo- tection. Consequently, the lead time for building new cated offshore. This does not include hydroelectric plants has been stretched out to a degree that could plants, nor does it include space for transmission hardly have been foreSeen five years ago. rights-of-way, which may devour as much space as the Because of' their need for large quantities of generating plants themselves. cooling water, most power plants are located in the It is becoming customary for electric utility coastal zone. Their thermal effects are therefore a companies serving the Region to choose generating major issue in coastal zone management. Their often sites outside the Region, and this trend is expected to undesirable appearance, their air pollutants (usually intensify as suitable sites within it become scarcer. As caused by burning fossil fuels), and the possibility of much as half of this new capaci Ity may be located out- accidents at nuclear installations are other significant side the Region, although a point will doubtless be issues. reached where people in outlying areas will no longer be willing to accept "exported pollution" from the metropolitan areas. Utility company forecasts of peak demand in F the Tri-State Region are based on an average com- I pounded growth rate of about 7 percent during the i period 1970-1990. This in effect assumes continuation F of the growth that until recently dominated economic thinking in the United States. It is possible that this assumption is no longer valid. If this growth rate can be reduced through con- servation measures to 6 percent, which is a reasonable ? _J0 '10- objective, the requirements for new generating capac n ity could be reduced from 65,000 to 46,000 mega- watts, and land requirements from 6,500 to 4,800 acres. Total generating capacity within the Region now stands at 20,500 megawatts. In addition the Region can draw up to 3,400 megawatts from sources outside its borders. EXISTING THERMAL POLLUTION ELECTRICITY GENERATING Disposing of waste heat from power-generating PLANTS plants is not a new problem, nor is it associated only GENERATING CAPACITY IN MILLIONS OF WATTS with nuclear plants. Fossil-fuel plants have always dis- 0 1" charged heat, though their discharge of waste heat into 200 - 599 cooling water per kilowatt-hour generated is only 0 6W - Or M0FQ about 60 percent of that from "nukes." There are two n- NUCLEAR reasons for this: first, the nuclear plant is less efficient, requiring about 20 percent more British thermal units of fuel input per KWH; and second, fossil-fuel plants dissipate about 25 percent of this total waste heat in the air vs. about 7 percent for nuclear plants. 25 IMPLICATIONS OF MEETING THEREGION'S 1990 POWER DEMANDS (AT TWO LEVELS) BASED UPON A REDUCTION IN GROWTH OF DEMAND TO 6% ANNUALLY; OR CONTINUATION AT 7% FOSSIL-FUELED STEAM PLANTS (1000 megawatts each) LLLLL LLLLL LLLL:LLL NUCLEAR PLANTS 0000 megawatts each) 661MIM6 IM6666 LMLMLMLMLM WMLMIMLM im LM La im LM IMIM 666 HYDROPOWER PLANTS (1000megawattsesch) GAS TURBINES (400 megawatts each) ON MON 41111111 on 41111111 as an d0IIII 4W on dm -M an 4= 411111111 41a on ow dos @411111 EXCLUDING HYDROPOWER PLANTS AND LAND REaUIREMENTS TRANSMISSION LINES (100 acres each) MENEM MENEM MENEM MENEM MENEM MEMOS MENEM MENEM MMEMM MENEM EMMEN EMMEM mom No Source: Tri-State estimates, with the "mix" of plants based on a 1970 study of the New England Regional Commission. It is likely that much of this additional capacity will be located outside the Tri-State area. Certain industries, like oil refineries, also use CRITERIA natural waters for cooling, but it is the proposed pro- liferation of power plants of both kinds on our non- Major traditional criteria for power plant siting ocean waterbodies that has caused us to focus on the include the following: problem. It is said that the power industry alone will-adequate supply of cooling water; circulate more water for cooling than the nation used for all purposes before World War 11. - access by rail and water for delivery of heavy Heated water may have an adverse effect on equipment and fuel, and preferably express- marine life. Biological processes are speeded up and way access as well; the dissolved oxygen is reduced. Certain forms of life-a sufficiently large tract of land; may disappear; others may be stimulated. Warm water-terrain or meteorological features that do discharges may also contribute to odor problems by not inhibit the dispersion of emissions; increasing aquatic plant growth. Turbidity may also increase, making the waters less suitable for recrea--protection of scenic or historic values; and tional uses: - lack of geologic faults, which could present The capability of specific coastal water bodies foundation problems. to sustain future thermal discharges is not precisely measurable at this time, although a thermal model has It is widely doubted that enough sites can be been constructed for Long Island Sound. However, found in the coastal zone to meet all these criteria. Arthur Kill is considered thermally polluted, and the Other solutions are being suggested. The most promis- Interstate Sanitation Commission has banned expan- ing answer to siting problems may well be man-made sion and new construction facilities that will add more islands on the continental shelf, where the problems heat to the Kill. Cooling heated water in artificial of waste heat disposal would be minimized. Substan- ponds for later reuse may be part of the solution, as is tial advance engineering studies of this concept have the possibility of using heat for other purposes (heat- been attacked on environmental grounds-an almost ing of buildings, aquaculture, recreation). automatic response to any power plant siting pro- 26 posal. According to available information, however, is greater than the total generating capacity of the the concept presents fewer adverse effects on the en- United States today. vironment than any land-based location. Serious con- sideration should be given to making this a priority in Wind power. Windmills have been used for hun- siting future plants. dreds of years in applications that were interruptible in periods of calm. But there are proponents of a new system, which uses an ocean-based wind machine to create hydrogen through the electrolysis of sea water. ALTERNATIVES TO CONVENTIONAL The hydrogen is stored in tanks and reconverted to electricity on demand via fuel cells in mini-substations. POWER GENERATION On paper, the concept looks uncommonly attractive. There is wide agreement today that we are rapidly approaching the point at which further expan- ion of fo,sil-fuel team and nuclear-generating capac- ity will impose completely unacceptable thermal and FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS air pollution burdens on our fragile and finite environ- ment. Indeed, a doomsday urgency pervades the need Although the above methods look like promis- to develop new, nonpolluting energy systems. There ing alternatives to the conventional electricity gener- are a number of such systems on the horizon; some ating plant, we cannot hope that they will be ready in with apparent real promise for the intermediate term, time to relieve us of the pressure to bUfld More on- some still relatively "far-out." ventional plants or restrain our demand for electricity, or both. Solar energy for direct heating. The technology No matter how one looks at demand vs. supply, is available now, but in this Region, its potential is at least some additional conventional electrical energy limited to its ro1c. as a supplement to conventional plants will have to be built. As a result, some hard de- heating systems. cisions will have to be made on where they will be located: in the coastal zone, inland or offshore. The The fuel cell. This is a device that uses natural role of the public sector in this decision-making is car- gas (or hydrogen) as a fuel and produces electric ried on by a plethora of agencies- federal and state. power without combustion. The only by-products are water vapor and carbon dioxide, Experimental units THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN PLANT SITING have been in successful operation for some time, and Traditionally, the scope of the various state pub- the main problem is to get the cost down to a level lic service commissions lids not been broad enough to that is competitive with conventional generation. permit them to deal adequately with rapidly expand- ing demands for power and the problems implicit in Magnetohydrodynamics is a concept for gener- meeting them. Federal intervention in the form of the ating electric current by the passage of a hot ionized Federal Power Commission was complicated by the gas through a magnetic field. It is reported that MHD emergence of the nuclear potential, administered by plants would result in a dramatic reduction in thermal the Atomic Energy Commission, after World War II. pollution of