“It’s in total disrepair,” said Democratic Minority Leader Kevan Abrahams, of the Bay Park plant. “We’ve seen this for decades, and it’s time that we do something about it — while the county can save money.”

“We applaud the federal and state government for their financial assistance in helping Nassau County recover and rebuild from the devastating effects of Sandy,” Abrahams said. “Coupled with what we approved in July, all the funding necessary to repair Bay Park is in place, and we look forward to working with the administration to get this critically important project moving forward.”

Abrahams said that there will now be the oversight and progress updates that the Democrats have been seeking regarding the use of the funds and the upgrades to the plants. “The most important thing is that there is transparency, and that the public understands every phase of the process,” he said.

Legislator Dave Denenberg (D-Merrick) was the only Democrat to cross party lines in that initial vote. “I voted for the full amount because I believe, in this situation, and when it comes to sewage treatment plants, for the health and safety of our residents, we need to get it all done, whether the FEMA money is coming or not,” he said in July.

On Monday, he added that the residents have put up long enough with the loud noise of the generators set up and running in the plant’s parking lot since the storm.

“We need to step up — this administration is hundreds of millions of dollars behind in projects … [T]he Bay Park residents are ready. Give them the money.”