Assemblyman Steve Stern (D-Huntington) announced that his first legislative initiative, which extends the state’s commitment to help fund the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) through September 2021, passed the Assembly (A.10611). The bill helps communities make improvements to water quality and sewer infrastructure while providing significant savings for local taxpayers, Stern noted.

“I came to the Assembly to be a strong voice for our Long Island families – someone who will look out for them and do what’s right no matter what,” Stern said. “My legislation ensures that the state continues to help municipalities upgrade infrastructure to protect the water we drink, for now and for generations to come.”

The CWSRF is administered by the Environmental Facilities Corporation and provides financial assistance to municipalities for water and sewer infrastructure projects. It’s funded through federal capitalization grants with a 20 percent match from New York State. Currently, the CWSRF uses the state match, as well as a portion of the federal capitalization grants, to provide a 50 percent interest rate subsidy to recipients, which can provide significant savings for our local communities.

This program is critical for areas like Suffolk County, where nearly 75 percent of homes are not connected to a sewer system.1 As a Suffolk County Legislator, Stern helped prioritize areas where infrastructure is needed and helped create a plan to qualify for state and federal funding. Now, Suffolk County is set to receive $383 million for sewer projects.2 With his very first legislative initiative, Assemblyman Stern continues his commitment to Long Island in getting our fair share from New York State and to protecting the quality of our water and our precious environment.

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1. newsday.com/long-island/suffolk-clean-water-1.18259554

2. Ibid.