water bodies as well as in air pollution. Power pools became enlarged and responsibilities Development work is proceeding, but there are many blurred by the importation of power. from long dis- problems to be worked out. Commercial application tances. is considered a possibility by 2000. Under the National Environmental Policy Act, the federal power agencies must formally consider the Nuclear fusion. This concept is ideal-a clean, environmental impact of a proposed facility before cheap, virtually inexhaustible source of energy. But approving it for construction. Twelve other federal few researchers are certain that it can be achieved in agencies are interested in power projects and, in turn, their lifetimes, and success is believed to be decades they circulate the utilities' statements to other sub- and billions of dollars away-anywhere from 20 to agencies. This system is designed to avoid projects that 100 years. will have significant, irreversible environmental im- pacts and to substitute alternates. Geothermal energy. Although most of the easily Also at the federal level, the administration in accessible steam within the earth is in the western February 1974 drafted legislation under which state United States, drilling into hot but dry underground agencies responsible for developing land-use and regions and circulating water through the hot rock coastal zone programs would be required to designate might introduce geothermal power in the East. A re- their "fair share" of energy facility sites as determined port by the National Science Foundation and the by the U.S. Department of Interior. Failure to do so University of Alaska estimates that 395,000 mega- Would cause the state agency to lose its facility-siting watts could be generated in the nation by 2000, which responsibilities to Interior and the Federal Energy 27 Administration. More recently it is reported that this energy installations and transmissions and environ- draft legislation had been scrapped in response to mental planning for gas and electric transmission lines. heavy opposition from certain federal departments. New legislation, however, is said to be in preparation Connecticut. Besides its utility commission, to give the Federal Energy Administration authority Connecticut has set up the Power Facilities Evalua- to override the veto of state-approved energy facility tion Council. projects by any other federal agency. It is not likely that the states will be enthusiastic New Jersey. As an adjunct to the Department about federal initiatives to take siting control out of of Public Utilities, New Jersey places decision-making their hands. But decision making in this area, with the powers with the Board of Public Utility Commis- partial exception of New York State, exists in a sort sioners (three members). of vacuum, and there seems to be no limit to the length of time a needed facility can be delayed. New York. This state has an unusually strong One possible approach could be adaptation of role in power planning and generation. In addition to New York State's power agency set-up, with each state its public service commissions, New York has insti- designating an agency like New York's Atomic and tuted the Atomic and Space Development Authority Space Development Authority. Thig agency is charged to encourage the development and use of atomic en- with identifying, assessing and acquiring sites not only ergy for productive purposes. Another agency is the for nuclear plants, but also for whatever type of facil- Power Authority of the State of New York, recently ity is required. A counterpart of New York's board on in the news in connection with its takeover of two electric generating siting and the environment could new generating facilities under construction from the be vested with the final, irreversible decision on sites financially troubled Con Edison. Between 15 and 20 that had been certified as suitable by the first agency. percent of all the power currently distributed by up- Another alternative is suggested by the recently state New York private utilities is purchased from the formed Empire State Power Resources, Inc. This is an Power Authority. electric generating company formed as a joint venture To provide a better coordinated approach, New by the seven privately owned New York State electric York State has created a State Board on Electric Gen- utility companies. It is proposed that the new com- erating Siting and the Environment. Its membership pany build and operate all the new generating facili- includes the chairman of the public service commis- ties expected to be needed by the sponsoring com- sion, the commissioner of environmental conservation, panies during the 1980s. Each of the companies in- the, commissioners of commerce and health, and a res- volved will remain independent and continue to be ident of the site area. This new board will be the final responsible for its own customers. administrative arbiter with respect to the siting of A third approach could be based on existing major steam-electric generating facilities, including power pools. In the case of New York State, the terri- nuclear plants. tory served by the New York Power Pool (NYPP) is co-terminous with the state. But New Jersey's OTHER CONSIDERATIONS counterpart to NYPP is the Pennsylvania-New Jersey- The Long Island Sound Study has prepared ten- Maryland Interconnection (PJM), and Connecticut is a tative recommendations for rationalizing the decision member of the New England Power Pool (NEPOOL). structure, for requiring recreation and public access at The pool grouping approach appears logical since all sites, and for application of strict criteria for power each pool has mechanisms for central dispatching and sites by coastal zone management agencies. transmission of bulk power and for dealing continu- There is a real need for a reliable mechanism for ously with matters of policy, planning, engineering reaching final go or no-go site decisions for power and operations. Joint ownership of bulk-power gen- plants within a reasonable time, even if such plants are erating facilities, along the lines of New York's Empire to be located in the coastal zone. The key word here State group, would appear to be a logical extension of is final. Once a favorable decision on a site has been the function of either NEPOOL or PJM. reached, there should be no grounds on which it can be questioned further, except for new evidence of a previously undisclosed hazard. It will be one of the STATE REGULATORY BODIES major tasks of a coastal zone managing agency to co- All three states have commissions or depart- ordinate and guide other agencies in scaling demand, ments with supervisory and regulatory powers over and siting and building plants. 28 6. SHIPPING Concentration of waterborne commerce in the the ideal place within the Region. Region's central harbor subzone has been and will be the most important economic activity of the coastal FACILITY NEEDS zone, The Port of New York and New lersey now Existing containerport, show a high ratio of handles 80 percent of the Region's total. Outside the acreage per berth-about 40 at major installations- to port, shipping is limited to oil, coal, stone, sand and provide for storage, handling of containers and trailers gravel, although Connecticut ports handle a small and consolidation of operations. In some facilities amount of general cargo. containers are stacked to minimize this space require- The most dynamic aspect of waterborne com- ment, but this increases the cost of handling since it merce is' the rapid shift from break-bulk cargo han- becomes harder to reach a given container. Multilevel dling to containerization. In 1970, more than one- facilities have been proposed, but none is known to third of the central harbor's cargo value was handled be in existence or under construction. Thus, surface in containers. Accompanying this movement are sec- storage remains the standard method of marshalling ondary trends-some modernization of conventional and sorting containers. The additional berths and load- general cargo facilities, the replacement of several ing and storage areas planned, while flexible in some North River passenger piers with a superterminal for cases, will increase the average ratio to perhaps 50 cruise ships and remaining trans-Atlantic liners. acres per berth. As for the numbers of berths needed in 1990 to handle the up to 21 million tons forecasted, it appears CONTAINERPORTS that at 500,000 tons per berth, the need may be about 42 berths. This is slightly less than the total number In 1970, containerized cargo made up 40 per- under consideration. If, as seems likely, containerships cent of the port's general cargo tonnage. But by 1975, increase in average size, and volumes per berth in- it is estimated that containerized cargo will increase crease proportionally, still fewer berths may be needed. to about 50 percent of general