New Mohawk Valley sign business thrives amid pandemic

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WHITESTOWN, N.Y. — While some businesses have closed their doors due to the pandemic, others have been able to start up and prosper. For Becky D’Aiuto, owner of Mohawk Valley Signs & Solutions, her business-ownership dream became a reality in January, after securing a location at 5994 Judd Road in the town of Whitestown. This […]

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WHITESTOWN, N.Y. — While some businesses have closed their doors due to the pandemic, others have been able to start up and prosper.

For Becky D’Aiuto, owner of Mohawk Valley Signs & Solutions, her business-ownership dream became a reality in January, after securing a location at 5994 Judd Road in the town of Whitestown. This was followed by a formal opening at a ribbon-cutting event in early February. D’Aiuto was presented with a “First Dollar of Profit” Award from the Rome Area Chamber of Commerce.

After researching various franchise concepts through a franchise broker, D’Aiuto was able to determine the scope of her business. She found the challenges that surrounded COVID-19 supported her choice to start a sign-making business during the pandemic. The public-health crisis has made social distancing and mask signs necessary, which made businesses need new signage that they could not have imagined needing before. This influenced D’Aiuto to focus on serving business clients. Mohawk Valley Signs & Solutions, creates indoor and outdoor signs, custom signs, vinyl signs and graphics, and vehicle wraps.

“There’s a lot of people that think that during an economic downturn is a great time to start a business,” D’Aiuto tells CNYBJ, noting that it has been for her as well. “The phones have been ringing and there’s been a lot of inquiries through our website.”

Even though D’Aiuto is a first-time business owner, she has had experience running a not-for-profit as the executive director of the Rome Hospital Foundation. She also comes from a background of public relations and marketing. D’Aiuto has spent 28 years working in public relations, marketing, and development roles in various industries, including professional sports, the restaurant industry, advertising agencies, and fundraising organizations.

D’Aiuto adds that her husband Paul has been there for moral support for the business and has helped with heavy lifting of some of the firm’s equipment.

Mohawk Valley Signs & Solutions’ facility at 5994 Judd Road, was previously home to Oriska-Summit Motor Works LLC and a CrossFit gym. Now, Mohawk Valley Signs & Solutions is the sole occupant of the 3,700-square-foot space that it leases. However, Oriska-Summit Motorworks still owns a building on the property, where used-car sales are made. Brian D. Snow, from Pavia Real Estate Services in New Hartford, served as D’Aiuto’s real-estate broker in finding the property.

Mohawk Valley Signs & Solutions currently has three employees: D’Aiuto, a shop assistant, and a graphic designer/sign specialist.

D’Aiuto projects revenue of about $250,000 this year. She declined to reveal her total investment to get the business started.

Mohawk Valley Signs & Solutions is open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

St. Bonaventure president’s death called “tremendous loss”

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Le Moyne President Linda LeMura said the death of Dennis DePerro is a “tremendous loss.” DePerro — the 21st president of St. Bonaventure University and a former VP at Le Moyne College — died at age 62 on March 1 at Crouse Hospital in Syracuse. He had spent several weeks in the

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Le Moyne President Linda LeMura said the death of Dennis DePerro is a “tremendous loss.”

DePerro — the 21st president of St. Bonaventure University and a former VP at Le Moyne College — died at age 62 on March 1 at Crouse Hospital in Syracuse. He had spent several weeks in the hospital being treated for COVID-19 complications.

“Dennis worked so hard for St. Bonaventure and had accomplished so much in such a short period of time,” LeMura said in a statement. “He was beloved and touched so many lives at Le Moyne and kept in touch with many members of our campus community. He was a wonderful colleague, friend and confidant, and I will miss his one-of-a-kind sense of humor. Our prayers and sincere condolences go out to his wife Sherry, and sons Matthew and Andrew. He will be deeply missed.”

Prior to becoming president at St. Bonaventure, DePerro served as VP for enrollment management at Le Moyne for 18 years.

In 2013, he became the inaugural dean of Le Moyne’s Purcell School of Graduate and Professional Studies. He also served as a professor of management in the Madden School of Business.

DePerro had tested positive for the coronavirus on Christmas Eve and was hospitalized in Syracuse on Dec. 29. He had been placed on a ventilator in mid-January.

He assumed the presidency at St. Bonaventure on June 1, 2017. In less than four years, DePerro oversaw the school welcoming the three largest incoming freshman classes in the last 11 years.

