By Steve Levy
An idea floated by our Center for Cost Effective Government would provide incentives for homeowners and businesses on Long Island to switch to lawns that require less watering and less fertilizer.
On Long Island, we love our lawns. A well-watered and manicured layer of sod always looks great, but it can be resource-intensive. Our lawns require heavy maintenance, which can include using huge amounts of water. With rising water bills on Long Island, any opportunity to save money would be a welcome addition.
Then there is the environmental impact of using massive quantities of fertilizer that are used to support our charming green lawns in front of our single-family homes. For many, these lawns are emblematic of the American dream, a piece of post-war suburbia heaven.
Traditionally, Long Islanders tend to use Kentucky bluegrass seeding, which is kelly green, flush and pleasant on the eye, but it also requires a great deal of watering and fertilizer.
Tall fescue grass, on the other hand, requires about 33% less nitrogen fertilizer than Kentucky bluegrass, needing roughly two to three pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet annually compared to higher-input lawns.
Tall fescue generally requires about one to 1.5 inches of water per week, which is roughly 25% less water than Kentucky bluegrass. It also handles heavy use and wear much better than fine fescues or Kentucky bluegrass. It grows well in various soil types found across the region and tolerates moderate shade.
Berkshire Botanical Garden notes that alternative seeds such as creeping red, hard fescue, and chewing fescue can be used to reduce fertilizing needs by one-half. This is the case because, while Kentucky bluegrass has roots of four to eight inches, the fescue grass has roots going much deeper — up to two to three feet to tap water in the ground.
The North and South Rivers Watershed Association notes that watering a one-acre lawn with just one inch of water consumes 26,000 gallons — more than it takes to fill a standard 16×32-foot swimming pool.
So how do we change our culture here in Long Island to begin a transition to the more environmentally friendly grass seed? The answer is the same way we promote change in other areas — create monetary incentives.
The city of Redlands, California provides monetary incentives for the more environmentally friendly lawns. The Water Conservation rebate gives the homeowner $1 per square foot of grass that is replaced with drought-tolerant or irrigationless landscaping, up to $1,000. The rebate comes back to you as a credit right off your water bill. The program involves a pre-inspection, and a post-inspection confirms the work and releases the credit.
Why not have a similar kind of incentive put in place through the Suffolk County Water Authority or through the county’s sewer and cesspool program that was passed via a referendum in 2024?
Communities that pool together and convert a certain percentage of their lawns to the new turf could become eligible for further credits, thereby spurring a more “we are all in this together” movement.
And to start it all off, municipalities can serve as role models by taking the lead by transitioning to these more environmentally appropriate grasses.
We realize this isn’t for everyone. Some people just love their Kentucky bluegrass. And that’s why it shouldn’t be a mandate. Yet, incentives never hurt anyone.
The Department of Environmental Conservation is shortly going to hold hearings on ways to reduce fertilizers on Long Island. How about starting with this turf-friendly tax credit?
Steve Levy is Executive Director of the Center for Cost Effective Government, a fiscally conservative think tank. He served as Suffolk County Executive, as a NYS Assemblyman, and host of “On the Right Side Podcast.” Costeffectivegov@gmail.com