Riverkeeper Team
UPDATE: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is telling New York State: Not so fast on the EFC's Tappan Zee Bridge loan.
The agency is raising eight questions about the project's eligibility for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund in a letter to the state.
TAKE ACTION NOW: Don't let Albany raid our clean-water funds to build a bridge!
You already know that New York has a crisis of antiquated sewer systems that can dump sewage into the Hudson River and other waterways when it rains. The upgrades are costly – and public funding is critical. So why is the state Environmental Facilities Corporation set to divert a half-billion dollars in clean-water funds to the construction of the new Tappan Zee Bridge?
Speak up today, before the EFC's scheduled vote on Thursday. Email representatives and tell the EFC board to vote "no."
Send your message to:
EFC President and CEO Matthew Driscoll: matthew.driscoll@efc.ny.gov
New York Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens: jmartens@gw.dec.state.ny.us
The EFC was created to help communities pay for water infrastructure and sewage treatment. But its vote Thursday would clear a $511 million loan to help pay for dredging for the new bridge and demolishing the old one. As the New York Times wrote, this transaction "clearly seems at odds with the revolving fund’s historic mission."
"It's bad law, bad policy, and bad precedent to take half a billion dollars meant for repairing waste-water treatment plants and improving river habitat and use it to pay for basic bridge construction activities," Riverkeeper President Paul Gallay said.
Read more:
Don't let them pull a fast one. Contact the EFC's representatives TODAY.
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