cargo. In 1970, con- Proposed sites in New York City typically con- tainer berths handled a total of 8.1 million long tons. sist of rebuilt shipping areas, with some redevelop- By 1975, the volume is expected to be 12.4 million ment of upland areas to provide the required backup long tons, and by 1990 it may increase to between 18 space. In at least one case (Red Hook, South Brooklyn) and 21 million long tons. clearance of existing housing aroused community op- position, an example for competing forces in the zone. LOCATIONAL CRITERIA However, housing is not now regarded as actually It has been suggested that decentralizing con- needing a waterfront location; rather, the issue is one tainership activity away from the present concentra- of uprooting, in an era of acute housing shortage, an tion would help to revive smaller ports in the Tri-State established community to satisfy a new need for port- Region. But by all odds, this is simply not feasible. oriented land. The solution, of course, is sensitive Containerports gather their traffic from a large num design or adjusted location coupled with proper re- ber of shippers in a large territory and distribute to re- location strategies. ceivers who are similarly scattered. Thus, the Port of In the next several years a coordinated plan for New York, a major rail and highway hub, is an ideal containerport facilities should be evolved. Plan criteria location for this type of operation. should include: The containership itself is large, fast and effi- efficient transportation links at proposed cient; one such vessel is generally believed to do the sites. The need for energy conservation may work of several of the larger conventional freighters. make equipment pooling among carriers It is also more expensive to build and operate. Thus, more feasible. speed of loading and unloading is necessary. It needs channels at least 35 feet deep, preferably 40, and at restoration in adjacent areas of spaces re- least 700 feet wide for fast turnarounds. Container- lated to the water for pleasant shopping, ports should be near the open sea to minimize pilotage lunch-hour strolling, loafing or recreational fees and loss of time. Again, the central harbor area is and cultural activities. 29 BERGEN ESSEX 10 QUEENS HUDSON N. 2 C@ 41 1 9 6 UNION 3 (f 5 BROOKLYN RICHMOND CONTAINERSHIP F ACILITIES, PORT OF NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY January, 1975 EXISTING ADDITIONAL PLANNED TOTAL Port Authority Terminals BERTHS ACRES BERTHS ACRES COMPLETION BERTHS ACRES 1. Port Elizabeth 17 700 0 0 17 700 2. Port Newark 3 200 0 0 3 200 Now York City Terminals 3. Northeast Marine Terminals 3 75* 6 165* 1980 9 240* 4. Howland Hook 3 125 3 283 1976 6 408 5. Marine Terminal 2 30 2'** 20 1976 2 50 6. Red Hook" 0 0 2 75 1978 2 75 7. Hunts Point 0 0 2 40 1976 2 40 8. Brooklyn Army Terminal 0 0 3 90* 1978 3 90* Private Operators 9. Port Jersey 2 97 0 0 2 97 10. Port Seatrain 2 40 0 0 .2 40 Total 32 1,267- 18 6730 48 1,940* *Including other activities. **To be operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. ***Replacements of existing berths. Source: Port agencies and private operators. 30 COMPOSITION OF TRAFFIC, PORT OF NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY In millions of long tons and billions of dollars, 1970 TONS PERCENT VALUE PERCENT General cargo Contained 8.1 7% $ 7.5 36% Breakbulk 12.6 11 11.7 57 Bulk cargo 95.9 82 1.5 7 Total 116.6 100% $20.7 10 0% Source: Data from Port Au thority of N. Y. & N. J. OTHER SHIPPING OTHER PORTS IN THE REGION While containerized. and conventional general Other types of waterborne commerce will re- cargo facilities are infeasible for other ports in the main important at the port and at other coastal zone Region, these ports will be important for bulk-cargo harbors outside the port. Facilities for them are only activity-both from sources outside the Region and partially the province ofpublic agencies, but efficiency from the Port of New York and New Jersey as trans- and concern for the environment require that their shipped cargo. planning be considered in relation to the Region's For most of these harbors, petroleum is the total logistics system. most important commodity. By 1970, coal had almost disappeared from the list except at Norwalk, where it NONCONTAINERIZED GENERAL CARGO continued predominant. Sand and gravel made up a This harbor activity is expected to be about 45 third distinctive cargo, being important at Stamford percent of the general cargo total in 1990. The on- and Hempstead harbors. going shrinkage has already led to the disuse of most For the future, expansion of petroleum trans- of Manhattan's piers and of some other port areas. port will be the dominant shipping issue at these har- These piers are generally unadaptable to modern ship- bors. However, if petroleum shortages persist, the ping practices because of their lack of upland areas return of coal traffic and the liquified natural gas and adequate truck access. They are "up for grabs" potential may also pose problems. and their disposition is one of the major issues of harbor planning. PETROLEUM BULK CARGO Bulk cargo in the Region consists mainly of Petroleum receipts, processing and distribution petroleum in its various forms (including liquified are critical to the continued functioning of the Region. natural gas), coal, ores and minerals, and sand, gravel Making significant demands on the coastal zone, the and stone. Terminals for such products are tradition- system also has several inconvenient impacts on other ally built by the related industries or by railroads. areas and therefore will require serious consideration Therefore, projecting needs and planning for such in current and future coastal zone studies. shipping have been done, until now, by separate cor- porations. However, a degree of coordination under TANKER TRAFFIC current land and marine controls has taken place Although receipts of petroleum and petroleum through consultations among the Corps of Engineers, products have increased at the central port, its share the Port Authority, New York City's Department of of the Region's total receipts has dropped (from 83 Ports and Terminals and municipal permit agencies. percent in 1963 and 78 percent in 1970), showing that Supplying fuel for the Region will require hard other ports, principally New Haven and Port Jefferson, decisions about bulk cargo shipping and more public are increasing their volumes. This has important impli- participation in making them. An example of a new cations for Long Island Sound. concern is.the transport and storage of liquified natural Tanker size is a related concern in planning for gas (LNG), where both tankers and storage facilities petroleum traffic. Currently, at the port, tankers of may need special safeguards and locational rules be- more than 30,000 deadweight tons generally unload yond those required for conventional petroleum onto'lighters at anchorage, await high tide or enter products. partially loaded, because of the current 3 5-foot chan- 31 HARBORS OUTSIDE THE PORT OF NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY Handling more than 1 million short tons annually 1963 1970 THOUSANDS OF TONS SHARES OF COMMODITIES THOUSANDS OF TONS SHARES OF COMMODITIES Sand & Sand & Rec'd. Shipped* Total Patrol, Coal 0 ravel MiSC. Ree'd, Shipped* Total Patrol. Coal Gravel Misc. Connecticut New Haven 7,235 1,359 8,594 85% 7% - 8% 9,715 1,915 11,630 91% 9% Bridgeport 2,040 405 2,445 78 10 - 12 3,495 349 3,844 86 14' Norwalk 1,077 3 1,080 22 69 9% 1,056 2 1,058 20 74% 6% - Stamford - - - - - - - 947 74 1,021 60 - 33 7 New London 816 219 1,035 90 - - 10 2,447 1,430 3,877 95 - - 5 Now York *** Hempstead 1,744 3,183 4,927 21% - 78% 1% 1,821 2,328 4,149 25% - 72% 3% Port Jefferson 1,431 57 1,488 76 .3% 21 - 4,157 176 4,333 84 - 15 - Northville - - - - - 916 308 1,224 100 - - - Northport - 2,367 2,367 - - 100 - 1,000 - 1,000 100 - - - Oyster Bay 166 1,060 1,226 14 - 85 1 - - - - - - - Now Jersey None *Intraport and local traffic are included in "shipped." **In addition, points on the Connecticut River below Hartford handled 3 million tons in 1963 and 3.814 million tons in 1970. ***In addition to the listed harbors, all on Long Island, points on the Hudson River in the Tri-State Region handled about 13 million tons in 1970. Source: Waterborne Commerce of the United States, Calendar Years 1963, 1970, Dept. of the Army, Corps of Engineers, and private sources. nel depth constraint in many of the Harbor's water- damage to natural and recreational areas of ways. However, in 1969 about 30 percent of tankers the coastal zone. using the port were more than 30,000 deadweight tons. 2. The need for coastal or inland sites for stor- Tankers up to 80,000 deadweight tons could be age tanks, processing and the extensive petro- accommodated in the deeper 45-foot Hudson River chemical industries linked to petroleum. channel extending to roughly S9th Street in Manhat- tan, if there were terminals accessible from this channel. 