BOB HORTON: Money finally flowing to Byram River project

Greenwich has now joined the federal government, New York state and Westchester County as co-funders of a U.S. Army Corps of Engineer study that it is hoped will lead to a restored and revitalized Byram River.

First Selectman Peter Tesei signed a contract just before Thanksgiving that promises the town will provide up to $200,000 in matching funds for an initial study of how best to clean up the river, according to an e-mail he sent Jo Conboy, chairperson of the Save our Shores environmental organization.

"We pushed and pushed for the town to sign this contract, and now it's finally been signed," Ms. Conboy said earlier this week. The local environmentalist said the first selectman indicated the matching fund would come from the town Department of Public Works budget.

While it is good news that the town finally came forward with funding, people who have been pushing for years to address Byram River environmental and flooding issues have learned to ratchet down their expectations. After all, the Corps of Engineers completed a study 10 years ago; yet Greenwich and other government entities never acted or funded the engineer's recommendations. The final price tag for river restoration is expected to be in the millions of dollars.

However tempered expectations may be, real progress in cleaning up the river is on the horizon. Port Chester just received $750,000 from New York state to repair its aging and suspect sewer system, which for years has leaked raw sewage into Byram River, Port Chester Harbor and Long Island Sound.

Greenwich residents have complained about Port Chester's sewage problems for years, but Ms. Conboy says Greenwich has some work to do in Byram as well. "Our side has not replaced main sewer lines right at the Mill Street bridge, and these leak right into the river," she said.

Storm and sanitary sewer pipes upstream of the South Water Street pump station, which feeds the town's wastewater treatment hub on Grass Island in Greenwich Harbor, often overflow during rainstorms, dumping raw sewage into the tidal waters. The same overflow situation exists at the Pemberwick pumping station on the banks of the Byram River.

Mr. Tesei did not respond earlier this week to e-mailed questions about the Corps of Engineers contract or the Byram sewer problems. A call to his office Thursday morning served as my introduction to the town's recently installed voice mail system. I left a message.

Assuming the Army Corps comes back with recommendations similar to those it developed 10 years ago, it will set up an interesting political battle over sewer and flooding priorities in town. Over the last several years Greenwich government has developed a penchant for studying water problems, not addressing them. It's tough to argue that "study" is not needed, but each year we study is another year lost to real work, and another year the overall price tag grows.

That price tag read $150 million at last glance. And that did not include whatever town funds would be needed for its share of the Byram River cleanup. If you live in a neighborhood with chronic flooding problems, be it Cos Cob, Old Greenwich or along Horseneck Brook, you probably feel that your neighborhood warrants being at the top of the priority list.

And then there's the question of how to pay for it in an environment where everyone seems to think town government spending is out of control. Like I said, this is going to be an interesting political battle.

Bob Horton can be reached by e-mail at bobhorton@yahoo.com.