Local Governments Urge State Leaders to Enforce Nutrient Runoff Law

New City, NY (Dec. 4, 2025) - The County of Rockland, along with the Towns of Clarkstown, Haverstraw, Orangetown, Ramapo, and Stony Point, is calling on New York State leaders to increase enforcement of the NYS Nutrient Runoff Law. This law, amended in 2010, aims to protect local waterways, including Rockland Lake, Lake DeForest, Lake Lucille, Congers Lake, and Swartout Lake, which are designated as impaired for total phosphorus.

The County and Towns, working with the Stormwater Consortium of Rockland County, are urging Governor Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) to take action. Several local waterways are impacted by excessive phosphorus levels, which can lead to aquatic weeds and harmful algal blooms, posing a concern for surface drinking water sources like Lake DeForest, which provides about 25% of Rockland's water supply.

Recommended actions include increasing educational outreach, creating a retailer database, issuing annual notifications, conducting enforcement sweeps, and tracking phosphorus levels in impaired waterbodies. The County and Towns urge the public to support protecting shared water resource