The Oyster Bay Sewage District's Board of Commissioners gathered recently to break ground on the construction of nitrogen removal facilities at the district's waste water treatment plant. The facilities, which are being funded primarily by monies from the New York State Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act, are designed specifically to comply with provisions of the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) for Long Island Sound."The preservation of the life and vitality of Long Island Sound and our precious environment in Oyster Bay Harbor has always been among the top priorities of this district," said Thomas D. Galasso, Chairman of the Oyster Bay Sewer District Board of Commissioners. "This upgraded plant will permit us to make a major contribution towards the overall goal of significantly reducing the nitrogen content in Long Island Sound for the benefit of Oyster Bay, as well as all the citizens of Long Island and Connecticut."With the cooperation of the Oyster Bay Town Board which recently held a public hearing on the proposal, the district has awarded four contracts totaling $8.7 million to initiate the plant's construction. The largest of these contracts, $7.3 million was awarded, following the receipt of competitive bids, to general contractor James McCullagh Co, Inc. of Plainview, NY. In addition, the well-known Long Island consulting firm of H2M, which designed the new plant, has also been selected to provide construction administration services, to assist in operator training and start-up services and to provide resident observation services.The reduction of nitrogen in Long Island Sound is a top priority item in the Long Island Sound Plan. Elevated levels of nitrogen have been linked to low levels of dissolved oxygen, a condition called hypoxia, which can endanger aquatic and marine life. New York State has agreed to reduce nitrogen discharges to the Sound by 58.5 percent over the next decade. This treatment plant will actually put the Oyster Bay Sewer District's facility ahead of the state's commitment.In addition to the general construction agreement, contracts were recently approved by the Oyster Bay Sewer District Board of Commissioners for:
- Electrical work
Hinck Electrical Company of Islip Terrace for $1.26 million. - Heating/Venting and Air Conditioning
Temperature Systems Inc. of Hicksville for $74,000 - Plumbing
Maccarone Plumbing Inc, of Glen Cove for $18,000
The plant is expected to be completed on or about January 2006. Improvements such as the nitrogen removal plant are part of a comprehensive bi-state effort with Connecticut to improve the overall condition of Long Island Sound.