NEWS
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New Application Schedule Announced For Greenway
Ecological Standing Committee Contact:
March 16, 2009 LEWISTON—The Greenway Ecological Fund Standing Committee today announced the upcoming dates for submitting applications and funding decisions for Greenway project proposals. The next application deadline to the Standing Committee is July 24. It is anticipated that funding decisions for applications will be made on Sept. 15. Early announcement of these dates is made because applications must first receive a consistency determination from the Niagara River Greenway Commission. Before submitting to the Standing Committee, an application must have a determination from the Commission that the project is consistent with the Niagara River Greenway Plan. Mar. 17 and May 19 are the only upcoming submission deadlines, to the Commission, for projects seeking consistency determination, prior to the July 24 application deadline to the Standing Committee. Commission information for project submission, and schedules for submissions and consistency determination reviews, are available at www.niagaragreenway.org, under Project Submission. To submit to the Standing Committee, applicants must also follow the application information at http://niagara.nypa.gov/RelicensingGreenwayFunds/EcologicalGreenway/EcolDefault.htm under Award Guidelines and Application Requirements. If you have any questions, please contact Edward Alkiewicz, New York Power Authority (NYPA) and secretary to the Standing Committee, at 914-287-3247 or edward.alkiewicz@nypa.gov. Following a review period by the Standing Committee, approved applications are scheduled to be announced on Sept. 15 at a public meeting and will receive written funding notification within 30 days. Additional dates for application submissions and funding decisions are expected for later this year. The Standing Committee will support projects for the creation, improvement and maintenance of conservation areas and ecological projects in the Niagara River Basin to promote tourism, enhance the environment, advance the economic revitalization of riverfront communities and support the creation of a Greenway. Projects eligible for funding include, but are not limited to, habitat improvement; land acquisition; habitat research; fish, wildlife and indigenous plant restoration; and ecological stewardship activities in the Niagara River Basin. Julie O’Neill, Esq., Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, of the Niagara Relicensing Environmental Coalition (NREC), is chair of the Standing Committee which is comprised of representatives from NYPA, NREC, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Seneca Nation of Indians, the Tuscarora Nation and the Tonawanda Seneca Nation. The Standing Committee receives funds from NYPA, as part of a settlement agreement related to the new 50-year license received by NYPA for the Niagara Power Project in 2007. During the term of the license, the Standing Committee will receive $1 million a year from NYPA. There are four standing committees established by settlement agreements to distribute NYPA funding for projects deemed consistent with the Niagara River Greenway Plan. In addition to the Standing Committee, the other committees are: the Buffalo & Erie County Greenway Fund Standing Committee; the Host Community Greenway Fund Standing Committee; and the State Parks Standing Committee. Funding to the four committees from NYPA totals $9 million annually over the 50-year license term for a total of $450 million. About NYPA: ■ NYPA uses no tax money or state credit. It finances its operations through the sale of bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity. ■ NYPA is a leader in promoting energy-efficiency, new energy technologies and electric transportation initiatives. ■ It is the nation’s largest state-owned electric utility, with 18 generating facilities in various parts of the state and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. |
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