Our History and Mission
The Long Island Commission for Aquifer Protection (LICAP) is a bi-county organization formed in 2013 by unanimous votes in the Nassau and Suffolk Legislatures to address both quality and quantity issues facing Long Island’s aquifer system and to advocate for a coordinated, regional approach to groundwater resources management. LICAP was reauthorized for a second five-year term in 2018.
Tasks and Goals
One of LICAP’s primary goals is transparency. LICAP meets quarterly, at a minimum, with meetings open to the public. LICAP also conducts annual public hearings in both Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Additionally, every year the commission issues an update to its original State of the Aquifer report and in 2020 unveiled a landmark Groundwater Resources Management Plan.
State of the Aquifer Report
LICAP’s original State of the Aquifer report was issued in 2015. Updated annually, the report includes the latest information about the status of the groundwater supply that provides 100% of Long Island’s drinking water.
Groundwater Resources Management Plan
LICAP’s Groundwater Resources Management Plan provides a blueprint for the management of Long Island’s groundwater. The plan includes qualitative and quantitative groundwater data, anthropogenic threats to groundwater quality and quantity and existing groundwater management regimes. The plan also assesses the adequacy of existing groundwater management regulations and includes management recommendations and proposed regulatory amendments. The plan also charts out an implementation program that includes the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders.
Our Members
LICAP’s membership consists of stakeholders from Nassau and Suffolk Counties with expertise in groundwater management, including elected officials and representatives of health departments, public water suppliers, agencies specializing in environmental protection and environmental advocacy organizations.
Subcommittees
LICAP maintains four subcommittees, two created in conjunction with the commission’s first term (the 2040 Water Resources and Infrastructure Subcommittee and the Water Resources Opportunities Subcommittee) and two added with the commission’s reauthorization in 2018 (the Conservation Subcommittee and the Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan Subcommittee.)