Long Beach Gets $2.5 Million To Upgrade Sewage Plant

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Wednesday the recipients of nearly $85 million in state funds for projects across Long Island. Among the awardees were the City of Long Beach and Nassau County which, together, will get $4.5 million to improve wastewater treatment for the city and Point Lookout.

The money was awarded as part of Cuomo's plan to fund economic and community development projects through Regional Economic Development Councils. All together, Long Island is receiving $84.3 million to fund 98 projects.

"Over the past seven years, the Regional Economic Development Councils have successfully brought together the most innovative minds in economic development, fostering collaboration between state and local leaders to invest in New York's regional resources from the ground up," Cuomo said. "These awards are critical to building the foundations for New York's future and ensuring that our economic momentum continues."

The $2.5 million for Long Beach is among the highest single awards given to applicants. The money is earmarked for a "flow diversion project." According to the award notes, the city will work with other municipalities to upgrade its wastewater treatment plant. The upgrade will consolidate water treatment resources, reduce nitrogen in the water and remove pollutants, which will help improve water quality in Reynolds Channel, where the city's treated water is released.

In addition to the money going to Long Beach, the Nassau County Department of Public Works won an additional $2 million to improve the sewer system in Point Lookout. The county will use the money to design and build new sewer infrastructure for Point Lookout, which will connect to the Long Beach treatment facility.

Though the money will go to making improvements across Long Island, not everyone is a fan of the program. Assemblyman Brian Curran, a Republican from Lynbrook, has criticized the governor's plan, saying that it doesn't create the economic growth that he says it does.

"We are thankful for the economic development funding that Nassau County received, but we have seen this before and it hasn’t created jobs or improved the economic climate on Long Island the way the governor has promised it would," Curran said. "He is handing out taxpayer dollars, amid a potential $4 billion state deficit, but our residents still face some of the worst taxes in the nation, and businesses and jobs continue to flee the Island for neighboring states. Nassau County deserves better. New York state deserves better. This program is not the answer."

Photo: Patch