Long Island Sound Watershed Intermunicipal Council (LISWIC) Relaunches to Advance Regional Collaboration and Environmental Resilience

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2026

Long Island Sound Watershed Intermunicipal Council (LISWIC) Relaunches to Advance Regional Collaboration and Environmental Resilience

The Long Island Sound Watershed Intermunicipal Council (LISWIC) is proud to announce its official relaunch, bringing together municipalities across Westchester County to strengthen regional collaboration in protecting the Long Island Sound watershed.

With support from the Land Use Law Center and New York Sea Grant, LISWIC has been reestablished through a renewed intermunicipal agreement among participating communities, creating a formal framework for cooperation on critical environmental and infrastructure challenges that transcend municipal boundaries. LISWIC will serve as a platform for coordinated planning, information sharing, resource alignment, and joint advocacy at the county, state, and federal levels.

Municipalities within the Long Island Sound watershed face a range of interconnected issues, including stormwater management, flooding and flood mitigation, shoreline protection, water quality preservation, climate adaptation, and emergency preparedness. LISWIC is designed to address these shared concerns through a unified, strategic approach that leverages collective expertise and resources.

“Reestablishing LISWIC represents a significant step forward in regional cooperation,” said Council representatives. “By working together, municipalities can more effectively address the environmental challenges impacting the Long Island Sound watershed while maintaining local control over land use and governance.”

Participating Municipalities

The relaunched LISWIC includes the following Westchester County municipalities with jurisdiction over the Long Island Sound watershed:

• Cities of New Rochelle, Rye, and White Plains
• Towns of Mamaroneck, Pelham, and Rye
• Town-Villages of Harrison and Scarsdale
• Villages of Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Pelham, Pelham Manor, Port Chester, and Rye Brook

Together, these communities represent a unified commitment to advancing watershed protection, environmental stewardship, and regional resilience.

Through LISWIC, member municipalities will collaborate on initiatives such as resilience planning, natural resource protection, public education, and coordinated responses to climate-related impacts. The Council will also support the identification of funding opportunities and advocate for policies that benefit the watershed and its communities.

The reestablishment of LISWIC underscores a shared recognition that the health of the Long Island Sound and its watershed is vital to the region’s environmental sustainability, economic vitality, and quality of life.

Representatives from LISWIC member municipalities gathered for an official signing ceremony on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. at Playland Park in Rye, New York. The event also featured dignitaries from the county, state, and federal levels representing southeastern Westchester County communities.

Event Video
A video of the LISWIC press event is available here: Watch the press event video