By Paul Shapiro
Other federal stimulus money is necessary to pay for the construction at the sewer plants in Lawrence and Cedarhurst, which will have their waste transferred to the county’s facility in Bay Park.
Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles E. Schumer aggressively lobbied members of the Appropriations Committee to include funding for the project in this year’s spending bill. “This funding will move Nassau County one step closer to cleaner and more cost effective sewer management plan,” said Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “Investments in infrastructure and wastewater management projects on Long Island is key to ensuring its economic and environmental health for the years to come.”
The Nassau County Legislature approved an $18 million bill on June 8 which will close the sewage plants in Lawrence and Cedarhurst. That approved funding will cover a pump station in Lawrence, a gravity pipe in Cedarhurst and upgrades to the Inwood facility. Federal stimulus money is planned to be used to pay for up to half of the total cost of construction at the Five Towns facilities, according to county officials. Construction should begin later this year once the stimulus money is procured.
Nassau County is implementing a sewer consolidation plan based on a recent study, which determined that the consolidation of sewer services throughout the county would provide significant environmental benefits and cost savings to residents. The county will use the federal money to complete a Technical Design Report for an ocean outfall as well. The relocation of the outfall will eliminate the discharge of organic material, nutrients and suspended solids to the Western Bays.
“This funding will go a long way in improving Nassau County’s infrastructure,” Senator Schumer said. “Ineffective sewer capacity can pollute waterways, lead to beach closures, and stifle the expansion of new development. This is a wise investment that will ensure Long Island remains environmentally healthy into the future.”
