Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a multimillion-dollar plan to protect Long Island's water quality by reducing harmful nitrogen pollution.

Surrounded by local officials at Bay Park in Oakdale, Cuomo said the plan was triggered by Superstorm Sandy.

"Sandy was a crisis and an eye-opener," said the governor. He says the storm galvanized the public and politicians to make progress.

As News 12 has reported, the Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant in East Rockaway was covered in 9 feet of seawater after Superstorm Sandy. Gov. Cuomo says that the state will advance $97 million from a much larger federal grant to speed up improvements to the plant. Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano says the upgrades are badly needed and will protect against future storms.

"It's an important project to all our residents of Nassau County and it will ensure that we will build safer, stronger and faster," said Mangano.

In Suffolk County, Gov. Cuomo says the state has secured $383 million in state and federal funding for sewer projects. Those projects include the Carlls River Watershed in North and West Babylon and the Connetquot River Watshershed in Great River being connected to the Bergen Point sewer system. The Patchogue River Watershed will connect to the Patchogue sewer system. A new wastewater treatment plant will also be built to serve the Forge River watershed in Mastic and Shirley.

The governor acknowledged the size and scope of the projects. He says they will be done in phases.