Long Island Coast survey being updated

Long Island Coast survey being updated National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Response and Restoration, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, will produce an updated survey of Long Island’s coastal shorelines to help officials develop hazardous spill response plans for areas at high risk.
   NOAA will survey the shorelines of Long Island, focusing on shoreline types, natural resources, and historic structures most at risk for a hazardous spill. The survey is an update of work done in the early 1980s and “will be a gigantic leap forward with its ability to use digital technology,” said Ed Levine, NOAA’s regional scientific support coordinator.
   The agency noted that Long Island is at risk of oil releases due to the large volume of oil-related activities and shipping in its coastal waters.
   “Protecting both the public and our marine natural resources from hazardous spills, while enhancing navigational safety is a major responsibility of NOAA,” said John H. Dunnigan, NOAA assistant administrator for the National Ocean Service. “This survey is a major effort by NOAA to be prepared should accidents or spills occur.”