3. Air and visual pollution from refineries. For new supertankers in the 250,OOG-ton range 4. Location of pipeline5 and oil bargi; facilitios. and drawing M feet of water, the port will be pre- cluded. Four of ten potential deepwater sites initially 5. The impact of tank truck routes on adjacent listed by the Corps of Engineers lay in the Tri-State land uses. zone: the Montauk Point area, Long Island north Middlesex County's concern over the impact of shore area, Raritan Bay and Long Branch area on the a deepwater terminal off Long Branch on the environ- Monmouth County coast in New Jersey. The last two ment led to a special study by the Tri-State Regional are being more seriously considered but the New Planning Commission. This study showed that: Jersey administration is opposed to them. The deci- -Land-use problems would be extensive. sion on where to locate the port, the Corps suggests, I will depend on: the relative probabilities of oil spills: -Air quality would fall below desired levels. the potential for environmental damage from spills" -Freshwater demands in Middlesex County and the relative construction and operating costs. would be about 30 percent above current The Federal Maritime Adininistration is re- estimates for the year 2000. ported to favor construction of the initial supertanker port in the ocean off Delaware Bay. -Effluent loadings from new refineries and petrochemical plants would not tax water ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS quality targets. The above issues, and even conventional pro- -Employment would be increased in a region posals like deepening and expanding Port Jefferson, not yet recovered from the recession of the bIring into focus at least five impacts on the environ- last few years. ment. The Nassau-Suffolk Regional Planning Board 1. The possibility of oil spills and subsequent has responded to the present inefficient, decentralized_ 32 situation on Long Island with a plan calling for con- sound, construction of three offshore terminals, new centrating receipts at Northville and Port Jefferson, a pipelines and fuller use of existing ones, and reloca- pipeline distribution from those points to tank farms tion of tank farms inland. The study also recommends inland and the extension of an existing pipeline from state authorities to build and lease facilities to dis- Kennedy Airport eastward. A consolidated terminal tributors. and industrial park at Hempstead Harbor is also rec- ommended. This plan would eliminate barge receipts FUTURE REQUIREMENTS on the south shore and in some harbors on the north Continuing diminution in the availability of for- shore, allow increased recreational use of these har- eign oil will affect the receipts and distribution of bors, safeguard related wetlands and reduce tank truck both petroleum and other fuels. The shortage of oil traffic. This plan should be favored as balancing de- has already brought about permission to use coal as a velopment with protection of natural resources and boiler fuel at three electricity generating plants in the consolidating coastal uses for more compactness and Region, with the possibility of others to follow. If efficiency, these three plants should continue to bum coal into Tentative recommendations by the Long Island the forecast target dates, estimates of coal receipts Sound Study of the New England River Basins Com- would have to be revised upward by as much as 13 mission include consolidation at five ports of the million tons a year. ESTIMATED RECEIPTS OF PETROLEUM Millions of short tons in liquid petroleum and products Percent in FACILITY 1970 1985 1990 1990 Port of New York Unloaded* 50.6 68.3 77.0 46.0% Locally refined* 16.9 20.0 20.0 12.0 Northville .9 5.1 5.7 3.5 Other Offshore depots 1.0 5.1 5.7 3.5 Port Jefferson 3.4 12.8 14@2 8.5 New Haven 8.9 8.0 9.8 6.2 Net pipeline 20.0 30.1 34.4 21.0 Total 101.7 149.4 166.8 100.0% *Receipt of crude petroleum processed locally not included. ESTIMATED RECEIPTS OF NATURAL GAS* ESTIMATED RECEIPTS OF COAL Billions of cubic feet Millions of tons 1970 1985 1990 1970 1985 1990 Pipeline 617.1 54&5 600.0 Waterborne Tanker (LNG) 50@0 63.1 Port of New York 0.7 0.2 0.2 Total 596.5 663.1 Trenton* 1. 1 0.1 0.8 Rail 6.0 11 0.2 Based on current projections and suggested expansions. Total 7.8 1.4 1.2 Subject to future supply variations and technological changes. *Not included in Tri-State's region or coastal zone. 33 7. WAST E D I SPOSA L Certainly the heaviest impact on the natural en- was only about 9 percent. Since 1968 this propor- vironment of our metropolitan region and its coastal tion does not appear to haveincreased, 11 we sot the zone is from waste disposal in its various forms. cleanup date for 1980, the stretched-out annual capi- - Sewage or its treatment effluent. tal program for the Tri-State Region would require more than $200 million per year-four times the - Sewage sludge. recent level of investment. - Filling of marshes by sanitary landfill. - Shoreline dumps. WATER CLEAN-UP PRIORITIES - Floating garbage and debris. Ideally, a water quality management agency will - Dumping of dredge spoils. do the following: - Waste heat disposal. Waste problems are the most stubborn barriers 1. Decide tentatively on the uses we want out to' achieving an acceptable balance between the of our coastal waterbodies. Other chapters in Region's development and its conservation. Our most this report provide a basis for such a list of expensive and urgent task in managing the environ- uses. These cannot be ranked since they are ment is solving them. not a true hierarchy. As checks on whether a given use is desired, theoretical "needs" for each use can be measured. For LIQUID WASTE instance, the shellfish-harvest potential could be esti- mated. Boating needs could be calculated by relating In our nation, clean water is currently a very populations to various waterbodies by distance. Other popular goal-perhaps partly because the cost impli- checks involve locational criteria, alternative locations cations are not generally known. At present, we do available, and of course the characteristics and re- not know whether our waters-coastal or inland-are source content of the waterbodies themselves. becoming cleaner. For instance, certain shellfish beds 2. Define water-quality standards needed for were recently reopened, but others have been closed. each of the above uses. Items commonly Certain industries have stopped dumping chemical monitored to determine standards currently waste into coastal waters, and though programs re- include: quiring cessation of specific industrial and municipal pollution are of varying effectiveness, improvement - biochemical oxygen demand (BOD); has occurred. But pollution may have remained the - coliform count: generally related to body same or even increased in other bays or estuaries. contact and bivalve habitat; State water pollution control agencies, federal agen- - dissolved oxygen: generally related to wet- cies and the Interstate Sanitation Commission mea- land ecosystems and fish habitat; sure water quality at numerous points in the Region, but the information is not collected, analyzed or dis- - pH: generally related to wetland ecosystems seminated for the Region's waters as a whole. and fish habitat; There is no general agreement on exactly how - turbidity: generally related to body contact to clean up waterways. The original timetable, set up and esthetic enjoyment; by federal programs mainly through the construction of sewage treatment plants, should have been com- - trace heavy metals, such as phosphorous and pleted by 1972, but federal appropriations fell short nitrogen; and of needs. New York, New Jersey and Connecticut pro- - oil and grease. vided additional state aid but their supplements could not maintain the original schedule. Under the Federal When uses are compatible with water-quality Water Pollution Control Act, the Tri-State Region is standards in a systematic way, it is possible that com- eligible for 55 percent federal aid for sewage-treatment binations of uses can occur. It is preferable to de- projects, but the actual federal share in 1963-1968 scribe water-quality standards and uses for segments 35 EXISTING WATER QUALITY o o o oo *a SUITABLE FOR ALL RECREATION MARGINALLY SUITABLE FOR ALL RECREATION .... . ... SUITABLE FOR RECREATION WITHOUT BODY CONTACT UNSUITABLE FOR ANY RECREATION Source: Tri-State Transportation Commission, Managing The Natural Environment, based on state water quality classifications. of waterbodies, since some have significant variations models. because of tidal flushing patterns or differences be- 4. Develop and select programs through cost- tween surface and bottom flows like those in the benefit analysis and other considerations. Hudson estuaries and Long Island Sound. The 13,000 From an examination