Bayshore Regional Sewerage Authority to Receive $2.4M in Federal Hurricane Sandy Relief

The Bayshore Regional Sewerage Authority will receive $2,407,105.27 in federal funding through FEMA for emergency protective measures to repair their raw sewage main pump station, which was damaged during Hurricane Sandy, according to a press release issued by Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ).

The Bayshore Regional Sewerage Authority, often called "The BRSA," is a government agency that handles the raw sewage of eight towns, by transporting, treating and disposing it and discharging cleaned water for Union Beach, Holmdel, Keyport, Hazlet, Keansburg, Matawan, Aberdeen and parts of Marlboro. 

The water treatment facility is located along the Raritan Bay in Union Beach and according to a December report by the Star Ledger, severe flooding caused about $10 million worth of damage to the plant. The authority passed a resolution authorizing the executive director to apply for aid through FEMA in November, according to their meeting minutes.

The BRSA was just one of three entities to receive a slice of the $15 million in federal funding announced Tuesday. Little Egg Harbor will receive $3,344,363.24 and Margate will receive $1,809,098.90 for the removal of debris. New Jersey State Police will receive $2,139,803.93 for labor and equipment and $5,585,808.22 for public health and safety activities performed as a result of Sandy.

"These grants will be incredibly helpful to our agencies, cities and towns, but there is much work we still must do to help New Jersey rebuild and recover, and I look forward to bringing more federal disaster aid back to New Jersey as soon as possible," said Lautenberg in the release. Lautenberg is a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, which funds FEMA.

"Small towns, public utilities and major cities were all in Superstorm Sandy's destructive path last year, and it was the dedicated response of our public safety personnel that made such a critical different in helping New Jersey's clean up after the storm and taking the first steps toward recovery," Menendez said in the release.