Bill > K00556

This resolution calls on Governor Kathy Hochul to officially proclaim May 23, 2025, as Long Island Sound Day in New York State, recognizing the ecological and economic significance of this important water body. The resolution highlights the Long Island Sound's extensive environmental and economic characteristics, noting that it is an estuary spanning 21 miles wide and 113 miles long, designated as an Estuary of National Significance by the Environmental Protection Agency. The water body generates approximately nine billion dollars annually through commercial and recreational activities, supports over 500,000 registered boats and 750,000 recreational fishermen, and encompasses 600 miles of coastline across a watershed that includes nine million people. The resolution emphasizes the Sound's rich biodiversity, including more than 120 fish species, diverse wildlife like sea turtles and whales, and numerous bird species such as bald eagles and ospreys. By memorializing this day, the resolution aims to increase public awareness and appreciation for this critical natural resource, which is shared by New York and Connecticut, and will be celebrated on the Friday before Memorial Day in 2025.

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/K556