Peconic Estuary Partnership's 2023 Biennial Conference-PEP's 30th Anniversary

RESILIENT COMMUNITIES PREPARED FOR CLIMATE CHANGE

Celebrating 30 Years of Partnership

Welcome & Introduction. Joyce Novak, PEP Executive Director

Walter Mugdan, EPA Region 2 Deputy Regional Administrator

Fred Thiele, NYS Assemblyman

Session 1: Leadership Response to Climate Change and Community Resilience: This session is focused on constructive questions on policy surrounding challenges related to climate change and community resilience. Highlighting local efforts and hopes for the future.

Introduction: Joyce Novak, Ph.D. – PEP Executive Director
Moderator: Kevin McDonald – PEP Citizens’ Advisory Committee Chair
Panel:
● Fred Thiele – NYS Assemblyman
● Jodi Giglio – NYS Assemblywoman
● Dorian Dale – Director of Sustainability and Chief Recovery Officer, Suffolk County Dept. Economic Development & Planning
● Al Krupski – Suffolk County Legislator, 1st Legislative District
● Bridget Fleming – Suffolk County Legislator, 2nd Legislative District
● Shavonne Smith – Director, Shinnecock Environmental Department, Shinnecock Nation
● Jim Colligan – PEP Local Government Committee Chair & Shelter Island Town Councilman
● Ann Welker – Town of Southampton Trustee

PEP Water Quality Program, Sara Cernadas-Martin, PEP

Session 2: Clean Waters for Ecosystem Health and Safe Recreation: This session is focused on challenges towns are facing in relation to water quality and its connection to climate change; such as hydromodification, Harmful Algal Blooms, Nutrient pollution, Stormwater management, non-point pollution or groundwater.

Introduction: Julia Priolo – Principal Environmental Analyst, Suffolk County Department of
Health Services
Moderator: Christopher Gobler, Ph.D. – Endowed Chair of Coastal Ecology and Conservation,
Distinguished Professor, NYS Center for Clean Water Technology Director, Stony Brook University
Panel:
● Shawn Fisher, Ph.D. – Water Quality Specialist Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey
● Sue Van Patten – Watershed Section B, Section Chief, NYSDEC
● Terie Diat – North Haven Trustee and Water Quality Committee

● Elizabeth Peeples – Town of Southold Trustee and Co-Owner & Farmer of Little Ram
Oyster Co.
● Chris Clapp – Southampton Water Quality Advisory Committee and Executive Director of
The Ocean Sewage Alliance
● Julia Priolo – Principal Environmental Analyst, Suffolk County Department of Health
Services

Session 3: Bolstering Climate Resilience Through Partnerships: This session is focused on highlighting how partnerships contribute to accomplishing CCMP goals.

● Jessie McSwane – Sr. Stewardship Manager, Peconic Land Trust
● Alison Branco, Ph.D. – Climate Adaptation Director, The Nature Conservancy
● Mark Haubner – North Fork Environmental Council, President and Town of Riverhead Environmental Advisory Committee, Co-chair
● Maggie Merrill – President, Southold Peconic Civic Association
● Bob DeLuca – President, Group for the East End
● Suzanne Paton – Supervisory Fish and Wildlife Biologist, US Fish and Wildlife Service

Session 4: Changing Habitats & Climate Change: This session is focused on the pressure of Climate Change on our habitats and the potential of future solutions.

Introduction: Julia Socrates – Acting Director, Division of Marine Resources, NYSDEC
Moderator: Matthew Sclafani, Ph.D. – PEP Technical Advisory Committee Co-Chair & Cornell
Cooperative Extension
Panel:
● Nicole Maher, Ph.D. – Senior Coastal Scientist, The Nature Conservancy
● Steve Schott – Marine Botany and Habitat Restoration Specialist, Cornell Cooperative
Extension
● Bradley Peterson, Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Stony Brook University & PEP Technical
Advisory Committee Co-Chair
● Michael Doall – Associate Director for Shellfish Restoration & Aquaculture, Stony Brook
University
● John ‘Barley’ Dunne – Director, East Hampton Shellfish Hatchery
● Stephen Tettelbach, Ph.D. – Shellfish Ecologist, Cornell Cooperative Extension
● Bassem Allam, Ph.D. – Marinetics Endowed Professor in Marine Sciences, Stony Brook
University

Closing Remarks. Joyce Novak, PEP Executive Director