North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jen DeSena and the members of the Town Board recently unanimously voted to pass a resolution adopting the Nitrogen Smart Communities Pledge developed by the Long Island Regional Planning Council. The Nitrogen Smart Communities Pledge encourages municipalities in Nassau and Suffolk counties to take meaningful and effective actions to reduce, prevent, or eliminate nitrogen pollution in Long Island’s waters.
“One of the main culprits of nitrogen entering groundwater and surface water on Long Island, specifically here in the Town of North Hempstead, is through the reliance on septic systems,” DeSena said. “The Town is committed to addressing the problem of nitrogen in our waterways, and that is evident in the $3 million dollars of ARPA funds allocated for the Manhasset sewer connection project, which will help complete a nearly 50-year dream to connect businesses on Plandome Road to the sewer system and eliminate their reliance on septic tanks. Each small step we take to reduce, eliminate, and prevent nitrogen pollution has a lasting impact in preserving Long Island’s waterways.”
Nitrogen is the leading cause of water quality deterioration in surface and groundwater, which leads to low oxygen conditions, fish kills, and degraded marine habitats, as well as potentially contaminating the sole source of drinking water on Long Island.
Through this pledge, the town will promote local action and awareness to the importance of reducing and ultimately eliminating nitrogen from all sources within municipalities on Long Island.
“I believe that a response through community-specific plans of action to reduce nitrogen pollution will have beneficial environmental and economic impacts for both our Town and the Long Island Sound,” DeSena said. “I am proud to have sponsored this resolution, and I look forward to working with our community to reduce nitrogen pollution in our waterways.”