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$56,000 Grant Funds New Vehicle and School Safety

The big news from the Stony Point Police Department is the $56,000 in grant funding we recently received! The grant, secured in cooperation with our former NYS Senator James Skoufis, enabled the department to purchase a new police vehicle and two new radar speed signs for our school zones. One sign was installed by Farley Elementary School (coming eastbound on Route 210), and the second is located on southbound Jay Street by Stony Point Elementary School. We’re happy to be able to provide this additional speed protection near our schools in order to keep children and their families safe. The department is also in the process of adding a new officer to our ranks to replace Mike Heath, who is now the Stony Point School Resource Officer. This is a great move for Mike and our whole community, and we’re proud to watch him thrive in his new role. We are looking to hire a Spanish-speaking officer and the hire will come at no additional cost to the county because Mike’s position is funded by the school district.

As always, we are focused on the safety of all Stony Point residents and are here to serve you!

Harckham, Eachus Announce State Funding for Stony Point Wastewater Treatment Improvement Project

Stony Point, NY – New York State Senator Pete Harckham and Assemblymember Chris Eachus announced today that $2,754,838 in state grant funding has been awarded to the Town of Stony Point for a wastewater treatment improvement project as part of the state’s initiative to revitalize municipalities and create new economic opportunities.

“As the historic Stony Point community continues to grow, its infrastructure will require updating and modernization, especially in terms of resiliency and sustainability,” said Harckham. “This state grants will help fund vital sanitary sewer improvements and support smart growth planning to keep up with the town’s progress.”

“One of the top litmus tests of any effective legislator is the ability to bring back funding to their district,” said Eachus. “With this over $2.7 million dollar investment into the Town of Stony Point residents will see real, on-the-ground improvements in their growing community. I am beyond grateful to be able to deliver this critical funding to my constituents and thank my colleague, Senator Harckham, for his tireless advocacy. This is the first of what’s to come, and Stony Point has a new seat at the table in Albany.”

The funding that Stony Point was awarded will be used to replace the influent pump station, grit chamber, and bar screen (headworks) at the town’s sewage treatment plant to better handle peak flows through the plant and reduce sanitary sewer overflows to the Hudson River.

The state grant was part of more than $108 million going to 51 projects through the State’s Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) program. Administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the WQIP grant program funds projects that directly improve water quality or aquatic habitat, or protect a drinking water source.

Supported in part by the New York State’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and Clean Water Infrastructure Improvement Act funding, WQIP projects include municipal wastewater treatment upgrades, non-agricultural nonpoint source abatement and control, land acquisition projects for source water protection, salt storage construction, aquatic connectivity restoration, and marine habitat restoration.

Pete Harckham represents the 40th Senate District, which includes the towns of Carmel, Kent, Patterson and Southeast, and the village of Brewster in Putnam County; the town of Stony Point in Rockland County; and the city of Peekskill, the towns of Bedford, Cortlandt, Lewisboro, New Castle, North Salem, Somers and Yorktown, the towns/villages of Mount Kisco and Ossining, and the villages of Briarcliff Manor, Buchanan and Croton-on-Hudson in Westchester County.

Chris Eachus represents the 99th Assembly District, which includes the Towns of Cornwall, New Windsor, Highlands, Woodbury, Palm Tree, and the Villages of Monroe and Harriman in Orange County; and the Town of Stony Point in Rockland County.

Contact:
Tom Staudter / Office of State Sen. Pete Harckham

Staudtersd40@gmail.com

(914) 419-5221 mobile

David Rabbitts / Office of State Asm. Chris Eachus

rabbittsd@nyassembly.gov

(845) 325-9683 mobile

Stony Point to Upgrade Sewage Treatment Plant with $2.75M Grant from New York State

Summary:

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has awarded $110 million to 86 water quality projects across the state to improve water infrastructure and combat contributors to harmful algal blooms.
The grant of $2.75 million has been given to the Town of Stony Point to replace the influent pump station, grit chamber, and bar screen at the town’s sewage treatment plant.
The project will help the town better handle peak flows through the plant and reduce sanitary sewer overflows to the Hudson River.
The WQIP grant program funds projects that directly improve water quality or aquatic habitat, or protect a drinking water source.
New York State prioritizes funding for projects that may help decrease the occurrence of toxic algal blooms.
More than $90 million of the funding supports water quality improvements in Environmental Justice communities that have been disproportionately affected by environmental pollution.

The Town of Stony Point will be upgrading its sewage treatment plant with the help of funding from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Governor Kathy Hochul has announced that $110 million has been awarded to 86 projects across the state to improve water quality and infrastructure. The grant of $2.75 million has been given to Stony Point to replace the influent pump station, grit chamber, and bar screen at the town’s sewage treatment plant. The project will help the town better handle peak flows through the plant and reduce sanitary sewer overflows to the Hudson River.

The Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) grant program funds projects that directly improve water quality or aquatic habitat, or protect a drinking water source. The NPG program funds projects that help pay for the initial planning of non-agricultural nonpoint source water quality improvement projects, such as undersized culvert replacements and green infrastructure technologies, and State permit-required storm sewer mapping in urban areas. New York State prioritizes funding for projects that may help decrease the occurrence of toxic algal blooms. Nearly half of the WQIP and NPG awarded grants, totaling about $45 million, will support projects in watersheds known to have experienced HABs in the past five years and/or help implement a project identified in a DEC HABs Action Plan.

More than $90 million of the funding supports water quality improvements in Environmental Justice communities that have been disproportionately affected by environmental pollution. Hochul said she wants to ensure all New Yorkers have access to clean water for generations to come. The Governor has demonstrated her commitment to improving water quality, recognizing that access to clean water is not a privilege, but a human right. The grants announced will help communities across the state safeguard drinking water so families know they have access to clean water.

Indian Point Nuclear Plant Owner Chooses to Dump Radioactive Water in Hudson River as “Best Option”

Holtec International, the owner of the Indian Point Nuclear Plant located just outside of New York City, has announced that the best option for disposing of millions of gallons of radioactive water stored at the facility is to release it into the Hudson River. The decision has been met with outrage from environmentalists and local officials.

The plant has been in operation for over 50 years and was recently decommissioned. The radioactive water, which is used to cool the nuclear reactors, has been stored in tanks on the site. The water contains tritium, a radioactive isotope that can be harmful to human health in high doses.

Holtec has claimed that the decision to release the water into the Hudson River is the safest and most practical solution. The company has argued that the water will be diluted in the river and will not pose a threat to public health. The company also noted that it has received approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to proceed with the plan.

However, critics have argued that the plan is a reckless and irresponsible way to dispose of the radioactive water. Environmental groups and local officials have expressed concerns about the potential impact on the Hudson River and the surrounding area.

Riverkeeper, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the Hudson River, has stated that the plan is “unacceptable” and that it will continue to fight against it. The group has called on the NRC to reconsider its approval of the plan and to explore other options for disposing of the water.

Local officials have also criticized the decision. Westchester County Executive George Latimer has called the plan “totally unacceptable” and has expressed concerns about the impact on local communities and the environment. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has also voiced its opposition to the plan.

The decision to release the radioactive water into the Hudson River has sparked a public outcry. A petition calling on Holtec to abandon the plan has garnered thousands of signatures, and protests have been organized outside the Indian Point Nuclear Plant.

In response to the criticism, Holtec has emphasized that the plan is in compliance with all regulations and that it is the safest and most practical way to dispose of the water. The company has also noted that it will continue to monitor the water to ensure that it does not pose a threat to public health or the environment.

The controversy surrounding the decision highlights the ongoing challenges of disposing of radioactive waste from nuclear plants. While the Indian Point Nuclear Plant is no longer in operation, the issue of how to safely dispose of its radioactive water is likely to continue to be a source of controversy and debate for years to come.

Harckham Bill Helping to Guarantee Health Benefits for Volunteer Firefighters Passes in Senate

Albany, NY – The New York State Senate unanimously passed legislation this week sponsored by State Senator Pete Harckham that will help expand health benefits for volunteer firefighters. The legislation, when approved by the Assembly and enacted by the governor, will make permanent the long-standing law covering disability determinations for volunteer firefighters due to certain lung disabilities.

“Volunteer firefighters statewide often incur major diseases and ailments in the course of protecting our residents and businesses, so we must reciprocate and safeguard the health of these brave first responders whenever possible,” said Harckham. “This bill will eliminate a sunset clause for lung care while streamlining access to much deserved health benefits.”

Volunteer firefighters provide an invaluable service to New York State and our individual communities. Accordingly, it simply makes sense to prevent unnecessary worry on the part of volunteer firefighters and their families as to whether or not they will receive their benefits.

Harckham’s bill (S.1176) regarding firefighters with lung maladies will amend a 2006 law that grants important lung health care benefits, yet needs to be renewed through legislative approval and enacted every two years. Similar health benefits for full-time firefighters, though, do not need to go through the biannual approval process—even though career and volunteer firefighters are exposed to the same risks.

The risks are, indeed, significant. Lung disabilities for firefighters exceed those experienced by the average adult population in the U.S. In the line of duty, firefighters are exposed to gases, toxins and other substances that have damaging short- and long-term effects on the respiratory system. Some of the toxic gases and respiratory tract irritants that firefighters are at risk of inhaling include sulfur dioxide, hydrogen chloride, phosgene, nitrous oxides, aldehydes and particulate matter.

The New York State Senate passed a similar bill introduced by Harckham last year, but the State Assembly did not approve the legislation. When enacted, the legislation will benefit over 80,000 volunteer firefighters and their families across New York.

“We would like to thank Senator Harckham for his hard work in getting this important piece of legislation again passed in the State Senate,” said Edward Tase, Jr., president of the Firefighters Association of the State of New York (FASNY). “New York’s volunteer firefighters are exposed to dangerous chemicals while fighting fires that may cause lasting lung damage. FASNY wholeheartedly supports this legislation, which will take this long standing benefit and make it permanent, further strengthening this critical safety net for our volunteer firefighters. We are ready to work with the Assembly and we urge them to follow suit and pass this in their house.”