$20M More State Aid Approved for Work at Vestal Sewage Plant

Additional state assistance has been authorized for a massive project at the Binghamton-Johnson City Wastewater Treatment Facilities in Vestal.

The New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation now will provide $25 million for the work that's now underway at the Vestal Road plant.

The state previously had authorized $5 million for the rehabilitation project. A letter from agency chief Sabrina Ty indicated that the extra money will be allocated over a several-year period.

The final cost of the work at the half-century-old Vestal plant is unknown but estimates suggest it likely will exceed $300 million.

The July 2 letter from the state agency said the Binghamton-Johnson City grant was calculated based on the latest available information.

The actual amount of the state aid will be determined when the project is completed. The state grant could be cut if total project costs are less than anticipated or if the project receives money from another source.

Ratepayers in Binghamton, Johnson City and several other Broome County communities face huge sewage bill increases to pay for the massive plant reconstruction.