Elementary Students Name Machinery For Bay Park Tunnel Project

OCEANSIDE, NY — Students from a pair of elementary schools in Oceanside won the naming contest for the Bay Park Conveyance Project Microtunnel Boring Machine (MTBM).

Nine children in Sheila Gunther's sixth-grade class at Fulton Avenue Elementary School, Ocean School #8 chose the name Marsh-Mellow.

It was submitted by Sofia Arata, Peter DeMarco, Haiden Deodat, Thomas Doolan, Oliver Feinstein, Leo Hanratty, Brody Lucas, Gabriella Nettuno, and Nicholas Peña, the state Department of Environmental Conservation said in a statement.

They selected Marsh-Mellow as a combination standing for the marshlands of Bay Park, whereas Mellow emphasizes how the project will protect the Bay's natural ecosystems.

Marsh-Mellow will soon be lowered into the ground at Bay Park Shaft 2, where it will be assembled in preparation for microtunneling.

Students from Kristin Stea's sixth-grade class at North Oceanside Road Elementary School, Oceanside School #5 selected P.O.S.E.I.D.O.N.

It's an acronym for "Project of Science to Expel an Incredibly Damaging Overabundance of Nitrogen."

Poseidon was chosen by Rocco Fontanelli, Sophia Kenn, Amelia Valentino and Matthew Vlahakis.

"The naming of the MTBMs is such a momentous and fun occasion for our Project," County Executive Laura Curran said in a statement. "Not only does it show our commitment to partnering with our communities, it also showcases the innovative and intelligent minds of our next generation."

The naming ceremony was held at a critical project milestone, immediately before the first MTBM is lowered into a shaft to commence microtunneling to advance the Bay Park Conveyance Project.

The Bay Park Conveyance Project will reduce nitrogen pollution in the Western Bays by redirecting treated water from the South Shore Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) to the Cedar Creek Water Pollution Control Plant.