Senator Charles Schumer visited the Birches in Locust Valley on Dec. 4, to announce that he is pushing for $500 to $700 billion in new federal funding targeted at upgrading sewer and water infrastructure on Long Island and across the country. This new funding would go to projects that are "shovel ready", such as the one to connect the homes in the Birches to the Glen Cove sewage treatment plant. Nassau County and the Town of Oyster Bay have developed a collaborative solution to this situation that has gone on for many, many years. Connecting the homes in the Birches community to the Glen Cove sewage treatment plant will alleviate the problem of inadequate sewage treatment, eliminating discharges into Mill Neck Creek which have caused this creek to be closed to swimming and shellfishing for many years due to high levels of bacteria.

The Birches has been high on the list of Friends of the Bay for many years as it works to protect and restore the ecological integrity and productivity of the OB/CSH estuary, which is home to a 3,200 acre national wildlife refuge and produces 90 percent of the oyster harvest in NY State. With the help of their dedicated volunteers, Friends of the Bay monitors water quality conditions and identifies trouble spots in need of remediation.

Senator Schumer said that the funding targeted to upgrading the aging water and sewer infrastructure on Long Island will help complete these vital projects, while reducing pollution, creating green jobs, and priming the pump of struggling local economies. Funding for these projects could total more than $165 million. This would include aid for building a pump station and connecting the homes in the Birches to the Glen Cove sewage treatment facility.

According to Robin Kriesberg, Friends of the Bay's Executive Director, "Investing in essential sewage infrastructure is a win-win situation, providing needed jobs and protecting water quality in the Bay and Long Island Sound. High bacteria counts in areas such as Mill Neck Creek restrict activities such as shellfishing and swimming. The overloading of nutrients into the estuary promotes excess plant growth that can lead to low oxygen conditions. These impacts, combined with polluted storm water runoff and warmer temperatures, threaten this fragile ecosystem."

Ms. Kriesberg said, "Additional investment is needed to address the impacts of storm water, climate change and sea level rise on the bay, so this incredible resource can continue to provide the economic, environmental, recreational and aesthetic benefits that we all enjoy. The bay will pay us back on this investment for years to come."

FYI: Friends of the Bay's mission is to preserve, protect and restore the ecological integrity and productivity of the Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor estuary and the surrounding watershed.