Somers seeks new grants to advance sewer project

SOMERS, N.Y. - Somers has had such a good couple of years reeling in various grants that it’s going for a few more to support its proposed sewer project.

Supervisor Robert Scorrano recently gave a “big shout out” for that success to the town’s grant writers, Millennium Strategies LLC, a New Jersey-based consulting firm.

“They’ve been fantastic to work with,” he said at the Town Board’s March 12 meeting.

In 2024, after being directed by county health officials to correct the PFAS, aka "forever chemicals," contamination situation in the Town House’s drinking water supply, it secured two grants for infrastructure improvements, including a water main extension from Heritage Hills to its Business Historic Preservation (B-HP) zoning district.

One of them – for $2 million – came from U.S. Congressman Mike Lawler’s office and the other, $1.7 million in Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (WIIA) funds, came from the state Environmental Facilities Corporation.

The water district expansion must eventually get approvals from the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the Westchester County Health Department.

Meanwhile, the town has applied for outside funding for sidewalks in the B-HP district as a key part of its “Complete Streets” program.

“We’re hoping for some good news soon,” Scorrano said.

It already has $200,000 – secured through state Sen. Pete Harckham’s office -- in the piggy bank toward that project.

‘DIG ONCE’

The town has decided that if it’s already going to have to “rip up” Routes 202 and 100 for the new water mains, it might as well kill two birds with one stone and go for grants to extend the sewer district as well.

“Dig once,” Councilman Anthony Cirieco commented.

Scorrano echoed that, saying that he thought the projects will help local businesses, protect public health, improve the community’s walkability, and be “beneficial for years to come” to the town as a whole.

The Town Board then voted to authorize the supervisor to apply for federal grants.

The town will request $4,938,920 from Lawler’s office under the U.S. Congress – Community Project Funding program for fiscal year 2027.

It would be required to match 20 percent of eligible costs or up to $987,784.

The same application – with the same requirements and for the same amount – will be made to the offices of U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer under the Congressional Directed Spending flag.

“All three of those are the same; we’re trying to cover a wide net. Hopefully, one of them will love the project that we have. It could be Lawler’s office, or Gillibrand’s, or Schumer’s,” Scorrano explained, adding ,“so fingers crossed.”

“Or all three,” joked Councilman William Faulkner.

“No, no. They usually only pick one,” Scorrano responded to chuckles. “It would be nice if we got all three, but I doubt it.”