Regional Plan of Conservation and Development, 2006-2015

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Regional Plan of Conservation and Development, 2006-2015Chapter 7 – Natural Resources andRecreationThe Region is blessed with great natural beautyand a broad range of recreational areas and facilities.However, given the Region’s population density andthe constant pressures of residential and commercialdevelopment, protecting these natural and recreationalassets constitutes a major challenge for local, regionaland state policy-makers. Striking the appropriatebalance between the conservation of natural resourcesand the development necessary to support theRegion’s economic well-being is, perhaps, the mostbasic reason to prepare a regional plan. Since SWRPAhas no statutory authority to acquire or even designateland as “open space” or “recreational,” it is up to theRegion’s municipalities, the state and not-for-profitorganizations such as land trusts to assume thisresponsibility. Nevertheless, the Plan can aid thevarious parties by identifying needs and opportunities,and SWRPA can serve a coordination function inbringing the interested parties together.Long Island Sound and Other WaterwaysLong Island Sound is arguably the Region’s mostimportant natural resource. The Region’s character isinextricably tied to the Sound, which impacts theRegion’s housing values, transportation system,biodiversity and even its weather. Its economic impactis also huge, since it supports vibrant fishing andshellfishing industries as well as tourism. The Sound isalso the Region’s primary recreational facility. Bathing,fishing, boating and diving are among the mostpopular recreational pursuits of the Region’s residents.Unfortunately, the Sound suffers from severeenvironmental degradation that has put its long-termviability in jeopardy. It receives effluent from numerouswaterways, including the Byram, Connecticut,Quinnipiac, Housatonic, Saugatuck, Norwalk, Mill andMianus Rivers. This effluent is often rich in nutrientsthat lead to algae blooms, hypoxia and the loss ofaquatic life. Furthermore, effluent often containstoxins, pathogens, sediments and debris that maynegatively impact aquatic organisms directly orindirectly through habitat alteration.The environmental health of the Sound has been acause of concern and action for decades. In 1980, thestate adopted the Coastal Management Program,which has been successful in protecting parts of theshoreline from development and has created 10additional miles of public access along the Sound. TheConnecticut Department of Environmental Protectioncreated the Office of Long Island Sound Programs(OLISP) as the lead state agency in identifying andaddressing the Sound’s problems. OLISP administers avariety of programs, including public education,conservation, restoration and research. They alsomanage the Long Island Sound License Plate Program,which provides funding for several of these programs.The municipalities in the Region have contributedto these efforts by implementing various activities thatimproved the quality of water draining into the Soundfrom its tributaries. Some of the successes include:❑ Upgrades to sewage treatment plants inGreenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Stamford andWestport;❑ Expansion of household hazardous wastecollection programs;❑ Separation of storm-water and sewer drainagesystems;❑ Regulating construction on or immediatelyadjacent to wetlands, waterways and waterbodies;❑ Incorporating environmental awareness intoschool curricula;❑ Participating in the National Flood InsuranceCommunity Rating System program, which oftenhas the secondary benefits of improving waterquality; and❑ Addressing pollutants in urban runoff throughcompliance with the National Pollutant DischargeElimination System Phase II Program.Long Island Sound from Greenwich Point Park37
South Western Regional Planning AgencyWhile these improvements are noteworthy, theRegion’s waterways are often unsafe for swimmingand, in some instances, fishing as well. While theRegion has successfully reduced point sourcepollution, its waterways remain negatively impacted bythe following non-point source pollution:Urban Runoff: Driveways, roads, parking lotsand other impervious surfaces cause precipitationto drain rapidly into waterways rather than beingabsorbed into the ground. This runoff often carriessediments, road salt and nutrients that cannegatively alter aquatic habitats. The NationalPollutant Discharge Elimination System Phase IIprogram attempts to reduce the amount ofpollutants in urban runoff.Septic Tank Failure: In general, the leastdensely populated areas of the Region are servedby private septic systems. When septic tanks fail,untreated effluent may seep undetected intowaterways, a problem which is particularly difficultto address since septic tank failures may goundetected for years.Canada Geese: Canada geese often graze infields near waterways. During storms, their wasteenters waterways, which can lead to hypoxicconditions and loss of aquatic life. In addition tothe water quality issue, the Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention have also identifiedCanada geese feces as a source of pathogenicbacteria – including Salmonella and E-coli – thatrepresent a threat to human health when peopleand geese share the same spaces.††As cited in Cole D., Drum D.J.V., Stallknecht D.E., White D.G., Lee M.D., Ayers S., et al.“Free-living Canada Geese and antimicrobial resistance.” Emerging Infectious Diseases(Internet serial). June 2005. Available from http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol11no06/04-0717.htm.AquifersThe Region’s surface drinking water supply issupplemented by several aquifers, including theColeytown, Canal Street, Kellogg-Deering, Rewak andWire Mill well fields. Most of the low density areas inthe Region are served by private wells.The state recently initiated the Aquifer ProtectionProgram, which protects major water supply wells insand and gravel aquifers to ensure a plentiful supply ofpublic drinking water for present and futuregenerations. The program requires municipalities toadopt land-use restrictions in the aquifer protectionareas to prohibit new high-risk land-use activities. It alsorequires users of hazardous materials to register andfollow best management practices. Because aquiferprotection areas cross political boundaries, theirprotection may require multi-jurisdictional cooperation.Air QualityIn addition to being a necessity for human life, airis also a natural resource that can be used in certaincommercial and industrial applications to providegoods and services. Air quality in the Region isnegatively impacted by pollutants such as ozone, nitricoxide, sulfuric oxide, toxins and particulate matter.These pollutants may result in respiratory ailmentssuch as asthma. In addition, many of these pollutantsfall as precipitation and contribute to ground andsurface water degradation. Furthermore, carbondioxide and other greenhouse gases are associatedwith global warming and sea level rise. Most airpollutants are the result of human activity, exemplifyingthe need for a balance between conservation anddevelopment.The Connecticut Department of EnvironmentalProtection’s Air Management Bureau works tomaintain and improve air quality so that healthstandards are met without impeding economicdevelopment. The Air Management Bureau utilizes apermitting process and the state’s vehicle emissionsprogram to attain its goals.While the Region’s air quality is impacted bypollutants generated hundreds of miles away, most ofits air pollution is locally generated through thecombustion of fossil fuels from motor vehicles andclimate control systems in homes and businesses. Theproblem is greatly exacerbated by traffic congestion,which not only increases emissions but reduces gasmileage as well. Air quality can be improved through acombination of reducing vehicle and stationaryemissions, increasing efficiency, and using alternativeenergy sources.Urban Wildlife ControlEven though human activity often disrupts naturalsystems and reduces animal populations, in someinstances, it has actually caused certain indigenousanimal species to increase in population, even to the pointof overpopulation.State and municipal governments – particularly thosein Fairfield County – have become increasingly concernedabout the public health risks posed by deer, mosquitoesand Canada geese.38
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Regional Plan of Conservation and Development, 2006-2015

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