(Madison County, NY – Feb. 19, 2014) Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that Empire State Development (ESD) is providing Madison County with a $4 million grant to support infrastructure improvements at the Madison County ARE (Agricultural & Renewable Energy) Park.
Governor Cuomo said. “Like many areas in Upstate New York, Madison County has suffered the loss of manufacturing jobs that once formed the backbone of the regional economy. Numerous studies and surveys have shown the need for locally based support industries for agricultural producers in Madison County. The County is seeking to create a shovel-ready business park near Canastota, New York that will focus on targeting and attracting agriculture and renewable energy businesses to locate and grow. The ARE Park will provide an economically stimulating, environmentally sound, and shovel-ready development area that would be beneficial to the surrounding community.”
“This is great news for Madison County and is the latest example of Governor Cuomo’s continued commitment to the Central New York economy,” said Madison County Board of Supervisors Chairman John Becker. “These critical dollars will help us continue to grow the Agricultural and Renewable Energy Park and help us attract even more jobs and opportunities. On behalf of Madison County, I would like thank Governor Cuomo for his leadership and continued support.”
The $4 million grant will help extend municipal water service to the park, which is critical to creating a shovel-ready site for potential businesses, and Madison County will invest as much as $5 million in the $10.3 million project. The state funds will come from NY Works, the Governor’s infrastructure program which is rebuilding roads, bridges, and parks across the state.
The ARE Park will utilize 150-acres at the county’s Department of Solid Waste (DSW) landfill facility and the state funds will help pay for extending municipal water to the park, leveraging an investment by DSW to extend municipal sewer to the landfill and business park. These water and sewer services are critical to creating a shovel-ready location for ARE businesses, while also being a resource to the site’s existing landfill and recycling operation.
Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Kenneth Adams said, “Today’s announcement is a demonstration of Governor Cuomo’s tireless efforts to make critical improvements to key regional assets that will attract new businesses and create more economic opportunities for Upstate New York. The Madison County ARE Park smartly focuses on regional industry strengths like agriculture, and will provide an attractive, shovel-ready site for companies looking to invest and create jobs in Central New York.”
The County IDA will target businesses that coincide with the areas regional strengths and likely include those that produce, process, store, and ship a variety of meat, seafood and agricultural products, wood products, products manufactured from recycled materials, and specialty industries. The businesses in the Par will have access to reliable, locally generated sources of green energy, including electrical energy from the Landfill-Gas-To-Energy facility and a solar energy cap located at the Madison County Landfill.
A green-lumber drying business and commercial greenhouse have already committed to the site, representing at least 13 new jobs, while a recycling business and a company that converts plastic waste into base petroleum fuels are also set to move into the park. These additional opportunities are estimated to represent up to 30 more jobs.
The water infrastructure improvement project will also assist the neighboring Town of Lincoln, which is in serious need of a water district and has had water problems for nearly four decades, by bringing municipal water service within reach.
Senator David Valesky said, “This is great news for Madison County. This funding is a critical component to the development of the ARE Park, which will help to attract new businesses and industries, and the jobs they bring with them, to Central New York. I commend the Governor and Empire State Development for recognizing the need for these vital infrastructure improvements.”
Assemblyman William Magee said, “I applaud and thank Governor Cuomo for recognizing the importance of this project for Madison County. This is wonderful news and this will allow Madison County to proceed forward to develop an agricultural renewable energy park. This is certainly a positive thing for the county and I look forward to seeing the final outcome.”
Robert Simpson, president of Center State CEO and co-chair of the CNY Regional Economic Development Council said, “Creating a shovel-ready site to support the growth of agriculture and renewable energy business in Madison County supports the CNY Regional Council’s goals to revitalize our communities and strengthen key industry sectors. The Madison County ARE Park will provide enhanced business attraction opportunities that will lead to job creation and economic growth for the area. I congratulate Madison County for its progress on this important project.”