FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 3, 2009

GOVERNOR PATERSON AND EPA ADMINISTRATOR LISA JACKSON ANNOUNCE $432 MILLION IN ECONOMIC RECOVERY FUNDS FOR CLEAN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS ACROSS NEW YORK STATE

Largest Grant Provided in EPA History Will Support Thousands of Jobs

Governor Announces First Round of Grants – Investment of $170 Million

Governor David A. Paterson joined Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson today at the Albany Institute of History and Art to announce $432 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding, the largest grant provided to a state in EPA history. This funding, which was awarded to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and will be administered by the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation, will finance clean water infrastructure projects in communities across the State.

Additionally, Governor Paterson announced the first round of projects eligible to receive this funding. Upon Environmental Facilities Corporation Board of Directors approval, ten projects will be awarded a total of $170 million for water treatment plant and sewer upgrades, rehabilitations and improvements. Projects are located in the counties of Cayuga, Erie, Onondaga, Orange, Orleans, Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester. Additional grants will be announced in the coming months.

“New York State is committed to innovative approaches to building environmentally sustainable and energy efficient wastewater treatment technologies. This funding will help protect our environment and will support thousands of jobs across the State at a time when we need it most,” said Governor Paterson. “I thank President Obama, New York’s Congressional delegation, EPA Administrator Jackson and Commissioner Grannis for all of their hard work and continued support as we work together toward a path of full economic recovery and environmental protection.”

EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson said: “EPA is committed to being part of the solution in this economic downturn. By keeping the waterways clean and healthy, we’re bringing new jobs and new opportunities to local communities. Protecting human health and the environment is a great way to put people to work and stimulate our economy.”

DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis said: “Today is a truly extraordinary day for New York, for our environment, for our economy and for our communities across the State. DEC and Environmental Facilities Corporation are eager to use this funding to support local economies by creating jobs, and at the same time keep our invaluable rivers, streams, and lakes clean.”

This funding will create thousands of jobs across New York in many different sectors, including trade and construction jobs such as carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and heavy equipment operators, engineers; manufacturing jobs to create steel, pumps, pipes, concrete, and asphalt; and other jobs such as legal jobs, high-tech jobs, and operators of the plants.

ARRA requires that 20 percent of clean water funds be reserved for Green Innovation projects, such as energy efficiency, solar and water conservation elements of projects. New York’s Green Reserve is $86 million and will be distributed via a new $35 million Green Innovations Grant Program. The remaining $51 million will fund innovative initiatives at traditional sewage projects that qualify for ARRA monies. Applications for green innovation projects are available on the Environmental Facility Corporation’s Economic Recovery webpage at: www.nysefc.org/recovery.   

The first round of water infrastructure projects to be funded includes:

• Village of Weedsport, Cayuga County will receive $6.1 million to support the planning, design and rehabilitation of the Village's sanitary sewer system and for construction costs associated with upgrading the community's wastewater treatment plant. During wet weather events, the wastewater treatment facility receives too much water to treat; this project will mitigate that water inflow into the sewer system and ensure compliance with all environmental permits.

• Town of Owasco, Cayuga County will receive $1.65 million to support the planning, design and construction of the Town of Owasco’s Archie Street Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation and the construction of a high flow pump station. The sewer district is subject to high wet weather flows. This project will help to convey flows that exceed system capacity to a storage tank for later treatment.

• Buffalo Sewer Authority, Erie County will receive $17.6 million to support planning, design and construction of a new control facility that will collect and process material from 20 sewer regulators within the Hamburg drain system. This project is part of the redevelopment of Buffalo’s Inner Harbor.

• Onondaga County ARRA funding will support the planning, design and construction of the County’s Combined Sewer Overflow Abatement projects. The projects to be funded will reduce combined sewer discharge into Onondaga Lake from the City of Syracuse using green infrastructure and other traditional storm water mitigation technologies. 

• City of Middletown, Orange Countywill receive $27.8 million to support design and construction of the expansion and upgrade of the City of Middletown's wastewater treatment facility. This phase of the project will address upgrading the plant to eliminate the discharge of excessive levels of pollutants to the Wallkill River.

