Bordered by the Hudson River to the west and the Long Island Sound to the east and filled with many rivers, streams, lakes, and reservoirs, Westchester County is blessed with an abundance of water. In fact, over 25% of Westchester is a lake, pond, river or stream. Water is an important resource, vital to our health and the health of the environment we live in. We drink it, clean with it, swim, boat, and fish in it. We use it to water our lawns and gardens. Water is also an essential resource to support the natural environment that we enjoy every day – our parks, the trees that provide shade and clean air, and the wildlife that all contribute to a quality of life that make Westchester one of the most desirable places to live.
However, our daily activities also threaten this valuable resource. The cars that we drive, the products that we use and the way that we develop land all impact the natural hydrologic cycle and natural processes that help to filter the water and ensure a consistent supply.
Learn what the County Department of Planning is doing to help inform residents, municipal officials, business owners and land developers about the ways each of us can help protect water quality and improve our environment.
- The County has facilitated the development of a number of watershed plans—plans based on a watershed scale that study the land and water resources, evaluate threats to water quality and propose practical solutions to address those problems. The Croton Plan focuses on ways to protect the East of Hudson Watershed, a component of the New York City drinking water supply system. The Bronx River Plan focuses on improving stormwater runoff.
- Working with the County Soil and Water Conservation District, the County has restored dozens of degraded streams, ponds and wetlands to protect water quality and improve aquatic habitat. These projects also include stormwater best management practices (BMPs) to remove pollutants from stormwater runoff generated from County properties.
- Working with local municipalities the County developed an education and outreach program targeted at residents and property owners on how to reduce stormwater pollution. The program includes a wide variety of educational items and messages, including tips on better lawn care, pet waste management, car maintenance and septic systems.
The County Department of Environmental Facilities has educational programs on our drinking water supply, waste management and recycling programs as well as our systems to collect and treat wastewater. They sponsor the County Earth Day celebration, at which residents can obtain rain barrels and compost bins.
The County Department of Health also has programs and information on protecting water quality, including protecting our drinking water quality from pesticides and other household chemicals and fertilizers and how to maintain septic systems.
The County Water Agency, consisting of the departments of Planning, Health and Environmental Facilities, has information on water conservation and drought.
FEMA requires that Hazard Mitigation Plans (HMP) include a process to ensure that the plans are regularly reviewed, updated and maintained. This encourages progress towards implementation of the mitigation strategies laid out in the plan.
Monitoring Mitigation Actions
Each year, beginning one year after the plan’s development, county and local MPC representatives will contact, collect and process information from the persons, departments, agencies and organizations involved in overseeing and implementing mitigation projects or activities. To standardize the information collected, FEMA guidance worksheets and a progress matrix will be utilized to track progress by the county and participating municipalities.
Mitigation Planning Committee
The Mitigation Planning Committee (MPC) is responsible for monitoring the progress, evaluating the effectiveness, and updating the plan annually. Each participating jurisdiction has a representative on the MPC. Refer to Section 7, Plan Maintenance of the HMP for more details.
Using performance based indicators, the MPC will review goals, objectives, and activities and evaluate how other programs and policies have conflicted or augmented planned or implemented measures and can be modified. The plan will also be evaluated and revised following any major disasters to determine if the recommended actions remain relevant and appropriate. The risk assessment will also be revisited to see if any changes are necessary based on the pattern of disaster damages or if data has been collected (Section 5.4/Hazard Profiles) that facilitates the risk assessment.
Evaluating the Plan Annually
The HMP will be evaluated annually to determine the effectiveness of the programs, to measure if goals are being reached and to reflect changes that may affect mitigation priorities or available funding. The status of the HMP will be discussed and documented at an annual plan review meeting of the MPC. This review will provide the opportunity to increase a municipality’s disaster resistance and will build a better and stronger community. Evaluations will assess whether:
- Planning goals address current and expected conditions
- The nature or magnitude of the risks has changed
- Current resources for funding, personnel, and equipment are appropriate for implementing the HMP, and if additional resources are now available
- Schedules and budgets are feasible, and if actions taken were cost effective
- Implementation problems, such as technical, political, legal or coordination issues with other agencies, are present
- Outcomes occurred as expected
- New agencies/departments/staff or other local governments should be included
Annual Progress Reports
An annual progress report, based on the local participant progress reports, information presented at the annual MPC meeting and the HMP evaluation, will be prepared by the MPC. The annual reports will provide data for the five-year update of the HMP and assist in pinpointing implementation challenges. By monitoring the implementation of the Plan on an annual basis, it is possible to assess which projects are completed, which are no longer feasible and what projects may require additional funding or other resources.
