Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and
Charles E. Schumer today announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee
approved $300,000 for under the FY10 Interior Appropriations Bill. Senators
Gillibrand and 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 Senator
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.”
“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.”
Nassau County is currently implementing a sewer consolidation
plan based upon its recent study which determined the consolidation of sewer
services throughout the County would provide significant environmental benefits
and cost savings to County residents. Nassau County will use the federal
dollars to complete of a Technical Design Report for an ocean outfall. The
relocation of the outfall will eliminate the discharge of organic material,
nutrients and suspended solids to this impacted water body.
Late yesterday, the Appropriations Bill for Interior passed
the Appropriations Committee and will head to the floor for a full vote before
the Senate. The bill will then proceed to the House-Senate Conference
Committee, before final passage in both chambers, and sent to the President to
become law.