Thursday, October 1, 2026
A bipartisan water infrastructure bill moving through Congress would authorize $3.3 million for a new stormwater pumping station in Freeport. The $125 million in total funding would be aimed at reducing flooding that has affected neighborhoods, roadways and critical infrastructure in the village and surrounding areas.
The funding is included in the Water Resources Development Act of 2026, which advanced unanimously out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on July 22.
The legislation authorizes funding for water infrastructure and coastal resilience nationwide, though Congress must still appropriate the money before the projects can advance.
Congresswoman Laura Gillen, the representative for New York’s 4th Congressional District, which includes Freeport, secured the authorization as part of the bill. The project would support the installation of additional stormwater pumping stations to help reduce flooding caused by high tides and severe storms.
The legislation also includes language directing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expedite the Nassau County Back Bays Coastal Storm Risk Management Project, a long-running study focused on protecting South Shore communities, including Freeport, from flooding and coastal erosion.
“For a decade, the Army Corps has been engaged in a study to examine how we can reduce storm damage, flooding and coastal erosion in Nassau County’s back bays,” Gillen said during committee consideration of the bill.
She noted that communities like Freeport “deal with severe flooding on a regular basis.” Village of Freeport officials did not respond to the Herald’s request for comment before it went to print.
Gillen said the measure would require the Army Corps to provide an update on the project’s status and move it closer to construction.
“My amendment would require the Army Corps to report on the current status of the project and to expedite and advance this crucial project one step further to protect us from the next storm,” she said.
In addition to the Freeport project, the bill authorizes funding for water infrastructure improvements in Long Beach, Garden City and Nassau County, along with studies examining additional flood mitigation and coastal resilience.
