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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 22, 2004

SCHUMER SECURES $300,000 FOR ORANGE COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY TO KEEP GREENWOOD LAKE CLEAN AND PROTECTED

Funding part of FY 2005 Omnibus Appropriations Bill passed late Saturday night

Village of Greenwood Lake is a recreational community containing numerous year-round use cottages

Funds would be used for wastewater system in Greenwood Lake where onsite septic systems have failed, caused poor water quality, and stopped all new building permits

US Senator Charles E. Schumer announced today that Congress has passed the FY2005 Omnibus Appropriations Bill which includes $300,000 for the Orange County Water Authority to restore and protect water quality in Greenwood Lake in the Town of Warwick, New York. The funding is included in the Veterans Affairs - Housing and Urban Development (VA-HUD) section of the bill. The bill will now be sent to the President for his signature.

"This funding is great news for the Village of Greenwood Lake. This funding will help ensure that the lake is clean for residents and tourists to enjoy," Schumer said. "Greenwood Lake is a beautiful area that attracts visitors from all over the Northeast, and this project will make sure all visitors have a wonderful stay in Orange County."

"Orange County Executive Edward Diana and the County Legislature and the Water Authority are very excited about helping the Village of Greenwood Lake with its water quality problems,"said Jay Beaumont, Executive Director, Orange County Water Authority. "This money, if it is approved in the final bill, will be a giant step towards solving this long-term issue."

The Village of Greenwood Lake, a recreational community and a major source of tourism, houses numerous summer cottages that have been converted to year-round use. Many cottages have inadequate or failing onsite water systems and are located in small lots surrounding the lake. The Orange County Water Authority would work with the Village of Greenwood Lake to develop a plan to create a decentralized wastewater system in the Village where onsite septic systems have failed.

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