Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan (LINAP)
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On Wednesday, March 1st, a webinar was held for interested municipalities and other organizations to hear about successful strategies to access and manage grant funding from their peers. Municipalities shared information such as; how they access grant funds, what barriers they've had to overcome, lessons learned, the skill sets needed, and who are the key players necessary t access grant funding. View the recording now (leaves DEC website) to see how you can access grant funding.
What is LINAP?
The levels of nitrogen on Long Island are destructive to the environment, harming both our surface and ground waters. But we can turn the tide. The Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan (LINAP) is a transformative multiyear effort to make meaningful reductions in nitrogen levels.
LINAP is a collaboration between the DEC, the Long Island Regional Planning Council (LIRPC), and Suffolk and Nassau counties, with input from multiple partners and stakeholders.
LINAP is one of the most significant environmental initiatives since the historic preservation of the Pine Barrens nearly three decades ago. LINAP launched in 2015 when New York State, with strong support from Long Island's legislative delegation and environmental community, appropriated $5 million to develop LINAP.
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. Nitrogen also contaminates the groundwater which is the sole source of Long Island's drinking water.
Goals
LINAP's primary goals are:
- Assess nitrogen pollution in Long Island waters,
- Identify sources of nitrogen to surface waters and groundwater,
- Establish nitrogen reduction endpoints (ecological endpoints are desirable conditions in surface waters),
- Develop an implementation plan to achieve reductions.
aUnder LINAP, numerous multi-year initiatives are underway to decrease the amount of nitrogen entering our surface and ground waters. Most of this nitrogen comes from wastewater and fertilizers. The LINAP Scope (PDF) includes project goals, planning structure and tasks, and was drafted with input from stakeholder comments during five public meetings in 2015 and 2016.
The LINAP Fact Sheet (PDF) has been developed to provide an overview of LINAP, the sources of nitrogen and the impacts on the environment. More information about LINAP is available on the pages under the "Important Links" section on the right side of this page.
Newsletter
The LINAP e-newsletter provides readers with a summary of information and current actions that LINAP partners are engaged in. We encourage you to sign up for the LINAP Newsletter.
- March 2023 LINAP Newsletter - Tips for an Eco-Friendly Lawn & LIRPC Long Island Water Quality Challenge
- Previous LINAP Newsletters
Funding Finder
Are you looking for funding? Our new tool can help you!
The Funding Finder, developed by NYSDEC in conjunction with the Long Island Sound Study, is designed to simplify the process of finding grant opportunities. The tool enables grant seekers to filter grant opportunities based on criteria that meets their specific needs.
After discussions with different stakeholders, it was clear there is a barrier to applicants being aware of grant opportunities. The Funding Finder is part of the solution and encompasses a wide variety of grants with a focus on the Long Island area. This simple tool allows grant seekers to filter through grants based on categories including, eligible applicants, project type, project phase, and regional coverage. The goal of this tool is to simplify the process grant seekers go through to find grants that works for them.
To download the Funding Finder and associated User Guide, click the links below.
- Funding Finder (Note: Preferred browsers for this tool are Chrome and Safari. If you are using Microsoft Edge or Firefox, allow pop-ups and click "download file.")
- Funding Finder User Guide
If you have questions regarding using the Funding Finder, email us at: liwaterquality@dec.ny.gov
Events
This list features upcoming and recent events sponsored by LINAP partners, and is updated about once a month. DEC is not necessarily affiliated with these events.
Last updated: December 2, 2022
| Event | Date | Time | Place | For More Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Check back for future events! |
Take the Pledge!
Nitrogen pollution is a leading cause of water quality impairment on Long Island. However, small steps can lead to big changes and there are plenty of actions we can take to reduce nitrogen in our waterways. The Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan (LINAP), the Long Island Regional Planning Council, South Shore Estuary Reserve, Peconic Estuary Partnership, and Long Island Sound Study have come together to encourage you to take the Reduce Nitrogen Pledge. All you have to do is take the pledge and consider the ten simple actions you can take to reduce nitrogen pollution by making small changes in your everyday life.
The pledge includes 10 simple things you can do today.
- Be smart - fertilize your lawn responsibly but it's best to not use fertilizers at all.
- Keep grass clippings on the lawn.
- Replace your septic system or cesspool with an innovative and advanced treatment system.
- Sweep up any grass clippings and fertilizer spills on driveways, sidewalks, and streets.
- Direct downspouts into plant beds (rather than down the driveway).
- Plant trees and other native plants.
- Leave a wide strip of deep-rooted plants along the shoreline.
- Pick up pet waste and reduce "poo-lution" (even in your own backyard).
- Drive less.
- Use a commercial car wash rather than washing your vehicle at home.
Take the pledge today to become a leader in combatting nitrogen pollution.
More about Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan (LINAP):
- LINAP Initiatives - Information on LINAP projects and initiatives managed by DEC and LINAP Partners.
- LINAP Newsletter Archive - Past issues of the monthly LINAP Newsletter, with updates from partners.
