Sens. Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $1.2 Million In Federal Funding For The Endicott Wastewater Treatment Plan

WASHINGTON, May 16 -- The office of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, issued the following news release:

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $1,223,500 in federal funding for the Endicott Wastewater Treatment Plant. The funding was provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and will be used specifically for the second phase of a water and sanitary sewer systems project. The project will work to protect the exterior of seven wastewater treatment plant buildings and to reduce the risk of flooding. This will require adding approximately three to five feet of flood protection at the building exteriors, which will be accomplished either by raising critical equipment above flood elevation or by dry flood proofing various buildings and unit processes.

"This is an important victory for the Village of Endicott: The Endicott Wastewater Treatment Plant, like many buildings in the Southern Tier, was hit hard by Tropical Storm Lee and is in need of investment to protect this critical infrastructure from future flood damage," said Senator Schumer. "Now with this new vital funding the plant can finally make key upgrades to prepare for the storms of the future. I am proud to announce these federal funds, and will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that New York's infrastructure is up to snuff, and able to handle whatever mother nature throws at us."

"These federal funds are an important investment that will help the Endicott Wastewater Treatment Plant become more resilient to withstand the next flood," said Senator Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. "In the event of future flooding, the residents of Endicott should be able to trust that their water infrastructure is protected from damage that could put the community at risk. I will always fight in the Senate to ensure our local communities have the resources they need to protect against flooding."

"After the waters of Tropical Storm Lee receded in 2011 we knew that we would have to take costly actions to prepare and mitigate for the next natural disaster. This award will allow our facility to take many of those actions," said Philip Grayson Chief Operator of the Endicott Wastewater Treatment Plant.

"The Village of Endicott is extremely pleased to have been awarded funding for Phase II construction for our Waste Water Treatment Plant Mitigation Project. We appreciate the assistance of Senators Schumer and Gillibrand in helping to secure this funding which is vital in allowing the village to take the necessary steps in preparing the facility for future disaster related events," said Anthony Bates, Village Manager of Endicott.

The funding was provided by FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which provides funding to states and localities to enact mitigation measures that reduce the risk of loss of life and property from future disasters. More information on the grant program can be found here (https://www.fema.gov/hazard-mitigation-grant-program).