Archive: News

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced Monday that the New York State Thruway Authority Board of Directors approved the selection of the Design-Build team who will complete the installation of cashless tolling on the Thruway system-wide by the end of 2020. The $355.3 million investment will transform the Thruway system for the approximately 267 million motorists that travel the superhighway each year.

"New York State is making historic investments building a modern transportation network worthy of the 21st century and beyond," Cuomo said. "By investing in technology like cashless tolling, we are creating a safer, greener and less congested Thruway system and ensuring our transportation infrastructure is capable of supporting New York's growing economy."

The Legislature's new Downtown Facilities Committee convened for the first time today, setting the stage for in-depth study of Tompkins County's downtown facilities options, now that the Legislature has approved acquisition of properties in the 400 block of North Tioga Street as the expected site for a new County office building.

Among the tasks included in the committee's scope of work: considering building size, programming (in part, what departments would move to a new building), and parking versus residential options in the design—whether properties on the Sears Street side would be used for parking, residential, or both.

The New York State Assembly voted 84-51 to pass the Farmworkers Fair labor Practices Act after Governor Andrew Cuomo produced a compromise bill last weekend that addressed some Farm Bureau concerns.  The compromise bill requires farmers to pay overtime to laborers who work more than 60 hours per week, and sets a goal of reducing that number to 40 hours.  the bill also makes farm workers eligible for workers' compensation benefits, and unemployment insurance.  The bill includes a 'no-strike' provision.  Small farms are exempted from the requirements.

"With the passage of this legislation, we will help ensure every farmworker receives the overtime pay and fair working conditions they deserve," Cuomo said Wednesday.  :The constitutional principles of equality, fairness and due process should apply to all of us. I am proud that, with the help of my daughters' years-long advocacy on this critical issue, we got it done."

Despite widespread enthusiasm for a plan to convert the coal-fired Cayuga Power Plant into a major data center, the Lansing Town Board tabled a motion to support Cayuga Operating Company’s proposal to deactivate the coal plant and re-purpose it to a $100 million data center using renewable energy.  While Town Supervisor Ed LaVigne stressed the urgency of expressing Town support while the company is in negotiations with the New York State Power Authority to obtain 125 megawatts of renewable electric power generated at Niagara Falls, Councilman Joe Wetmore said he wanted more information before approving the resolution.  He said he prefers to wait until after a presentation next Wednesday at which Cayuga Operating company officials will explain the plan and answer questions.

"I'm really enthusiastic about the idea, but I would like to table this until we've had a chance to see the presentation," said Wetmore. "I want to have a better understanding of what, exactly, they're proposing before I vote  (on a proposition) that I haven't had a chance to see until an hour ago."

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a Special Town Board Meeting is being called, convened, and held upon June 26, 2019, at 8:00 pm at the Town of Lansing Annex (Community Center), 25 Auburn Road, Lansing, New York 14882, for the purpose of the Town Board to discuss: Resolution Urging Governor Cuomo, The New York Power Authority and the Empire State Development Corporation to Support Cayuga Operating Company’s Proposal to Deactivate the Coal Plant and Repurpose to $100 Million Data Center Using Renewable Energy, and Resolution Concerning Unsafe Building at 25 Sperry Lane, and such other business as may lawfully thereat come before the Town Board. All residents of the Town and the general public are invited to attend this special Town Board meeting.

Dated: June 19, 2019
By Order of the Town Board
Deborah Munson, RMC
Town Clerk, Town of Lansing

Washington, DC - Congressman Tom Reed received thanks yesterday for his support of the ratification of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) by the two major national dairy industry organizations.

"Our dairy farmers deserve a fair shake at success, and USMCA is essential to ensuring the much-needed increased market access to Canada," Reed said. "Mexico ratified this trade agreement yesterday. Canada will do so in the near future. When will Nancy Pelosi put politics aside and allow an up or down vote on this great trade deal for our dairy farmers?"

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced last Friday that more than $2.8 million in grants have been awarded to 42 projects that will reduce the negative impacts of invasive species through control or removal activities, research, and spread prevention. Among the recipients is Cornell University, which is receiving $100,000 for the development of early detection tools.  These grants are part of the State Department of Environmental Conservation's Invasive Species Grant Program and are funded by the State's Environmental Protection Fund.
 
