NEW CITY – Rockland County government, along with the towns of Clarkstown, Haverstraw, Orangetown, Ramapo and Stony Point worked with Stormwater Consortium of Rockland County to urge Governor Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, and the State Department of Environmental Conservation, to increase enforcement of the state Nutrient Runoff Law.
In 2010, New York amended its Nutrient Runoff Law, overriding Rockland County’s 2009 fertilizer law, preventing local governments from adopting separate phosphate regulations.
As per the final state law, Rockland Lake, Lake DeForest, Lake Lucille, Congers Lake, and Swartout Lake are designated as “impaired for total phosphorous.” To strengthen the protection of Rockland’s major water bodies, including Lake DeForest, a surface drinking water source which provides about 25 percent of Rockland’s overall water supply, several enforcement actions were recommended.
Phosphorus is commonly found in lawn care fertilizers, but excessive amounts can severely degrade waterbodies, promoting the growth of aquatic weeds and harmful algal blooms. This is of particular concern for surface drinking water sources, such as Lake DeForest. The County, Towns, and Stormwater Consortium of Rockland County outlined its concerns in a letter, urging increased statewide enforcement to the Governor, Attorney General, and DEC.
The county and its five towns urge the public to support the protection of our shared water resources.
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