Sen. Schumer: Funds available for possible Bay Park sewage plan

Sen. Charles Schumer announced Monday that available federal funding could possibly be used to pay for a new Bay Park sewage plant outfall pipe. The proposed pipe would send treated sewage from the Bay

News 12 Staff

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Jun 9, 2015, 2:08 AM

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Updated 3,488 days ago

Sen. Charles Schumer announced Monday that available federal funding could possibly be used to pay for a new Bay Park sewage plant outfall pipe.

The proposed pipe would send treated sewage from the Bay Park sewage plant out into the ocean instead of the bays.

According to the senator, $500 million in funding is being made available to New York by FEMA, the EPA and HUD. The final say on where those dollars are spent ultimately rests with Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Environmentalist Adrienne Esposito says the money could be a game changer.

"This is exactly what the public is demanding. Cleaner bays. This kind of funding will allow us to have an outfall pipe that is cleaner and safer," Esposito told News 12.

The governor's office says it has not been formally notified of this "additional formula-based funding."

"If New York is to receive additional FEMA money, we will discuss all potential uses of the funding, including for the outfall pipe," a spokesperson said.

The treated sewage is currently sent to the Reynolds Channel.