The following reports are the culmination of annual activities completed or underway by the County and participating municipalities.
- Plan Adoption: List of municipalities and the adoption dates
- Updates to Coastal Flood Insurance Rate Maps
- Year One Annual Report
- Year Two Annual Report
- Year Three Annual Report (including scope and timeline for update)
- Year Four Annual Report (including update status)
- Year Five HMP Update
HMP Five-Year Update
HMPs are required to be updated every five years. A detailed updated program plan will be presented to the MPC during the third year of the HMP. State and federal representatives will be consulted to provide guidance on plan update procedures and timelines. A scope will be developed which identifies the resources needed for the HMP update and the timeline that will ensure the update is completed in advance of the expiration of the current plan. Resources will be secured and the update process followed. Following each five-year update of the mitigation plan, the updated plan will be distributed for public comment. After all comments are addressed, the HMP will be revised and distributed to all planning group members, and state and federal agencies for review and approval.
Public and Stakeholder Input
Westchester County and the participating municipalities are committed to the continued involvement of the public and stakeholders in the hazard mitigation process. The public and all stakeholders are encouraged to review the plan and submit any questions to their local municipal representative or to the county.
Additional Hazard Mitigation Web pages:
Hazard Mitigation Planning
Hazard Mitigation Plan
Hazard Mitigation Plan Downloads
The Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) is the blueprint for reducing a community’s vulnerability to disasters and hazards. A HMP demonstrates a community’s commitment to reducing risks from identified hazards and serves as a guide for decision makers as they commit resources to minimize the effects of hazards. The countywide HMP for Westchester integrates existing county and municipal planning mechanisms, such as building and zoning regulations and long-range planning documents; and capabilities, such as emergency response and post-disaster recovery resources. The planning process, coordinated by the county office of Emergency Management, included conducting a thorough hazard vulnerability analysis, performing an assessment of local and regional capabilities, creating community disaster mitigation priorities, and developing feasible mitigation actions and projects for the county and each participating municipality.
Scope of the Plan
The "Whole Community Approach" seeks to involve the entire community in the disaster and hazard planning. The planning process involved representatives from the county and each participating local municipality, representatives from the private and non-profit sectors, other community partners and the general public. The countywide Hazard Mitigation Plan is currently being updated. For information on the process, content and status, as well as to submit questions and comments, please visit Westchester County Hazard Mitigation Plan 2021 Update
Objectives of the Plan
The objectives of the Hazard Mitigation Plan are to:
- Offer the public opportunities, throughout the plan development and drafting process, to provide input.
- Conduct a thorough Hazard Vulnerability Assessment using the most recent disaster data and information.
- Formulate practical, achievable hazard mitigation goals, objectives and actions as they relate to reducing loss of life and property from both natural and human-caused hazards.
- Obtain state and federal approval of the HMP and make the County and its municipalities eligible for as many grant funding programs as possible.
Hazards Included in the Plan
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requires that a Hazard Mitigation Plan address the following natural hazards:
- Earthquake
- Extreme Temperature
- Flood
- Severe Storm
- Severe Winter Storm
In addition, the steering committee believed it important to include the following additional hazards:
- Wildfire
- Chemical/Biological/Radiological/Nuclear (CBRN)
- Critical Infrastructure Failure
- Cyber Attack
- Disease Outbreak
Plan Implementation, Updates and Maintenance
FEMA requires that the HMP include a process to ensure that it will be a living document that is regularly reviewed, updated and maintained. The procedure, which outlines the responsible parties or agencies involved with monitoring, evaluating and updating the plan during its five-year cycle, includes annual meeting and progress reporting components. The Maintenance Procedures page describes this process in detail.
