While not exactly qualifying as a scenic tour, Congressman Steve Israel (D-Dix Hills) and state Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel (D-Great Neck) said their trip around the Great Neck Water Pollution Control District on Friday afternoon to witness the upgrade and expansion of the wastewater treatment facility currently underway was eye opening nonetheles.
“I’m really excited about this, the two areas that animate me the most are investing in infrastructure, and sustainable energy…this district is ground-zero for both,” Israel said.
“This is the little engine that could…now that the district has gotten to where they are, I believe they should be the beta site in terms of all their innovations,” added Schimel.
The $60 million project will allow the water pollution control district to meet the federal and state mandated nitrogen removal requirements for Long Island Sound, and to consolidate the treatment requirements of the neighboring Village of Great Neck treatment plant. Future savings are expected to come from the district’s use of sustainable technology, such as a biofuel program, which turns used vegetable oil from local restaurants into energy.
Israel and Schimel were led on the tour by water pollution control district Superintendent Christopher Murphy and commissioners Jerry Landsberg, E. Jane Rebhuhn and Deena Lesser. Murphy provided a briefing before the tour in which explained that the upgrade will also include energy savings through the installation of two micro-turbines, solar panels, variable speed pumps and a UV system that will maximize energy conservation.
Construction for the project began back in June 2010, and the upgraded district plant is expected to be completed by June, 2013. Decommissioning of the existing Village of Great Neck plant will be extended until 2014.
Funding for the project is being provided through a low-interest loan issued from the New York State Revolving Fund by the state Environmental Facilities Corporation. The district has also received two grants – one a $5 million Water Quality Improvement Grant from the NYSEFC and the other a $0.4 million dollar grant from the state Department of State for the consolidation.
Previously, the state DEC approved $18 million in grants from the 1996 Clean Water Clear Air Bond Act to a Nassau County facility 25 miles to the south.
But, according to the district’s summary of the project, they found this route to be “more costly, less environmentally supportive and unacceptable to the district’s taxpayers.”
Guided by Murphy, the tour included the construction site of the plant’s oxidation ditch that will be responsible for nitrogen removal, the site’s UV Room where effluent is disinfected before leaveing the plant, and the area where the district conducts their biofuel production process.
Biofuel is created at the plant from used vegetable oil from three area restaurants: TGI Fridays, Cordon Blue Deli and Pearl East.
“We make about 40-60 gallons a week of biofuel, at about $1.80 a gallon,” Murphy said. Landsberg said the district produces enough biofuel for the Great Neck Park District to use for their mowers and tractors.
Both Schimel and Israel agreed on pursuing additional funding from the EPA, although Israel was quick to note that Great Neck is currently located in a district represented by Congressman Gary Ackerman. Israel is now running for election against Republican Stephen Labate for the newly configured 3rd District seat, which includes Great Neck.
“I want to be able to hit the ground running and learn now, so on January 1st we can get started,” said Israel.
Israel expressed interest in getting together with Ackerman to discuss a pilot project to bring to the EPA.
Schimel also suggested getting together with other water pollution control districts on a proposal to the EPA.
“We are all in the same boat along the North Shore,” she said.
