Suffolk County passes fertilizer reduction plan

Pictured at the ceremonial bill signing January 23 (l-r): are S.C. Leg. Dan Losquadro; Carrie Meek Gallagher, Suffolk Commissioner of Environment and Energy; Adrienne Esposito, Citizens Campaign for the Environment; S.C. Exec. Steve Levy; Robert DeLuca, Group for the East End; and Neal Lewis, Long Island Neighborhood Network.

Suffolk County has adopted a multi-pronged approach to reduce nitrogen pollution from fertilizer leaching, including the prohibition of fertilizer application during cold weather and a requirement that licensed landscapers be trained in its proper use and application. The new law was signed last month by Suffolk County Exec. Steve Levy.

The law also spells out steps to eliminate the use of nitrogen-based fertilizer on most county properties and codifies the county's organic maintenance plan that will minimize the use of fertilizers for parks, golf courses and the Suffolk County Farm.

"This is an opportunity for Suffolk County to lead by example," said Levy. "We can have green parks and lavish lawns without sacrificing the health of our groundwater."

But many professional landscapers says the law does not address the problem, and could actually add to more pollution. "We, (certified landscape applicators) are trained and know how to use these products," said Joseph Aruta, owner of Custom Lawn Care in Bay Shore. "What this law will do is have more homeowners putting down their own fertilizer and they will use it wrong and use too much."

Levy said that is why the county is making every effort to make consumer education a part of its plan to protect not only Suffolk's waterways but also Long Island's precious freshwater aquifer.

The Fertilizer Nitrogen Pollution Reduction Policy was developed by Levy with the county's Department of Environment and Energy, Department of Health and Parks Department, along with the Cornell Cooperative Extension, The Nature Conservancy, The Group for the East End, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Long Island Neighborhood Network and the Homestead A-Syst Task Force.

The plan includes:

•a countywide ban on application of all fertilizers between Nov. 1 and April 1; a period where the ground is likely to be too cold to absorb nutrients, resulting in increased leaching of nitrogen into the groundwater and surface waters;

•a ban on use of all fertilizer on all county properties, with the exception of golf courses, athletic fields, the Suffolk County Farm in Yaphank, and where establishing new turf along public works projects;

•codifying the county's Organic Parks Maintenance Plan, which will use the minimum amounts of slowreleased fertilizers on golf courses;

•use of Best Management Practices, as developed by the Suffolk County Agriculture Environmental Stewardship Program adopted by the County Legislature for nutrient management at the Suffolk County Farm;

•expansion of existing educational campaigns for consumers and retailers to promote low-maintenance lawn care and landscaping, modification of fertilizer application rates and greater use of slow-release formulas.

The expanded program will include an interactive website for homeowners to determine the amounts of fertilizer needed and requires that all licensed landscapers take an approved turf management course that teaches the proper use and application of fertilizers and methods to minimize nitrogen leaching. County officials estimate there are about 1,200 landscapers licensed by the Department of Consumer Affairs under a home improvement license.

While the law does not directly address individual homeowners who apply fertilizers themselves, retail establishments will have to post signs to advise consumers about the risks of nitrogen-based fertilizers and assist them in choosing fertilizers that pose the least harm to the environment. Retailers must also make brochures available about the proper use and application of fertilizer products.

The elements of the plan could reduce the amount of nitrogen leached into groundwater and surface waters from residential use by at least 25 percent, 60 tons annually, said Levy.

"Long Island may be America's first suburb, and as such, we are leaders in maintaining green, verdant lawns," said Neal Lewis, executive director of the Neighborhood Network. "This legislation will reduce the amounts of nitrogen that makes it into our environment from synthetic fertilizers."

Aruta said the law simply panders to the special interest groups and once again "goes after "landscapers. "If the politicians were serious about pollution, they would be addressing pollution of our waterways from the overflow of sewage from treatment plants following heavy rainfalls," he said. "That is a real issue."

"I agree that our sewage treatment plants are also part of the problem," said Levy. "But the issues are not mutually exclusive." He pointed out that the county is spending millions of dollars on reducing the nitrogen that gets into Suffolk County's waters from sewage as well. "Fertilizers account for 56 percent of nitrogen pollution emanating from residential properties while sewers account for 35 percent," he said. "It is a more cost-effective approach to prevent nitrogen pollution at the source, rather than spending millions to remediate our waterways after the fact."

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