Hoosick Falls Water Expansion Project in Need of Other Funding

Hoosick Falls water expansion project

Edward Damon – Bennington Banner

After discovering that they may not receive grant money from a state agency, Hoosick Falls village officials must now seek other funding sources in order to expand the municipal water system.

According to Mayor David Borge, the proposed project to extend water and sewer to properties with PFOA-contaminated drinking wells will not be eligible for grants unless a new water municipality is formed.

In addition, the project’s Environmental Facilities Corporation ranking was not high enough to qualify it for no-interest loans or grants.

At a Village Board meeting held last week, Mayor Borge said that the village will work with Governor Andrew Cuomo and Senator Kathleen Marchione to look for other sources of funding.

Read the full story here.

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County Legislators Approves Resolution to Speed Up Hoosick Falls Cleanup

hoosick falls PFOA water contaminatonLast week, Rensselaer County legislators unanimously approved a resolution in hopes of speeding up the cleanup process of the site identified as the source of PFOA contamination in Hoosick Falls.

The resolution was suggested by the Legislature’s chairman, Stan Brownell.

Along with including the Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics’ McCaffrey Street plant on the federal Superfund National Priorities List, the resolution also asks for adequate funding and a proper timeline for the cleanup.

PFOA, which has been linked to numerous chronic health risks, has been affecting Hoosick Falls and Petersburgh residents for over a year.

“This is an important property in Hoosick Falls, and inclusion on the federal National Priorities List will help restore the property and resolve some of the concerns residents have regarding the PFOA situation,” said Brownell. “We also have asked the federal government to provide a specific timeline for this important remediation work. A clear and direct line of communication with residents on this project, and continued progress, are needed to restore confidence and trust.”

The Rensselaer County Legislature also recently approved a resolution to establish a website dedicated to informing residents about the cleanup project.

Read the full story here.

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Taconic Inc. Takes Responsibility for Petersburgh PFOA Contamination

Petersburgh PFOA water contaminationTaconic Inc., a local manufacturer, has officially claimed responsibility for the PFOA water contamination in the public and private town water supply of Petersburgh, New York.

A news release from Taconic stated that the company has voluntarily entered into a consent order with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation in order to address the PFOA water contamination surrounding its plant on Coon Brook Road.

“Taconic remains committed to continued cooperation with the [DEC and] the town of Petersburgh, as well as its partnership with Rensselaer County,” the release reads.

Company officials say that Taconic has already taken steps to address the PFOA contamination by installing treatment systems for 65 homes and businesses in Petersburgh, supplying bottled waters for town residents, and working on a treatment system for the town’s municipal water system.

Read the full story here.

Residents of Petersburgh and other communities who may be impacted by PFOA water contamination are encouraged to contact us to learn more about how we can help.
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