He implemented new enrollment and marketing strategies and “championed” new academic-program development. Under his watch, St. Bonaventure’s online graduate initiative grew 329 percent in enrollment since fall 2017.

“Words simply can’t convey the level of devastation our campus community feels right now,” Joseph Zimmer, provost and VP for academic affairs at St. Bonaventure, said. “I know when people die it’s become cliché to say things like, ‘He was a great leader, but an even better human being,’ and yet, that’s the absolute truth with Dennis. We are heartbroken.”

Zimmer was named acting president late last month while DePerro was in recovery.

The university flag will fly at half-staff on the St. Bonaventure campus in his honor through the end of March.

DePerro’s wake was held March 5 at the Thomas J. Pirro Funeral Home in the town of Salina. His funeral service took place the next day at the Church of the Most Holy Rosary in Syracuse.

A Buffalo native, DePerro spent his entire 39-year career in college administration. He worked for eight years (1982-1990) in admissions and alumni relations at his alma mater Canisius College. He would then spend the next five years (1990-1995) as dean of admission and financial aid at Marietta College in Ohio, before joining the Le Moyne administration in 1995.

Excellus’ annual financial report reveals pay, net-income data

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The top three officers of Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, Central New York’s largest health insurer, all had seven-figure salaries in 2020. CEO Christopher Booth was paid a salary of more than $3.2 million; Stephen Sloan, chief administrative officer and general counsel earned more than $1.4 million; and CFO Christopher Gorecki received more than

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The top three officers of Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, Central New York’s largest health insurer, all had seven-figure salaries in 2020.

CEO Christopher Booth was paid a salary of more than $3.2 million; Stephen Sloan, chief administrative officer and general counsel earned more than $1.4 million; and CFO Christopher Gorecki received more than $1 million in 2020.

Executive compensation is set by the nonprofit company’s board of directors based on “comparable market data and performance.”

The health insurer also reported net income of $97.2 million on $6.2 billion in premium revenue in 2020. Excellus’ net income fell 43 percent last year from the $171 million it generated in 2019.

The Rochester–based nonprofit insurer disclosed the figures in an annual financial report filed with the New York State Department of Financial Services.

The 2020 results amount to a net income of $68.40 per member for the entire year, down from $113.87 in 2019, Excellus said in a Feb. 26 news release.

“No one has ever faced a year like 2020,” Booth said. “The COVID-19 crisis required a strong and comprehensive response to assure our members were able to receive the care they needed and to help assure the health care system itself would survive. The pandemic devastated the economy and sickened tens of thousands of upstate residents.”

Excellus’ reserves stood at $1.2 billion at the end of 2020, or the equivalent of 70 days of claims and expenses. Reserves are like a savings account to be drawn upon for unforeseen higher expenses such as a pandemic or lower revenue, the insurer said.

“The health plan spent more than $5 billion, or an average $14.2 million every day, covering the health-care cost for our 1.5 million members,” Gorecki said.

The health plan’s total membership grew by more than 13,000 during 2020, representing the fourth consecutive year in which membership has grown, Excellus said. Total membership now totals more than 1.5 million.

Excellus also noted that it paid $530.5 million in federal and state taxes in 2020. Those taxes included $112 million for the federal tax to pay for the Affordable Care Act, which had been suspended for 2019 but reinstated for 2020.

The health insurer says it also addressed community needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic through financial support last year.

The support included $102 million to pay for increased telemedicine coverage and increased provider-reimbursement rates. It also included more than $40 million in cash advances to providers approved beyond the normal $192 million in advances, $1 million in grants to hospitals for COVID-19 testing supplies and personal protective equipment, and $250,000 in grants to hospitals for COVID-19 testing machines.

Project to boost energy flow from Mohawk Valley to Capital region

Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Regional News, Subscriber Only

MARCY, N.Y. — Crews have started work on an $854 million project to upgrade energy transmission along a 345-kilovolt line between the Mohawk Valley and the Capital region. The 93-mile, Marcy to New Scotland transmission-upgrade project is designed to increase transmission capacity and help deliver more renewable energy to higher-demand areas across the state. Marcy

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MARCY, N.Y. — Crews have started work on an $854 million project to upgrade energy transmission along a 345-kilovolt line between the Mohawk Valley and the Capital region.

