Warren County has been awarded over $600,000 in New York State grant funding to pursue economic development and environmental projects across the county, including money to begin development of a countywide composting facility.
The grants were awarded through the most recent round of Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) funding thanks to the work ofWarren County Department of Planning & Community Development, assisted by Warren County Department of Public Works.
In all, $602,665 was awarded by New York State to Warren County for projects that will focus on cleanup of potentially contaminated properties, improved handling of organic waste, better handling of road salt and more.
Said Kevin Geraghty, Chairman of the Warren County Board of Supervisors: “The Warren County Board of Supervisors would like to thank New York State for trusting Warren County with funding for these important projects, and Warren County staff for successfully applying for these grants. This funding will help improve our environment through better handling of organic waste and storage of road salt, and help us work toward addressing the regional housing crisis by identifying properties that can be redeveloped. Our Warren County staff is ready to put this funding to good use.”
Said Ethan Gaddy, Warren County Planner: “The Planning Department is pleased with this year’s awards because they demonstrate that by developing good plans we can position our communities to capture funding for projects that improve quality of life, environmental health, and the economy. The funded projects are aligned with ongoing planning efforts such as the County’s Comprehensive Plan, Outdoor Recreation Economy Strategic Plan, and Housing Strategy. Continued support for planning efforts from the Board of Supervisors Economic Growth and Development Committee and the County Administrator’s Office has been instrumental in allowing us to pursue grants.”
Funding for the following projects was secured through Planning Department grant applications:
Organics Composting Pilot Program: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) Climate Smart Communities program awarded Warren County $99,253 to implement a pilot program for a municipal composting facility. This project resulted from an Organics Management Plan that the Planning Department secured funding for in 2021 via the Climate Smart Communities program. The Warren County Department of Public Works and Warren County Solid Waste Working Group will implement the project.
County-wide Brownfield Study: NYS Department of State awarded Warren County $100,112 to conduct a county-wide analysis of potentially contaminated “brownfield” sites. The goal of the project is to positively identify individual vacant, abandoned, and underutilized sites as well as clusters of brownfield-affected areas, and to develop strategies to restore and revitalize these areas.
North Creek Rail Station Improvements: NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation awarded $231,300 to repair the roof and siding of the historic North Creek Rail Station Freight House in Johnsburg. The rail complex plays a critical role in telling the history of the central Adirondacks, and is a valuable tourism draw that supports the hamlet of North Creek and Warren County as a whole.
Road Salt Storage Facility in Glens Falls: NYSDEC’s Water Quality Improvement Program awarded $172,000 to the City of Glens Falls to construct a salt shed with the goal of protecting groundwater. This project will benefit city taxpayers as well as water quality, and is part of an effort to reduce road salt impact.
In addition, Warren County was excited to learn that communities in the county were successful in capturing REDC funds recently for the following projects:
Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District Roadside Erosion and Sediment Control Program ($141,200)
Town of Bolton Finkle Brook Nutrient Study ($50,000)
Town of Chester Loon Lake Dam Repair ($896,000)
Glens Falls Stormwater Infrastructure ($1,000,000)