Courtesy Nettle Meadow Cheese Plant
Some 29 projects in Warren and Washington counties received a total of nearly $4.6 million from New York state as part of this year’s Regional Economic Development Council grant program.
More than $761 million in economic and community development funding was awarded through Round IX of the REDC initiative statewide.
Since its inception in 2011, over $6.9 billion has been awarded to more than 8,300 projects that are projected to create and retain more than 240,000 jobs statewide through the REDC process, state officials said.
Key among the projects is over $1 million to Glens Falls to construct a separate stormsewer system along Walnut and Maple streets. Many of the grants in the region are for infrastructure projects.
Separate from that, two farms— Nettle Meadow Cheese Plant in Warrensburg and Luncrest Farm LLC in Washington County—got grants to enhance their production facilities.
“Throughout the Regional Economic Development Council process over the past nine years, we have seen unprecedented regional investment focusing on a ground-up, strategic model that has spurred tremendous growth in every corner of this great state,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “By bringing together local leaders and stakeholders who are invested in their communities we have replaced the ‘one size fits all’ approach to economic development with one that is unique to each community, creating opportunities for success all across the Empire State.”
The REDC process creates a statewide framework for bottom-up, regional economic growth and streamlining the state funding application process, officials said. Established in 2011 as a centerpiece of a strategy to jump-start the economy and create jobs, the Regional Councils replaced the state’s old top-down approach with one that is community-based and performance-driven.
In 2019, all 10 REDCs competed for up to $150 million in capital funds and $75 million in Excelsior Tax Credits for projects identified by the Regional Councils as priorities in their regions.
The Regional Council priorities this year included working with local businesses and communities to identify childcare needs and develop potential solutions; developing an economic and environmental justice strategy for the region; supporting community investment in place-making and downtown revitalization; and supporting the state’s $175 million Workforce Development Initiative. Each council was asked to address these items in ways that complement each regional vision.
The projects in Warren and Washington counties include:
• The City of Glens Falls, $1,048,257 to construct a separate stormsewer system along Walnut and Maple streets to remove stormwater from the city’s combined sewer system. This project will improve water quality by reducing the occurrence of combined sewer overflows.
• City of Glens Falls, $100,000 to complete an engineering report that evaluates alternatives to reduce inflow and infiltration to the sanitary sewer collection system.
• Nettle Meadow Cheese Plant in Warrensburg, $120,000 to acquire and renovate an existing facility to increase their cheese processing space and production. They will purchase and install cheese making machinery and equipment.
• The Town of Chester, $25,000 to create an emergency extreme heat cooling center at the town’s municipal center gymnasium/auditorium.
• The Town of Hague, $30,000 to complete an engineering report that assesses inflow and infiltration issues in the wastewater treatment collection system and recommends actions to address the issues.
• The Town of Lake George, $50,000 to complete an engineering report that focuses on investigating sewer laterals and illicit connections to the Caldwell Sewer District. The report will include recommendations and a capital improvement plan to address deficiencies.
• The Town of Lake George, $30,000 to complete an engineering study to assess the feasibility of installing green infrastructure practices on Beatty Road and Cedar Lane. The goal of the project will be to identify areas that can be used to capture and infiltrate runoff to reduce the amount of pollution entering Lake George.
• The Warren County Soil and Water Conservation
District, $66,000 to implement a program to replace three undersized culverts in Hague, Stony Creek and Warrensburg. The program will improve water quality by reducing erosion and sediment loading caused by excessive streambank scouring. It will also restore aquatic connectivity in the area by removing a barrier to aquatic organism passage.
• The Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District, $27,227 to complete an engineering report for the replacement of an undersized, degrading box culvert in the Town of Hague. The culvert is located on Hague Brook, a tributary to Lake George.
• The Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District, $27,227 to complete an engineering report for the replacement of a degrading box culvert in the Town of Queensbury. The goal of the project will be to reduce streambank erosion caused by scouring from the undersized culvert.
• The HomeFront Development Corp., $251,147 to assist in the renovation of mixed-use properties in the Village of Cambridge.
• Hubbard Hall Center for the Arts and Education, $31,600 for its workforce training and development programs. The hall runs yearlong fellowships for recent graduates aimed at giving students the skills and hands-on experience they need to pursue careers in arts administration.
• Luncrest Farm LLC in Washington County, $350,000 to construct a new milking center and free stall barn to house cattle, produce milk, and provide a showplace to market cattle.
• Town of Granville, $50,000 to be used to complete a capital improvement plan for the North Granville Water
District.
• The Town of Greenwich, $49,000 to develop a Master Plan to transform an abandoned waterfront property into a new park along the Hudson River. The plan will identify park amenities such as trails and pathways, waterfront access, kayak launch, and picnic areas, and connections to the nearby Champlain Canalway Trail/Empire State Trail and Hudson Crossing Park.
• The Village of Fort Ann, $30,000 to complete an engineering report summarizing results of an investigation of its sanitary sewer collection system and providing recommendations for capital improvements to correct deficiencies.
• Village of Fort Ann, $262,500 to install effluent ultraviolet disinfection at its wastewater treatment plant. The project will improve water quality by reducing pathogens in the treatment plant’s discharge.
• The Village of Granville, $80,000 to install an ultraviolet disinfection system at its wastewater treatment plant. The project will improve the quality of treated effluent entering the Mettawee River.
• The Village and Town of Greenwich, $200,000 to complete a Brownfield Opportunity Area Nomination study for a 385-acre area with 45 potential vacant, abandoned, under utilized, or brownfield sites, including key gateway locations, large Main Street lots, and the Village’s Battenkill waterfront dominated by former industrial uses. Revitalization objectives include downtown economic development, Main Street corridor/gateway improvements, addressing environmental conditions, and waterfront access.
• The Village of Greenwich, $30,000 to complete an engineering report to evaluate disinfection alternatives for its wastewater treatment plant. The report will also recommend other wastewater treatment improvements.
• The Village of Hudson Falls, $600,000 to renovate Derby Park to reestablish an athletic facility that has fallen into disrepair.
• Village of Hudson Falls, $750,000 used to replace water mains in a low-income area along sections of Maple Street in the village.
• The Village of Whitehall, $100,000 to complete an engineering report to evaluate actions to reduce infiltration and inflow to its wastewater collection and treatment system. This report will focus on locating and evaluating previously inaccessible manholes.
• The Village of Whitehall, $30,000 to complete an engineering report to evaluate disinfection alternatives at its wastewater treatment plant.
• Washington County, $150,000 for the Northern Champlain Canal Trail improvements. The 62 mile Champlain Canalway Trail was about 20% constructed in 2018. The section north of the Village of Fort Ann, stretching seven miles to the Town of Whitehall is currently designated on the shoulders of State Route 4, which is a high-speed and high-traffic roadway. Funding will assist with construction costs to bring this section off road.
• The Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District, $20,000 to complete an engineering design report to address stream bank failure impacting Halfway Creek near Farley Road. The goal of the project will be to reduce sediment and nutrient runoff entering the creek and to protect
• The Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District, $30,000 to complete an engineering design report to address stream bank erosion on Halfway Creek near Mattison Road.
• The Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District, $15,000 to complete an engineering feasibility study and design for green infrastructure best management practices in the towns of Fort Ann and Harford. The goal of the project is to reduce and treat stormwater runoff.