The 93-mile, Marcy to New Scotland transmission-upgrade project is designed to increase transmission capacity and help deliver more renewable energy to higher-demand areas across the state.

Marcy is located near Utica and New Scotland is in Albany County.

In addition, the project will “stimulate the local and regional economies by creating and supporting hundreds of clean energy construction jobs,” the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. The governor highlighted the project in his 2021 State of the State address.

The rebuilt transmission lines are expected to be in service by the end of 2023, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) tells CNYBJ in an email.

The project — managed jointly by New York City–based LS Power Grid New York and NYPA — puts New York “on track to meet its goals” under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, Cuomo’s office said in a news release. The goals include a zero-emissions electricity sector by 2040 and 70 percent renewable-energy generation by 2030, and economy-wide carbon neutrality.

“We’re thrilled to mark the start of construction on this project, which plays a critical role in supporting the state’s clean energy plans,” Paul Segal, CEO of LS Power, said.

This effort seeks to upgrade 93 miles of transmission lines and includes construction of two new substations between NYPA’s central transmission hub in Marcy and New Scotland. The project uses existing electric-transmission corridors and replaces “aging and outdated” transmission towers with the “latest technologies to increase energy efficiency.”

The New York State Public Service Commission approved a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need for the project at its Jan. 21 meeting.

Cuomo first unveiled the proposal in his 2021 State of the State as part of a package of transmission projects across the state that will form what his office is calling “New York’s Green Energy Superhighway” — 250 miles of “planned investments that will create opportunities to maximize the use of renewable energy for parts of the state that rely heavily on fossil-fuel plants.”

ANCA: North Country communities can apply for clean-energy funding

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SARANAC LAKE, N.Y. — North Country municipalities are invited to participate in a grant program designed to help them save energy and reduce costs by implementing clean-energy projects. The Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA) will be coordinating the newly launched round of the Clean Energy Communities (CEC) program throughout the North Country region. ANCA is

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SARANAC LAKE, N.Y. — North Country municipalities are invited to participate in a grant program designed to help them save energy and reduce costs by implementing clean-energy projects.

The Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA) will be coordinating the newly launched round of the Clean Energy Communities (CEC) program throughout the North Country region. ANCA is an independent, nonprofit corporation that works to promote economic development across a 14-county region of Northern New York, with a focus on entrepreneurship, local agriculture, and clean energy. Since 1955, ANCA has leveraged the investment of hundreds of millions of dollars into key sectors that drive sustainable local economic development.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) on Jan. 26 announced the launch of the new CEC Leadership Round as part of New York’s broader climate and clean-energy agenda. ANCA’s energy circuit riders — defined as long-standing residents of the North Country who are public facilitators, researchers, technical experts, and builders — will be providing free technical assistance and consulting services to North Country governments interested in participating.

“There is a solid foundation built on ANCA’s involvement in round one of the Clean Energy Communities program, and the next round allows us to be nimble and responsive to more North Country communities interested in participating. It’s a win-win,” said Jerrod Bley, director of ANCA’s clean-energy program. “We are eager to help our hard-working local leaders take advantage of everything that the Leadership Round has to offer.”

ANCA’s clean-energy program has been offering free technical assistance to municipalities for six years, the organization said.

ANCA is part of a regional group of outreach coordinators that NYSERDA selected, which is headed by the Albany–based Capital District Regional Planning Commission (CDRPC) to implement the “Leadership Round in the North Country.” This round will help more cities, counties, towns, and villages join more than 300 local governments statewide that have already been designated as “clean-energy communities.”

All eligible communities can participate in the new round without local cost share and regardless of previous participation in the program.

“We’re happy to have ANCA on board again for this round of the program,” Todd Fabozzi, CDRPC’s director of sustainability, said. “Their clean-energy team has established strong relationships with North Country municipalities over the years, and they have the programmatic knowledge and community networks to help CEC succeed in this rural region.”

How the program works

To earn CEC designation, each community must complete four high-impact actions intended to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, save taxpayer dollars, and improve quality of life for communities.

Additional funding is included for “disadvantaged” communities through the Leadership Round in support of the goal of “increasing access to clean energy and sustainable infrastructure to all end-users,” in New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, per the ANCA release.

Nancy Bernstein and Jennifer Perry, ANCA energy circuit riders, will be joined by a new team member to serve as CEC coordinators in the North Country region, ANCA said. The coordinators are currently informing municipalities about the program and are ready to assist eligible communities in completing high-impact actions, becoming designated CEC communities, and accessing grant funds for clean-energy projects.

