Dear New York State Birders,
As many of you know, Plum Island, off the tip of Orient Point, is an ecological gem, with over 190 species of birds docmented utilizing the island for either breeding purposes or as a migratory stopover site. Unfortunately, this 840 acre island is closer than ever to being sold to the highest bidder. The U.S. General Services Administration has recently released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Plum Island. This DEIS details the environmental impact a sale would have on the island. Unfortunately, the GSA recommends a sale of the Island within this report, despite the detrimental impact it would have on the island's remarkable wildlife and habitat. Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon, along with the over 50 member strong Preserve Plum Island Coalition, strenuously believes that Plum Island’s scenic value, ecological resources and historic sites offer tremendous potential for recreation and public education, making it an ideal candidate for permanent preservation such as National Wildlife Refuge designation. For more details on the island's history and remarkable ecological diversity, please visit http://www.preserveplumisland.org In order to protect the island from development, the time to act is now! Please take a moment to let your Congressional officials know that you support conservation of this island’s critical wildlife habitats by going to http://www.preserveplumisland.org/how_you_can_help.asp and either downloading the letter included for snail mail delivery, or copying and pasting the abbreviated message that I have provided into an email message. Both the physical addresses and links to websites for email messages are posted. In addition, you can do the following: Attend the public hearing that the GSA will be holding: Doors will open at 5:00PM, GSA will conduct the EIS presentation beginning at 6:00PM. The EIS presentation will be followed by a public comment period which will conclude at 8:00PM Thursday, October 18, 2012 Greenport High School Auditorium 720 Front Street Greenport, NY It is essential we have as many supporters there as possible—please let me know if you can attend. The GSA is also accepting written comments. You can submit them by email, snail mail, or fax (details here: http://www.plumislandny.com/ContactUs.aspx). Please let the GSA know that you care about protecting Plum Island. Act quickly. We desperately need your help as we fight to keep Plum Island's ecological and historical riches from being lost forever. We are working overtime in order to protect this island, but we simply cannot do it alone. We need public support. For birders, this island’s diverse wildlife habitat holds promise as a bird watcher's delight. I have been to the island a couple times and was struck by its beauty, its potential, and the peril that it is facing. Please take a few minutes to assist us as we strive to protect Plum Island’s wildlife and preserve its significant habitat. If anyone has questions, feel free to contact me privately. Thanks, Stella Miller President Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society Spokesperson Preserve Plum Island Coalition "Conservation is sometimes perceived as stopping everything cold, as holding whooping cranes in higher esteem than people. It is up to science to spread the understanding that the choice is not between wild places or people, it is between a rich or an impoverished existence for Man." Thomas Lovejoy -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
