Long Island Sound

Long Island Sound gives life and identity to Fairfield County. It provides families all over the Fourth District with recreation all along our coastline, and a connection to the wonders of nature under the sea.

For others, it is a source of livelihood, as fishermen and lobstermen harvest the Sound for nourishment all over Connecticut and elsewhere. Increasingly, it provides an important mode of transportation, as efforts are being made at harbors across the Fourth District coastline to enhance shipping capabilities, and research is being conducted into the establishment of high-speed ferry through the Sound into Manhattan.

Long Island Sound is as vital a resource as any we have, and it needs our protection. It is a critical priority of mine to work hard to keep the Sound healthy and clean.

The Sound contributes over $5 billion annually to our regional economy. Approximately 10 percent of the American population lives within the Long Island Sound watershed, making it one of the most densely populated, most frequently visited and most heavily traveled areas of the country.

As co-chairman of the Long Island Sound Caucus, Christopher will continue to work with my colleagues on a bipartisan basis to protect the Sound.

Through the Caucus, and in concert with the entire Connecticut delegation, Christopher's office is working to achieve federal funding for efforts to clean and protect Long Island Sound.

In Fiscal Year 2008, the Long Island Sound office received $5.5 million for restoration and stewardship projects, helping to fight pollution, restore wetland habitats, and improve the Sound's water quality.

FY 08 was the first year in which the Long Island Sound Stewardship Act, which passed into law in 2006, received federal funding. The LIS Stewardship Act gives those most familiar with the Sound's precious and diverse resources the tools necessary to continue their conservation efforts, and applies the most effective methods available to identify, protect, and enhance sites with ecological, educational, and recreation value in Connecticut and New York. 

Click here to read more about Christopher's work on environmental issues