LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Robert Weltner upon the occasion of his
designation as recipient of an Environmental Equinox Award by the Citi-
zens Campaign for the Environment

WHEREAS, Individuals who give of their time and energies and serve the
best interests of their communities are an asset beyond remuneration and
cannot be sufficiently extolled; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize that
the quality and character of life in the communities across New York
State are enhanced by the concerned and dedicated efforts of organiza-
tions and individuals that generously contribute to the welfare of the
community and its citizenry; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
Robert Weltner upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of an
Environmental Equinox Award by the Citizens Campaign for the Environ-
ment; this auspicious occasion will be celebrated at the Environmental
Equinox Award Gala, to be held on Thursday, May 16, 2013, at the Wood-
bury Country Club in Woodbury, New York; and
WHEREAS, Founded in 1990, Operation SPLASH (Stop Polluting Littering
and Save Harbors) is a 2,500 member, grassroots, all-volunteer, non-pro-
fit organization dedicated to improving the quality of Long Island's
South Shore waterways; and
WHEREAS, Operation SPLASH was started by one person collecting garbage
along the Freeport canal where she lived, it has grown to more than
2,500 members and seven boats along Long Island's South Shore; captains
and crews make daily patrols from East Rockaway to Babylon from March
through November, picking up garbage and litter that flows to the bay
from street storm drains; and
WHEREAS, In the spring of 2012, Operation SPLASH collected a total of
more than 1,000,000 pounds of refuse; in addition, Operation SPLASH
scored another win for the environment in the summer of 2012 when the
Jones Beach Sewage Treatment Plant's outflow pipe was diverted from the
bay to the ocean; and
WHEREAS, Robert Weltner is President of Operation SPLASH; his filming
of discharge from sewage plants which drained into the western bays on
Long Island has brought enhanced community support for environmental
issues; he has been working on this project for the past 11 years; his
next target is the Bay Park sewage plant which dumps more than 60
million gallons of sewage into the bay every day; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when individ-
uals of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our atten-
tion, they should be recognized by all the citizens of this great Empire
State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Robert Weltner upon the occasion of his designation as recipient
of an Environmental Equinox Award by the Citizens Campaign for the Envi-
ronment; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Robert Weltner.