Section 1. 
Legislative intent.
This Legislature finds and determines that in 2016, the Suffolk County Sanitary Code was amended to include Article 19, "Management of Innovative and Alternative Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems", in an effort to address the negative impact that nitrogen has contributed to the degradation of water quality in Suffolk County since the biggest contributor to said degradation has been outdated, non-performing onsite sanitary systems and cesspools, as recommended in the 2015 Suffolk County Comprehensive Water Resources Management Plan prepared by the Suffolk County Department of Health Services ("Department"). Article 19 of the Suffolk County Sanitary Code has authorized the voluntary installation and the Department management of certain approved innovative and Alternative Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems ("I/A OWTS") technologies as the first step to reversing water quality degradation where existing systems are replaced at the initiative of a property owner.
This Legislature also finds and determines that the Suffolk County Charter was amended by Local Law No. 31-2014, to authorize, in accordance with section 12-2(D)(3) of the Suffolk County Charter, the use of the excess Assessment Stabilization Reserve Fund balance, as defined therein, for among other things, the installation of residential and commercial enhanced nitrogen removal septic systems.
This Legislature also finds that in addition, Local Law No. 31-2014, provides that in Fiscal Year 2011 or in any subsequent fiscal year through 2021, no less than $2 million of the excess Assessment Stabilization Reserve Fund balance will be appropriated via duly approved resolutions in each fiscal year for the installation of residential and commercial enhanced nitrogen removal septic systems.
This Legislature also finds and determines that I/A OWTS technologies that have been approved and certified by the Suffolk County Department of Health Services in accordance with Article 19 of the Suffolk County Sanitary Code, and such other technologies to be approved in the future by the Department also in accordance with the Suffolk County Sanitary Code are a type of such enhanced nitrogen removal systems consistent with the intent and use of that term pursuant to Article XII of the Suffolk County Charter.
This Legislature further finds and determines that the Suffolk County Sewer Infrastructure Committee, which was established in accordance with Local Law No. 31-2014, has recommended, at a meeting held on March 24, 2017, that a voluntary grant program, to be administered by the Department, be established to utilize the funding authorized in accordance with section 12-2(D)(3) of the Suffolk County Charter by assisting property owners who wish to voluntarily install I/A OWTS on residential property to defray the costs of such enhanced systems. The Suffolk County Sewer Infrastructure Committee has also recommended that the grant program be supplemented by allowing Suffolk County to refer residential owners to the CDCLI Funding Corporation, a non-profit organization, which has the ability to offer certain Suffolk County residents who would qualify under the County's grant program, loans at competitively priced interest rates, should residents need or wish to supplement the cost of an I/A OWTS through loan assistance.
This Legislature further finds and determines that as these new technologies become more and more available and utilized throughout Suffolk County and as additional changes and revisions to the Suffolk County Sanitary Code are made, it is the intent that additional programs will be included under this proposed article to the Suffolk County Code, including commercial assistance programs, as anticipated under the Charter.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to provide a financial incentive to Suffolk County residents to install enhanced nitrogen removal systems by making such systems more affordable with the goal of improving water quality in Suffolk County.
Section 3. 
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all actions occurring on or after the effective date of this law.
Section 1. 
Legislative intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that the County of Suffolk adopted Local Law No. 15-2017 to establish a grant assistance program for the installation of innovative and alternative onsite wastewater treatment systems at residential properties.
This Legislature further finds that the purpose of this grant assistance program is to incentivize the installation of enhanced nitrogen removal systems, particularly in environmentally sensitive areas.
This Legislature further finds that Local Law No. 15-2017, which is codified at Chapter 839 of the Suffolk County Code, includes a provision excluding all County employees from participating in the grant assistance program. This Legislature believes that this exclusion, while well-intentioned, is unnecessarily broad.
This Legislature finds that County employees, other than those serving in the exempt class, should not be excluded from the grant assistance program.
This Legislature also finds that additional technical changes should be made to the grant assistance program to allow for its effective implementation.
Therefore, the purpose of this local law is to allow most County employees to participate in the grant assistance program for the installation of innovative and alternative onsite wastewater treatment systems and to make several additional technical changes to the program.
