State loan aids waterfront infrastructure

PENN YAN--The village of Penn Yan received $1.26 million of interest-free financing for infrastructure related to the waterfront revitalization project last week. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the funding Thursday, Aug. 13 as part of $114 million in zero and low-interest loans to support improvements at 16 wastewater facilities and four drinking water systems. The work will include new sewers, pump stations and other improvements to the wastewater collection system along Hicks, Waddell and Monell Streets to prepare the waterfront for commercial and residential development at the former Penn Yan Marine facility.
"It is really an integral part of our waterfront development project there," Penn Yan Mayor Leigh MacKerchar said.
The village has already completed a project to install a new water line on Lake Street that will also aid the waterfront development. MacKerchar added the wastewater work being supported by this new grant will be one of the last infrastructure projects the village needs to take care of before work on the development can begin.
The funding also went to support six storm-related projects in Orange, Rockland, Erie, Oswego, Rensselaer and Jefferson Counties, while local-government assistance funding was also approved for Tompkins, Essex, Onondaga and Westchester Counties. Additional loans were approved for infrastructure improvements completed in Franklin, Montgomery and Chenango Counties.
"It's great news that the villages of Penn Yan and Trumansburg will receive this valuable assistance to undertake these critical projects," State Senator Tom O'Mara (R, C -- Big Flats) said. "We're hopeful that ongoing state assistance will prove successful in helping localities undertake these critical projects, including sewer and pipeline repairs. We're also hopeful that a new grant program currently underway can represent a long-term model for how the state-local partnership can be strengthened for the good of local environments, local economies and local property taxpayers by helping municipalities meet critical infrastructure needs while remaining with the property tax cap."