State Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti (D-Port Washington) has announced that legislation she sponsored to extend a 50 percent subsidy in connection with the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to September 2024 was signed into law.
Without passage, the 50 percent subsidy would have expired in October 2021.
“Pollution in waterways is a problem Long Island communities have battled for years,” Sillitti said. “From ensuring access to clean drinking water to investing in aging water infrastructure, I’m committed to protecting our families and our communities for generations to come.”
The CWSRF was established in 1989 to provide financial assistance to recipients, generally municipalities, to construct and upgrade eligible water pollution control projects. The interest rate subsidy level was originally set at one-third, but was increased to 50 percent in 1992.
The increase helped to incentivize municipalities to undertake clean water projects. Commissioner Patty Katz of the Great Neck Water Pollution Control District remarked, “We are grateful to Assemblywoman Sillitti for sponsoring such an important bill. Besides saving taxpayers money, this bill will enhance infrastructure and preserve the quality of water on Long Island for years to come.”
“Extending the 50 percent subsidy will help municipalities, who may already be struggling financially because of COVID-19, continue their efforts to combat water pollution,” Sillitti noted.
