NY Dept. of State Approves Waterford's Plan to Revitalize Land Adjacent to Hudson & Mohawk River Waterfronts

ALBANY, NY (04/22/2010)(readMedia)-- New York State Secretary of State Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez announced the approval of the village and town of Waterford Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP), a long-term management plan for the municipalities' waterfront resources along the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers and Champlain Canal.

"The town and village are to be commended for working together to establish a long-term revitalization program that seeks to strengthen the local economy, expand waterfront access opportunities and protect natural and cultural resources," Secretary Cortés-Vázquez said. "The Local Waterfront Revitalization Program establishes a consensus between the town, village and state, assuring that we all work in partnership to implement this strategy of community renewal. As the oldest continuously incorporated village in the country, Waterford is blessed with waterfront resources that have played a pivotal role in its past and will also be key to its future."

The Department of State's Office of Coastal, Local Government and Community Sustainability works in partnership with more than 200 communities across the state through the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program, from Sag Harbor on Long Island's east end to Buffalo along Lake Erie.

Grants from the state's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), administered by the Department of State, are available to waterfront communities for both the preparation and implementation of these programs. Preparation of Waterford's LWRP was financed through a $20,000 EPF grant.

Village of Waterford Mayor J. Bert Mahoney said: "The Local Waterfront Revitalization Program is an excellent program and serves as a long-term strategy for revitalization of our community and protection of our irreplaceable historic resources, which are so important to the fabric of Waterford. The Department of State's support has been key to advancing our rebirth."

Town of Waterford Councilwoman Elizabeth Callaghan, who chaired the advisory committee which oversaw preparation of the program, said: "The Local Waterfront Revitalization Program not only identifies local needs but also advances statewide efforts aimed at revitalization of the State Canal System. The program assures that the town, the village and the state of New York will all work together to help revitalize our community. We greatly appreciate the Department of State's efforts to work as partners with us."

In February the Department of State announced an additional grant of $51,400 to the town of Waterford for the construction of public docks for non-motorized boaters to the south of the Fourth Street Bridge. The project will provide additional public access opportunities and further strengthen Waterford as a major harbor center for recreational boaters along the State Canal System.

The grant was one of 12 awards given to communities along the Hudson River and Lake Champlain totaling nearly $700,000 for development of public docks. These awards will serve as legacy projects for the 2009-2010 Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial celebration.

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