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NEW YORK-NEW JERSEY HARBOR ESTUARY PROGRAM INCLUDING THE BIGHT RESTORATION PLAN FINAL COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN
Citation:
NEW YORK-NEW JERSEY HARBOR ESTUARY PROGRAM INCLUDING THE BIGHT RESTORATION PLAN FINAL COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., 1996.
Description:
New York-New Jersey Harbor and the New York Bight are extraordinary in many ways -- their abundant resources, their beauty, and their many competing uses. The Harbor/Bight abounds with diverse natural resources, yet it is the heart of the most densely populated region of the nation. It provides recreational opportunities including fishing, boating, and swimming to over 20 million residents, and yet it supports a world class port for both passengers and cargo. It yields extensive commercial and recreational fisheries. It is also a repository for municipal and industrial effluents, for storm runoff from the vast metropolitan area, and for the disposal of dredged material. It provides a livelihood for the local fishing community and citizens who work in the tourism industry. For others, the Harbor/Bight represents a great opportunity to enjoy open space, offering leisure time activities which are generally rare in an urban metropolis.For all these reasons and more, those who work and play here should consider it a resource worthy of protection. The New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program is a testimony to the fact that people care about the Harbor/Bight. Elected officials have authorized the expenditure of millions of taxpayer dollars to better understand the problems of the ecosystem. Hundreds of people have participated in the Management Conference for the past five years to develop a plan for its future. These citizens represent federal, state, and local government agencies, scientists, members of the commercial and recreational fishing community, public interest groups, environmental groups, and business and industry. And why do people care about the Harbor/Blight? The answer is simple. Despite a legacy of enivironmental insults, the ecosystem is alive, and, in some areas, even teeming with marine life and valuable natural resources. Although we can never restore this extraordinary resource to a pristine condition, we can make a difference--each of us can. The goal confirmed by participants in the Harbor/Bight Estuary Program is to establish and maintain a healthy and productive ecosystem with full beneficial uses. To achieve this goal, each individual has an opportunity and an obligation to contribute to the solutions.
URLs/Downloads:
NY-NJ HARBOR_P4 (PDF, NA pp, 115 KB, about PDF)NY-NJ HARBOR_P2 (PDF, NA pp, 170 KB, about PDF)
NY-NJ HARBOR_P5 (PDF, NA pp, 90 KB, about PDF)
NY-NJ HARBOR_P10 (PDF, NA pp, 107 KB, about PDF)
NY-NJ HARBOR_INTRO (PDF, NA pp, 106 KB, about PDF)
NY-NJ HARBOR_P9 (PDF, NA pp, 76 KB, about PDF)
NY-NJ HARBOR_P7 (PDF, NA pp, 240 KB, about PDF)
NY-NJ HARBOR_P8 (PDF, NA pp, 93 KB, about PDF)
NY-NJ HARBOR_P3 (PDF, NA pp, 242 KB, about PDF)
NY-NJ HARBOR_P6 (PDF, NA pp, 289 KB, about PDF)
NY_NJHARBOR_CCMP