ANCA will work in partnership with organizations across New York to implement the statewide program, including CDRPC, the Hudson Valley Regional Council, and the Mohawk Valley Economic Development District, as well as two subcontractors who will provide technical assistance.

Round one of the CEC program, which wrapped up in 2020, resulted in 20 designated communities in the North Country implementing 108 “high-impact,” clean-energy actions. Over $1.7 million in grant funds were awarded to support clean-energy projects throughout the region.

During the first round of the CEC program, Lewis County used grant funds for LED (light-emitting diode) lighting upgrades and an electric vehicle for the county’s fleet.

“Lewis County is excited to build upon its prior CEC designation and advance development that balances community, economic and environmental sustainability,” Larry Dolhof, Lewis County board chairman, said. “For round two of the program, we are committed to a county-wide approach that supports our villages and towns achieving designation, energy savings and emissions reductions.”

State announces $4 million to help farms address impacts of climate change

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ALBANY, N.Y. — Farms across New York state will receive state funding to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, enhance soil health, and promote energy savings. Projects also increase irrigation capacity and emphasize water management to mitigate the effects of periods of drought on crops and livestock, as well as heavy rainfall and flooding. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on

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ALBANY, N.Y. — Farms across New York state will receive state funding to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, enhance soil health, and promote energy savings.

Projects also increase irrigation capacity and emphasize water management to mitigate the effects of periods of drought on crops and livestock, as well as heavy rainfall and flooding.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Feb. 17 announced $4 million is being awarded through the climate-resilient farming grant program to help 80 farms across the state reduce their environmental footprints and prepare for extreme-weather events the state says result from climate change.

New York State awarded grants to soil and water-conservation districts in the various counties on behalf of farmers in one of the following project categories: agricultural-waste storage cover and capture for methane reduction, on-farm water management, and soil-health management systems.

The projects selected will reduce greenhouse gases by an estimated 90,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year, or “as much as eliminating nearly 20,000 cars from the road,” the state contends.

Launched by Cuomo in 2015, the climate-resilient farming program supports the state’s agricultural sector in meeting its goals to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions under the New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.

Through five rounds of funding to date, the state has provided $12 million to assist farms across New York State.

Funding awards

Soil and water-conservation districts in various counties across Central New York, the North Country, and the Southern Tier were awarded funding to benefit farms in their respective areas.

In Central New York, $40,236 will help one farm in Onondaga County; $331,345 will assist four farms in Cortland County; $122,289 will aid one farm in Madison County; and $1,095,738 will help four farms in Cayuga County.

In the North Country, $75,496 will assist three farms in Jefferson County and $59,130 will aid two farms in Essex County.

In the Southern Tier, $175,715 will help three farms in Chenango County and $147,000 will assist three farms in Schuyler County.

“Farms across New York are taking steps to mitigate the effects of climate change and improve their sustainability practices,” David Fisher, president of the New York Farm Bureau, said in the release. “This state investment will further establish New York agriculture as a leader in this effort.”

SU, Honeywell establish partnership to develop air-quality technology

Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Health Care, Manufacturing & Engineering, Nonprofits, Subscriber Only, Technology

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Honeywell International (NYSE: HON) on March 1 announced it has established a research partnership with Syracuse University to fund research on “emerging” indoor air quality (IAQ) technologies. The partnership will include the naming of a Honeywell Indoor Air Quality Laboratory at Syracuse University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science which researchers will

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The partnership will include the naming of a Honeywell Indoor Air Quality Laboratory at Syracuse University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science which researchers will use to help create “healthier and safer” building environments.

Honeywell is not disclosing the amount of grant funding it is providing for this research, a Syracuse University spokesperson tells CNYBJ in an email.

The Honeywell Indoor Air Quality Lab at Syracuse University will be used to solve several research objectives to determine the impact of air quality on human productivity and creativity, per a university news release.

Faculty will use the lab to conduct direct, side-by-side comparisons of next-generation indoor-air-quality improvement technologies and advanced building systems, in a controlled practical building environment, to provide a comparative analysis of the technologies based on key IAQ parameters measured by sensors and through [artificial intelligence (AI)]-driven heating, ventilation, and air conditioning controls.