of alternatives, formu- acres of Jamaica Bay have widely differing water char- late tentative programs to render one or more acteristics depending on the season, amount of shore runoff, the discharge of industrial wastes and such of the water segments fit for one or more of activities as dredging, filling and diking. the needs in those segments. Possible tech- niques include: 3. Predict future concentrations of pollutants - treating wastes at sources, either individually and required waste load reductions. Pollu- or collectively; tant sources will typically include: - raw domestic sewage from outfalls; - changing production methods, recovering materials, reclaiming wastewater; - primary and secondary effluent from treat- - storing wastes for release at optimum times; ment plants; - industrial wastes; - locating new development where wastes can be accepted by natural water systems; and - stormwater overflow through treatment - enhancing waterbody capacities to handle plants; wastes, for example, introducing oxygen into - pollution and oil spills from vessels;. waterbodies or finding other places to put - polluted dredge spoils; and wastes, for example, sewage on crop and forest land. - general development, creating wastes carried Current administrative mechanisms, data re- by runoff. sources and modeling techniques are inadequate to Future concentrations and reductions required realize such a complex research-management opera- to reach standards might be estimated by using physi- tion for the whole Region. However, prototype studies cal, empirical or properly validated mathematical might be carried out to give a clearer picture of the 36 % PLANNED FUTURE WATER QUALITY o...o SUITABLE FOR ALL RECREATION ......... SUITABLE FOR RECREATION WITHOUT BODY CONTACT k UNSUITABLE FOR ANY RECREATION Source: Tri-State Transportation Commission, Managing 77ze Natural Environment, based on state water quality classifications. meaning of past decisions and the implications of ex- Over the years, we will need to expand capacity isting legislation. The Long Island Sound Study, among to about 4,300 million gallons a day (MGD), almost its tentative recommendations, includes state require- twice the present load of 2,420 MGD. Collectively, ments for land management and soil conservation the Region's plants now occupy 1,300 acres. In 2000, practices which will gradually end nonpoint sources the land needs will be twice that figure. For detention of pollution. tanks or basins for stonn sewers, additional land will Money should probably be invested first where likewise be required. New York City, at present the pollution is slight but increasing and where wetland only locality building retention basins, proposes to ecosystems and swimming are "demands," or where construct 29 such facilities. the restoration of water quality will serve several uses. New plant sites generally require low elevation, The cleanup of heavily polluted waters might be de- acceptable dispersion of effluent, safety from floods, layed, since costs related to the scale of demands may firm subsoil, feasible sludge removal, expansion room prove uneconomical. Future development recommen- and nondegradation of surroundings. Current planning dations, such as those in Tri-State's Regional Develop- generally observes these criteria, and there is little ment Guide, could be used to indicate expected needs concern that new'sites in outlying areas will be im- and planned uses. The results of alternate develop- properly chosen. The main problem will be upgrading ment policies could be compared and the scale of the present plants in urban areas where land is scarce and differences judged. expensive, and planning is complicated. Witness the North River project in the Hudson, where a treatment SEWAGE TREATMENT plant with a park on the top level will carry an astro- About 95 percent of the municipal sewage in nomical price tag. the Tri-State area is discharged into its coastal water- ways. Twenty percent is still discharged as raw sew- THE NUTRIENT PROBLEM age. All wastewater (except for the raw sewage) is The problem of algae and other plant over- processed at sewage-treatment plants found on coastal growth caused by excess nutrients, mainly phosphates, and estuarine land. in treated effluent is of concern to the Region. The 37 areas affected are the bays and other constricted seg- Part of the littering problem is the prevalence ments such as western Long Island Sound where tidal of throwaway containers. Another is the lack of equip- flushing and upriver runoff are insufficient to prevent ment and personnel to clean up and dispose of litter nutrient buildups. Such buildups are, of course, re- and garbage, and to police areas. A part of the solu- lated to season. And it is likely to become worse as tion is increased emphasis on environmental education. sewage treatment is extended and upgraded. In the southern bays of Long Island, Atlantic outfalls are already under construction to solve this SOLID WASTE problem, as in the case of Nassau County Sewer Dis- trict's No. 3 plant at Wantagh. In Monmouth County, We have only unproven ways-recycling and ban- a regional sewer system is being constructed around ning wasteful packaging-to reduce the solid-waste the Navesink and Shrewsbury estuaries with an out- burden on the Region's localities. This burden, already fall to the ocean. Along Raritan Bay, a new outfall insupportable, will increase. By 1990, the Region's parallel to the shore will carry effluent eastward to solid waste will have grown to 28.5 million tons per the ocean below Sandy Hook. Pumping effluent into year, about 65 percent over 1970. The 1970-1990 the ground as a way of filtering and adding it to the volumes are estimated to require about 30,000 acres ground water supply is being tested in Bay Park in for sanitary landfill, even assuming that incineration Nassau County. will increase where landfill sites are scarce. Criteria for location include: - capability of being diked to prevent leaching HARBOR RUINS AND FLOTSAM and keep out floods; Drift from derelict vessels and deteriorated - availability of cover material; structures is a special waste problem in the central - potentiality of twenty-year life span; harbor and other coastal zone harbors. Not only are - convenient truck access; areas made unsightly, but there is also a definite haz- ard to recreational and commercial vessels. A steady - noninterference with neighboring land uses; supply of flotsam is fed into the channels, making the - suitability for future use; and need obvious for a sizable effort to collect and trans- port it to an incinerator. Also, rotting hulls and piers, - noninterference with ecosystems. landings and shacks are fire hazards and provide a With such demanding criteria, only a few coastal sites habitat for marine borers. may be found suitable and even then, environmental Under the River and Harbors Act of 1974, a enthusiasts may protest them successfully. Likewise, Corps of Engineers proposal to clean up the New it is doubtful that the necessary inland acreage will be York-New Jersey Harbor was authorized. The work available. In the face of this shortage, the response will include the removal or repair of derelict timbered to this regional problem, as expressed in Tri-State's vessels, deteriorated piers, wharves and other struc- Managing the Natural Environment, March 1970, tures, and shore debris. should be as follows: The federal share will be more than $13 mil- lion, 50 percent of the cost. Local governments bene- 1. Evaluate both coastal and inland areas for fitting from this cleanup will undertake to enact * and acceptable landfill potential, including costs, enforce measures to prevent future drift and debris. and designate suitable ones. Any system set up for the central harbor might be 2. If, as expected, these are insufficient, pursue later extended to include the collection and disposal combinations of the following: of debris in the smaller harbors of the zone. - clean, environmentally acceptable incinera- tion facilities effectively sized and distrib- POLLUTION FROM VESSELS uted; - development of waste processing for harm- Garbage and sewage from vessels of all sizes are less dumping at sea; a problem in the, coastal zone. Regulations requiring - incineration yielding residues suitable for onshore dumping of sanitation containers from plea- building fill; and sure craft assume adequate collection facilities at mari- - sorting and recycling processes and regula- nas, which in turn are the responsibility of the man- tion of unwanted packaging. agers of the marinas. The 1972 Federal Water Quality Act bans the sale of vessels with unacceptable marine Obviously, this problem is not only a coastal sanitation devices. Dumping of garbage in the Lower concern and solutions will not be forthcoming from New York Bay by ocean liners' and freighters is a municipal efforts alone. New