Long Island Regional Planning Council Honored as a 'Champion for Clean Water'

SYOSSET, N.Y. - Dec. 4, 2017 - PRLog -- The Long Island Regional Planning Council, which provides leadership on issues of significance in Nassau and Suffolk counties and is a strong advocate for the region's environment, has been honored as a "Champion for Clean Water" by the New York League of Conservation Voters.

The League's "Environmental Leader Award" was recently given to the Council in recognition of its outstanding work on the New York State-funded Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan (LINAP), which is viewed as a key step in improving water quality in Nassau and Suffolk counties.  LIRPC co-manages the $5 million study with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, with the participation of the two counties and additional partners and stakeholders.

"The Council is honored to be recognized for its commitment to clean water on Long Island," said John Cameron, Chairman of the Council.  "LIRPC serves as a catalyst for action by proposing immediate and long-term, implementable solutions for issues of regional concern. The LIRPC's role includes informing elected officials, stakeholders and residents on key issues affecting the quality of life in our region."

LINAP is a multi-year initiative to reduce nitrogen in Long Island's surface and groundwater. Nitrogen is the leading cause of water quality deterioration on Long Island and comes primarily from wastewater and fertilizer. Excess nitrogen causes toxic algal blooms that lead to low-oxygen conditions, fish kills, and degraded wetlands and marine habitats.  It also contaminates the groundwater, which is the sole source of the region's drinking water.   LINAP is among the most significant environmental initiatives since the preservation of the Pine Barrens.

The primary goals of LINAP are to identify sources of nitrogen to surface waters and groundwater; establish nitrogen reduction endpoints; and develop an implementation plan to achieve reductions.  LINAP will determine how best to reduce nitrogen loading through technical, management, and regulatory/policy actions.

"The Planning Council has taken a lead role with the state on a critical problem that must be addressed on a number of fronts.  For Long Island, water quality is closely tied to quality of life, so the stakes for overcoming the impacts of nitrogen loading are very high," said Marcia Bystryn, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters, which is the only statewide environmental organization in New York that fights forclean water, clean air, renewable energy andopen spacethrough political action.

Other awardees included the Stony Brook Center for Clean Water Technology, which is working to bridge science and technology gaps by facilitating cooperation between university and research institutions, regulatory agencies and private sector resources; and SUEZ, a leading provider of water and waste services that uses new technologies and approaches to protect local waterways and ecosystems.

Proceeds from the League event, held at Carlyle on the Green, will help advance critical environmental efforts in the region.

Photo :  Pictured are (from left) Mitch Pally, the League's Long Island Chapter Board Chairman;  John Cameron, Chairman of the Planning Council;  League President Marcia Bystryn; and Richard Guardino, Executive Director of the Planning Council.