Environment News » Fire Island News & Great South Bay News

Suffolk County is being granted a massive sum of money to help update and replace failing septic systems throughout the county. New York State Governor Kathy Hochul signed this movement into legislation just before August to allocate $30 million to help homeowners update their septic systems. Labeled as Legislation S8241-A/A8807, Suffolk County has secured $20 million of that funding.

Between the Canals

Suffolk County Secures $20 Million to Upgrade Septic Systems

Posted on October 25, 2025

A little over 50 years ago, the Suffolk County Farmland Preservation Program was launched based on a first-in-the-nation concept: the sale of “development rights.” Then-Suffolk County Executive John V.N. Klein was pivotal in 1974 to the inception of that program.

Behind the Dunes

Suffolk County Legislature Unanimously Passes “Working Waterfronts” Conservation Bill

Posted on October 24, 2025

Birdwatching is for everybody, but it’s not always easy. Friends of Connetquot understands that birding truly is for everybody and anybody, regardless of disability or other health concerns. Through education, outreach, and advocacy, Birdability works to ensure the birding community and the outdoors are welcoming, inclusive, safe, and accessible for everybody.

Oakdale

“Birdability” – The Friends of Connetquot Launches a Birdwatching Initiative Inclusive for All

Posted on October 16, 2025

Sunday, October 12 Fall Festival & Mourning at the Manor Reel in the fall with a day of activities at Sagtikos Manor, 677 West Montauk Highway, Bay Shore, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy craft demonstrators, sheep shearing, children’s activities, a puppet show, live music, and food vendors. Featured is Mourning at the Manor, a historic reenactment of a Victorian wake. Join in the reenactment of the funeral procession and meet some of the family spirits along the way! Admission: $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $6 for children.

Columbus Day Weekend and Beyond: Great South Bay Area Events Through mid-October

Posted on October 10, 2025

More than 100 veterans joined a day of gratitude on the water as Hampton Watercraft & Marine hosted its 8th Annual “Take a Veteran Fishing” Tournament on Sunday, September 14. Boats departed from both its Hampton Bays and East Port marina facilities. Invitations were extended to American Legion and VFW posts, VA hospitals, and previous participants. In total, 103 veterans from across Long Island — and as far as New Hampshire — joined this special day honoring our service members.

Hampton Watercraft & Marine Hosts 8th Annual “Take a Veteran Fishing” Tournament

Posted on October 6, 2025

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September Still Solid: Things to Do on Fire Island and Around the Great South Bay This Week

Posted on September 19, 2025

The Fire Island beaches look as beautiful as postcards with plentiful dunes and wide expanses, in part due to massive amounts of sand used to replenish them. And summer winds have been shifting sand back to the beach ever since Super Storm Sandy and other storms took big bites out of the shore.

New York State Authorizes $1.7 Billion to Fund Fire Island to Montauk Point Storm Resilience

Posted on September 14, 2025

With less than two weeks to go before the autumnal equinox sets in, our September issue of Great South Bay News closes out the summer season for our modest newspaper family with strength and verve, thanks to the contributions of a talented team of Schneps Media writers who have a presence in it.

Powerful Women, Blue Point Oysters, and the State of the Beach Define the September Issue of Great South Bay News

Posted on September 10, 2025

Former corporate party planner and now an ardent conservationist, Ellen Federico has written, Butterfly Island and the Invincible Crew, a children’s book on the plight of Fire Island’s endangered monarch butterflies. Forced to shift their migratory patterns, they have lost their habitats due to chemical overuse and a changing climate that prevents them from flourishing.

Books & Authors

The Butterfly Lady of Fire Island Writes a Children’s Book with a Message for All of Us

Posted on September 7, 2025

Lifeguards are trained to save the lives of human swimmers. Still, one Dunewood lifeguard recently went above and beyond by helping to rescue two baby animals during a single August 5 shift.

Swan and Deer Saved by Dunewood Lifeguard

Posted on September 3, 2025

Help Wanted

HELP WANTED: Do You Have the Right Stuff? Great South Bay News Seeks Contributors

Posted on September 2, 2025

Over the last eight months, as part of President Donald Trump's efforts to slash the federal bureaucracy, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has targeted the National Park Service (NPS) with unprecedented funding disruptions and staffing reductions. These abrupt cuts have sown chaos across the National Park System, and Fire Island National Seashore (FINS) has not emerged unscathed. FINS staff are stretched thin and existentially stressed; the Fire Island Lighthouse renovation has been delayed by years, and the seashore has been pushed into unprecedented territory.

National Park Service Cuts Push Fire Island National Seashore Into Uncharted Waters

Posted on August 31, 2025

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