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GOVERNOR PATERSON ANNOUNCES $154 MILLION IN ECONOMIC RECOVERY FUNDING FOR LONG ISLAND INFRASTRUCTURE
First Approved Projects Include Reconstruction of Route 112, Bridge Maintenance and Paving
Funding will Create Estimated 3,715 Jobs on Long Island
Additional $24.5 Million Awarded to Long Island for Energy Projects
Governor David A. Paterson today announced
that Long Island is expected to receive at least $154 million in
transportation and infrastructure funding through the recently enacted
federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). This critical
funding will go toward much-needed highway and road repair, bridgework
and other long-term improvements to the region’s infrastructure and
will create an estimated 3,715 jobs. Governor Paterson made the
announcement with federal, State and local officials, and construction
crews at the Department of Transportation facility in Melville.
Governor Paterson also announced that the
U.S. Department of Energy awarded Energy Efficiency and Conservation
Block Grants (EECBG) totaling $24.5 million to 13 Long Island
municipalities. These grants can be used for building retrofits,
transportation efficiency, material conservation programs including
recycling and source reduction and renewable energy projects for
government buildings, among other uses.
“New York’s outstanding Congressional
Delegation recognized the immediate need for this funding and fought
tirelessly until it was secured,” said Governor Paterson. “This money
will not only put our residents back to work, it will create safer
roads, stronger infrastructure and a cleaner environment for
generations of future residents. The projects announced today represent
just a small number of the opportunities that will be funded with
economic recovery dollars. In addition to these funds, NYSDOT will
award $230 million in highway and bridge contracts and Long Island will
receive approximately $32 million in Consolidated Highway Improvement
Program funding, which the recovery funds enabled us to restore to the
State budget. In total Long Island will receive over $400 million in
highway and bridge funding in 2009-10.”
The economic recovery funds coming to New
York for transportation projects must follow the same process required
for distributing all federal transportation funds. The funds are
allocated to projects that are selected by the 13 regional Metropolitan
Planning Organizations (MPOs) across the State, which are comprised of
local elected officials, local transit operators and members of the
Department of Transportation (DOT). MPOs vote unanimously on projects
for their Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), and economic
recovery funds will be directed to projects on those lists. Similarly,
regions of New York without MPOs are served by DOT, which consults with
local elected officials and selects projects for the Statewide
Transportation Improvement Program. DOT is working with local officials
and the Governor’s Economic Recovery Cabinet to identify priority
shovel-ready projects eligible for economic recovery funds.
Senator Charles E. Schumer said: “Today’s
announcement is proof positive that the recovery act money has already
started to come through to New York to put New Yorkers back to work and
get this economy back on track. It is now time to put shovels in ground
and get to work on these projects so New Yorkers can go back to work.
That’s why we passed the recovery act and that’s just what the New York
economy needs right now.”
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said: “I
welcome today’s news that stimulus funds we passed in Congress have
started making their way towards Long Island’s vital infrastructure
needs. With continued investment in local projects, we will start to
revitalize the Long Island economy by putting men and women back to
work.”
Congressman Steve Israel said: “I’m on a
mission to make New York State the advanced energy jobs capital of
America. The $90 billion in this bill for energy efficiency, including
$24.5 million for Long Island’s communities, is a good down payment. It
will reduce energy costs and create new jobs. As a member of the
Appropriations Committee, I will press for more energy investments in
order to grow our economy. I look forward to continuing my work with
Governor Paterson and our local communities to ensure Long Island gets
its fair share of recovery funding.”
Congressman Tim Bishop, a member of the
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said: “By investing
today in our roads and highways, we are creating jobs, improving public
safety, and building a modern infrastructure that will benefit our
communities for years to come. Recovery projects such as these will
help Long Island’s economy get back on track.”
Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy said: “Last
month I was proud to support the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
to help get our economy moving and meet our nation's most critical
needs. I am pleased to see Governor Paterson’s efforts to help restore
jobs and support much needed improvements in transportation
infrastructure with the release of $154 million to Long Island.
Additionally, the $24.5 million in Energy Efficiency and Conservation
Block Grants will improve our local economy, create jobs and help to
make Long Island more green and energy efficient.”
Congressman Gary Ackerman said: “All of
these vital funds will go a long way towards upgrading our
infrastructure, creating jobs and providing critical energy efficient
projects. I am extremely pleased that Long Island is reaping the
benefits of the stimulus package so our region can move forward during
these challenging economic times.”
