CWC approves planning grants to four municipalities

MARGARETVILLE, NY, April 27, 2007 - The Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC) Board of Directors April 24 approved grants totaling $144,620 to four municipalities under the Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP).

The program is intended to encourage community planning initiatives that improve the quality of life and enhance water supply protection in the five-county New York City Watershed west of the Hudson River.

Projects approved for funding in this second grant round include:

Delaware County Flood Mitigation/Watershed Management Plan, $50,000 This grant will help fund a plan to manage the flood-ravaged Third Brook stream basin in Walton. The plan will utilize data and assessment recommendations in a report by Integrated River Solutions, a consulting firm which was retained under a separate grant.

Fleischmanns Comprehensive Plan ($25,000) This project will update and complete a combined comprehensive plan and zoning analysis. The goal is to provide an Action Plan as a guide for future village projects and a base for updating village zoning laws.

Town of Jewett Groundwater/Land Use Study ($44,620) This proposal is to determine the adequacy of the Town’s current groundwater supply under the umbrella of a review of Jewett’s comprehensive plan. The evaluation will help the Town evaluate and accommodate future growth.

Middletown Comprehensive Plan Update ($25,000) This project will update the Town’s comprehensive plan, incorporating portions of Delaware County’s Phosphorous Reduction Strategy and existing land use studies focusing on recreation and revitalization. The goal is to adopt a completed plan by the end of 2008.

For more information on CWC programs and projects, go to www.cwconline.org, or call 845-586-1400.