Section 3. 
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all actions occurring on or after the effective date of this law.
Section 1. 
Legislative intent.
This Legislature finds and determines that in 2017, the Suffolk County Legislature adopted Chapter 839 of the Suffolk County Code that established the "Residential Septic Incentive Program" (or "the SIP Program"), which is a grant assistance program for the installation of innovative and alternative on-site wastewater treatment systems ("I/A OWTS"), as one of the initial steps by Suffolk County to address the documented devastating effects of high levels of nitrogen pollution emanating from conventional on-site wastewater systems by incentivizing property owners to voluntarily replace their existing on-site systems.
This Legislature recognizes that, as was documented in the study completed by IBM as part of the Smarter Cities Challenge program, there are thousands of individual systems throughout the County which should be upgraded in order to achieve region-wide success in reducing environmental impacts from on-site cesspools and septic systems that has been identified as the primary source of nitrogen pollution to groundwater and surface waters.
This Legislature finds and determines that the success of the existing SIP Program, while significant, has been limited by the amount of funding allocated to the Program in accordance with Local Law No. 15-2017, and the significant remaining cost that many homeowners face to fund system upgrades under the existing program. Due to funding limitations, Local Law No. 15-2017 established restrictions on the categories of properties eligible for the use of those funds, preventing the widespread transition to nitrogen-reducing systems that will be necessary for the success of the SIP Program.
This Legislature finds and determines that the New York State Septic System Replacement Program (the "State Program") administered by the Environmental Facilities Corporation, has allocated and the County has accepted via Resolution No. 240-2018, $10,025,000 in state funding to provide grants to eligible property owners for septic system replacement projects.
This Legislature also finds and determines that various towns in Suffolk County have established programs that have made additional resources available to property owners in Suffolk County for the installation of I/A OWTS, and other towns and villages may adopt such other programs in the future. These additional programs not only serve to reduce the out-of-pocket expense of an I/A OWTS to individual property owners, thus providing further financial incentive for the voluntary installation of these systems, but will also enable the County program to make grants more widely available in towns that are not able to provide such programs, vastly increasing the number of property owners eligible for grant assistance directly from the County or through administration of the State Program.
This Legislature also finds and determines that because of this increased ability and to better coordinate Suffolk County's grant Program with the State Program, it is advisable to ease certain previously adopted grant eligibility restrictions to increase the number of I/A OWTS installations for the benefit of the residents of Suffolk County and to further the County's goal of improving water quality.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to continue to provide a financial incentive to Suffolk County residents to install enhanced nitrogen removal systems to harmonize, to the greatest extent possible, the processing of grant applications to be consistent with the eligibility requirements of the State Program, and to broaden the reach of the program by expanding the universe of properties and property owners eligible for grants, which will further the goal of improving water quality in Suffolk County.
Section 3. 
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all actions occurring on or after the effective date of this law.
Section 1. 
Legislative intent.
This Legislature finds and determines that in 2017, the Suffolk County Legislature adopted Chapter 839 of the Suffolk County Code that established the "Residential Septic Incentive Program" (or "the SIP Program"), which is a grant assistance program for the installation of Innovative and Alternative On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems ("I/A OWTS"), as one of the initial steps by Suffolk County to address the documented devastating effects of high levels of nitrogen pollution emanating from conventional on-site wastewater systems by incentivizing property owners to voluntarily replace their existing on-site systems.
This Legislature finds and determines that in 2019, the SIP Program was expanded to include additional funding for low- to moderate-income households, and while successful, the 2019 amendment of the SIP Program also eliminated reimbursement for the design of I/A OWTS.
This Legislature further finds and determines that low- to moderate-income households may need additional assistance for the payment of the design of these systems, which New York State law requires in order for such systems to be installed, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to increase the amount of the grant award available to low- to moderate-income households in order to provide additional funding, as funds are available, for the reimbursement of design services required for the installation of an I/A OWTS.
Section 3. 
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all applications that are pending at the Department of Health Services and all future applications submitted to the Department on or after the effective date of this law.
