More than 60 volunteers braved the cold and joined Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato recently as she hosted a Jamaica Bay cleanup event. Together they removed more than 800 pounds of litter, trash and debris from the bay.
Cleanup volunteers discovered car seats, a full case of beer, a tent and many other items that don’t belong on the shoreline.
“I’m so appreciative of these volunteers who are committed to making our wetlands and beaches safe and clean. While these cleanups are vital, we must step up our game to teach people you cannot use the bay as a dumping ground, or just leave behind your belongings,” Pheffer Amato said. “Our beaches, bays and wetlands are a treasure, and should be treated as such.”
The cleanup event was organized with Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Park Conservancy, NYC Plover Project and the National Park Service. Volunteers learned about endangered birds, such as the piping plover, and ways to protect their nesting habitat.
“Rockaway is surrounded by water and our natural areas provide some of the region’s most important habitat for wildlife, especially nesting shorebirds,” Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Park Conservancy Executive Director Alex Zablocki said. “Partnering with our elected officials, like Assemblywoman Pheffer Amato, to host volunteer cleanups is critical to ensuring these spaces are kept free of debris but also an opportunity to educate the public about these important places.”
Throughout the year, Pheffer Amato will continue to host multiple cleanups along Jamaica Bay and other waterways in her district. Anyone interested in getting involved in future events, or learning more, can reach out to her office at amatos@assembly.gov.
When she launched her re-election campaign in December, Pheffer Amato listed protecting Jamaica Bay as a priority along with increasing access to services for our veterans and 9/11 first responders, expanding transportation options, helping area schools flourish and keeping nearby communities safe and clean.
“We have so much more to accomplish together and I’m ready to continue fighting for us and our community,” she said.
Pheffer Amato will be running for her fourth term representing the 23rd Assembly District which includes South Ozone Park, Lindenwood, Howard Beach, Hamilton Beach, Broad Channel, Breezy Point, Neponsit, Belle Harbor, Rockaway Park and parts of Rockaway Beach, Arverne, Edgemere and Far Rockaway.
