Senator Johnson Announces $100,000 Grant For Suffolk County Energy Efficiency Project

State Senator Owen H. Johnson (4th Senate District, Babylon), Chairman of the Finance Committee, today announced that Suffolk County has received a $100,000 grant to help finance a $1.4 million energy-efficiency project at the Bergen Point Wastewater Treatment Facility located in West Babylon.

"The Bergen Point project is a good example of government practicing what it preaches when it encourages energy conservation. The energy-saving measures, once implemented, will cut the facility’s energy bills and save Suffolk county taxpayers $145,000 annually," said Senator Johnson.

The project grant was provided from Petroleum Overcharge Restitution (POCR) funds, established from proceeds of court settlements relating to major oil company violations of federal price controls in the 1970’s and 1980’s. The New York Power Authority (NYPA) administers the funds in New York State.

NYPA, working with the Suffolk County Department of Public Works, which operates the wastewater treatment facility, identified measures to reduce the plant’s energy usage. The energy-saving measures will include high-efficiency interior lighting, installation of new motors and pumps, and improvements to the overall heating and ventilation systems.

Overall project costs are financed through NYPA’s energy services program, allowing the county to avoid up-front funding and repay the financing costs over several years through a portion of its energy bill savings.

Statewide, NYPA’s energy efficiency programs for publicly owned and operated facilities have lowered electricity consumption by more than 860,000 megawatt-hours, creating annual savings of $92 million.

"The New York State Senate is working to address skyrocketing energy costs by cutting energy-related taxes, increasing funding to the home energy assistance program (HEAP), and creating new incentives for energy efficiency and conservation," Johnson said.