The research will include characterizing and evaluating IAQ sensors. The research will help building owners and operators better determine the right technologies to meet specific building conditions and goals.

“Indoor air quality isn’t a buzz word — it’s a critical factor in creating safer, healthier building environments,” Manish Sharma, VP and chief technology and product officer, Honeywell Building Technologies, said. “Our work with Syracuse will measure the performance of a variety of emerging indoor air quality technologies to not only improve occupant productivity and well-being but also help building owners understand the best solutions for different building environments and situations. In the long term, this will help them to better attract occupants, manage energy efficiency and improve their real estate value.”

Additionally, the research will develop AI and machine-learning algorithms for “dynamic” ventilation management. The intent is to identify new ventilation strategies that comply with ASHRAE 62.1 IAQ standards while also achieving goals such as improved occupant productivity, with potentially fewer sick days, as well as enhanced energy savings.

“People typically spend 80-90 percent of their times indoors, and occupant exposure to the various gas, particulate and biological contaminants found indoors has tremendous impacts on human health, productivity and creativity,” Jensen Zhang, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Syracuse University, said. “The Honeywell and Syracuse collaboration will lead to energy-efficient and cost-effective approaches and technologies to improving indoor environmental quality and reducing the risk of infectious disease transmission, as we look to improve social, economic and environmental conditions.”

Herkimer College installs UVGI technology

Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Health Care, New York News, Nonprofits, Regional News, Subscriber Only, Technology

HERKIMER, N.Y. — Herkimer County Community College (Herkimer College) says a recently completed project seeks to benefit the health and wellness of students, employees, and campus visitors as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. The project included the installation of ultra-violet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) technology in the school’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the school

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The project included the installation of ultra-violet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) technology in the school’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the school said in a March 5 news release.

UVGI is a disinfection method that uses short-wavelength ultraviolet (ultraviolet C or UVC) light to kill or inactivate microorganisms by destroying nucleic acids and disrupting their DNA, leaving them unable to perform vital cellular functions.

Herkimer College contracted with Eastern Energy Solutions, Inc. (EES), an energy contracting & consulting firm based in Afton in Chenango County.

The installation work started at the beginning of January and finished in February, says Bob Granger, president of Eastern Energy Solutions. He spoke with CNYBJ on March 8.

“This is the best technology that you can use to fight any kind of pathogen like this, whether it’s flu or SARS or COVID-19 or future COVID strains,” Granger contends. “It deactivates the DNA and [the pathogen] can’t multiply.”

On its website, EES says it is “focused on increasing profitability for clients by identifying and implementing design-build solutions that reduce operating costs, improve the working environment and resolve power quality issues negatively effecting operational and production cost.”

How it works

UVGI lighting systems are designed to provide air purification, reduced maintenance, and increased energy efficiency within the air-handling units in which they are applied. As air passes through the UV-C light spectrum/wavelength, airborne infectious pathogens that can cause respiratory sickness, disease, and infection (including COVID-19) are rendered inert, in-turn providing high-level, facility-wide disinfection of the air supplied to occupied spaces.

Eastern Energy Solutions says it has been working with UVGI technology since 2008, primarily in the hospital, dairy, and laundry sectors.

UVGI has been around for more than 75 years and was primarily used in the health-care industry where microbial disinfection is a “major concern,” but with the recent pandemic, market sectors and homes are implementing the use of UVGI, Granger notes.

Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act dollars “100 percent funded” the nearly $100,000 investment in UVGI technology, Nicholas Laino, senior vice president for administration and finance at Herkimer College, said.

“First and foremost, the health and wellness of our campus community is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining a safe environment for our students, employees, and visitors,” Laino said.

Le Moyne, partners seek input on neighborhood-development plans

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Those living near Le Moyne College have until April 2 to complete a survey and provide feedback on issues related to living near the college campus. Le Moyne, the City of Syracuse, and the Town of DeWitt collaborated to launch the survey. The issues include transportation, housing, infrastructure, municipal services, economic development,

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Those living near Le Moyne College have until April 2 to complete a survey and provide feedback on issues related to living near the college campus.

Le Moyne, the City of Syracuse, and the Town of DeWitt collaborated to launch the survey.

The issues include transportation, housing, infrastructure, municipal services, economic development, and overall quality of life, per a news release on the Le Moyne College website.

The survey is part of a “comprehensive, long-term initiative” called the Le Moyne Area Neighborhood Development Strategy, or LANDS.

