FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
County of Rockland, Towns of Clarkstown, Haverstraw, Orangetown, Ramapo and Stony Point Call on State Leaders to Act – Local Waterways Among Those Impacted
New City, NY (Dec. 4, 2025) – The County of Rockland, along with the Towns of Clarkstown, Haverstraw, Orangetown, Ramapo and Stony Point worked with Stormwater Consortium of Rockland County to urge New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC), to increase enforcement of the NYS Nutrient Runoff Law.
In 2010, New York State amended its Nutrient Runoff Law, overriding Rockland County’s 2009 fertilizer law, preventing local governments from adopting separate phosphate regulations. As per the Final 2020/2022 NYS Section 303 (d) List, 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% of Rockland’s overall water supply, several enforcement actions were recommended:
- Increase educational outreach to bring more awareness of the law to both retail suppliers of phosphorous containing fertilizers and to residents.
- Create a NYS retailer database.
- Issue annual retailer notifications outlining NYS law requirements and potential fines.
- Issue regular enforcement sweeps by NYS DEC Environmental Conservation Officers to ensure compliance.
- Annually track the levels of total phosphorus in designated waterbodies that were previously impaired.
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 NYS DEC.
The County and Rockland’s five Towns urge the public to support the protection of our shared water resources through these simple steps:
- When fertilizer is needed to maintain your lawn and garden, choose phosphorus-free fertilizer (the “0” in the middle number) to protect local waterways. Healthy lawns help filter and purify runoff before it enters storm drains or groundwater.
- Know it. Avoid it. Report it. Learn to recognize Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), check the NYHABS mapper for current blooms, avoid contact with affected water, and report sightings using the NYS DEC Algal Bloom Report Form. Rinse with clean water if exposed and seek medical care if symptoms develop.
- Establish a vegetative buffer, also known as a riparian buffer, that separates your lawn from a neighboring waterway. The buffer will help reduce the number of pollutants entering that waterway.
- Partner with the NYS DEC Trees for Tribs program to restore streamside buffers with native plantings that reduce pollution, erosion, and flooding, and strengthen local wildlife habitats. Application deadlines are March 1st for spring plantings and August 1st for fall plantings.
- Avoid washing your car in your driveway. This activity often leads to car-wash soap, which often contains phosphorous, entering nearby storm drains, and eventually our local waterways.
- Avoid dumping of leaves and grass clippings in a nearby storm drain. Although these materials are natural, they can not only clog our storm drains leading to pooling and possible localized flood conditions but can also increase nutrients into our local waterways.
- Apply sustainable, native, and drought-tolerant landscaping practices whenever possible to help reduce stormwater runoff, conserve water, and support the recharge of our groundwater systems. Rain gardens, bioswales, permeable pavement, and rainwater harvesting with rain barrels are all examples of these landscaping practices.
To learn more about what you can do to improve Rockland’s water quality please visit Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rockland County website and the Rockland County Task Force on Water Resources social media pages.
The Rockland County Legislature, the County Executive’s Office, and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rockland County convened a multidisciplinary group of experts in water quality, regulatory enforcement, public health, and environmental education. Together, they shared critical data, aligned priorities, and strengthened interagency collaboration to enhance educational outreach and regulatory initiatives that address key water quality concerns across Rockland County.
Laura Incalcaterra
Communications Director
Rockland County Legislature
11 New Hempstead Road
New City, NY 10956
(845) 638-5184