Officials from the Environmental Protection Agency joined forces with representatives from New York and Connecticut on Friday to acknowledge their work on the Long Island Sound.

Officials said they wanted to recognize their work because they said the Long Island Sound wasn't always as picturesque 40 years ago.

"You had fish dying and floating to the surface. It was horrific," said Rep. George Latimer.

Luckily, officials said conditions have improved because of the Long Island Sound Partnership.

"The partnership is a bistate partnership with the EPA, the states of Connecticut and New York... to restore and protect the Long Island Sound and its watershed," said Nicole Tachiki, of the Long Island Sound Office.

Supporters came together to celebrate 40 years of their restoration work at an event in Rye on Friday.

Officials also signed a new conservation and management plan at the event.

"So, really this plan lays out a framework for the work that we're going to do, cooperatively, at the state, federal and local levels to help preserve and protect the sound," said Michael Martucci, regional administrator with the EPA. Martucci said the plan is focused on the next 10 years of protection.

Some goals in it include restoring the shoreline and mitigating nitrogen.

"Which has resulted in poor water quality in the sound," said Martucci.

It's work that some people at the beach in Rye thought was necessary to preserve the resource.

"I mean, yeah, whatever they can do," said Endrin Prelvukaj, of Yonkers.

"This is one place you can really come and relax and enjoy a nice, cool swim," said Eleonora Budris, of Port Chester.