Senator Brian X. Foley said: “It is
critical that this stimulus money move quickly towards boosting our
local economy and helping Suffolk County’s working families. Restoring
our infrastructure and creating well-paying jobs will help uplift our
economy and create a stronger, more prosperous Long Island.”
Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi said:
“This funding is extremely important for Nassau County, especially
during these challenging economic times, so that vital infrastructure
projects can move forward. It will allow us to improve our local roads,
highways and schools, and focus on green energy projects. I thank the
New York Congressional delegation and Governor Paterson for working so
hard to secure these funds for Long Island.”
Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy said:
“When we add the major road and sewer projects initiated by Suffolk
County to these and other State and federal projects, we should be
putting many of our residents to work in the upcoming months while
improving our infrastructure.”
DOT Executive Deputy Commissioner Stanley
Gee said: “These projects will preserve the integrity of Long Island’s
transportation infrastructure and improve safety for our motorists.
Governor Paterson has worked hard to secure these valuable federal
funds to bolster our transportation infrastructure and invest in
critical job creation.”
Long Island Contractors Association (LICA)
Executive Director Marc Herbst said: “We have long held that the road
to New York’s economic recovery begins on Long Island. The ability to
bury a recession is based on the Governor’s decision on exactly where
and when to put government dollars to work. This announcement reflects
an appreciation that our region has nearly 3 million people with a
gross economic product of some $129 billion dollars. If you can reboot
Long Island’s economy through today’s announcement then we can help the
Governor refill the state’s coffers and get the rest of New York back
on track.”
Transportation Projects
Governor Paterson has recently certified
$99 million in projects for Nassau and Suffolk Counties, which includes
$69 million in ARRA funding. Specifically, the projects include:
- $49.1 million of ARRA funding for a
$55.9 million project for completely renovating 3.5 miles of New York
Route 112 in Brookhaven, Suffolk County to improve the safety for the
approximately 20,000 motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists who use the
roadway daily. The project includes new plantings and storm-water
runoff systems;
- $7.7 million of ARRA funding for a
$8.6 million project to resurface approximately nine miles of State
roadways in Nassau and Suffolk counties. The top layer of worn,
deteriorated pavement will be removed and replaced with new asphalt and
fresh pavement markings. Needed drainage cleaning and repairs to
improve the quality of storm-water runoff also will be provided;
- $2.0 million of ARRA funding for a
$2.3 million project for much-needed concrete pavement repairs to
sections of distressed, aging roadway systems throughout Nassau and
Suffolk counties to improve pavement smoothness, reduce accidents and
maintain pavement integrity;
- $4.9 million of ARRA funding for a
$5.4 million project to clean the steel of 10 bridges in Babylon,
Brookhaven and Islip in Suffolk County to eliminate corrosion and rust
and to paint the structures. These preventative-maintenance repairs
will maintain the bridges’ structural reliability;
- $4.3 million of ARRA funding for a
$4.8 million project to upgrade approximately 900 traffic signals in
Nassau and Suffolk counties by replacing existing incandescent lights
with more energy efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs to reduce
energy use and improve the environment. The project includes installing
approximately 250 pedestrian countdown crossing signals at key
intersections to improve pedestrian safety; and
- $0.6 million for designing pavement
repairs of State highways in Nassau and Suffolk counties for an
estimated $21.4 million construction project next year.
Energy Projects
For the energy grants announced today,
municipalities must now develop a detailed application that describes
how they will use the grants, and submit the applications by June 25.
Governor Paterson has lined up the New York Power Authority, Long
Island Power Authority, and the New York State Energy Research and
Development Authority (NYSERDA) to assist the municipalities in
designing their projects to ensure all eligible municipalities receive
their grants.
The EECBGs totaling $24.5 million include:
- $173,000 to the Village of Freeport
- $4,577,700 to the Town of Hempstead
- $479,800 to the Village of Hempstead
- $892,100 to the Town of North Hempstead
- $2,217,000 to the Town of Oyster Bay
- $1,545,200 to the Town of Babylon
- $4,141,200 to the Town of Brookhaven
- $1,725,200 to the Town of Huntington
- $3,026,100 to the Town of Islip
- $1,064,500 to the Town of Smithtown
- $206,600 to the Town of Southampton
- $3,723,100 to Nassau County
- $732,900 to Suffolk County
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