Data from the survey will help shape a plan to guide development in the area around Le Moyne’s campus and set the stage to support and execute “transformational” projects.

Officials have sent a notice about the survey to about 3,800 residents living in the area bounded by Erie Boulevard East on the north and east sides, East Genesee on the south side, and Salt Springs Road and Seeley Road on the west side.

Empire State Development, Le Moyne College, the City of Syracuse, and the Town of DeWitt are providing funding for the survey. The plan developed from survey results will include recommendations to improve physical infrastructure and enhance services, “building on existing initiatives with a long-term plan for the next 20 years.” It will provide a vision for future municipal and college investments to improve the neighborhood for all residents, “complementing Le Moyne’s 2015 Master Plan for on-campus growth by addressing the integration of the campus with the surrounding neighborhoods,” per the release.

“Using neighborhood data and input from residents and property owners, the LANDS project will create recommendations to invest in the neighborhood adjacent to Le Moyne College. This effort aligns with our goal to improve quality of life for all in our Syracuse neighborhoods,” Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said. “I encourage everyone in the area to participate by offering feedback to help Le Moyne, the Town of DeWitt and the city understand the different challenges the area faces and develop innovative and effective ways to address them.”

DEC, Thousand Islands Land Trust protect five parcels in Jefferson County

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Law, Accounting & Taxes, New York News, Nonprofits, Regional News, Subscriber Only

CLAYTON, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Thousand Islands Land Trust (TILT) in February announced acquisitions and easements to protect more than 182 acres of significant watershed lands in the town of Clayton in Jefferson County. This partnership is part of the state’s Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP)

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This partnership is part of the state’s Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) Program and seeks to help protect the surface-water quality of the St. Lawrence River, a source of public drinking water for thousands of people in the region, the DEC and TILT said.

“These latest easements and acquisitions in partnership with the Thousand Islands Land Trust will continue to help ensure clean water for communities and preserve the water quality in the St. Lawrence River watershed.” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said in a release.

The St. Lawrence River is a drinking-water supply for many communities in the region, and as shoreline development and agricultural expansion continue, the susceptibility for water contamination of this widely used source water grows, the DEC and TILT contend. TILT is focusing its conservation efforts under this state WQIP project to help preserve the river’s Grindstone and Picton islands. TILT has acquired easements and acreage totaling about 182 acres across five parcels that contain natural vegetated shoreline buffers and coastal marsh habitats that will be “conserved in perpetuity” to ensure the protection of valuable drinking-water supply. The details are as follows.

• Deedy: This 2018 conservation easement in Clayton was a full donation to TILT for permanent source-water protection. The late Ken Deedy, one of TILT’s founders, along with his nephew, Matthew M. Deedy, donated an easement on nearly 26 acres of their 31-acre property on Grindstone Island. The easement was implemented to limit subdivision, development, mining, and other major disturbances to the land’s source-water value and sensitive ecological and aesthetic qualities. The easement-protected forests, granite outcrops, and undeveloped shorelines provide habitat for many species of native flora and fauna.

• Picton III and IV: Picton III is a conservation easement on about 32 acres that was also a full donation to TILT. Picton IV is a 49-acre conservation easement partially donated to TILT. Picton Island’s array of mixed deciduous-coniferous forests, coastal wetlands, and granite rock outcroppings comprise a diversity of habitat types and terrain variations that protect the water quality of the St. Lawrence River. The unfragmented forest acts as a habitat corridor, providing connectivity across the Frontenac Arch, the release stated.

• Ramseier: This conservation easement on about nine acres in the town of Clayton was acquired for $41,500. It abuts TILT’s Heineman Songbird Forest at the foot of Grindstone island. The easement maintains the natural beauty of the undeveloped shoreline near the Picton Channel, as well as a coastal marsh and its upland buffer, which are both key to protecting the drinking-water source, per the release.

• Rusho: This 67-acre parcel was acquired for $115,000. Situated between Delaney Bay and TILT’s Rusho Farm Preserve on Grindstone Island, the Rusho property’s forested riparian habitat and marsh fringes provide “unparalleled” source-water protection value, the organizations contend.

The Department of Environmental Conservation awarded the Thousand Islands Land Trust a $555,571 WQIP grant to use toward the protection of these parcels and two other easements in progress in the Thousand Islands region, further protecting the water quality of the St. Lawrence River.

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