In one of the most densely populated regions of the country, there exists a largely undeveloped island habitat owned by the people: Plum Island, New York.
Plum Island is home to more than 1,000 species. It's a federally-owned wildlife sanctuary less than 2 miles off the northeast coast of Long Island, but the government is preparing to sell this rare national treasure on the auction block.
This is because Plum Island is also home to a government research facility that’s moving to Kansas in 2022. For decades, around 700 acres of the 840-acre island have been protected from development because they buffer a high-security federal animal disease research facility. Construction of the new facility in Kansas is already fully funded, but the government is still pushing to profit from selling Plum Island to the highest bidder.
Normally, when government land becomes available it is first offered to other agencies like the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, but this process was bypassed for Plum Island. An auction sale would put the island at risk of private development that could ruin wildlife habitats, pollute Long Island Sound, and preclude future public access.
That’s where Save the Sound comes in. We’ve developed a three-prong action plan to transform this de facto wildlife refuge into an official one, leveraging powers of federal and state government as well as a coalition of public will.
Recent progress
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In July 2016, we sued the federal government under the Endangered Species Act and other laws, to encourage a conservation sale. In early 2017 the government moved to dismiss our complaint. We filed a response and expect a decision on the motion to dismiss by fall 2017.
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In recent years, New York lawmakers have introduced bipartisan legislation to stop the sale of Plum Island, with limited success. In April 2017, Congressman Lee Zeldin re-introduced his 2016 bill to halt the sale of Plum Island, which passed the House last year but died in the Senate.
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Also in April 2017, Long Island’s East End Mayors and Supervisors banded together to issue Plum Island conservation request letters to New York legislators and Governor Andrew Cuomo. These followed a January 2017 letter from the village of Greenport urging New York Senator Charles Schumer to ensure the island stays in federal ownership.
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In May 2017, all 18 members of the Suffolk County Legislature signed a letter sent to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo urging him to utilize the state’s authority to stop the federal government from selling Plum Island.
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As of May 2017, the Preserve Plum Island Coalition has grown to include more than 90 organizations fighting to see the island’s undeveloped acreage protected in perpetuity as a National Wildlife Refuge or preserve.
Bi-state action in Connecticut and New York
In Connecticut, special projects coordinator Chris Cryder leads the charge. He hosts informational events throughout the state and regularly speaks at conferences concerned with the health of Connecticut’s natural resources and Long Island Sound. Contact Chris at ccryder@ctenvironment.org
On Long Island, New York outreach coordinator for the Plum Island campaign Louise Harrison leads presentations for local government officials and member organizations of the Preserve Plum Island Coalition. Contact Louise at lharrison@savethesound.org
You can help!
You’ve seen the Sound come a long way from the pollution and dead zones of the ‘80s, and you know that new commercial development poses a dangerous threat to the Sound’s fragile recovery and the island’s 111 endangered and threatened species.
Today, you can join the fight to preserve Plum Island by adding your name to the Plum Island email list, signing the preserve Plum Island petition, or making a financial contribution to help fund legal and legislative battles.