Grant Funding
A grant from the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services was used to retain a consultant to assist in preparing the plan. By participating in the planning process and formally adopting the completed HMP, the County and each municipality becomes eligible for grant funding from FEMA to help implement mitigation actions identified in the plan that reduce vulnerability and improve community resilience. Reducing vulnerability to disasters helps to break the cycle of “destruction-rebuilding-destruction” and ensures a sustainable future for the next generation. Following is a list of FEMA grant funding sources:
- Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)
- Pre-disaster Mitigation-competitive program (PDM-C)
- Repetitive Flood Claims Program (RFC)
- Severe Repetitive Loss Program (SRL)
- Flood Mitigation Assistance Program (FMA)
Westchester County's Hazard Mitigation Plan
A complete, single file of the final FEMA-approved Hazard Mitigation plan is available. Alternatively, the document without the municipal annexes, and the pertinent sections of the plan for each Westchester municipality can be downloaded. The documents of the plan are listed and linked from the "Hazard Mitigation Download" page. The countywide Hazard Mitigation Plan is currently being updated. For information on the process, content and status, as well as to submit questions and comments, please visit Westchester County Hazard Mitigation Plan 2021 Update
Additional Hazard Mitigation Web pages:
Hazard Mitigation Planning
Hazard Mitigation Plan Downloads
Hazard Mitigation Maintenance Proceedures
Hazard Mitigation Planning for Agriculture
2021 Westchester County Countywide
Hazard Mitigation Plan
Public and Stakeholder Input
Westchester County and the participating municipalities are committed to the continued involvement of the public and stakeholders in the hazard mitigation process, which is on-going as hazard mitigation plans are living documents. The public and all stakeholders are encouraged to review the plan and submit any questions to your local municipal representative or send an e-mail to .
Online Version of Hazard Mitigation Plan
Much of the Hazard Mitigation Plan data and analysis is available on an interactive website.
The following chapters are available for download. If you have any trouble downloading the documents or understanding the indormation contained with in them, please contact David Kvinge, Assistant Commissioner, at
Plan sections:
Cover and Table of Contents
Section 1 - Introduction
Section 2 - Plan Adoption
Section 3 - Planning Process
Section 4 - County Profile
| Section 5 | Section 5 |
| Section 5.1 - Methodology and Tools | Section 5.2 - Identification of Hazards of Concern |
| Section 5.3 - Hazard Ranking | Section 5.4.1 - Earthquake |
| Section 5.4.2 - Extreme Temperatures | Section 5.4.3 - Flood |
| Section 5.4.4 - Severe Storm | Section 5.4.5 - Severe Winter Storm |
| Section 5.4.6 - Wildfire | Section 5.4.7 - Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear Incidents |
| Section 5.4.8 - Disease Outbreak | |
| Section 6 - Mitigation Strategy | |
| Section 7 - Plan Maintenance | |
| Section 8 - Planning Partnership | |
| Section 9 |
Section 9 |
| Individual Annexes for Each Municipality | Section 9.1 - Westchester County |
| Section 9.2 - Mount Vernon (C) | Section 9.3 - New Rochelle (C) |
| Section 9.4 - Peekskill (C) | Section 9.5 - Rye (C) |
| Section 9.6 - White Plains (C) | Section 9.7 - Yonkers (C) |
| Section 9.8 - Bedford (T) | Section 9.9 - Cortlandt (T) |
| Section 9.10 - Eastchester (T) | Section 9.11 - Greenburgh (T) |
| Section 9.12 - Lewisboro (T) | Section 9.13 - Mamaroneck (T) |
| Section 9.14 - Mount Pleasant (T) | Section 9.15 - New Castle (T) |
| Section 9.16 - North Castle (T) | Section 9.17 – North Salem |
| Section 9.18 - Ossining (T) | Section 9.19 - Pelham (T) |
| Section 9.20 - Pound Ridge (T) | Section 9.21 - Rye (T) |
| Section 9.22 - Somers (T) | Section 9.23 - Yorktown (T) |
| Section 9.24 - Ardsley (V) | Section 9.25 - Briarcliff Manor (V) |
| Section 9.26 - Bronxville (V) | Section 9.27 - Buchanan (V) |
| Section 9.28 - Croton-on-Hudson (V) | Section 9.29 - Dobbs Ferry (V) |
| Section 9.30 - Elmsford (V) | Section 9.31 - Harrison (T/V) |
| Section 9.32 - Hastings-on-Hudson (V) | Section 9.33 - Irvington (V) |
| Section 9.34 - Larchmont (V) | Section 9.35 - Mamaroneck (V) |
