Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) have been conducting compliance checks throughout Long Island, leading to multiple arrests for illegal activities.
During one incident, three anglers were caught fishing for striped bass out of season from atop the Bayville Bridge. Upon inspection, the anglers were found to have hidden seven fish inside traffic cones.
In another case, a property owner in the town of Lysander was ticketed on April 1 for unlawfully operating an illegal dump. The ECO discovered a smoldering pile of solid waste originating from an auction house in Auburn on the owner’s property. He was also cited for unlawful disposal of solid waste and open burning.
A construction company in Albany County was fined over $2,000 for illegal burning and disposal of solid waste in March. The incident involved a large plume of black smoke from burning tires and other prohibited materials, which was noticed by police.
On April 7, a group of photographers in Nassau County got too close to a nesting great horned owl and her chicks. An ECO advised them of regulations prohibiting wildlife harassment and taped off a barrier around the tree as a reminder.
Another Nassau County resident was ticketed for unlawful disposal of solid waste after illegally dumping several five-gallon buckets and garbage bags containing construction debris next to a park in Levittown.
Anglers in Albany were caught on camera using a cast net illegally at Six Mile Waterworks Park on April 10. Cast nets are only allowed in designated areas, and the offenders were apprehended and appropriate enforcement action was taken.
In a separate incident, an ECO and K9 unit assisted New York State Police in locating a person making suicidal comments during a domestic dispute in Plattsburgh. The individual fled into the woods but was tracked down by the K9.
Finally, someone dumped a home heating oil tank on the side of the road in Islip Terrace, leaking petroleum sludge. A hazmat team cleaned up the spill, and an ECO traced the tank to its owner, who was ordered to reimburse the hazmat team and was ticketed for unlawful disposal and depositing a harmful substance on a highway.
These incidents highlight the ongoing efforts of NYSDEC ECOs to protect the environment and ensure compliance with environmental regulations.
