Patchogue and Bellport Bays Target of Storm Water Remediation; South Country Road to See Improvements

Patchogue and Bellport, LI — Suffolk County Legislators Jack Eddington and Kate Browning have teamed up to secure $2 million from the county’s Water Quality funds to remediate the untreated direct storm water discharges occurring at South Country Road (County Road 36). The new drainage and treatment systems will utilize new technologies to filter the storm water runoff of pollutants like gas and diesel fuels, oils and chemicals, before they are washed into local streams and bays where they have proven to be harmful to marine life and the ecosystem.

“It is no secret that our natural environment really can be polluted beyond the tipping point. Recognizing the fact that our bays and estuaries are fragile and endangered, Suffolk County has made the right call to spend money on this storm water remediation project, not to mention that it is the logical extension of the South Country Road Project,” said Leg. Eddington.

This storm water remediation project is part of the larger $8 million County Road 36 improvement project scheduled to begin in spring 2010. Road improvements will include repaving all portions of South Country Road lying outside of village boundaries, along with new areas of curbing.

“It has been a pleasure to work with Legislator Eddington to bring this project to fruition,” stated Legislator Browning. “This will total about $10 million to protect several vital watersheds on the south shore and improve an important roadway for the residents of East Patchogue, Bellport, and Brookhaven. The county has been focusing a lot of resources on protecting Beaver Dam Creek and this will go along way to preventing dangerous pollutants from adding to the environmental problems we are facing.”

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