LI Nitrogen Action Plan: Save The Great South Bay Word of The Week

GREAT SOUTH BAY, NY — Did you know that the levels of nitrogen on Long Island are destructive to the environment, harming both our surface and ground waters?

That's where Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan — Save the Great South Bay's Word Of The Week — comes in.

Also known as LINAP, the plan is a "transformative multiyear effort" launched in 2015 to improve water quality by reducing nitrogen levels in our local waterways through technical, management, and regulatory/policy actions.

LINAP is a collaboration between the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the Long Island Regional Planning Council (LIRPC), and Suffolk and Nassau counties, with input from multiple partners and stakeholders.

According to the DEC, LINAP focuses on how best to reduce nitrogen loading to groundwater and surface water through technical, management, and regulatory/policy actions.

Nitrogen is the leading cause of water quality deterioration in Long Island's estuaries. Excess nitrogen can cause toxic algal blooms that lead to low oxygen conditions, fish kills, and degraded wetlands and marine habitats, the DEC said.

It also contaminates the groundwater which is the sole source of Long Island's drinking water.

"This plan is a promising step towards nitrogen reduction in Long Island waters and includes such initiatives as the septic incentive programs in Suffolk and Nassau counties, development of innovative alternative on-site wastewater treatment systems, and encouraging Nitrogen Smart Communities," Save the Great South Bay said.

But in order for this mission to succeed, everyone needs to help.

Here are 10 simple yet impactful things you can do at home to improve local water quality, from the Long Island Regional Planning Council’s “Reduce Nitrogen Pledge”.

1. Be smart - fertilize your lawn responsibly, but it's best to not use fertilizers at all.
2. Keep grass clippings on the lawn.
3. Replace your septic system or cesspool with an innovative and advanced treatment system.
4. Sweep up any grass clippings and fertilizer spills on driveways, sidewalks, and streets.
5. Direct downspouts into plant beds (rather than down the driveway).
6. Plant trees and other native plants.
7. Leave a wide strip of deep-rooted plants along the shoreline.
8. Pick up pet waste and reduce "poo-lution" (even in your own backyard).
9. Drive less.
10. Use a commercial car wash rather than washing your vehicle at home.

You can take the pledge yourself, or learn more about any of these on the Long Island Regional Planning Council website by clicking here.

To learn more about Save the Great South Bay, click here.