Environmental Management Council (EMC)

About the Rockland County Environmental Management Council

Welcome to The Rockland County Environmental Management Council (EMC) web page. The EMC was established by the Rockland County Legislature in 1973. Its members are volunteers representing Rockland County's five towns. They bring a variety of expertise and experiences from fields such as academia, non-profit, engineering, geology, business, marketing, public communications, and technology. They are appointed by the County Executive, confirmed by the Legislature, and sworn in by the County Clerk. The EMC works in a non-partisan, non-adversarial manner to support environmental improvement within the system.

On this web page you can find information about the EMC's mission, meetings, and membership; the Eleanor Burlingham Earth Day Contest and the Green Champion Award; examples of green infrastructure for storm water management; and clean(er) and more efficient energy infrastructure.

Note: This web page is for informational purposes only. The EMC does not endorse or promote goods and services offered by companies which may be referenced.

Our Mission

The Environmental Management Council preserves and protects Rockland County's natural resources through community outreach, public recognition of environmental achievements, education, and publicly advising on environmental issues and opportunities.

In support of its mission EMC's activities include:

• Sponsoring the Eleanor Burlingham Earth Day Contest for school students to observe their interactions and interest in the environment, and presenting the annual Green Champion Award to organizations or individuals who consistently exemplify outstanding environmental stewardship.
• Monitoring land use and development to help ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and submitting public written and oral testimony to regulatory commissions and planning boards.
• Working with other agencies and organizations to preserve water resources by encouraging broader adoption of green infrastructure to better manage storm water run-off.
• Identifying and promoting technologies and practices to reduce 'carbon footprints' and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Researching and promoting additional ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle in order to reduce waste streams in government, commercial, and residential settings.
• Preserving and extending biodiversity by emphasizing the importance of native plants and controlling invasive plant species, among other initiatives.
• Meeting regularly to discuss environmental issues and opportunities and progress toward the EMC's goals. Meetings are open to and may include presentations by the public.
• When requested by the County Legislature, researching and providing opinions on environmental issues that may have significant impacts on the County and its residents.

Meetings and Membership

Our EMC's monthly meeting - open to the public - is usually held on the third Wednesday at  5pm-6:30pm virtually. Meeting locations may vary depending on the season. Be sure to refer to the Agenda for the correct meeting location. The EMC may usually does not meet in the summer months of July and August. To learn about meeting updates and other environmental matters, please email laiblen@co.rockland.ny.us.

Members (13 seats, 5 current vacancies)
Executive Director: Nicole Laible

Clarkstown:
Joanna Galdone
Glenn Sungela - Vice Chairperson
Darwin Keung - Corresponding Secretary {At-Large Member}

Haverstraw:
VACANT

Orangetown:
William Herguth
Catherine Mazzocchi

Ramapo:
Natalie Patasaw - Chairperson
Gillian Ballard 
Chana Friedenberg- Recording Secretary {At-Large Member}

Stony Point:
VACANT

The EMC began meeting with Town Supervisors to share environment concerns and learn more about Town operations and local areas of concern. The board began meeting with Supervisors in 2016. Below is a list of Meeting Minutes:
Clarkstown Supervisor
Orangetown Supervisor

Listed below are past meetings Agendas and Minutes.  Previous years' meeting agenda, minutes, and other documents are available upon request by contacting the Rockland County Department of Environmental Resources at 845-364-2670 or env@co.rockland.ny.us

Eleanor Burlingham Earth Day Essay & Poster Contest

The EMC sponsors the Eleanor Burlingham Earth Day Essay Contest annually which encourages youths to go outside and observe interactions between humans, plants and animals.  Students submit essays to the EMC for review. Five winners are selected each year and a recognition ceremony takes place at the Allison-Parris Building in early June with the County Executive and other government officials.  The Contest was initiated in 1992 and is named after long time EMC member, Rockland Conservation Association member and active environmentalist, Eleanor Burlingham.

2021 marks the 30th anniversary of the Eleanor Burlingham Earth Day Contest! This year, the EMC is hosting a Creative Arts Contest encouraging 5th grade students across Rockland County to submit either a poem, 500 word essay or poster by May 14th, 2021. All entries can be submitted via email or mail to laiblen@co.rockland.ny.us or ATTN: Nicole Laible, Rockland Environmental Management Council,
50 Sanatorium Road, Building A, 6th Floor, Pomona, NY 10970. 

The 2021 contest topic is "How can we work together (with our family, friends, classmates, etc.) to restore our relationship with our planet?" 

The 2021 Award Ceremony is scheduled for June 2nd, 2021 under the pavilion at Haverstraw Bay County Park. The event will honor the 9 winning entries where students will receive award certificates from the County Executive and EMC. The ceremony will begin promptly at 4:30pm and run conclude by 6pm. RSVP is required to attend this event.