Empire State Future backs up Coalition Member Scenic Hudson’s efforts to protect a key Hudson River location and achieve balanced growth for the Hudson Valley.

Letter to the Editor

Southern Ulster Times

Published June 25, 2014

In regard to the recent article in the Southern Ulster Times about the proposed Wine Village project in Lloyd, it should be known that in 2010, Republicans and Democrats in the New York State Legislature overwhelmingly passed the Smart Growth Public Infrastructure Policy Act.  The Governor signed it and since then State Agencies, Public Authorities and Public Corporations from Buffalo to Montauk have usefully implemented the law.

The law’s stated purpose is to: “augment the state’s environmental policy  by  declaring  a fiscally prudent state policy of maximizing the social, economic and environmental benefits from  public  infrastructure development  through  minimizing unnecessary costs of sprawl development including environmental degradation, disinvestment in urban and suburban communities and loss of open space induced by sprawl facilitated by  the funding  or  development  of  new  or expanded transportation, sewer and waste water treatment, water,  education,  housing  and  other  publicly supported   infrastructure   inconsistent   with   smart  growth  public infrastructure criteria.”

The Public Infrastructure Policy Act seeks to ensure our limited public infrastructure funds go to projects that achieve lasting economic growth, protect the environment and our existing communities.  The law recognizes that in an era of scarce resources projects must amply serve many societal needs and that projects that might once have been approved may no longer be. Adding costly water and sewer infrastructure for a new development in a questionable location, when existing systems within the region are inadequately funded or repaired, is to be avoided.  Wine Village, as designed and proposed, does not in our view meet the letter or the spirit of the law.

Lloyd and other towns enticed by the short term lure of sprawl development ought to be aware that municipalities that expand their footprint of services in lieu of utilizing available infill areas are likely creating a long-term negative impact on their fiscal health and sustainability.

To see the actual opinion piece from the Southern Ulster Times click here.