county, state and federal major problem for the Staten Island beaches. groupings. are needed, including larger disposa I dis- 38 tricts and research and demonstration projects spon- aries Act forbids ocean dumping without permits from sored by higher levels of government. As an example, whichever of the several federal agencies that have the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority ex- jurisdiction over the particular material being dumped. pects to build and operate regional solid waste dis- Permission for interim continuation of dumping in posal plants and sell recoverable resources. The objec- certain situations requires special justification. In tive is to reduce solid waste to a 10 percent residue, 1974, research began on the effects and management thus reducing the demand for landfill. of dumping in the New York Bight. An atlas of the bight-related areas is being prepared by the New York Sea Grant Office. A marine ecosystem analysis is going SLUDGE AND DREDGING SPOILS forward under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the U.S. Environmental Protec- The disposal of polluted materials in Long Island tion Agency is sponsoring the design of an informa- Sound and in the New York Bight has recently come tion network for the waterbody. The Act envisions under close scrutiny for its effects on marine life, five years as the period in which the problems would especially shellfish. There are two main sources for be cleared up. such polluted material: sewage sludge, expected to in- The Long Island Sound Study has tentatively crease" 11/2 times by 1990 and dredging spoils, often recommended immediate feasibility studies on the use heavily polluted. of solid waste and dredge spoils to build artificial is- The Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctu- lands in the sound for recreation and other purposes. 39 8. LAND DEVELOPMENT IN THE COASTAL ZONE ZONAL COMPETITION seen, although some shifting of location will be de- sirable. Power Generation. The land needed for a Although competition among various activities dozen or so power plants is probably available from for coastal zone land can be said to be intense, such the zone's stock of vacant land. Were it not for air pol- competition is notably irregular. Demands surge and lution and nuclear hazards, all of the Region's addi- decline through the decades. Environmental degrada- tional electricity needs could be generated on vacant tion may dampen demands. Changes in ownership are or redeveloped land in the harbor subzone alone. Ther- usually slow. Need for ratables may encourage certain mal pollution, as well as the two other impacts men- demands. Speculation delays site availability and dis- tioned above, are limitations elsewhere, but the land torts the competitive scene. is available. These flaws make management complicated, but even more crucial. Management can foresee demands, Extraction. The need for sand, gravel and stone offer adjudicating principles and give continuity to quarrying near coastal waters could be calculated and useful strategies. the quantity of land to be affected could be obtained. In addition to the coastal functions described Special studies in some areas-Long Island, for in- in the preceding chapters, there are other uses not de- stance -indicated the location of suitable reserves. pendent on a coastal location. The leading example, Regulations for extraction and restoration methods of course, is housing. No one denies that shorefront are, of course, necessary. Proposed federal surface housing can be very desirable. But coastal location is mining legislation could be applicable. But again, the not essential. Furthermore, housing can be close to quantity of land is probably not the issue. the water and still permit coast-dependent uses along the shore. Among economic uses, the coastal zone Recreation. As unique recreational lands, all supports miscellaneous commercial and industrial natural beaches should be assigned for recreational activities no longer dependent, if they ever were, on use. For other water-oriented recreation activities, the water. long-range demand studies are not useful for coastal One of the purposes of coastal zone manage- zone planning. It would be possible, for instance, ment will be to define, in a careful but workable way, to assess how many new boating facilities might be activities that are acceptable in the zone, in which needed within ten years in each of the subzones. But forms and at which times. A rating system derived again, the amount of land is not critical in planning from systematic analysis of existing and potential uses for specific recreational activities. Rather, it is access could be invaluable in preparing the definitions. The on the one hand and environmental tolerance on the accompanying descriptors could be adapted for such other that should determine the choice among natu- a system. rally suitable areas and the quantity of development to be placed there. ESTIMATES OF COASTAL LAND NEEDS Agriculture. Efforts to preserve existing farm- lands and related land uses should be made, but ex- The results of the coastal land survey indicate pansion of such uses is unlikely. that activities considered eligible for coastal location are likely to have the additional land they will need. Sewage Treatment Plants. It is estimated that Discussion of specific activities suggests a basis for 1,300 more acres will be needed for added sewage- this conclusion. treatment *capacity. If detention basins for storm in- flows are programmed, still more acreage will be Shipping. Needs no additional shoreline, but needed. Obviously, vacant or changing land will not probably more upland and more roads. These can be usable everywhere. Since such installations have come mainly through the redevelopment of outdated specific site requirements, a search for suitable areas shipping installations. No net land expansion is fore- would be a coastal zone management task. 41 BALANCING COAST-DEPENDENT Restore Environmental Resources. Related to ACTIVITIES the above principle is restoring environmental re- sources. This expensive objective will be feasible only The land-use survey of the study area has shown when costs are considered bearable. A sewage- that coastal land has been particularly desirable. But treatment plant costing $800 million to render the only specific segments will show coast-dependent con- lower Hudson River suitable for finfish habitat is not centrations-several of the Harbor segments, for in- justified under any circumstances, but it is required stance, or the Atlantic oceanfront beaches. under a federal law. At the beginning of this chapter, we suggested that the irregular competition at work in the coastal Designate Shorefront Areas. For the several zone requires that management control be exerted not important types of facilities that need a water-oriented only through project reviews and outlines on maps; location, certain parts of the coastal zone will serve goals and locational criteria will also be essential. The their needs relatively well. Among these types are ship- following are suggested: ping facilities, power generating plants, and sewage treatment plants. The preceding chapters have deline- Guard Environmental Resources. Only care- ated the locational needs of these activities. These fully measured amounts of compatible activity, such needs could serve as a guide in selecting and desig- as boating activity in viable marshland, wetland and nating locations. adjacent waters, should be certified. There should be no attempt to compare the costs and benefits of such Increase Leisure Use of the Shore and Water. conservation, since environmental values (food-chain Besides adding public open space, multipurpose de- wetlands, for instance) cannot be priced. Under this velopment offers the best chance for leisure space in- principle, entirely new nonpolluting techniques will be crements. Some power plants already offer recreation needed to solve persistent problems, such as dumping and aquaculture. Shipping facilities and marine termi- polluted dredge spoils or sewage sludge. nals, with adequate safeguards, can accommodate ex- DESCRIPTORS FOR COASTAL ZONE USES Impact on Usual Regional Effect on Relation to Problems with Environment Water Use Jurisdiction Growth Pattern Ecosystems Form Other Uses Occurrence Weight Use Misc. shelter & economic activity Usually Equal Clustered or Irreversible Combinable Pre-emptive Intermittent Moderate Nonessential private intermittent Shipping Mixed Equal Clustered Irreversible Exclusive Pre-emptive intermittent Moderate Essential Liquid waste disposal Public Heavier Intermittent Reversible with Combinable Tolerant Frequent Severe Essential for difficulty effluent Solid waste disposal Public Heavier Intermittent Reversible with Combinable Tolerant Pervasive Severe Not eventually difficulty essential Highways Public Equal Linear Irreversible Partially Pre-emptive Pervasive Severe Nonessential combinable Rail Mixed Declining Linear Irreversible Exclusive Pre-emptive Pervasive Moderate Desirable for grade Fishing Mixed Heavier Intermittent Reversible Combinable Tolerant intermittent Light Essential Swimming Mixed, Heavier Linear or Reversible Combinable Tolerant Intermittent Light Essential intermittent Boating Mixed Heavier Intermittent Reversible Combinable Tolerant Intermittent Moderate Essential Nature study Mixed Heavier Nature-reiated Benign Combinable Recessive - - Essential Wildlife habitat Public Heavier Nature-related Benign Partially Recessive - - Essential combinable Flood and storm Mixed Heav@er Nature-related Benign Partially Recessive - - Natural absorption combinable Ecosystems Mixed Heavier Nature-related Partially Recessive - - Natural combinable Scenic values Mixed Heavier Intermittent Combinable Recessive - - Essential 42 C 0 N F L I C T S IN COASTAL AREAS LEGEND > Z 0 0 Occurrence infrequent or scattered. Usually susceptible to U c, local control or design solutions. 