Section 1. 
Legislative intent.
This Legislature finds and determines that in 2017, the Suffolk County Legislature adopted Chapter 839 of the Suffolk County Code that established the "Residential Septic Incentive Program" ("SIP," or "the Program"), which is a grant assistance program for the Installation of Innovative and Alternative On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems ("I/A OWTS") to address the documented devastating effects of high levels of nitrogen pollution emanating from conventional on-site wastewater systems by incentivizing property owners to voluntarily replace their existing on-site systems.
This Legislature finds and determines that the tremendous success of the County's Program has led New York State to award more than $40 million in additional funding from the New York State Septic System Replacement Program (SSRP), which funding is administered by the Department of Health Services in conjunction with the County's SIP.
The Legislature further finds and determines that because the SIP and SSRP grant programs have become increasingly popular, with more than 4,300 homeowners having submitted applications to date, the Department of Health Services has proposed to streamline the grant and permitting processes to make them more efficient, less resource intensive, and simpler for homeowners.
This Legislature finds and determines that in addition to increasing staff productivity and enhancing efficiency, the proposed changes will also provide additional financial incentive for homeowners to voluntarily replace existing cesspools and septic systems with new nitrogen reducing technology, significantly increasing the number of property owners for which Suffolk County may provide grant assistance under the Program.
This Legislature also finds and determines that it is advisable to modify certain previously adopted grant restrictions to increase the number of I/A OWTS installations for the benefit of the residents of Suffolk County and Suffolk County as a whole.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to continue to provide a financial incentive to Suffolk County residents to install enhanced nitrogen removal systems and to reduce grant property restrictions to further the goal of improving water quality in Suffolk County.
Section 3. 
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all actions occurring on or after the effective date of this law.
Section 1. 
Legislative Intent.
This Legislature finds and determines that in 2017, pursuant to Local Law 15-2017, the Suffolk County Legislature adopted Chapter 839 of the Suffolk County Code that established the "Residential Septic Incentive Program" (or "the Program"), which is a grant assistance program for the installation of innovative and alternative on-site wastewater treatment systems ("l/A OWTS") to address the documented devastating effects of high levels of nitrogen pollution emanating from conventional on-site wastewater systems by incentivizing property owners to voluntarily replace their existing on-site systems.
This Legislature finds and determines that the tremendous success of the County's Program has led New York State to award more than $80 million in additional funding from the New York State Septic System Replacement Program (SSRP), which funding is administered by the Department of Health Services in conjunction with the County's SIP.
The Legislature further finds and determines that because the SIP and SSRP grant programs have become increasingly popular, with more than 6,700 homeowners having submitted applications to date, the Department of Health Services has worked to streamline the grant and permitting processes to make them more efficient, less resource intensive, and simpler for homeowners.
This Legislature further finds and determines that since the adoption of Chapter 839 of the Suffolk County Code, authorization for the appropriation by this Legislature of funding from the Assessment Stabilization Reserve Fund for the installation of residential or commercial enhanced nitrogen removal septic systems in accordance with section 12-2(D)(3) of the Suffolk County Charter has since expired.
This Legislature further finds and determines that with the passage of Local Law 32-2024, establishing, among other things, the new 1/8th sales tax, the receipts of which are required to be deposited into the Water Quality Restoration Fund and to be used for water quality improvement projects, including septic installation projects, and subject to further approval by this Legislature in accordance with section Part 2 of Article XII of the Suffolk County Charter, funding for the Program from the Water Quality Restoration Fund has been recommended by the County Executive and the Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Fund Board of Trustees as part of the First Suffolk County Subwatersheds Implementation Plan currently under consideration by this Legislature.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to provide a greater financial incentive to Suffolk County residents to install enhanced nitrogen removal systems to further the goal of improving water quality in Suffolk County by increasing the total amount of the grant award, to make additional operational changes to the Program, and to make additional changes in light of the expiration of the ability to appropriate funding to the Program pursuant to section 12-2(D)(3) of the Suffolk County Charter.
Section 3. 
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all actions occurring on or after the effective date of this law.