By JOE LoTEMPLIO
PLATTSBURGH — The City of Plattsburgh received a big boost Friday in the form of stimulus money for a major project.
The city will receive about $4.6 million in federal funds through the State Environmental Facilities Corp. to cap the Akey Road landfill, which the city used decades ago.
Of that, the city will receive about $2.3 million free and clear, and it will repay the rest, which is being offered as a low-interest loan.
Originally, the city thought it was going to get about $2 million without obligation.
Mayor Donald Kasprzak said at a news conference Friday that the state and federal aid will be a tremendous boost to the taxpayers of the city who, otherwise, would have had to pay for the whole tab.
"This will reduce our long-term debt by a tremendous amount, which will help all of our taxpayers," Kasprzak said.
"It's not the most exciting project, but it is in the best interest of the taxpayers."
The plan calls for the landfill site to be properly capped and a system to be devised to collect leaching water, which will be treated so it does not contaminate ground water.
The project is expected to take about a year and create a number of construction jobs.
Assemblywoman Janet Duprey (R-Peru), who served as the Clinton County treasurer for more than 20 years, said the project is important.
"I know the impact that long-term borrowing has on the taxpayers, and this helps take the burden off those taxpayers. This will have an incredibly long-lasting effect in providing clean water."
State Sen. Betty Little (R-Queensbury) said the city deserves credit for having the project ready to go, which qualified it for stimulus funding.
"We all know there are a lot of hands out there, so being able to get this funding was so important."
E-mail Joe LoTemplio at: jlotemplio@pressrepublican.com
