(Hauppauge, NY-October 9, 2013) – The Suffolk County Water Quality Protection and Restoration Program (WQPRP) has put out a call for applications for funding to support water quality improvement projects. The funding comes from the ¼% sales tax collected by the County for environmental preservation and water quality protection projects of which 11.75% of the ¼% sales tax collected is committed to ground and surface water quality improvement and land stewardship projects. All applications must be received by Friday, October 25, 2013.
“The WQPRP is one of the best tools the County has to preserve water quality standards on Long Island,” said County Executive Steve Bellone. “We are actively encouraging municipalities and non-profit organizations to partner with us in our efforts to protect the waters that feed our bays and provide our drinking water.”
The WQPRP is administered by the Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning under Deputy County Executive and Department Commissioner Joanne Minieri. The funding is available to all County departments, as well as to other local municipalities and non-profit organizations on a 50/50 cost share basis.
“Wise environmental stewardship is instrumental to Suffolk County’s long-term success. The WQPRP will help us identify the programs needed to protect Long Island drinking waters in a cost-effective, innovative manner,” added Deputy County Executive and Commissioner of Economic Development & Planning Joanne Minieri.
The current call for applications has been announced seeking applications to address the following, vital, water quality issues:
a. Projects that involve coordination amongst municipalities regarding stormwater treatments
b. Projects that provide a better understanding of harmful algal blooms (HABs) in Suffolk County waters which may include:
• the probable causes
• the effects on our coastal waters
• the environmental and economic impacts of these blooms and
• the non-sanitary wastewater system reduction efforts
c. Projects that address planning for alternative onsite sewage treatment systems, that can demonstrate a minimum total nitrogen control of 50% over traditional cesspool/septic tank systems, including clustered treatment of onsite septic systems, within the 25-year contributing zone for surface waters and within the 50-year contributing zone for public water supply wells
The applications received will be reviewed at the next WQPRP Review Committee meeting to be held in November of this year. Projects recommended for funding by the Committee will then go before the County Legislature and the County Executive for funding appropriations.
Examples of previously funded WQPRP projects include:
• $250,000 to construct a low pressure sewer line connection for the Town of Babylon Geiger Lake Park redevelopment. This low pressure sewer line will connect the sanitary facilities at the park to the new Wyandanch Southwest District sewage line.
• $147,500 for a stormwater remediation project in the Village of Sag Harbor. This project will treat stormwater that was previously running down onto Havens Beach untreated, resulting in degraded water quality at Havens Beach.
• $55,370 to replace old sanitary waste pump-out stations at the Timber Point East and the Shinnecock Canal County marinas.
Reminder: All applications should be submitted electronically to the Department of Economic Development and Planning, Division of Water Quality Improvement to, www.WQPRP@suffolkcountyny.gov.
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