• Village of Albion, Orleans County will receive $2.65 million to support the planning, design and construction of the Village of Albion’s sanitary sewer improvements. The project involves the rehabilitation and replacement of approximately 16,000 linear feet of existing sewers, the replacement of 90 manhole frames and covers and 32 spot repairs within the village. This project improves treatment levels and will save energy by reducing the volume of flow requiring treatment. 

• Rockland County will receive a combined total of $35.2 million for two projects to support the planning, design and construction of sewer system rehabilitation and extensions within Rockland County’s sewer district #1. The wastewater collection system will feed into the County’s new advanced wastewater treatment facility which discharges into the Ramapo River. 

• Village of Greenport, Suffolk County will receive $4 million to support the costs associated with the planning, design and construction of full scale biological nitrogen removal, ultraviolet light disinfection and other improvements to the Village’s Water Pollution Control Plant. This project is to ensure the Village’s compliance with the Long Island Sound Estuary Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan. 

• Westchester County will receive $55 million to support the costs associated with the design and construction of biological nitrogen removal and other upgrades at the Mamaroneck Wastewater Treatment Facility. This project is to ensure the County’s compliance with the Long Island Sound Estuary Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan.  

Environmental Facilities Corporation Acting President Matthew Millea said: “As demonstrated today by Governor Paterson’s announcement of $170 million in clean water projects, Environmental Facilities Corporation is committed to obligating these funds quickly and transparently to innovative and energy efficient clean water projects, which will create jobs and protect water across the State.”

Executive Program Director for Citizens Campaign for the Environment Dereth Glance said: “New Yorkers know clean water is a necessity, not a luxury. We applaud the leadership provided by President Obama, the New York Congressional Delegation, Governor Paterson, and Commissioner Grannis for investing in sustainable clean water infrastructure to improve water quality that keeps our beaches open, allows our fisheries to thrive, and promotes New York’s shoreline as a top tourist destination.” 

President of the Construction Industry Council Ross Pepe said: “There is little question that public works and infrastructure renewal are vital to creating jobs today and laying a foundation for a sustainable economic recovery. A healthy construction industry invigorates the economy in many ways. For every $1 billion spent on construction as many as 35,000 jobs are created. Clean water, safe drinking water, efficient transportation systems, modern ports and airports, renewable energy and other public facilities all contribute to a healthy environment and business climate. Governor Paterson and the Obama Administration’s campaign to reinvest in America and New York State will pay off in growth for generations.”

For more information on the State’s efforts to administer its share of ARRA funding, please visit Governor Paterson’s Economic Recovery website at: www.recovery.ny.gov.

Additional quotes provided in support include:

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer said: “Efficient and effective wastewater infrastructure is critical to providing our communities with clean drinking water, rivers, streams and ponds. By investing in these projects we will allow cities, villages and towns across the State to thrive and grow, and will put people to work.”

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, said: “These critical federal dollars will help our communities finance clean water infrastructure projects and help create good-paying jobs across New York State. Creating jobs in New York is my number one priority. This funding will strengthen our economic recovery efforts and ensure our communities have the tools and resources they need to promote growth across New York State. I will work hard in the Senate to ensure New York gets its fair share of federal dollars.”

Congressman Tim Bishop said: “I am pleased that the Obama administration has placed a high priority on rebuilding our infrastructure, including clean water and wastewater treatment projects. In Congress, I have been working to increase funding for sewage and wastewater management because these are major concerns for residents through Suffolk County. Therefore this injection of recovery funding is valuable and timely.”

Congressman Eliot Engel said: “Making sure our community is drinking clean water is just simply a no-brainer and seeing much needed funds being sent to the people of the 17th District is certainly welcome. This will not only improve the health and quality of life of New Yorkers but it will also help to provide jobs and add to our efforts to bring New York and our nation out of its current economic crisis.” Congressman Brian Higgins said: “Western New York has an extremely old water system that will benefit significantly from this Recovery Act investment. This is a good first step toward upgrading our underground water delivery network and protecting our local natural water resources.”

