Rep. Gillen Secures Major Wins, Advances $125 Million in Funding for LI in Bipartisan Water Resources Development Act
Congresswoman Laura Gillen (NY-04) secured several key priorities and advanced $125 million in water project funding for Long Island in the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act of 2026, the two-year water resources infrastructure investments package. The package advanced out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on a unanimous basis. Rep. Gillen’s priorities included bolstering flood risk management, storm damage prevention, and coastal restoration in communities across New York’s 4th Congressional District.
In the bill, Rep. Gillen advanced the Coastal Infrastructure Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation she introduced with Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ-02) that directs the Secretary of the Army to carry out research on shoreline stabilization and erosion control technology to prevent coastal erosion.
The bill authorizes funding but does not appropriate it; actual funding comes from the House Appropriations Committee. Rep. Gillen secured funding authorization for: $11 million for the Village of Garden City to replace legacy lead water service lines with new non-lead water service lines; $25 million for the City of Long Beach to make essential upgrades to its aging water main infrastructure; $3.3 million for the Village of Freeport to support the installation of additional stormwater pumping stations to mitigate chronic tidal flooding and storm-related inundation; $130,000 to help mitigate flooding on Rock Hall Road, near Lawrence Avenue; $65.57 million for water and wastewater infrastructure in Nassau and Suffolk Counties; and $20 million for water and wastewater infrastructure, including stormwater management, water reclamation, and environmental restoration in Nassau County.
Rep. Gillen additionally secured the following project and study priorities in the legislation. These projects can now proceed at the direction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or through the appropriations process: Expediting the Nassau County Back Bays Coastal Storm Risk Management Project Study to protect Nassau County’s South Shore from flooding; Authorization of proposed feasibility study for the Reynolds Channel project in the Village of Atlantic Beach to reduce coastal flooding impacts to public street ends, drainage outfalls, open spaces, and marine rescue facilities through bulkhead replacement and shoreline stabilization; Authorization of proposed feasibility study for the dredging of Bannister Bay in the Village of Lawrence; Authorization of proposed feasibility study for ecosystem restoration, flood risk management, coastal storm risk management, and navigation off the South Shore of Long Island; and Authorization to expedite a project in the City of Long Beach to remove and replace seven beach groins critically needed to stabilize the beach, reduce damage from future storms, and reduce the need for future sand renourishment.
“Hurricane Sandy devastated Long Island and our communities in New York’s fourth congressional district, causing billions of dollars’ worth of damage. As we deal with rising sea levels and stronger, more frequent storms, we must provide the coastal communities I represent with the federal resources we need to enhance our resiliency and protect our residents and our property.
“For a decade, the Army Corps has been engaged in a study to examine how we can reduce storm damage, flooding, and coastal erosion in Nassau County’s back bays. Some of the most vulnerable areas like Freeport, East Rockaway, Oceanside, Island Park, the Five Towns, Long Beach, Lido Beach, Point Lookout, lie within this area and deal with severe flooding on a regular basis.
“As supervisor of the Town of Hempstead, I fought to keep federal dollars flowing to this project and to support resiliency of our coastal communities. In 2021, the Army Corps released a draft report with recommendations to reduce the risk of flood damage. However, since 2021, the Army Corps has not completed the final feasibility study, nor has it issued the Chief’s report, the crucial steps necessary to begin the next stage towards construction.
“My amendment would require the Army Corps to report on the current status of the project and to expedite and advance this crucial project one step further to protect us from the next storm. I’d also like to take a moment to highlight some other major wins for Long Island in this package that I was proud to help secure. These include $11 million for Garden City to address lead pipe replacement, $25 million for water main upgrades in Long Beach, $3.3 million for stormwater pumps in Freeport, $130,000 for flood mitigation in Lawrence, and tens of millions of dollars more for water and wastewater infrastructure across Nassau County.
“This bill also authorizes new studies to mitigate flooding in Reynolds Channel and Atlantic Beach to dredge Bannister Bay and Lawrence, and I’m proud that this package includes my bipartisan bill, the Coastal Infrastructure Improvement Act, which would authorize the Army Corps to carry out research and development on innovative coastal erosion technologies to protect our environment, prevent erosion, and save taxpayers’ dollars.”
