Fourteen coastal communities in the Long Island Sound region have been awarded $909,121 in planning support to advance resilience-focused projects through the second round of the Long Island Sound Resilience Planning Support program. The program is a collaboration of New York Sea Grant (NYSG), Connecticut Sea Grant (CTSG), and the Long Island Sound Partnership.
The Long Island Sound (LIS) Resilience Planning Support Program was launched in October 2023 by a team of NYSG and CTSG Sustainable and Resilient Communities (SRC) Extension
Professionals who are focused on developing resources and tools to assist Long Island Sound communities in achieving their sustainability and resilience goals. The Program aims to address a major barrier that many communities face: a lack of capacity and resources to identify, conceptualize, and develop resilience projects to respond to changing environmental conditions. Participating communities are matched with qualified contractors to assist them with assessing local environmental risks, conceptualizing project ideas and conducting preliminary planning efforts to prepare for future funding opportunities that support project design and implementation. No match is required from the communities. The Program is funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the Long Island Sound Partnership.
This year’s 14 awarded projects—nine in NY and five in CT—include community resilience plans, shoreline adaptation plans, strategic plans, natural resource inventories, watershed management plans, and development of stormwater remediation strategies and conceptual design plans. In Connecticut, two of the projects are in Bridgeport, and the other three are in New Haven, Groton and Stonington.
Find more details below and view the full Award Slate at: www.lisresilience.org/planning-support-program-awards.
A third round of the LIS Resilience Planning Support Program will open in early December 2025, with up to $1.5 million available. Interested communities can learn more during the LIS Resilience Planning Support Program session on Friday, December 5, 2025, part of the upcoming 4th Annual SRC Workshop. This session will highlight projects completed from the 1st Round of the LIS Resilience Planning Support Program. For more information, please visit lisresilience.org/annual-workshop.
“I’m proud to see the federal funds for which I voted last year flow to local initiatives that strengthen our shoreline and safeguard our clean water. Protecting the Long Island Sound and our coastal communities is not only an environmental priority, but also an economic and public safety imperative. In Congress, I will continue to advance these efforts by advocating for robust funding and leading bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Long Island Sound Program through 2029—ensuring that Long Island’s clean water, healthy habitats, and climate resilience remain national priorities for years to come,” said Congressman Nick LaLota.
“Throughout my 30-plus years in public service, I have dedicated myself to cleaning up pollution in and around the Long Island Sound, reducing nitrogen emissions from sewage treatment plants and stormwater runoff, and restoring and reseeding shellfishing beds in our harbors,” said Congressman Tom Suozzi. “Since coming to Congress in 2017, I have helped deliver a 1,000% increase in funding to improve the Long Island Sound. I am grateful for the bipartisan and collaborative efforts of many, including New York Sea Grant, the Long Island Sound Partnership, and the EPA, who have overseen significant improvements in water quality, including in Great Neck, whose award we are celebrating today. Protecting and preserving the Long Island Sound, our ‘National Park,’ is a top priority and a shared responsibility.”
“Congratulations to all of the recipients of this year’s Long Island Sound Resilience Planning Support Program, including the Hen Island Nature Society and the Rye Sustainability Foundation,” said Congressman George Latimer. “These important investments will help protect our natural habitats and monitor the health of our ecosystems. We must continue to support projects like these through robust funding now and in the future.”
“The Long Island Sound Resilience Planning Support Program is equipping communities with actionable plans and innovative project concepts to address environmental risks and support long-term sustainability,” said New York Sea Grant Director Rebecca Shuford. “This year we had 41 applications to the Program, underscoring the need for this important planning work. New York Sea Grant is proud to contribute to this partnership, and we look forward to seeing the positive environmental and economic benefits these projects will have locally and regionally.”
“The impacts of this unique, match-free Program are far-reaching,” said Connecticut Sea Grant Director Sylvain De Guise. “Through this initiative, we are building community capacity across the Long Island Sound region to address some of the most pressing challenges, including flooding and extreme weather. Connecticut Sea Grant is proud to help communities take critical steps toward achieving their resilience and sustainability goals. We look forward to supporting even more communities through the next round of the Program.”
Donna Koch, Mayor and Dave Weber, Trustee of the Village of Northport, NY, said, “The Harbor Walk Study has the potential to shape Northport’s storm resilience for decades to come—and it would not be possible without the dedication and expertise of New York Sea Grant and the Long Island Sound Partnership. Through this resilience planning grant program, they have provided funding that our small Village could not have otherwise allocated, and for that we are truly thankful.”
