St. Lawrence River Research and Education Fund
Annual Report 2009

The St. Lawrence River Research and Education Fund (SLRREF) was established as part of the Comprehensive Relicensing Settlement Agreement (Agreement) which was reached during the licensing of the St. Lawrence-FDR Power Project operated by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) in Massena, New York. The purpose of this fund is to provide financial support for environmental research and environmental education projects relating to the ecology of the St. Lawrence River and its surrounding environs.

The fund is managed by a Board which consists of representatives from NYPA, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, New York Rivers United, the St. Lawrence-Lewis Board of Cooperative Educational Services, St. Lawrence County Planning Office; St. Lawrence Audubon, and a representative from a local municipality.

2010 Activities

The Board met on March 8, 2010 and reviewed ten proposals; four proposals totaling $41,248 were approved and six proposals were rejected.  Total matching funds for the approved proposals were $48,232.  

The total SLRREF funding for the July 1 deadline was approximately $23,000. Given the small amount of available funding and the limited amount of interest to be accrued by the end of the year, the Board decided not to solicit proposals for the July 1, 2010 deadline and to launch an outreach campaign in the fall. The outreach campaign was launched in October followed by a press release in December reminding the public of the January 1, 2011 deadline for submitting new applications.  

Projects approved in 2010

Save the River's volunteer based monitoring program that uses qualitative data to assess the general health of the St. Lawrence River. As a result of the successful 2009 Riverkeeper Monitoring Program and increased interest in the program, Save the River proposed to implement a Master Training Program using a 'train-the trainer' model to increase training capacity. SLRREF contribution - $9,587; matching funds - $1,936.

The Research Foundation of SUNY on behalf of SUNY Potsdam proposed to expand the work initiated in 2009 to determine the effectiveness of seasonally installed turtle road crossing signs at previously-identified hotspots of mortality for Blanding’s turtle and other turtle species.  Investigators will conduct driving and walking surveys of more survey routes and will detect and record dead or living turtles in or near the signed roads.  A local advertizing campaign will be initiated to potentially reduce vandalism and increase local driver awareness of signs.  The results of the program will be used to contribute to a Recovery Plan for the species.  SLRREF contribution - $6,400; matching funds - $11,174.

Clarkson University proposed to survey large electrical transmission right-of-way corridors radiating from Moses-Saunders Dam to report relative abundance of golden-winged warbler (a species suffering a rapid population decline in North America) along the power line corridor compared to other sites, characterize habitat and recommend approaches for long term monitoring and future research.  SLRREF contribution - $5,175; matching funds - $10,122.

St. Lawrence University proposed to assess the levels of mercury in select wetland wildlife. The study would evaluate the effects of wetland origin, age, type, water level management, and quantified mercury exposure on wildlife of interest. This proposal was previously approved and later withdrawn in 2009 due to staffing problems. SLRREF contribution $20,086; matching funds $25,000.

Financial Review

The SLRREF was established by providing the principal sum of $1,008,000 into an account with Wachovia Bank in 2003 after a new license for the Project was accepted.  The income from this principal amount is to be used to fund the operation of the SLRREF including all expenses, grants and other disbursements.

2010 Expenditures

Approved Projects in 2009                                                             $41,248

Fund Balance as of December 1, 2009                                        $1,093,609

Funds committed                                                                             $31,322*

Uncommitted funds                                                                          $1,062,286

** Reflects funds approved for 2008 and 2010 projects that have not yet been disbursed to the project applicant.

Planned 2011 Expenditures

By January 1, 2011, seven proposals were received.  The Board will evaluate these proposals and select the projects to be funded.  Typically, the amount of funding for each project is between $15,000 and $20,000.