The former manager of the Oswego (New York) Wastewater Treatment Plant avoided jail time and was sentenced probation and a fine for failing to take action when the plant’s centrifuge stopped working in December of 2014.
Gary Hallinan — who pleaded guilty to charges of negligently discharging raw sewage into Lake Ontario — had been facing more than a year in jail and a fine of up to $100,000. Instead, he will serve two years under probation, pay a $1,000 fine and is mandated to perform 200 hours of community service.
Prosecutors say the solids discharge from the plant June 23, 2015, was 60 times higher than allowed by the facility’s permit.
Newark to Address Lead Pipes After Securing $155 Million in Lease Agreement
Newark, New Jersey, is set to receive $155 million in a new lease agreement from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to help replace lead service lines, according to Mayor Ras Baraka.
The mayor held a press conference about the agreement, saying that Port Authority officials have agreed to give the city an additional $5 million (on top of the annual $110 million contribution) for the next 30 years. Newark will also receive $5 million up front.
City officials are planning to use the extra funds on debt service toward a $120 million loan that will expedite Newark’s efforts to replace lead service lines.
Department of Energy Announces Energy-Water Desalination Hub
U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry announces the selection of the National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI) to lead a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Energy-Water Desalination Hub that will address water security issues in the United States.
The hub will focus on early-stage research and development for energy-efficient and cost-competitive desalination technologies including manufacturing challenges. This suite of technologies will treat nontraditional water sources for multiple end-use applications. Congress appropriated a total of $40 million since Fiscal Year 2017 for the hub and public and private stakeholders are expected to contribute $34 million in cost-share.
“I’m excited by the incredible possibilities we have focused on the energy-water nexus today to create a secure and prosperous tomorrow, including the Energy-Water Desalination Hub,” says Perry. “The hub will spur technological advancements in the treatment of non-traditional water sources. I’m proud that the Department of Energy is already a leader in this area, not simply in energy and water security, but in energy and water innovation.”