| Section 9.36 - Mount Kisco (T/V) | Section 9.37 - Ossining (V) |
| Section 9.38 - Pelham (V) | Section 9.39 - Pelham Manor (V) |
| Section 9.40 - Pleasantville (V) | Section 9.41 - Port Chester (V) |
| Section 9.42 - Rye Brook (V) | Section 9.43 - Scarsdale (V) |
| Section 9.44 - Sleepy Hollow (V) | Section 9.45 - Tarrytown (V) |
| Section 9.46 - Tuckahoe (V) | |
| Acronyms and Abbreviations | |
| References | |
| Appendix A - Sample Adoption Resolution | Appendix B - Meeting Documentation |
| Appendix C - Public and Stakeholder Documentation | Appendix D - Participation Matrix |
| Appendix E - Action Worksheet Template | Appendix F - Plan Maintenance Tools |
| Appendix G - Critical Facility Inventory | Appendix H - Supplementary Data |
| Appendix J - NYS Planning Guidance | Appendix J - Linkage Procedures |
| Additional Hazard Mitigation Web pages: Hazard Mitigation Planning |
|
Following is important information for farm owners, residents and consumers concerning the agricultural operations and products in emergencies. Information on how to prepare for, respond during and recover from a variety of hazards is included in the resource links below. All audiences, including farm owners and consumers of agricultural products are encouraged to browse through the websites listed and download the appropriate guidance material.
Resources for Farm Owners
The national network of extension services links extension educators, emergency managers, and community officials to enhance resilience and reduce the impact of disasters in New York communities. Information for a variety of audiences and disasters is available at the New York Extension Disaster Education Network website. In addition to information on how to prepare for and recover from a variety of disasters, the program offers a 6-hour Farm Disaster Preparation Certificate course to help farm owners become better prepared for everyday or even larger farm disasters. Farms that complete the training program will receive a dated certificate to provide to their insurance carrier. This increases the farm’s eligibility for receiving a policy credit or even an actual discount on the farm’s annual insurance premium.
The Pennsylvania State University, with assistance from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), has prepared a guidance manual with information, resources and checklists, called ReadyAG: Disaster and Defense Preparedness for Production Agriculture. The ReadyAG© workbook covers a range of issues for farmers and ranchers to consider about various segments of their agricultural operation, provides guidance on how to evaluate vulnerabilities and risk for a variety of disasters and how to develop strategies to mitigate that risk.
The United States Department of Agriculture provides information for farmers on how to prepare for a variety of disasters and other emergencies, with a focus on animal welfare.
The State of Iowa has created, in partnership with Iowa State University through its Center for Food Security and Public Health, a comprehensive website with information on hazards and hazard planning for farms.
Resources for Horse and Large Animal Owners
The American Association of Equine Practitioners has information and resources for horse owners on how to prepare for and recover from natural disasters.
The New York Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) has specific resources for large animal owners.
Resources for Pet Owners
The American Humane Association has information for pet owners as well as disaster professionals and others on how to plan for pet safety before, during and after a disaster.
Resources for Residents and Consumers
If you grow food for consumption or buy food from local growers, please consult the following websites and follow instructions provided by your local emergency managers and health officials concerning food safety.
The federal government maintains a website with information on food safety, including actions to take during emergencies.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations also has information on food safety during emergencies.
The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection has published a booklet on food safety in emergencies.
Additional Hazard Mitigation Web pages:
Hazard Mitigation Planning
Hazard Mitigation Plan Downloads
Hazard Mitigation Maintenance Proceedures