The Town of Ossining created the Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) to advise in the development, management, and protection of its natural resources. EAC members are appointed by the Board of the Town of Ossining and serve five year terms.

The Environmental Advisory Committee:

• Helps to build awareness and support for the development, management, and protection of Ossining's natural resources 
• Drafts environmental ordinances, for consideration by the Town of Ossining, designed to provide protection for natural resources 
• Participates in environmental reviews as specified in the Town's ordinances

The EAC has successfully worked with the Town of Ossining to enact a Tree Protection Ordinance, Wetland Protection Ordinance, and Steep Slope Ordinance. The EAC is developing recommendations for the protection of Ossining's local water supply. In addition, the EAC helped Ossining to qualify as a national "Tree City", through its tree protection efforts.

Read the Environmental Quality Review Local Law in the online Town General Code, Chapter 85.

The Town of Ossining has been complying with the NYS DEC requirements for an MS4 community. This requires completion of several tasks over a period of years.
Find out how you can help the Stormwater Management Program.

For more information about pesticides, please visit the Westchester County Department of Health website.

Brief Summaries of Current Environmental Ordinances

Stormwater Management and Erosion and Sediment Control
Adopted as Local Law 5-2006 on July 11, 2006.
The purpose of this chapter is to establish minimum stormwater management requirements and controls to protect and safeguard the general health, safety, and welfare of the public residing within this jurisdiction.
View the Stormwater Management Local Law.

Steep Slope Protection
Adopted as Local Law 2-2000 on April 25, 2000.
Declares it to be the public policy of the town to regulate, preserve, protect and conserve its steep slopes so as to maintain and protect the natural terrain and its vegetative features, preserve wetlands, water bodies and watercourses, prevent flooding, protect important scenic views and vistas, preserve areas of wildlife habitat, provide safe building sites and protect the subject property and the adjoining property by preventing erosion, creep and sudden slope failure.
View the Steep Slope Protection Ordinance.

Tree Protection Ordinance
Adopted as Local Law 5-95 on July 11, 1995.
Declares the intent of the Town of Ossining to control, protect, conserve, and regulate the use of trees within the Town to ensure that the benefits found to be provided by all trees will not be lost and to protect the broader public interest. This Ordinance includes regulations intended to provide a reasonable balance between the rights of the individual property owners to the free use of their property and the rights of present and future generations of Town residents.
View the Tree Protection Ordinance.

The Freshwater Wetlands, Watercourse and Waterbody Protection Ordinance
Adopted as Local Law 2-1998 on February 24, 1998.
Adopted by the Town in order to control, protect and preserve its wetlands in light of their valuable ecological functions. The ordinance strikes a reasonable balance between the rights of individual property owners and the public interest. Activities which may impact wetlands are subject to Town approval, while normal ground maintenance is permitted as a matter of right.
View the Freshwater Wetlands, Watercourse and Waterbody Protection Ordinance.

Contacting the EAC
Residents can contact the EAC for detailed information on the Town of Ossining's environmental ordinances, to nominate a significant tree for protection, to report environmental issues, to propose environmental policies, or to volunteer their time toward EAC efforts. Please address all such questions or suggestions to:

Mitzi Elkes, Chair
Environmental Advisory Committee
16 Croton Avenue
Ossining, NY 10562
(914) 762-6000