Governor George Pataki visited Oyster Bay on Sunday, Oct. 4 with wonderful news for residents. He brought millions of dollars of Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act funds to award to local projects.

"Since 1995, we have worked with local communities to restore the health, vitality and productivity of Long Island Sound. We have taken the cleanup plans for the Sound that were gathering dust and brought them to life," the governor said. "As we clean up the Sound, we will continue to make investments in local parks and in our waterfronts so New Yorkers can enjoy this wonderful natural resource."

NYS Senator Carl Marcellino, sponsor of the Bond Act legislation said, "When voters approved the Bond Act referendum two years ago, they were making an investment in the protection and preservation of their environment. That investment is beginning to pay off for the residents of Oyster Bay in projects that will make a significant contribution to the entire community."

Mr. Pataki said the grants include $10.9 million for projects on Long Island to reduce the discharge of nitrogen and other pollutants into Long Island Sound. Here in the Town of Oyster Bay, there is $873,600 for a project to create a tidal wetland and expand a freshwater wetland at Mill Pond Stream, (part of the Western Waterfront Project,) to reduce pollution runoff into the Sound, which causes beach and shellfish bed closures. The Oyster Bay Sewer District is receiving $3,752,750 for improvements to a waste water treatment plant that will reduce nitrogen discharges into the Sound from the plant by 62 percent.

The Village of Bayville will receive $230,000 toward a $460,000 project for replacement of a storm water culvert with an artificial wetland to improve water quality in Oyster Bay Harbor. The project will treat pathogens and other pollutants in previously untreated runoff prior to being discharged into Oyster Bay Harbor.

The Village of Centre Island will receive $12,500 toward a $75,000 project to install two concrete culverts with self-regulating tidal gates. The project will return a 25-acre marsh in the village to a more natural condition by reinstating tidal flow. It will prevent flooding to low-lying properties while increasing salinity to the wetlands. It is also expected to restore fish movement and improve bird and waterfowl habitat.

There is $287,000 to construct a boat ramp at the Western Waterfront Project site.

Installation of a sanitary sewage treatment system to treat all sanitary waste from 26 households in The Birches subdivision. The project will reduce pollutants and contaminants reaching Mill Neck Preserve, Oyster Bay Harbor and Long Island Sound.

The Christeen Oyster Sloop Preservation Corporation will receive $50,000 to continue to restore and outfit the vessel that will be used as a marine education resource at the Marine Education Center to be built at the Jakobson Shipyard.

Senator Marcellino said, "It is especially rewarding to see millions of dollars in Bond Act funds awarded to projects in the Fifth Senate District."

Supervisor John Venditto said, "The Town of Oyster Bay has already been the recipient of several Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act grants. We are grateful for the new grants and for Governor George Pataki's leadership in protecting the environment, as well as his ongoing support of town projects."

Michael Deering, executive director of Friends of the Bay was delighted with the governor's returning to Oyster Bay such a short time after his Sept. 12 visit to again offer help to forward the Western Waterfront Plan.

"We will have the Jakobson Shipyard site cleared, the buildings restored, the area graded and the wetlands being restored all in the next 12 months," he said.

"What made it happen," said Mr. Deering, "Was because of the community input and the work of the Western Waterfront Committee that made known the community's wants for the area."

On Sept. 12, Mr. Pataki visited the Jakobson Shipyard with the news that the state was contributing $2.3 million to the Western Waterfront Project.

To date, the Western Waterfront project has received $600,000 in federal funds from the DEC to construct a boat ramp and launching area for small boats; $60,000 from the DEC to renovate the existing Oyster Bay Sailing School building for a local office; $5 million from the state for the purchase of Jakobson's; $1 million from the town toward that purchase; a $25,000 grant from the EPA for a study to clean up the Mill Pond.

The state and the town provided $91,000 for the development of the conceptual land use plan - the cost of the Western Waterfront joint state/town effort.

The $2.3 million will be used to fund the demolition and removal of on-shore and off-shore shipyard-related facilities - such as buildings, the railways and dilapidated piers and for landscaping the site.

The entire plan will cost somewhere between $12 and $13 million to complete.

NYS DEC Commissioner John P. Cahill said, "Never before has New York State provided this level of resource to help communities across the state invest in environmental protection and renewal projects. When Governor Pataki proposed the Bond Act, he proposed we commit the funds quickly to worthy projects. We have done just that and, as a result, New York has regained its rightful place as the national leader among states in environmental protection."

Secretary of State Sandy Treadwell said, "We are strengthening our partnership with local governments to protect and improve our state's waterfront environments."