MINEOLA- On February 25, the Public Works and Planning committees of the Nassau County Legislature held a special hearing about Cedar Creek Sewage Treatment Plant. This hearing was called by Republican Majority Leader Peter Schmitt in wake of a report filed by the New York State Department of Labor’s Public Employee Safety and Health Bureau (PESH). This report was issued on February 9, and was regarding a January 7 inspection where 22 serious violations, and 4 non-serious violations were found.

CSEA Local 830 President Jerry Laricchiuta addressed the committees and spoke about these violations, and the pattern of poor safety conditions that have been at the facility since he came in office in 2005.  In October 2005, a special hearing was called by the Nassau Legislature after a feature story in the Long Island Press titled Toxic Offender detailing the safety concerns at Cedar Creek.

There are 81 employees working at Cedar Creek plant, with the budget for the facility calling for 100.  According to DPW Deputy Commissioner Joseph Davenport, there were 92 in 2009, but they lost 11 to the Early Retirement Incentive. Legislators, including Dennis Dunne (R-Levittown), who went on a walkthrough the day prior, said that it appears that these safety violations could very well be a result of a lack of manpower. There is a maintenance schedule in place, but it’s unclear if it is being utilized. It was confirmed that confined space training has not been done since at least 2006. Some of the other concerns included broken bar screens, and a broken phone system creating a lack of communication between workers in different areas of the plant.