New Castle Hopeful State Budget to Include Sewer Funding
State and local officials expressed cautious optimism that significant funds would be earmarked in the state ‘s 2015-16 budget for wastewater treatment and clean water projects that could help pay for New Castle’s sewage diversion project.
New Castle Supervisor Robert Greenstein said he met last Wednesday with state Sen. Terrence Murphy (R-Yorktown) and learned that the Senate has proposed a $1 billion matching grant program for the new fiscal year, which starts Apr. 1, to help pay for projects that would protect the state’s drinking water supply.
In 2012 the county Board of Legislators approved a measure to include 293 New Castle parcels from the Yeshiva, Riverwoods and Random Farm communities into the Saw Mill Sanitary Sewer District. Many of those parcels contain failing septic systems.
However, the work on installing the sewers has been delayed after the original $16 million set aside for the project–$6 million from the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and $10 million from the county’s East of Hudson funds–has proved insufficient. The most recent estimates for the project is about $26 million.
Matt Slater, a spokesman for Murphy, said under the Senate’s plan a municipality would apply for a grant to help pay for projects related to wastewater treatment, protection of drinking water supplies or to bring Internet broadband to areas that don’t have access to that service.
A municipality would be required to match whatever money it receives from the state as a condition of the grant.
While Slater was uncertain where the Assembly and Gov. Andrew Cuomo stand on the issue, he was hopeful that the funding would be supported.
“I think it’s a pretty good program that we can definitely sell to the Assembly,” Slater said.
Greenstein said that the money had been originally intended for a low-interest loan program to help fund similar projects. But in the past few years municipalities have neglected to tap into the funds because it would count against the property tax cap, which was signed into law in 2011.
Since Westchester County has already approved $10 million for the New Castle sewer project, that could be used as the matching funds, Greenstein said.
“The money is already allocated, they budgeted for it, so they think it has a decent chance of passing, and the best part is that what could be in the match is the money that Westchester County put in,” he said. “It doesn’t necessarily have to come from us, per se, because this project is going to benefit New York City and Westchester, all of Westchester’s water.”
When reached last week, Assemblyman David Buchwald (D-White Plains), who, like Murphy represents the Town of New Castle, didn’t comment directly on the Senate’s plan. But he said the Assembly is currently including $250 million toward clean water and wastewater treatment projects in its budget proposal. A key difference is that the Assembly’s plan would not require matching funds from the municipality.
Although Cuomo’s executive budget did not include money for sewer and clean water projects, Buchwald was confident that since legislators have identified this as a priority, the governor would support the concept.
“I think the governor recognizes the need for action for our water and sewer projects to protect our drinking water and the environment,” Buchwald said.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
