REDI: New York State Announces $43 Million for 31 Projects

The New York State is providing $43 million to advance 31 projects in Oswego and Cayuga counties as part of the first round of funding under the Lake Ontario Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI).

Governor Andrew Cuomo launched REDI in May to increase the resilience of shoreline communities and bolster economic development in the region.

In addition, Cuomo announced that the REDI Commission will hold an implementation conference in Albany on November 20.

The conference will provide REDI funding recipients with information about project implementation, including permitting and environmental reviews, as well as an opportunity to meet with relevant state agencies to ensure REDI projects are implemented as soon as possible.

Five REDI regions, comprised of eight counties (Niagara and Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, Cayuga and Oswego, and Jefferson and St. Lawrence) were established to identify local priorities, at-risk infrastructure and other assets, and public safety concerns, Cuomo said in his release.

The REDI Commission allocated $20 million for homeowner assistance, $30 million to improve the resiliency of businesses, and $15 million toward a regional dredging effort that will benefit each of the eight counties.

The remaining balance, $235 million, has been allocated toward local and regional projects that advance and exemplify the REDI mission.

To further address the challenges posed by high water levels, in addition to the county-specific projects announced yesterday, Governor Cuomo announced an eight-county $15 million Regional Dredging effort to sustainably maintain safe navigation channels to harbors and bays along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.

These channels are critical to the vitality of recreational and commercial boating, which generate millions of dollars annually in economic activity and support more than 1,000 jobs across the region.

The effort will address the required maintenance dredging of at least 17 harbor channels used primarily for recreational boating.

Dredging sediments appropriate for beneficial re-use may be employed in ecosystem restoration or erosion management projects, with likely benefits to habitat, water quality, and beach nourishment.