Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner (D-Round Lake) announced that Saratoga and Washington counties are slated to receive more than $9.7 million for 14 important community projects. The funding was provided through Round XI of the Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) initiative.

“As our communities continue to recover from the economic crisis caused by COVID-19, I’m working hard each and every day to ensure critical local projects are funded so that they can be completed in a timely and cost-efficient manner,” said Woerner. “Thanks to this influx of state funds, Saratoga and Washington counties can repair critical infrastructure, improve recreational opportunities and breathe new life into local towns and villages. With the 2022 legislative session right around the corner, I’ll keep working to support our local recovery and help us all build back stronger.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the REDC Round XI funding, which provided an additional $196 million to support 488 projects statewide, earlier this week. The local projects that received funding include:

Saratoga County:

• $2.75 million to upgrade Saratoga County’s Water Treatment Plant by installing efficient technology for the biological removal of ammonia from wastewater. This project will repair aging infrastructure, protect the Hudson River from pollution and allow regional manufacturers to continue expanding in the region.

• $2.5 million to expand STEM and Health Care Workforce Development by enabling Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) to create new training facilities that expand workforce development programs in healthcare and advanced manufacturing. 

• $2 million to reduce energy consumption at the county Water Treatment Plant through biogas production created by new digesters.

• $800,000 for Albany-Schoharie-Schenectady-Saratoga BOCES to expand its Occupational Health and Safety Service program.

• $500,000 for Wright Electric Inc. – a company specializing in reducing the environmental impact of aviation – to establish the new Wright Laboratory, which will create high-paying jobs in the Capital Region.

• $250,000 for the town of Moreau to break ground on the Big Boom Trail by creating trailhead parking, the Waterfront Trail Loop, a kayak launch, fishing piers and an overlook area. The first of a three-phase project, this new trail will connect bicyclists and hikers from Nolan Road to Moreau State Park and to the Palmertown Ridge Trail System.

• $153,000 for the village of Ballston Spa to develop a Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) program nomination for a 176-acre area that includes a large portion of the downtown center along Route 50 and Gordon and Kayaderosseras creeks. The village intends to redevelop this area to increase waterfront access and return underutilized land to productive use.

• $100,000 for the town of Wilton’s Artisanal Brew Works facility to invest in new equipment, a new facility and restaurant service to meet the burgeoning demand for craft beverages.

• $100,000 for the town of Halfmoon to expand an Empire State Trail trailhead near Crescent Vischer-Ferry Road, Old Canal Road and Crescent Bridge and create a new parking area.

• $85,000 for the town of Saratoga to install a new segment of the planned Champlain Canalway Trail, allowing a portion of that trail and the Empire State Trail to pull off the heavily trafficked Route 4 corridor.

• $24,000 for the city of Mechanicville to develop an engineering report to identify sources of inflow and filtration, evaluate alternatives and recommend improvements to the city’s wastewater collection system

Washington County:

• $428,500 for the village of Greenwich’s downtown revitalization efforts

• $40,860 for the town of Kingsbury to develop a comprehensive redevelopment plan that balances conservation and preservation of natural features and agricultural with the community’s housing, renewable energy, infrastructure and economic development needs

• $30,000 for town of Dresden to develop an engineering report to assess its wastewater collection systems, evaluate alternatives and recommend improvements