Asking Albany for more

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The Long Island Lobby Coalition, representing 75 organizations, went to the state capitol Mar. 10, to let the Governor and legislature know Long Island is not getting its fair share of the $142 billion state budget nor from the $5 billion windfall the state received from national banking settlements.

The Governor proposed spending $3 billion of the $5 billion on infrastructure, but only $150 million of that is earmarked for Long Island for two projects, parking garages for the Ronkonkoma railroad station and the Nassau Hub.

Among the other projects the coalition wants funded: the extended outflow pipe for the Bay Park Sewage Treatment plant. Superstorm Sandy extensively damaged the plant, however funding appears unlikely for an ocean outfall pipe. During Sandy the plant failed and raw sewage spilled out of the current pipe into Reynolds Channel. Environmentalists have shown the channel does not “flush” so that sewage, which is treated when the plant is working, remains in the channel and eventually coats the bottom where marine life lives. A new pipe, extending out several miles, would send treated effluent into the Atlantic Ocean, rather than the Western Bays, and reduce pollution in Reynolds Channel.

Numerous organizations and the state have asked the federal government to extend the pipe, but all requests have been denied. Cuomo told lawmakers the cost—$546 million, or more—was more then the state could handle.

Among those representing our area was Island Park resident Tommy Asher of Operation Splash, Senator Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) and Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky (D-Long Beach) who welcomed the delegation.