Environmental
Planning
The Environmental Planning Section
of the Planning Department provides technical planning and policy services to
municipalities, county departments and other governmental agencies and
individuals regarding natural resource protection. The Section also supplies
technical and administrative support to various citizen committees and boards
whose goals relate to natural resource preservation and include the
Environmental Management Council, the Soil and Water
Conservation District Board, and the Agriculture
and Farmland Protection Board.
PROGRAM
AREAS:
AQUATIC
RESTORATION
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In 1998, the Westchester County Department of Planning and
Westchester County Soil and Water Conservation District began restoring
natural resources, especially streams and wetlands, in the Long Island Sound
watershed. Over the past six years, more than two dozen projects have been
completed or are being planned, designed or constructed. Additional projects
are being designed to manage polluted stormwater runoff. As this program
expands and more resources are restored, general water quality in the county’s
aquatic and wetland resources has improved. A more diverse community of
plants and animals is another product of these restoration efforts. Visit
the Aquatic Restoration
page for more information.
WATER QUALITY
PROTECTION IN THE CROTON AND LONG ISLAND SOUND WATERSHEDS
Protection of Drinking Water
- Planning Department staff provided a lead role for the 12 Westchester County
municipalities in the Croton/Kensico watershed area during negotiations with
New York City, which resulted in the historic NYC Watershed Memorandum of
Agreement of 1997. Westchester County continues to provide leadership to its
12 watershed municipalities. Visit
the NYC Watershed – The Croton Plan
site for more information about
the ongoing programs.
Estuary
Protection - Planning Department staff provide administrative and technical
support to 19 Westchester County municipalities in the Long Island Sound
watershed, promoting water quality and fish and wildlife habitat
efforts. The
County's nonpoint source pollution control efforts, which dovetail with the
Long Island Sound Study, have focused on intermunicipal watershed planning
and public outreach/education since 1995. Recent efforts have begun
implementing watershed management plans, including natural resources
restoration. Visit the Long Island Sound
Watershed Program page and Aquatic
Restoration page for more information.
PESTICIDE
REDUCTION/GRASSROOTS HEALTHY LAWN PROGRAM
It
is possible to have a beautiful lawn without using pesticides. The
Grassroots Healthy Lawn Program being conducted by Grassroots Environmental
Education, a non-profit organization, is designed to dramatically reduce
pesticide use on private property by reshaping the market forces of supply
and demand which fuel the addiction to lawn pesticides. In a strategic, multi-pronged effort, the program will assist
local landscapers in establishing and sustaining non-toxic alternative lawn
care programs which they can offer to their customers, work with local
merchants to encourage them to carry and promote a full line of non-toxic
lawn and garden products, and educate the public about the inherent dangers
of pesticides and the safe alternatives now available to them. More information is available at the Grassroots Healthy Lawn
Program website.
TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE
The Environmental Planning section provides technical
assistance on a variety of topics related to natural resources, including:
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Historic Aerial Photographs
-
Generalized Soil Survey
-
State and Federal Wetland Mapping
-
Stormwater Management
-
Natural Resources Management
WATERSHED
EDUCATION PROGRAM
The Planning Department supports a watershed education
program that educates Westchester County residents, particularly students,
about watersheds and water quality issues. Everyone should know what
watershed they live in and how their actions impact that
watershed. The program provides
opportunities for data sharing and networking between existing water quality
programs. Resources are provided to Westchester
County schools, environmental organizations, citizen groups and other
resource stakeholders to establish or enhance water quality programs. Check
the Watershed Education Program site for more information.
Section Contact:
David Kvinge, Director
148 Martine Avenue, Room 432
White Plains, NY 10601
dsk2@westchestergov.com
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