This course is a history of the Long Island Sound, the body of water which stretches from the East River in New York City to Block Island in Rhode Island and connects the eastern seaboard states of New York and Connecticut to the Atlantic Ocean. After a brief account of the sound's glacial history and riverine geography, we will focus on the environmental, social, and economic history of the region from the 18th to 21st centuries, with a focus on exploitation for textiles, metal production, fishing, and oystering. We will dedicate special attention to industrial pollution and federal, state, and local efforts to assess environmental impacts and restrict dumping in the sound. Field trips will include a visit to Manresa Island, the site of a coal-fired power plant (and later, oil), shuttered amid heavy flooding during Hurricane Sandy (2012). Topics discussed include the regulation and remediation of dumped sediment in Norwalk Harbor and Manresa Island containing heavy metals and coal ash. |