“The support we have been receiving from the LIS Resilience Planning Support Program will help us bring forward community driven solutions for a historically flood-prone area in Mystic,” said Sabit Nasir, Sustainability and Resilience Manager for the Town of Groton. “By investing in green infrastructure and engaging locally, we are not only going to address the flooding of today but create long-term resilience and a foundation for years to come, creating a better connection for residents and their natural environment.”
“Shoreham Village is over 100 years old, and unfortunately, our drainage system and storm water management system are also 100 years old. The existing system is a patchwork of failing facilities, and the topography of Shoreham Village is much like a funnel, so even small rainfalls contribute significant pollution into the Sound. We need to modernize our stormwater management capacity,” said Edward Brickley, Stormwater Management Officer for the Village of Shoreham. “Being awarded this Planning Grant will allow us to begin the process of protecting the ecology of the Long Island Sound and creating a more resilient infrastructure to protect the properties in the Village. We view this as a critical first step and are very thankful for Sea Grant and the Long Island Sound Partnership for making it possible.”
“The Great Neck Village Officials Association (GNVOA) is honored and pleased to be one of the awardees for a project to identify, conceptualize, and develop resilience to changing environmental conditions,” said Steven Weinberg, President of the Great Neck Village Officials Association. “Nine Villages and the Town of North Hempstead make up the Great Neck peninsula. The opportunity to assess risk and to have a plan for shore restoration and flood mitigation to be adopted and implemented by the Villages across the Great Neck peninsula is a vital and welcome development in intermunicipal work for all of our residents.”
“Salonga Wetland Advocates Network (SWAN) is extremely fortunate to be included in the Long Island Sound Resilience Planning Support program. Thanks to the expertise and funding being provided by the Long Island Sound Partnership, Sea Grant and GEI, the Fort Salonga community will soon have a science-based plan to protect Fresh Pond and surrounding areas from the effects of a changing climate,” said Charlie Muller, President of SWAN. “Fresh Pond is a thriving wildlife habitat and valued recreational and scenic asset in the local community.”
“Rye Sustainability Foundation is thrilled to receive this award from the Long Island Sound Resilience Planning Support Program,” said James Ward, City of Rye Councilmember and Rye Sustainability Foundation Co-Founder/Director. ”This support will allow us to refresh the City of Rye’s Natural Resources Inventory which was originally created in 1979. The new NRI will serve as a baseline for future planning efforts and resilience projects. It will also be incorporated into our Comprehensive Plan that kicks off in early 2026. Thank you, New York Sea Grant and the Long Island Sound Partnership!”
“We are pleased to have our resilience planning grant submittal accepted for funding,” said George Hoffman, Co-Founder and Trustee of Setauket Harbor Task Force. “A major goal of the Setauket Harbor Task Force was to fund a comprehensive look at how the various stakeholders and municipal entities manage the Port Jefferson harbor complex and provide new strategies for effective and cooperative management.“
“We are grateful for the planning support that we have received from Connecticut Sea Grant and the Long Island Sound Partnership,” said Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven. “Through this support, we aim to establish a stormwater counseling program that will promote the development of stormwater infrastructure on private properties in Connecticut’s key coastal urban watersheds, thus reducing nonpoint source pollution from flowing into our local waterways and the Long Island Sound. Our target communities will enjoy the benefits of a healthier aquatic environment while playing an important role in its improvement.”
“Our Village of Head of the Harbor rises above the waters of Stony Brook Harbor and, as a result, we serve as a channel for stormwater runoff into the Harbor. This results in the degradation of the water quality of Stony Brook Harbor and Long Island Sound, as well as severe damage to our roads. Many of our local roads were built by simply paving over dirt carriage paths, and they cannot withstand the impact of storm water rushing towards the Harbor,” said Michael Utevsky, Mayor, Head of the Harbor, NY. “We are hopeful that the new grant from NY Sea Grant and Long Island Sound Partnership will help us find long-term solutions to these problems and result in more stable roads and cleaner waters.“
“The Town of Stonington is grateful for the support and funding provided through the Long Island Sound Resilience Planning Support Program,” said Danielle Chesebrough, Stonington First Selectman. “We look forward to collaborating with Resilient Land & Water to develop a comprehensive, town-wide Sustainability and Resilience Plan that unifies existing resiliency initiatives, identifies data gaps through robust community engagement, and prioritizes projects for implementation. This plan will help Stonington better understand current conditions and future risks related to sea level rise, severe storms, stormwater management, and tideland preservation. It will also establish a clear framework for addressing these challenges. Together, we are advancing a stronger, more resilient, and sustainable future for our community.”
For more information, please visit www.lisresilience.org or direct questions by email to
LISResilience@gmail.com.