Congressman Maurice Hinchey said: “It is very satisfying to see that the work we did in Washington to pass a significant economic recovery bill is literally paying off all across New York. By investing in critical water infrastructure projects, such as the City of Middletown’s water and sewer initiatives, we are creating jobs, making areas more attractive to businesses and residents, improving people’s quality of life, and sparing local taxpayers the full cost of these important projects. This type of investment in America’s infrastructure is exactly the remedy we need to help lift us out of this severe economic recession.”

Congressman Michael McMahon said: “Clean water, and the infrastructure needed to support it, is vital to maintaining the quality of life in our local communities. These funds improve water quality, while simultaneously creating badly needed jobs. I applaud my fellow New York Congressional Delegation members, as well as Governor Paterson and Commissioner Grannis, in their effort to secure these funds for New York State.”

Congressman Ed Towns said: “The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was intended to fund worthwhile projects that will stimulate the economy and create jobs. These ten projects selected by Governor Paterson fulfill the Congressional intent by jumpstarting the New York economy in the short-term, but also represent the long-term investments that this country needs to be competitive.”

Senate Majority Leader Malcolm A. Smith said: “The Senate’s role in securing the largest grant ever provided to the state Environmental Protection Agency demonstrates our commitment to protect the environment and health of New Yorkers. The $432 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding will help create safe, clean, reliable drinking water, as well as thousands of infrastructure jobs across the State.”

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said: “At a time when communities across New York are experiencing unprecedented fiscal challenges, federal stimulus projects such as this provide a great boost to infrastructure and job creation. These grants will help municipalities meet their water treatment needs and provide much-needed jobs. This is precisely what stimulus funds are intended to do. I thank Governor Paterson and the entire New York Congressional delegation for their leadership in obtaining these grants and the EPA for making this historic investment in New York’s infrastructure.”

Senator David J. Valesky said: “These much-needed infrastructure projects will improve the quality of life in our towns and villages, while at the same time providing economic stimulus in the form of new jobs. I applaud the efforts of our New York Congressional Delegation, along with Governor Paterson, in ensuring stimulus funding reaches our Upstate communities.

Senator Antoine Thompson said: “This federal stimulus funding improves our environment and creates good jobs.”

Assemblyman Marc S. Alessi said: “I have been working to ensure that funds from the stimulus package go to the infrastructure needed to protect our environment and our beloved Long Island Sound, and I am excited to see that Greenport is receiving this money for improvements that will create jobs, stimulate our economy, and help to reduce pollutants entering our waterways.”

Assemblyman Joan K. Christensen said: “Communities in Onondaga County will benefit from essential sewer system upgrades. The federal stimulus act approved by Congress earlier this year was intended to fund projects that improve infrastructure while putting people back to work. I am pleased that the EPA has selected Onondaga County for upgrades.”

Assemblywoman Aileen M. Gunther: I am thrilled about the stimulus funding for this project in Middletown, which has been in the works for numbers of years. The stimulus funding was advanced to support projects of this nature. This Middletown infrastructure upgrade will create jobs and reduce the potential tax burden on citizens.”

Assemblyman Sam Hoyt: “The clean water grants provided from the stimulus funds are a much-needed shot in the arm for municipalities across New York. I am pleased that these funds will encourage the use of environmentally friendly technologies while helping communities ensure they have clean water. That these grants help provide jobs during this recession will also help New York greatly.”

Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee: “These grants are an important investment in Rockland County communities which help offset tax increases levied to pay for sewer system upgrades. This is an example of the stimulus plan assisting local governments during this economic recession. This grant will provide infrastructure improvements and create much-needed jobs.”

Assemblyman George S. Latimer said: “This is terrific news for Westchester taxpayers and Westchester environmentalists. This is exactly the proper project that stimulus funds were meant to advance.”

Assemblyman William B. Magnarelli said: “This is a quality of life issue. Syracuse has a real issue with sewer overflow and this funding will go a long way towards protecting the public and solving the problem.”

Assemblyman Robert K. Sweeney: “The clean water grants provided from the stimulus funds are a much-needed shot in the arm for municipalities across New York. I am pleased that these funds will encourage the use of environmentally friendly technologies while helping communities ensure they have clean water. That these grants help provide jobs during this recession will also help New York greatly.”

Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski said: “This grant will help communities in my district make significant infrastructure improvements while at the same time taking the property tax burden on homeowners.”