2 0 0 Z 0 0 Chronic or emergent serious 0 cn problem. New measures CL 0 needed for solution. ca 4 > 0 C3 Lu Immediate action needed to 0 4 in 0 0 Z Lu 4 prevent further injury or ul 0 a; >- a alfunction. X Z a < E Z UJ > m In Z 0 cc > D a 0 6 Z 4 .50 uJ 4) 0 < :; 0 2 W 0 X CA ca Z i U-i uJ) 8 MISC. SHELTER & ECONOMIC ACTIVITY 101 1 - Icc a @lei* REMARKS SHIPPING Po llution effects 0 not included. LIQUID-WASTE DISPOSAL 0 0 7 7 ....... Sanitary landfills on wet- SOLID-WASTE DISPOSAL lands; debris: sludge. X HIGHWAYS X"'I", 0 0 0 RAIL 0 X.: No new lines contemplated, FISHING SWIMMING ...... .. ... BOATING ...... Marinas. channels and auto parking are problems. NATURESTUDY WILDLIFE HABITAT ............. FLOOD AND STORM ABSORPTION Xi:.X-:-:_X_X_:_:-X ............... ECOSYSTEMS .2 . .. ......... SCENIC VALUES cursion boats on weekends or offer outlooks, eateries SOME DEVELOPMENT ISSUES and industry exhibits. So far, most creative multi- purpose design has been suppressed by our traditional As urbanization with its industrial activity and zeal for splendid but single-purpose facilities. year-round housing increases in Suffolk, Monmouth and Ocean counties, the future of summer cottage Trade for Amenities. This principle would al- areas becomes an issue. Will they be replaced by year- low "foreign" uses only when dividends are received round housing, and if so, at what density? and no coast-dependent uses are deprived. Miscellane- Another paramount beachfront issue is the ous shelter and economic uses not needing coastal future of nongovemment holdings. These consist of: location could probably be allowed where resource - private properties, mainly residential, held by land is in good supply and the development will pro- single owners. Many of these are summer vide amenities and human accessibility to the water. rental holdings. Some are under speculation. Housing can contribute landscaping, public areas, en- - club ownership for beach, clubhouse and tertainment space and boating opportunities. Com- sometimes golf uses-usually not open to mercial areas or other developments can have terraces, general public. restaurants or aquatic funspots. On the negative side, canal housing is a householder's paradise but a coastal Measures should be devised to assure that these zone disaster. At the very least, a buffer zone can be areas are not subjected to improper redevelopment required between residences and the water. without reserving suitable amounts of space for recre- Time-honored riparian legalism-public owner- ation compatible with natural systems. ship of land between the mean high-tide and the mean Another issue in this regard is the rights of low-tide lines-means almost nothing in planning for owners of waterfront, particularly oceanfront, land. coastal zone use and integrity (except possibly where Ideally, all shores should have been reserved to govern- extensive filling has occurred within such an area). ment, but shoreline regulation, as in New Jersey's More useful legal delineations of public rights are Coastal Area Facility Review Act, may be an ade- needed. quate solution to this management problem. 43 9. MANAGING THE COASTAL ZONE Management, in some contexts, recently re- to draw up a master plan and final environmental placed planning as the route to rational apportionment design for the coastal zone within four years. and distribution of resources. Some prefer this term California has chosen the new agency type. Its because it underscores the need for implementation of Coastal Zone Conservation Act of 1972 (adopted by plans. The Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 re- popular referendum after the state senate proved un- quires, for administrative continuance grants, that an willing to approve it) sets up a state-level commission agency or agencies with declared powers be designated and six regional commissions. These seven commis- by states. These powers (Sec. 306d) are sions range in size from 12 to 16 members, half of to administer land- and water-use regulations, whom are locally elected officials and half public mem- control development in order to insure com- bers appointed by state bodies. No commissioners are pliance with the management program and members of special agencies or interest groups and resolve conflicts among competing uses; and there are strong conflict-of-interest curbs. These com- missions exercise permit controls and formulate and to acquire fee simple and less than fee simple adopt plans. interests in lands, waters and other property North Carolina has established a new body, the through condemnation or other means when coastal resources commission, but within the existing necessary to achieve conformance with the department of natural and economic resources. Nine management program. of the members will be chosen by the governor to rep- To embody these requirements, states can resent stated interests. A coastal resources advisory choose among three general types. council consists of ex-officio members: officials of the state, the multicounty planning districts, counties and 1. A new agency or agencies. This response municipalities. would contribute to the proliferation of pow- In its draft recommendations, the Long Island ers unless drastic reassignments of duties and Sound Study proposes state coastal zone management powers from other agencies could take place. boards with authority to approve or disapprove all A new agency, however, could perhaps more proposed development within 500 feet of the water's easily be provided with the interjurisdictional edge. The boards would require shoreline communi- development, redevelopment and fiscal pow- ties to develop land-use plans consistent with approved ers not vested in any existing agency. standards and guidelines. Proposals of regional signifi- 2. An existing agency with greatly broadened cance could be vetoed by the boards, but towns could scope. This response would permit the use of override by a two-thirds vote. It is put forth as a way an ongoing structure and its experience and to reconcile local land-use determination with re- expertise. However, the traditional interests gional perspectives. of any existing agency may influence its fu- ture activities as well as delay the formation of an objective image. CURRENT STATE ACTIVITIES 3. A coordinating agency with "teeth," either All three member states of the Tri-State Re- a new or an expanded existing one. This ap- gional Planning Commission are actively engaged in proach could enlist expertise from all agen- coastal-management program development utilizing cies, operate across functional lines with a federal grants available for this purpose. The content minimum of disruption of existing govern- of the respective work programs is generally similar. ment structures and provide a forum for the Variations are most noticeable among the structures interchange of ideas. they expect to assemble for carrying out the studies. The New Jersey Coastal Area Facility Review The Coastal Zone Management Act includes a provi- Act (Ch. 185, Public Laws of 1973) appears to have sion (Sec. 305g) permitting states to allocate a por- adopted the second alternative. The state commis- tion of the grants to local governments or to area- sioner of environmental protection will have the wide, regional or interstate agencies. power to reject or approve proposed facilities within the scope of the law, and the department is required New York. The Governor has designated the 45, office of planning services as the agency responsible public workshops on its portions of the coastal zone. for developing the management program. This agency The New York City Waterfront, a detailed recon nais- proposes to ask local, county, regional and other state sance report with a list of policy options, was issued agencies to perform relevant tasks. It will also hold in