Dems Hold Firm on Oversight for Bay Park Borrowing

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The county legislature in July approved the borrowing of $262 million for repairs at the Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant in East Rockaway, which emits sewage into Reynolds Channel, and the Cedar Creek Water Pollution Control Plant in Wantagh. Mangano had requested approximately three times more for the projects. Bay Park was severely damaged in Superstorm Sandy, causing a reported leak of 3 million gallons of waste water into Reynolds Channel.

“The rebuilding of the sewage treatment plants would be the largest public works project in the history of Nassau County,” said Legis. Judy Jacobs, D-Woodbury. “It would be foolish and irresponsible to have no legislative oversight on this project and we can’t risk being denied federal reimbursement because of improprieties in the contracting process.”

The Democrats said that after Sandy, the legislature authorized $192 million in emergency funds for clean up and debris removal.

According to a release, most of the funds were awarded in a no-bid contract to Looks Great Services, which Democrats say is under investigation for the “the manner in which the contract was procured, quality of the work performed and failure to pay proper wages to its workers.”

They also accuse Mangano of accepting more than $270,000 in campaign contributions from 39 Sandy contractors.

Mangano senior policy advisor Brian Nevin shot back, saying the Democrats are continuing to play games.

“The Democrats are seeking political cover after being criticized for limiting repairs at the sewage treatment plants,” he said. “Environmental groups and editorial boards across Long Island all know that repairs must be fully funded and completed in an expeditious manner that's void of political games. Furthermore, Nassau's debt is exactly where it was when Tom Suozzi left office. Any costs related to repairing infrastructure damaged by Hurricane Sandy will be reimbursed by the federal and state governments to the tune of 90 percent plus.”

The Democrat legislators said they will soon be touring the Bay Park sewage treatment plant, speaking with county engineers, plant workers and FEMA representatives about specifications, design, and reimbursement procedures.

Ray Ellmer, a former commissioner of the Long Beach Zoning Board of Appeals, said that the Bay Park plant has been slowing poisoning Reynolds Channel for the past 20 years, calling it a major health and safety issue for South Shore residents. Of the 11- to-7 vote by legislators in July to approve funding for one third of the cost for repairs, Ellmer told Patch:

“[That] 11 county legislators have voted against funding for the necessary repairs and replacement of aged equipment for one of the most notorious health hazards in Nassau County’s history demonstrates their total disregard for the health and safety of South Shore residents. These 11 county legislators, should be labeled for what they are environmental terrorists.”