Long Island is a 1,400 square mile island that juts out from New York City reaching Montauk 118 miles later. One of the most densely populated regions in the U.S. and the 17th most populous island in the world, it had a population in 2023 of roughly 8 million people (more than 1/3rd of NY’s population). Encompassing Nassau and Suffolk counties, it is the largest island in the contiguous United States. Along its Atlantic coast you will find Jones Beach State Park, Fire Island and Montauk Point State Park, the latter home to the late-1700s Montauk Lighthouse. On the east end, the North Fork is home to wineries and the Hamptons are towns characterized by upscale homes, trendy restaurants and antiques shops.
Long Island is home to East Hampton and Southampton, the first two municipalities in New York state to publicly announce clean energy goals in 2014.
The climate of Long Island is characterized as a humid subtropical and a warm continental climate. Because of this, it experiences moderate temperatures during the summer season and mild weather during the spring and fall.
Climate change is significantly impacting Long Island with rising sea levels, increased storm frequency and intensity, and warmer temperatures, leading to increased flooding, coastal erosion, and potential impacts on marine ecosystems and infrastructure.
Probably the most significant act of climate mitigation in Long Island thus far is the construction of the South Fork Wind Farm which ran its cable underground bringing energy from its twelve turbines through to the local power grid in East Hampton, 35 miles east of Montauk. The wind farm went online in March, 2024, powering more than 70,000 homes. •It’s the first commercial-scale offshore wind farm in the United States.
