Environmental Rules in Hempstead, NY (2026)
3 verified environmental rules for Hempstead, New York, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Stormwater Management
The Town of Hempstead bans dumping anything but stormwater into its municipal storm sewer system (MS4) under Chapter 161, adopted in 2010 to meet the state's SPDES General Permit for MS4s. The Stormwater Management Officer enforces the ban, can order cleanup, suspend a property's MS4 access in an emergency, and refer violations for fines up to $1,000.
Hempstead MS4 Stormwater Discharge Rules
Some RestrictionsHempstead Code § 161-6
Prohibition of illegal discharges. No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged into the MS4 any materials other than stormwater except as provided in § 161-6A. The commencement, conduct or continuance of any illegal discharge to the MS4 is prohibited except as described as follows:
Erosion Control
Hempstead's illicit-discharge law makes construction-site erosion and sediment control a matter of state permit compliance: anyone disturbing an acre or more of land under Section 161-11 must hold and follow a SPDES construction-activity stormwater permit, and the Town can demand proof of compliance before allowing any discharge from the site into its storm sewer system.
Hempstead Construction Site Stormwater Permit Rule
Some RestrictionsHempstead Code § 161-11
§ 161-11. Industrial or construction activity discharges. Any person subject to an industrial or construction activity SPDES stormwater discharge permit shall comply with all provisions of such permit. Proof of compliance with said permit may be required in a form acceptable to the municipality prior to the allowing of discharges to the MS4.
Boat Dock Permits
Before building a dock, pier, mooring pile, spile or bulkhead over, on, into or adjacent to a Town waterway, Hempstead property owners need a permit from the Director of the Department of Conservation and Waterways. Chapter 168 covers docks, piers, floats and bulkheading, and a separate state DEC tidal wetlands permit is required on top of the local one.
Hempstead Waterway Structure & Dock Permits
Some RestrictionsHempstead Code § 168-2
No person shall maintain, construct or install, or cause to be maintained, constructed or installed, any structure over, on, into or adjacent to any waterway of the Town of Hempstead except after obtaining a permit from the Director of the Department of Conservation and Waterways. No provision of this chapter shall relieve a person from complying with the provisions of any federal or state law ...
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