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FEMA Delivers $1.6B to Long Island for Sandy Damage

Bay Park Sewage Plant
Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant in East Rockaway.

Nearly two years after Superstorm Sandy devastated Long Island, the federal government has officially released $1.6 billion in FEMA aid for Nassau County and LIPA.

The announcement was made Friday by Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, both Democrats.

The funding had already been approved but is now out the door.

Nassau County Public Works is receiving $729,637,539 to pay for pilot projects and hazard mitigation at Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant. Additionally, the money will be used to fix 32 storm-damaged pump stations across Nassau, including at the Lawrence Sewage Treatment Plant and Cedarhust Sewage Treatment Plant, the senators said.

“We all remember the environmental disaster at Bay Park following Superstorm Sandy, and this funding will help better protect our sewage treatment operations in the future,” Schumer said in a press release.

LIPA is getting $878,331,473 to repair substations and electronic distribution systems. The funding will also be used for meter replacement and infrastructure mitigation.

“This funding is great news for LIPA and the Nassau County Department of Public Works and is just what they need to rebuild and make crucial repairs and upgrades,” said Gillibrand.

Bay Park, which serves about a half-billion residents throughout Nassau County, suffered a catastrophic failure when Sandy struck Oct. 29, 2012. Sewage was then spewed into local streets and homes, and nearly 200 million gallons of treated and untreated sewage was spilled into Reynolds Channel and Hewlett Bay.

The 1.6 billion in FEMA funding was approved in January.