Bellone Announces Suffolk County Sewer Infrastructure Program

Competitive grants and loans will be made available for construction-ready municipal and private sewer infrastructure projects

(Hauppauge, New York-April 5, 2013)  Today, County Executive Steven Bellone announced that applications for a competitive grant and loan program will be made available on April 5, 2013 for construction-ready municipal and private sewer infrastructure expansion projects within Suffolk County.  With less than 25% of Suffolk County currently served by sewage treatment facilities, this program will assist in expanding sewers, protecting the drinking water supply and spurring economic development.

“Investing in sewers makes both environmental and economic sense,” said County Executive Bellone.  “Sewer expansion is essential to creating jobs in Suffolk County in an sustainable way.  We also know that water quality is critical to our way of life, and that expanding our sewer infrastructure protects our groundwater, estuaries and public drinking water.”

Legislator Horsley stated, “This pool of funds gives Suffolk County a way to ‘grow’ sewers in Suffolk, which is both an environmental and economic development necessity.”

"There are key locations where sewers are a necessity, not a luxury item.  Growing downtowns and creating transit oriented communities can be accomplished while enhancing the protection of groundwater and our estuaries," said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment.

Approximately $30 million in funding will be made available through Suffolk County’s Asset Stabilization Reserve Fund for sewer expansion projects. The projects submitted will be evaluated by the Suffolk County Sewer Infrastructure Committee and then presented to the Suffolk Legislature for approval and will be analyzed based on the following criteria:

•           Project is consistent with at least one of the following plans: Suffolk County’s Comprehensive Plan, Long Island Regional Economic Development Council Strategic Plan, current estuary plans, the draft Suffolk County Comprehensive Water Resources Management Plan, Local Waterfront Revitalization Plans adopted by NYS, or applicable community-based, locally-adopted municipal plans that have also been appropriately referred to the Suffolk County Planning Commission.

•           Project applicant demonstrates the financial capacity to successfully implement and carry out the project.

•           Project applicant demonstrates the ability to begin construction within 12-24 months of contract execution.

•           Project protects or improves the quality of drinking waters within groundwater-contributing area to public supply wells, areas served by private wells, or improves the quality of nitrogen-sensitive water bodies.

•           Site and its proposed use will not compromise or reduce any environmentally sensitive natural habitats. 

•           Site and its proposed use has all of the following characteristics: promotes to the maximum practical extent long term growth and benefit to Suffolk County, environmental sustainability components, within a ½ mile of a rail transit hub, mixed use and housing diversity component, and creates a “place of interest” or provides sewer connections for existing commercial or residential properties currently on septic/cesspools in areas that do not conform to Article 6.

Applications will be available for download on April 5, 2013 at 4:00pm.  The accessible website is: http://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/Planning/SpecialProjects.aspx.

The deadline for submittal of applications is June 4, 2013. 

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