The Short Term Floatables Action Plan
Image from: Long Island Sound Study
The Short Term Floatable Action Plan was developed by the federal government to form a special floatable debris work group that addressed floatable waste in the ocean and along the coast. The group was primarily located along the Monmouth and Ocean County beaches and very close to the Long Island beaches and landfills. In order for the Plan to successfully work the primary objectives were created. The Action Plan asked the work groups to:
"-Establish a plan for surveillance of the New York Harbor Complex, the southern shore of Long Island, and the New Jersey shore for floatable debris slicks.
-Establish a plan for cleaning up floatable debris slicks detected in the Harbor Complex and notifying local authorities of implending debris washups along Long Island and New ersey beaches.
-Estimate costs associated with the proposed survaliance and cleanup plans" (BATTELE ,1988).
Since the Syringe Tide in 1989, the Plan has accomplished a lot in preserving and maintaining the beaches in New Jersey and New York. The special floatable debris work group gained popularity throughout the months, and therefore the miles of clean area were constantly rising. Due to the Short Term Floatable Action Plan the area of beach closures decreased from "over 70 miles (110 km) in 1988 to fewer than 4 miles (6.4 km) in 1989" ("Floatable," n.d). That drastic decrease allowed the Jersey shore to slowly gain popularity and revenue from outside tourists.