Legislators Approve EOH Funds For Drinking Water Protection

The Westchester County Board of Legislators approved last week two separate measures that are meant to bolster environmental safety near the reservoirs in the northern part of the county, officials said. 

The vote authorizes the release of up to $10 million grant funding from the East of Hudson (EOH) Water Quality Improvement Program for distribution to Yorktown, Bedford, Cortlandt, Lewisboro, New Castle, North Castle, North Salem, Pound Ridge, Somers and the Village of Mount Kisco to help pay for program costs resulting from reducing phosphorus in the New York City water supply.

The legislative action will also provide tax relief to county taxpayers, according to county legislators. 

The requirements are part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Phase II Stormwater regulations, which mandate that each small municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) in the New York City watershed obtain a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. 

In short, the MS4 requirements mandate that towns and villages in New York control and cleanse stormwater runoff, whether coming from municipal or private property, that will make its way into the surface waters.

The legislation was introduced in the BOL Environment & Energy Committee by BOL Majority Leader Peter Harckham (D-Katonah) to approve the funding for the municipalities and also authorize the county to enter into inter-municipal agreements (IMAs) with the municipalities for distribution of the grant monies.

Harckham said he was pleased that the BOL voted to help the towns in the Croton watershed shoulder the costs of the environmental mandate.

"The East of Hudson money gives these municipalities the ability to put projects in place that meet requirements set by the federal and state mandates without putting the cost on local taxpayers," he said.

The inter-municipal agreement will have a term of five years, according to a BOL press release. Any work or projects undertaken will be managed locally.