Western South Shore Long Island is still recovering from the environmental and economic toll wrought by SuperStorm Sandy.  One particular asset of note, the Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) located in East Rockaway, NY, was compromised beyond expectation, dumping nearly 100 million gallons of untreated sewage into the Western Bays for weeks after the storm. The areas affected by the storm surge were inundated with raw sewage. It was, and still is, an environmental disaster.   Many homes and businesses were abandoned, or condemned, by local municipalities as a result. 

Efforts underway (federal, state and local) look to improve the welfare of the Western Long Island South Shore estuary.  Recently, Nassau County is implementing the FEMA sponsored plan to build an 18ft berm around Bay Park STP.  We applaud the action to harden the facility; however, we, the local constituency, feel any plan that lacks the inclusion of an ocean outfall for the Bay Park (STP) as compromised.  Treated waste will continue to outfall into Reynolds channel from Bay Park STP.  This plan will not prevent sewage (treated or raw) from spilling into neighborhoods bordering the estuary.

Many of you petitioned the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to fund the installation of an ocean outfall pipe for Bay Park STP.  FEMA rejected it, of course, because the ocean outfall did not exist prior to Sandy.  How can property, that never existed, be eligible for FEMA public assistance?  Federal law prohibits spending FEMA funds this way!

Irrespective of FEMA’s decision, we, the local constituency, want the ocean outfall for Bay Park STP.  It is apparent that that the absence of an ocean outfall is the “Achilles’ heel” for long term regional environmental health and resiliency.  There are numerous local, state, and federal government studies, dating as far back as the 1970s, meriting the need for an ocean outfall.

New York State has a responsibility to uphold as chief steward of its environment.  The setback for federal aid should not deter efforts for an ocean outfall.  The State of New York must recognize its duties to its South Shore Long Island constituents.  New York State must act and for the following reasons:

-          Bay Park STP is the biggest polluter of Nitrogen for the Western Long Island South Shore estuary and the leading cause of eutrophication of our local waters. 

-          The outfall of sewage into our local waterways has caused decades of environmental damage.  This region has a long and rich history of fish kills, shell fishing bans, beach closings, harmful algal blooms, ulva overgrowth, hypoxia, etc.

-          An ocean outfall will improve the Western Bays ecosystem

-          An ocean outfall will eliminate the issue of entrained sewage thus decreasing the threat of sewage emanating onshore from a storm surge.

-          Increasing population density will further tax the Bay Park STP and the Western Long Island South Shore estuary, hampering its ability to manage waste.

We, the South Shore Long Island Constituency, feel that we can no longer support decades of indifference and inaction on the ocean outfall.  We need it and without it, the threat looms over our heads as we contemplate another “Sandy-Level” catastrophe.

We implore the offices of the petitioned to redouble efforts and pledge support for an ocean outfall for Bay Park STP for the benefit of South Shore Long Island Constituency and its future generations.