WHAT'S NEW & WHO'S NEWS
Zebrowski Resigns Assembly To Join Albany Consulting Firm
ALBANY—New York State Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski (D-96th District) announced on July 10 he had resigned in order to join Albany-based Brown & Weinraub, a government relations and strategic consulting lobbying firm.
He will serve as Senior Advisor and will also be a partner in the law firm. A native of Rockland County, Mr. Zebrowski served in the New York State Assembly for more than 17 years. He served n as Chair of multiple committees including Banking, Governmental Operations and most recently as Chair of the Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Committee.
He also served as Chair of the Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment, which oversees the reapportionment process for Senate, Assembly and Congressional districts. In these roles he tackled major issues during challenging times for public policy. During his tenure as Banks Chair he oversaw policy proposals in the evolving fintech world. As Chair of “Gov Ops” he helped steer state government through the pandemic while modernizing open meetings laws. During his tenure as Chair of the Corporations Committee, he worked with the MTA to close a major operating deficit and help the agency recover from pandemic closures and remote work challenges.
In a statement, Mr. Zebrowski said, “I will be moving into the private sector today and want to thank everyone for their support and collaboration during my tenure in the New York State Assembly. Since I was first elected to the Assembly in 2007, it has been my mission to fight for Rocklanders and ensure that my constituents were represented in Albany. I also worked hard to bring a professional, commonsense voice to the issues that face New York.”
He said that his office at 151 N. Main St. New City will remain open until the next Assemblymember takes over, adding, “While I am leaving elective office, I am staying right here in Rockland County and will continue to raise my family in West Nyack. I hope to continue the relationships we have forged in a new capacity.”
New York State Awards More than $484 Million In BRIDGE NY Funding
ALBANY—New York State recently announced the award of more than $484 million in enhanced assistance for 137 local governments across the state to rehabilitate and replace bridges and culverts, enhancing safety and improving the resiliency and sustainability of New York’s vital transportation infrastructure.
This funding, provided through the state’s BRIDGE NY initiative with significant support from the federal Bridge Formula Program, will support 216 individual projects, and will help local governments in every region of the state harden their existing infrastructure to better endure severe weather events and withstand the impacts of climate change. The state’s BRIDGE NY initiative supports projects that will reduce the risk of flooding and improve the resiliency of structures, while also facilitating regional economic competitiveness and prioritizing projects that benefit environmental justice communities.
The Mid-Hudson region will receive more than $63.5 million in BRIDGE NY funding that will include $5 million each to the Village/Town of Mount Kisco for the replacement of Preston Way Bridge over the Metro-North Railroad Harlem Line; the Orange County Department of Public Works for the replacement of Sterling Lake Road Bridge over Ringwood River and to the Ulster County Department of Public Works for the replacement of the Denning Road Bridge over East Branch Neversink River.
The New York City region has secured $73.8 million in funding, including $18.5 million to the New York City Department of Transportation for the replacement of Belt Parkway bridges over Ocean Avenue and Bedford Avenue.
EFC to Fund $116M for Clean Water, Drinking Water Projects in H.V.
ALBANY—The New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation Board of Directors approved more than $116 million in clean water and drinking water improvement projects in the Hudson Valley region—part of more than $300 million in financial assistance awarded for water project upgrades across New York State.
The board’s approval on June 20 authorizes municipal access to low-cost financing and previously announced grants to get shovels in the ground for essential water and sewer infrastructure projects, including treatment processes to remove emerging contaminants from drinking water. New York State is also providing major financial aid to support communities so that they can advance their water infrastructure projects to reduce the burden on local water and sewer budgets to make these projects affordable for water ratepayers.
The funding approved for 20 projects includes significant investments from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the State Revolving Funds and the state’s Water Infrastructure Improvement grant program.
The Board’s approvals include financings through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and grants already announced pursuant to the WIIA program. BIL funding for water and sewer infrastructure is administered by EFC through the State Revolving Funds.
CLEAN WATER PROJECTS IN THE HUDSON VALLEY
Sullivan County – Town of Thompson
- $13,012,000 grant and $14,358,967 interest-free financing from BIL; $1,000,000 market-rate CWSRF financing; and a $6,383,930 WIIA grant for the planning, design, and construction of upgrades at the Kiamesha Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant to protect water quality in Kiamesha Creek, a trout stream in the Delaware River Basin.
TOTAL CLEAN WATER FUNDING ASSISTANCE: $34,754,897
Westchester County – Funding for four projects:
- $13,503,000 interest-free and $13,503,000 market-rate CWSRF financing; and a $2,029,400 WIIA grant for the planning, design, and construction of engine and blower replacements at the Yonkers Joint Wastewater Treatment Plant to protect water quality in the Hudson River. TOTAL: $29,035,400
- $10,373,895 interest-free and $10,373,894 market-rate CWSRF financing; and $6,203,611 WIIA grant for phase IV heating, ventilating and air conditioning equipment replacement, and odor control improvements at the Yonkers Joint Wastewater Treatment Plant to protect water quality in the Hudson River. TOTAL: $26,951,400
- $3,666,875 interest-free and $3,666,875 market-rate CWSRF financing for repairs and upgrades to the Yonkers Joint Wastewater Treatment Plant secondary system to protect water quality in the Hudson River. TOTAL: $7,333,750
- $3,759,165 interest-free and $3,759,164 market-rate CWSRF financing; and a $2,970,600 WIIA grant for the planning, design, and construction of sewer system repairs in the Peekskill, Ossining, Yonkers Joint, Blind Brook, Mamaroneck, and New Rochelle Sanitary Sewer Districts to protect water quality in the Hudson River and Long Island Sound. TOTAL: $10,488,929
TOTAL CLEAN WATER FUNDING ASSISTANCE- WESTCHESTER COUNTY: $73,809,479
TOTAL CLEAN WATER PROJECTS (HUDSON VALLEY): $108,564,376
DRINKING WATER PROJECTS IN THE HUDSON VALLEY
Sullivan County – Town of Tusten
- $4,500,000 market-rate DWSRF financing and a $3,000,000 WIIA grant for the replacement of a 200,000-gallon water storage tank with a 250,000-gallon water storage tank, improvements to Well Facilities Nos. 1, 2 and 3, replacement of water mains and appurtenances, and installation of a booster pump station and automatic flushing stations to address the town’s aging water system and allow the town to continue providing its residents with reliable high-quality drinking water. TOTAL: $7,500,000
TOTAL CLEAN WATER & DRINKING WATER PROJECTS (HUDSON VALLEY): $116,064,376