Designated as an estuary of national significance by Congress in 1987, Long Island Sound (LIS) is home to a diverse network of flora and fauna, with over 4 million people living in the Sound’s coastal communities. It is an estuary of recreational, commercial, and socioeconomic value. The Sound is bordered by the states of Connecticut and New York and has a watershed area extending through Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and Quebec that encompasses over 16,000 square miles. Nearly nine (9) million people Live within the watershed.

Designated as an estuary of national significance by Congress in 1987, Long Island Sound (LIS) is home to a diverse network of flora and fauna, with over 4 million people living in the Sound’s coastal communities. It is an estuary of recreational, commercial, and socioeconomic value. The Sound is bordered by the states of Connecticut and New York and has a watershed area extending through Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and Quebec that encompasses over 16,000 square miles. Nearly nine (9) million people Live within the watershed.

Designated as an estuary of national significance by Congress in 1987, Long Island Sound is home to a diverse network of flora and fauna, and over 4 million people. It is an estuary of recreational, commercial, and socioeconomic value. The Sound is bordered by the states of Connecticut and New York and has a watershed area extending through Maine and Quebec that encompasses over 16,000 square miles and 9 million people. Over time, the Sound has been subject to the effects of increased nutrient loading as a result of urbanization and changes in land use (Latimer et al., 2014).

This year, 2011, marks the Interstate Environmental Commission’s (IEC’s) 75th Anniversary. The Commission and the District it serves, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, was established in 1936 with the consent of Congress. The IEC was given the responsibility of protecting the waters and the environment of its District in a regional manner.

The Interstate Environmental Commission is a tri-state air and water pollution control agency serving the states of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The Commission and its area of jurisdiction – the Interstate Environmental District – were established in 1936 under a compact between New York and New Jersey, with the consent of Congress. The state of Connecticut joined the compact in 1941.

IEC’s 75th Anniversary is more than a diamond jubilee, it is an opportunity to review decades of accomplishments in preservation of the environment and to look ahead to meeting IEC’s mission and mandate. IEC’s work is even more important as fiscal restraints have caused our States and nation to marshal resources for the most cost effective benefit of the people. IEC is uniquely situated to utilize its professional staff and to be nimble, responding to needs of member-State agencies, legislators and environmental entities and providing the citizen’s with environmental protection.

During the year 2010, the Interstate Environment Commission continued with its re‐examination of Commission programs, staffing, goals and objectives to better fulfill its mission under the Tri‐State Compact to address environmental issues within the Interstate Environmental District.

The year 2009 has been a difficult one for the Interstate Environmental Commission (IEC). The recession and fiscal crisis which has affected the country and the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut Tri-State Area which the Commission serves has affected the Commission as well, requiring the re-examination of Commission programs, staffing, goals and objectives.

The 21st century has been marked by issues of national security, global warming and sea level rise, fuel costs, home mortgage industry collapse, and world financial market uncertainties. These are just a few of the realities facing the population. Many of the stresses of population and industrialization can be generally assessed in terms of use impairments which have measurable social and economic effects. Although not often in the headlines because it is considered less than sensational news, water quality improvements, especially in this tri-state region, have been a success story.

From the beginning, the 21st century has been marked by trying times. Issues of national security, global warming and sea level rise, fuel costs and home mortgage industry collapse are just a few of the front page realities. Many of the stresses of population and industrialization can be generally assessed in terms of use impairments which have measurable social and economic effects. Although often pushed to the back page because it is considered less than sensational news, water quality improvements, especially in this tri-state region, have been a success story.