Environmental advocates from Connecticut and New York were in Washington, D.C., Wednesday to lobby Congress on several issues related to Long Island Sound. They hoped to meet with four U.S. senators and eight to ten representatives.
Adrienne Esposito, with Citizens Campaign for the Environment, said she’s optimistic that issues like Plum Island can be put back on the congressional agenda. The government owns the island and plans to sell it. Environmental groups have tried to get Congress to block the sale, but a bill to do so has been stalled in the Senate since last year.
“We want to preserve Plum Island. It is a beautiful area that should be preserved forever and not be sold off to the highest bidder to become another condo complex and golf course and whatever. These are issues that the public supports. We had the biggest public turnout in the last ten years come out in November. And it shows that the public’s watching and that the public cares.” Esposito said.
Advocates are also asking Congress for an extra $8 million in the next federal budget for a program to restore habitats and improve water quality on the sound.
