Westchester County Soil & Water Conservation District Receives $100,000 Grant from Long Island Sound Futures Fund

Grant money to be used to redevelop the Department’s 1997 Plan, “Controlling Nonpoint Source Pollution in Long Island Sound: A Management Plan for the Watersheds of Stephenson Brook, Burling Brook, Pine Brook and Larchmont Harbor”

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Westchester County has kicked off the development of a blueprint for improving water quality by filtering out pollutants commonly found in urban and suburban storm water runoff going into Long Island Sound, Westchester County Executive George Latimer announced. This after the County’s Planning Department partnered with the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC), to apply for and receive $100,000 in grant money to redevelop the Department’s 1997 plan, “Controlling Nonpoint Source Pollution in Long Island Sound: A Management Plan for the Watersheds of Stephenson Brook, Burling Brook, Pine Brook and Larchmont Harbor.”

NEIWPCC, based in Lowell, MA, will assist the County in developing a watershed-based management plan for three Long Island Sound tributaries and an embayment. NEIWPCC, on behalf of the County, applied for and received a $100,000 Long Island Sound Futures Fund grant that has been matched by $25,000 from the Westchester County Soil and Water Conservation District, as well as $42,000 in in-kind services, largely staff time, from the Planning Department. Using the grant and match funding, NEIWPPC will hire a consultant to update the original plan to meet the current nine-point criteria for watershed management plans adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer said: “Westchester County is blessed to adjoin Long Island Sound and all it has to offer recreationally, commercially and spiritually. It is our responsibility to ensure that its water quality and the fish and wildlife that depend on clean water are protected. It is important that this plan be brought up to date, focusing on improving water quality for the Sound and its tributaries. With these updates in place, Westchester County will be able to obtain additional grants to help implement the plan in the future.”

Commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Planning Norma Drummond said: “The updated plan will bring the original plan up to today’s federal standards and provide a foundation for furthering water quality protection through scientifically sound storm water management practices.”

The municipalities in the targeted watershed or study area are the City of New Rochelle, Town of Mamaroneck, Village of Mamaroneck and Village of Larchmont. The plan is expected to be complete in late 2021, with outreach and public education programs, as well as construction of a pilot water quality improvement structure planned for 2022.

NEIWPCC represents the six New England states as well as New York.

**Editor's Note: Established in 1967 under New York state law by the then County Board of Supervisors, the Westchester County Soil and Water Conservation District is charged with developing and carrying out soil, water and related natural resources conservation, management and educational activities. Professionals from the county Planning Department provide administrative and technical support to the District’s seven-member citizen board of directo