The closure of the Indian Point Nuclear Facility in 2021 has resulted in the Hendrick Hudson School District losing around $25 million in annual funding, according to the district.

This was mainly due to annual payments made to the district from the owners of the plant. The annual payments were made to the district and other local entities.

The funding was nearly a quarter of the district's entire operating budget, leaving the gap only growing in the meantime.

The district's superintendent says they're asking the state to extend funding to make up for lost revenue that they used to receive before the plant closed.

"We're really seeking primarily state support of the cessation mitigation fund, which runs out in the '28-'29 school year. We're asking for the state to extend that to assist with softening the shift of the burden of the revenue to our taxpayers. That cessation mitigation fund has allowed us to slowly increase taxes over time," said School Superintendent Michael Tromblee.

State Sen. Heter Harckham says officials are looking to extend the fund by five years.

"Since I've been in office, we've been able to increase funding to the Hendrick Hudson School District by 179% or $11 million annually. Additionally, we've been able to get them $3 million in discretionary funding," said Harckham.

However, Tromblee says without an extension or long-term solution, taxes will only continue to increase.

"We have grandparents, and kids who graduated and come back and live here in the community, and if it becomes too much more unaffordable, I just don't see that continuing. That would be a great loss to our area," said Lisa Anderson with the district's PTA Advocacy Committee.

On a federal level, the district and some in the community are lobbying for legislation that would provide annual payments to communities storing spent nuclear fuel on-site after plant closure.