Long Island Sound toxic dumping report released

The Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers on Monday released a report addressing whether toxic dredging materials can continue to be dumped into the Long Island Sound.
Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine says he is disappointed with the 1,300-page report, which was 10 years in the making. He says the plan would allow the dumping to continue and offers no alternatives. Instead, he thinks the dumping of dredge spoils should be discontinued in order to preserve the water's health.
For decades, materials dredged from rivers and harbors have been dumped in deep pits in four locations along the Sound between Long Island and Connecticut. Environmentalists say it is believed that the toxic dredge spoils will sink to the bottom of the pits, but there is no guarantee that would occur.
As previously reported, the Citizens Campaign for the Environment says it has been waiting a decade for the report, only to find that EPA and the ACE do not even mention environmentally friendly alternatives to dredging and dumping, such as reusing the dredge materials to cap landfills.
Mount Sinai town officials held a news conference Monday, where they voiced their displeasure with the fact that the EPA and ACE are giving the public only one week to read the massive report. The first public hearing was originally scheduled for Aug. 24.
The Citizens Campaign for the Environment asked for more time to review the report, to which the EPA agreed. The public comment period is now extended to Oct. 5.
News 12 reached out to the EPA and ACE for comment, but neither has responded.