July 1974 to serve as a basis for discussion. workshop sessions and seek review and comment on draft portions of the program. A citizen advisory com- Others. The coastal zone task force of the New mittee will function in each of the state's two coastal York State Sea Grant Office sponsors studies on such areas (maritime and Great Lakes). subjects as the efficacy of existing legislation, enforce- ment of water quality regulations, environmental New Jersey. The department of environmental decision making and economic impacts of water protection is responsible for administering the Coastal pollution. Area Facility Review Act and for making a master The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban plan for coastal areas. Within that department, the Development has contracted with the Nassau-Suffolk division of marine resources will direct the studies, Regional Planning Board to demonstrate how coastal and is now building a coordination structure. zone planning and management can be integrated with comprehensive area-wide planning. Connecticut. The department of environmen- The Marine Resources Council of the Nassau- tal protection has been designated to receive and ad- Suffolk Regional Planning Board conducts research minister grants. A technical unit within the depart- on Long Island coastal aspects such as water quality, ment receives policy guidance from a board made up dredging, dumping and fisheries. The council also of state agency heads and coastal regional planning deals with survey and management techniques. agency representatives. The planning work will rely strongly upon existing plans, notably the state's pro- posed plan of conservation and development and the COASTAL FUNCTIONS AND New England River Basins Commission's Long Island EXISTING CONTROLS Sound Regional Study. In evolving efficient management mechanisms, Long Island Sound. Begun-in 1972, the Long it may be helpful to examine the present scattered Island Sound Regional Study of the New England picture. The coastal zone, like other sensitive sectors River Basins Commission is probably the first compre- of our geography, is under a variety of controls that hensive, large-scale, coastal zone study in the nation-V are inadequate for two reasons. Participants numbered over 200, representing federal, 1. They are imperfectly related among them- state, interstate and local officials, planners, scientists selves, although "environmental impact state- and citizens. Due in early 1975, its final recommenda- ments" have recently brought a degree of tions are expected to form a major source of the coordination between development and en- coastal zone management programs of New York and vironment. Connecticut. Emerging findings strongly support the objectives, criteria and strategies of this interim guide 2. They are not focused on the goal of harmon- and many of the draft recommendations have been izing our continued use of coastal resources included in this text. with the stability and renewal of these re- sources. Among results were definitive planning studies These two points, of course, actually blend into on Long Island Sound as follows: one: Controls are improperly related because com- Water Quality & Water Supply bining coastal uses with resource continuance and re- Erosion & Sedimentation newal has not been the guiding aim. Thus, we need a Flood Damage Reduction management mechanism that transcends the present Land Use unifunctional agencies, commissions and permit- Fish & Wildlife issuing offices while fusing land-use and environmen- Minerals tal problems into a single, interrelated concern. Power & the Environment It is fitting that the states are ultimately respon- Marine Transportation sible for the proper management of the coastal zone. Recreation The management structures to be invented in the next Shoreline Appearance & Design several years by New York and Connecticut and the Socio-economic Perspective possible revisions of the CAFRA mechanisms in New Legal and Institutional Jersey should coordinate forces and bureaucratic tra- Goals for the Region ditions. Beyond the wide responsibilities of the.states, Public Workshop Reports the existing scene includes many participants con- I/Contact at 230 orange Street, New Haven, Connecticut New York City. New York City is conducting 06S11. 46 GOVERNMENTAL CONTROL OF COASTAL ACTIVITIES LOCAL COUNTY STATE FEDERAL Natural processes and ecosystems X X X Leisure and scenic X X X X Waste disposal X X Aid Aid Shipping and fuel, including navigation X X Power generation X X Other development X X Flood and storm protection X X cerned with management mechanisms. A brief list - Flood and storm protection. may help to make this concern more specific. Relating the four levels of control-local, Federal. More than 50 federal agencies have county, state and federal-to each of the functions interests in the coastal zone. But the activities and brings a measure of insight. A multilevel pattern is re- programs having direct effects are performed by four: vealed for almost every function. This in itself can be the departments of interior, commerce, and transpor- a criterion in the design of a management structure tation and the Army Corps of Engineers. Both owner- for the coastal zone. ship and regulatory roles are frequent. Interstate. in the Region, four interstate agen- ENVIRONMENT AND PEOPLE cies also have major coastal zone roles: The Port During both the planinaking and the later ad- Authority of New York and New Jersey, the Interstate ministrative phase of the coastal zone management, Sanitation Commission, the Tri-State Regional Plan- the following will be expected: ning Commission and, for the Long Island Sound sub- zone, the New England River Basins Commission. Specification of the environmental impacts of recommendations. Environment consider- Local and Private. A great deal of regulation is ations are, of course, a main focus of the performed at the local level, where much building, activity, and such matters should be built digging, dredging and filling is programmed and ap- into the studies. proved. Action comes mainly from private interests, Analysis of the social impacts, particularly which enjoy extensive powers through ordinary prop- as recommendations affect the housing, em- erty rights. ployment and.recreation for low-income and As set forth earlier in this report, the coastal low-mobility groups. zone contains a complex of significant and essential Finally, as a means of obtaining broad public activities. support of recommendations, citizens panels - Natural processes and ecosystems. could be established to monitor and review - Recreation and enjoyment of nature and interim findings. The panels could be newly scenery. organized, or coastal zone management could - Waste disposal, with attendant problems of call on existing citizen groups sponsored by participating agencies. If the latter course is water pollution, past uncontrolled landfill accepted, the experience of the Long Island and dumping. Sound Study, which adopted the first alter- - Shipping and fuel receipt, including terminal native, should be instructive. This study used facilities and channel dredging. two advisory groups-citizens and scientists- - Power generation. and held meetings in each of the nine dis- tricts of the study area to encourage open, - Land development and redevelopment. public comment. 47 This document is in part a condensation of other re- ports produced before or during the coastal zone study, as follows: Studies and Reports Relevant to the 7W-State Coastal Zone Project. October 1970 and Supplement 1, March 1971. The Tri-State Region's Fuel Needs in 1990. February 1972. Containership Traffic, Facilities, and Practices in the Tri-State Region and Competing Ports. July 1970. The Changing Harborfront, a Report of Prospects for New Development ofReleased Lands. March 1966. Recreation Measures for the Coastal Zone Study. E`[Ij CEPTE2 September 1971. Survey of Wa terborne Container Traffic at the Port of New York. August 1971. Meeting the Region's Growing Demand for Electric Power. October 1971. Management Strategies for Tri-State's Coastal Zone. January 1972. Land and Investment Requirements for Containerports at the Port of New York to 1990. October 1971. Planning Recreation in the Coastal Zone. June 1972. Land-Use Area Measurements by Remote Sensing. June 1974. Sources of specific information, either Tri-State stud- ies or the many other reports examined, are available upon request. Land-use maps (1" = 2000') of the coastal strip and land-use data printouts, using categories evolved especially for coastal uses, are available from the Tri-State Regional Plan- ning Commission. They are summarized by segment, by county or Connecticut planning region, and by coastal sub- zone. The maps and data are compatible with other Tri-State reports, plans and data files for the Region as a whole. 48 i i , '-, 3 6668 00002 4846