Governor George E. Pataki has announced a $50,000 grant from the State Environmental Protection Fund's Local Waterfront Program (LWRP) for a project to support the Tioughnioga River Project.

"More and more communities are recognizing the importance of their local waterfronts and are eager to move forward with projects that take full advantage of these wonderful resources," Governor Pataki said. "These grants will help cities, towns and villages across New York launch exciting new projects that will improve waterfront access, promote downtown redevelopment, strengthen tourism and enhance our natural resources."

The Department of State's Division of Coastal Resources administers Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) grants available to local governments for Local Waterfront Revitalization Programs and intermunicipal waterbody management plans, development of coastal education programs and "Waterfront ReDiscovery." This latter program encourages waterfront redevelopment projects and assists communities in improving the recreational, cultural and economic value of their waterfront resources. This year's request for applications issued by the Department of State drew 127 responses. All grants are awarded on a 50-50 matching basis. The Cortland County BDC provided the local match for this grant.

In conjunction with eleven municipalities in Cortland County, the Cortland County BDC will coordinate activities of the Tioughnioga River Waterfront Development Commission through this grant to create a comprehensive LWRP. The project will include the East, Main, and West branches of the Tioughnioga River in Cortland County. The $50,000 LWRP grant will be used to work directly with local communities to build a planning framework to help maximize the river as a resource.

The East, West and Main branches of the Tioughnioga River pass through a total of eleven municipalities on their combined 65-mile trek through Cortland County. The River provides enormous opportunities, particularly in the area of water based recreational opportunities and related economic spin-offs. It is the goal of the community to develop the River as a first class trout fishery and provide adequate waterfront access for kayaking, canoeing, and land based activities including hiking and biking.

The LWRP will also support the development of a new County Comprehensive Plan. The completion of the LWRP in tandem with the County Comprehensive Plan will further the community's goal of integrating and coordinating its community planning. Thoma Development assisted the BDC in developing the successful LWRP application and will be working with the BDC and the County Planning Department on the LWRP implementation.

The LWRP will address issues impacting local communities along the Tioughnioga River including open space strategies, farmland protection strategies, natural resource strategies, habitat management plans, flooding and erosion management plans, tourism promotion strategies, and urban redevelopment strategies. These issues were identified via public meetings conducted as a part of a planning study by Clough Harbour & Associates for the Tioughnioga River Waterfront Development Commission. That study acted as the basis for beginning the LWRP process.

Specifically, the LWRP will encourage local communities to create plans that address:

Open Space and Farmland Protection Strategies -- While parts of the River travel through heavily developed areas, particularly in the City of Cortland and the two Villages, large tracts of waterfront land remains open and undeveloped. Cortland County land usage consists of a large agricultural sector and large portions of underdeveloped land are actively used for farming. Strategies must be developed to retain this character while mitigation the environmental impacts of farming on the River.

National Resource Strategies -- As the County is rediscovering its waterfront and moving forward with plans for waterfront revitalization, it is important that the River's natural resources be clearly identified and inventoried so that a strategy for their protection can be implemented. The Priority Waterbody Listings for the Tioughnioga River also identify water quality problems that should be addressed.

Habitat Management Plans -- The Tioughnioga River Waterfront Development Commission is working to build the river's usage as a fishery. Primary fish species include trout, bass and pike, although many other species are represented. according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, parts of the River, are stressed regarding aquatic life and fishery habitat. Initial public meetings showed significant concern among local citizenry to preserve and improve local habitats for the County's flora and fauna as part of any River development initiatives.

Flooding and Erosion Management Plans -- According to Priority Waterbody Listings for sections of the Tioughnioga River, stream bank erosion is a primary or secondary impairment source, impairing habitat, hydrology, and aquatic life. Flooding, particularly in the Main Branch, is a serious concern.

"This grant is a recognition by New York State of the Tioughnioga's significance as the headwaters of the Susquehanna and Chesapeake Bay systems, as well as a reflection of its potential for local communities," noted Linda Hartsock BDC executive director. "We look forward to working with County Planning on local planning efforts through the LWRP."