"New York State is leading the way in invasive species management to ensure our environment remains sustainable, healthy and strong," Cuomo said. "Through joint efforts by our state, community and organizational partners, we are developing new programs and initiatives to combat the threat of invasive species that could damage New York's waterways, agricultural crops, and invaluable forest lands."
 

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed legislation (S.2994A/A.2371) last week, sponsored by Senator Brad Hoylman and Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz, removing non-medical exemptions from school vaccination requirements for children. The United States is currently experiencing the worst outbreak of measles in more than 25 years, with outbreaks in pockets of New York primarily driving the crisis. As a result of non-medical vaccination exemptions, many communities across New York have unacceptably low rates of vaccination, and those unvaccinated children can often attend school where they may spread the disease to other unvaccinated students. This new law will help protect the public amid this ongoing outbreak.
 
"The science is crystal clear: Vaccines are safe, effective and the best way to keep our children safe. This administration has taken aggressive action to contain the measles outbreak, but given its scale, additional steps are needed to end this public health crisis," Cuomo said. "While I understand and respect freedom of religion, our first job is to protect the public health and by signing this measure into law, we will help prevent further transmissions and stop this outbreak right in its tracks."   
 

Warren Road Sewer District Extension #1 was approved Wednesday in a unanimous vote by the Lansing Town Board.  The extension will provide sewer service to the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT).  In addition to the DOT facility, Cornell University has a small sliver of property to be included, the Airport Storage self-storage business, and a private residence are included at the owners' request.

"The proposal is to include four parcels of land within the Warren Road Sewer district boundary,"explained Lansing Town Engineer David Herrick. "It was precipitated by the interest of the DOT that is building a facility on Warren Road.  The Town had prior input from neighboring properties and did some outreach to determine that some private landowners were interested in being included."

After a delegation of Tompkins County representatives led by Tompkins County Legislature Chair Martha Robertson met with NYS Public Service Commission and NYSEG representatives in May, Lansing representatives had their own meeting last week to advocate for 'energy equality for the Town and Village of Lansing.  Town Supervisor Ed LaVigne, Village of Lansing Mayor Donald Hartill, County Legislator (Town of Lansing) Mike Sigler, and Lansing Planning Consultant Michael Long went to Albany June 12 to make their case to NYSEG and the PSC that if Lansing has to be the only municipality in Tompkins County without access to new natural gas, it should be offered discounted electricity to bring it in line with communities that do have cheaper energy alternatives.

"I'm in favor of inexpensive, reliable, consistent power," LaVigne said in an interview Wednesday.  "That means that the grid has to be reliable.  That means that the power generated has to be at a low enough cost to make it desirable for businesses to come here. if natural gas is not an option I would like Lansing to be subsidized so we can offer electricity at the same price as natural gas. If the rest of the County doesn't have a moratorium, and we do, why should we be subject to that? After 28 months nothing has been accomplished."

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) today announced that it has selected Halco; Snug Planet, LLC; and The Insulation Man, LLC to provide home energy ratings in Tompkins County, as part of the first phase of the Home Energy Ratings Pilot. The Home Energy Ratings Pilot is designed to help owners of one- to four- family homes who are ready to invest in their homes and are looking for independent, trustworthy energy performance information. Today's announcement supports Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's 2025 energy efficiency target of 185 trillion BTUs (British thermal units) in energy savings, the equivalent to energy consumed by 1.8 million New York homes, and supports the Governor's Green New Deal, a nation-leading clean energy and jobs agenda that put New York on a path to a carbon-free economy.

"New York is investing in innovative ways for homeowners to reduce energy use and costs in support of the state's ambitious clean energy goals," said NYSERDA President and CEO Alicia Barton. "Congratulations to these companies for being chosen to provide homeowners in Tompkins County with home energy ratings that will help them improve the energy performance and comfort of their home while reducing carbon emissions."

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo reminded New Yorkers today that state investigators will again crack down on underage drinking and the use of fake IDs to purchase alcohol at summer concerts and at bars this season. Investigators from the Department of Motor Vehicles, State Liquor Authority, State Parks Police and local law enforcement will conduct enforcement sweeps at venues across the state as part of the Operation Prevent campaign, an ongoing effort to prevent underage drinking. In April and May, investigators issued 139 tickets.

"When alcohol finds its way into the hands of young people, far too often it ends in tragedy," Cuomo said. "Through this ongoing enforcement effort, investigators from across the state are working together to combat this dangerous and chronic problem."