State, EPA Reach Agreement for Portion of Tappan Zee Loan

State officials and the federal Environmental Protection Agency have reached an agreement that will allow the state to borrow just over $31 million from clean water funds to help pay for portions of the Tappan Zee bridge rebuilding project.

The agreement was reached last week but announced today, May 12. Initially, the state sought to borrow $511 million from the fund but was approved to only borrow $30 million, a decision the state appealed.

Related:

• Report: $511 Mil. Tappan Zee Loan Defended by State Environmental Conservation Commission
• Abinanti Applauds EPA for Rejecting Most of Clean Water Loan for New Tappan Zee Bridge

Under the deal, the state will add two environmental initiatives to the project, which will cost about $1.3 million. That money will be added to the $30 million the state is slated to borrow from the clean water fund, and the state is now withdrawing its appeal of the decision rejecting the $511 million request.

“The EPA and the State of New York have agreed that two additional projects – the Oyster Bed Restoration (valued at $1.2 million) and the Falcon Nest Box (valued at $100,000) – will be financed,” the federal EPA said in a statement. “EPA already approved five estuary improvement projects, related to the bridge, that were funded through the NY Clean Water SRF in 2014. New York State has agreed to withdraw its objections to the EPA’s decision that funding is not appropriate for all other projects that had been in dispute.”

The state was criticized by some environmental group for trying to use half a billion dollars from the clean water fund to pay for such a large part of the bridge project.

According to officials, the rebuilt Tappan Zee Bridge is projected to cost $3.9 billion to complete.

Photo credit: New York State Thruway Authority

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