Three North Country communities have been awarded economic stimulus funding for water system upgrades, according to the Governor’s office.
Governor David A. Paterson today announced clean water projects selected to receive American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding. Twenty-two communities from across the State will be awarded $130 million for the construction of water treatment plants and the installation of sewer system upgrades. The projects are located in Allegany, Columbia, Essex, Greene, Jefferson, Madison, Nassau, Niagara, Otsego, St. Lawrence, Suffolk, Washington, and Westchester counties.
Locally, three projects will receive funding:
Town of Rutland, Jefferson County will receive $2.2 million to support the planning, design, and construction of collector sewers to connect the Hamlet of Felts Mills to the City of Watertown treatment plant addressing decades-old public health and water quality issues
Village of Sackets Harbor, Jefferson County will receive $8 million to support the planning, design, and replacement of the Village’s treatment plant and portions of the collection system. The Village’s new plant, replacing one originally built in 1927, will provide better and more consistent treatment of wastewater, as well as correcting excessive inflow issues
Town of Brasher, St. Lawrence County will receive $1.4 million to support the design and construction of a collection and treatment system for the Hamlet of Helena. Wells have become contaminated from failing septic systems within this Hamlet. Collection and treatment of wastewater is expected to eliminate this public health risk, as well as improve the water quality of the nearby St. Regis River”When President Obama signed the stimulus legislation, I committed our State to using these recovery funds wisely and efficiently, to get New Yorkers working on projects that will have lasting benefits to our communities,” said Governor Paterson. “These projects will not only create jobs, they will help keep New York’s waters clean without the need to raise local property taxes. I thank President Obama and the New York Congressional Delegation for enabling New York to repair antiquated water infrastructure and preserve public health while swiftly responding to the current economic downturn.”
The projects will create an estimated 1,300 direct and indirect jobs across the State in many communities that have been deeply affected by the current recession. These positions will include construction, mining, and professional opportunities, such as carpenters, plumbers, electricians, heavy-equipment operators, engineers, steel miners, manufacturers as well as legal jobs, high-tech jobs, and plant operators. Communities throughout New York have used low-cost Clean Water State Revolving Fund financing for a variety of wastewater infrastructure projects and, as a result, millions of New Yorkers have cleaner, safer water resources. Adequate and sustainable wastewater infrastructure is critical to a community’s environmental quality, public health and economic vitality.
The EFC Board of Directors voted today on the majority of these projects, and the remainder will be voted on at the June 30 Board meeting. The ARRA requires that 20 percent of clean water funds be reserved for Green Innovation projects, such as energy efficiency, solar and water conservation elements of projects. New York’s Green Reserve is $86 million and will be distributed via a new $35 million Green Innovations Grant Program. The remaining $51 million will fund innovative initiatives at traditional sewage projects that qualify for ARRA monies. To learn more, visit the EFC Economic Recovery webpage at: www.nysefc.org/recovery.
