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For Immediate Release:
January 15, 2009
Contact:
Matt Davison (ECHDC) |
mdavison@empire.state.ny.us | (716) 846-8258
ECHDC Recommends Issuance of Canal Side
Project Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement
State agency moves required inner harbor review process
closer to completion The Erie Canal Harbor Development
Corporation (ECHDC) Board of Directors today recommended that the
Empire State Development (ESD) Board of Directors issue the Canal
Side project Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (FGEIS).
This recommendation advances the required State Environmental
Quality Review Act (SEQRA) process towards an anticipated March 2010
completion date.
“Recommendation of the FGEIS gets us in good position to complete
the mandatory environmental review for Canal Side,” said ECHDC
Chairman Jordan Levy. “The public process has allowed this project
to move forward with strong and useful feedback from the community.
We believe that, as a result, the overall plan now constitutes a
waterfront vision that an overwhelming majority of Western New
Yorkers support and can be proud of. As with any prominent
redevelopment effort, there will always be small pockets of
detractors and people who take issue with varying aspects of the
plan; however, we will continue to work towards insuring that
everyone has ample input in helping us build the best possible
project on our historic waterfront.”
ECHDC’s recommendation to advance the FGEIS will allow ESD to
formally issue the document during the parent corporation’s upcoming
Board of Directors meeting on January 21, 2010. The FGEIS, which is
required by Article 8 of the New York State Environmental
Conservation Law and associated implementing regulations, provides a
comprehensive analysis of the potential economic, social and
environmental impacts anticipated as a result of the proposed Canal
Side project.
Following official issuance of the FGEIS, the public and involved
government agencies will be given an additional time allocation of
no less than 10 calendar days to consider the document and offer
additional comments before ESD releases a findings statement and
subsequent determination regarding whether to undertake the project.
“In terms of our construction schedule, today’s FGEIS recommendation
keeps us on-track to have shovels in the ground by late spring of
this year,” said ECHDC President Thomas Dee. “While we also have
obligations to complete the Canal Side General Project Plan, our
Board of Directors, professional staff and construction team
continue to push that component forward and we are very optimistic
that it too will be ready for official approval this March following
additional public feedback.”
The recommended Canal Side project FGEIS will be uploaded to the
ECHDC Web site following ESD Board approval on January 21. The Canal
Side General Project Plan was made available for download in
December 2009 and a public hearing on the document has been
scheduled for January 26, 2010 at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in
Buffalo.
Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation is a subsidiary agency of
Empire State Development Corporation (ESD). Its vision is to
revitalize Western New York's waterfront and restore economic growth
to Buffalo based on the region's legacy of pride, urban significance
and natural beauty. ESD is the New York's chief economic development
agency and also oversees the marketing of "I Love NY," the state's
iconic tourism brand. For more information, please visit
www.eriecanalharbor.com
or www.nylovesbiz.com.
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