North Hempstead, NY –Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth, Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph S. Saladino and City of Glen Cove Mayor Tim Tenke pooled their resources to conduct a major cleaning of Hempstead Harbor, a body of water which all the municipalities share. The Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee (HHPC) and the Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor (CSHH) were instrumental in encouraging the municipalities to work together on the joint cleanup project.

Hempstead Harbor, located between Manhasset and Oyster Bays is unique in that it is shared by nine municipalities: North Hempstead, Oyster Bay, Nassau County, Glen Cove, Sands Point, Flower Hill, Roslyn, Roslyn Harbor, and Sea Cliff.

“We are all neighbors who share the same waterfront and we need to work together on any initiative that can make Hempstead Harbor cleaner and more beautiful,” said Supervisor Bosworth. “We have great partners in the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee, the Town of Oyster Bay and the City of Glen Cove.”

“The very purpose in creating the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee was to bring municipalities around the harbor to work together to jointly improve the harbor that we all share,” said Eric Swenson, Executive Director of the HHPC. “This project is an outcome and a great example of that vision.”

Carol DiPaolo, Program Director of the CSHH said: “We applaud the efforts of the municipalities in working together to remove large debris that would break down over time and pose a risk to marine life and degrade local beaches. This collaboration accomplishes what is difficult to achieve by a single municipality or by local residents who regularly participate in beach cleanups to improve harbor conditions.”

The cleanup entailed removing an assortment of marine debris, including old docks, tires, broken moorings and pieces of Styrofoam and other debris. Most of the debris had been marked in advance by the Town’s Bay Constable to make it easier to locate at high tide when the cleanup begins. Kevin Braun, the Town’s Environmental Specialist under the Planning Department assisted coordinating the cleanup.

The City of Glen Cove’s Harbor Patrol assisted with the cleanup; the Town of Oyster Bay provided a boat equipped with apparatus to haul debris aboard and staff; and North Hempstead tapped into several departments, including Planning, Highway, Parks, Solid waste Management Authority and Bay Constable, to staff the day-long cleanup from the water and land.

“The Town of Oyster Bay is proud to take part in this important inter-municipal environmental initiative along with the City of Glen Cove and the Town of North Hempstead,” said Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino. “Working to improve the state of our waterways has been a priority for my administration, and together through cleanups such as this, we will improve the overall health of Hempstead Harbor and expand the recreational use and access for our North Shore residents.”

“As Mayor of Glen Cove I work hard each and every day to make the city the best it can be,” said Mayor Tenke. “The waterfront is a staple of our community and we need to do everything we can to protect it. Glen Cove is lucky to have the support of the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee, the Town of Oyster Bay, and the Town of North Hempstead to do so.”

The Town of North Hempstead’s North Hempstead Beach Park parking lot served as the base camp, where dumpsters were positioned to hold all the debris. The Town’s Solid Waste Management Authority will dispose of the debris.

From left are Glen Cove Harbor Master Sergeant Conger, Council Member Lee Seeman, Chief Bay Constable Mal Nathan, Council Member Peter Zuckerman, Town Clerk Wayne Wink, Highway Construction Supervisor Brian Waterson, Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth, Deputy Mayor of Glen Cove Maureen Basdavanos, Highway Supervisor Chuck Poole, Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino, Council Member Veronica Lurvey, Council Member Dina DeGiorgio, Town Environmental Specialist Kevin Braun and Glen Cove Harbor Master Officer Sicuranza.