WPCNR THE SEWER REPORT. By John F. Bailey. December 1, 2008 A meeting of the County Board of Legislators Environment Committee scheduled to discuss the $234.7 Million Department of Environmental Conservation mandated corrections to the Mamaroneck and New Rochelle sewage treatment plants  (first reported by WPCNR one week ago) -- estimated to be paid for exclusively by the White Plains (Mamaroneck Valley), Blind Brook, New Rochelle and Port Chester sewer districts was held Monday.

County Legislators Martin Rogowsky, left, Environment Committee Chair Tom Abinanti (center) and Michael Kaplowitz, right, at the moment  Monday afternoon, when they declared the committee would not discuss the $234.7 M Sewer plant upgrade legislation until Legislator James Maisano (from New Rochelle) could be present.

However, the committee, (with media present  which had been invited by Mr. Abinanti, expectantly waiting for the discussion of the largest capital project ever undertaken by the county), postponed discussion of the issue until after the public hearing on the legislation December 8.  The exact time of discussion was not set.

Chairman Thomas Abinanti said that County Legislator Jim Maisano of New Rochelle wanted to be at the discussion but had a doctor's appointment, Abinanti said, that Maisano had "scheduled for months," and chose to keep, so out of respect for Mr. Maisano's conflict, they postponed the meeting.  County Attorney Charlene Indelicato said she had some information that discussed legal issues involving whether a public hearing could be held before the committee reported out the bill.

Abinanti  told WPCNR, "we're going to approve this." The county has signed an agreement with the DEC to execute $234.7 Million of repairs to the Mamaroneck and New Rochelle treatment plants  that consist of adding a third treatment system to remove enough nitrogen from sewer water to comply with DEC standards when the treated water enters Long Island Sound.

There has been no public discussion of the bill which commits the county to the $234.7 Million of repairs. The repairs add an additional treatment of county effluent to the two plants, leaving Port Chester and Blind Brook plants as they are, but reportedly lowering the nitrogen levels to the DEC-mandated levels.

The committee did however discuss for 55 minutes, a $300,000 expenditure to conduct a study of removing trees from spillways and banks of two earthern dams the county owns, to comply with  another DEC directive. That expenditure has to be added to the County 2009 budget, while the $234.7 Million does not -- that is planned to come directly out of the pockets of taxpayers in the Mamaroneck Valley, Blind Brook, New Rochelle and Port Chester Sewer Districts. WPCNR is checking on the figures in the legislation as to whether they are the latest estimates.

Senator Charles Schumer, as exclusively reported by WPCNR one week ago, has divulged that the county is seeking to have the project funded as part of stimulus package (dubbed "rescue package" by the Obama transition team) of the Obama administration. Schumer described the sewer mandate as a project that the stimulus program could be used for.