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The proposed Saint Lawrence Natural Gas
pipeline into Northern Franklin County gained substantial
traction with financial assistance from Franklin County for the
company to submit its financial feasibility application with the
Public Service Commission. In this the County of Franklin IDA
will serve as a conduit for financial assistance of $300,000.
Northern Franklin County remains one of the
few remaining small population centers without this service.
This is due to a feasibility shortfall assumed to be upwards of
$7 million. The model of public assistance for a pipeline
project has substantial precedent in New York State – but they
have been short line of no more than a quarter mile. Here in
Franklin County we are extending a line well over forty miles to
get to the regional economy’s most significant private employer
– McCadam Cheese. The pipeline will provide substantial fiscal
savings to State and local governments and authorities. It will
release $60 million dollars of disposable income from
residential and commercial customers. It will be one more step
toward getting the County on a level playing field with respect
to business development and investment.
The agency has worked with the Company for
two years to get the public attention from New York State to
overcome the capital shortfall to make this project feasible.
However – substantial forward progress only recently
materialized with the County Legislative Leadership involvement.
“This is a prime example of the proverbial public-private
partnership that is now a must for meaningful development to
occur,” commented Executive Director Brad Jackson. With the
public sector involvement in this project went through a
paradigm change in Albany from something Saint Lawrence natural
Gas wanted to something that the County wanted. “It’s been a
real mind set change locally as well,” noted Jackson.
This has been a huge first step in achieving
within the County a real pro-business attitude. Legislator Earl
Lavoie commented in plenary session, “This project will be our
legacy for this year and perhaps the next five years.”
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