SYRACUSE — Go Green Supply CNY, a distributor of LED (light-emitting diode) lighting products, has started operations at 1433 Erie Boulevard East in Syracuse. Rochester–based Go Green LED International announced the launch of Go Green Supply CNY in a news release in early April. The Syracuse location is a “separate entity” from the Rochester company, […]
SYRACUSE — Go Green Supply CNY, a distributor of LED (light-emitting diode) lighting products, has started operations at 1433 Erie Boulevard East in Syracuse.
Rochester–based Go Green LED International announced the launch of Go Green Supply CNY in a news release in early April.
The Syracuse location is a “separate entity” from the Rochester company, says Rolando (R.J.) Cruz, Jr., president and co-owner of Go Green Supply CNY.
“So basically, we are a distributor of [the] products that they sell … We’re just a separate company,” he adds. He spoke with CNYBJ on May 25.
Cruz is one of four company owners and the majority shareholder, he says. Cruz declined to name his three business partners, but did indicate that they work for Henderson-Johnson Co., Inc. of Syracuse.
Go Green Supply CNY launched on Aug. 8, 2016, and is now operating in a 1,500-square-foot space that it opened May 1.
The company leases the space from the Henderson-Johnson firm.
Cruz is currently the company’s lone employee, but he hopes to add one or two additional employees in the next six to 12 months.
Go Green Supply CNY has applied for certification as a minority and women-owned business enterprise in New York to “give us some access to and availability to provide a product and service to state contracts to other state facilities,” says Cruz.
The company is selling LED lighting products, lamps, and retrofit fixtures, he says.
He declined to name specific clients but said he sells to “a couple health-care clients,” along with electricians, automotive stores, and building owners.
The building owners he sells to have bought their structures in recent years and are renovating them, “so they’re looking to upgrade and go green and save money on their utility bills,” says Cruz.
Go Green Supply CNY is servicing clients in the Syracuse market and areas to the north, east, and south, while Go Green LED International pursues clients in the Rochester region and areas to the west, according to Cruz.
He contends clients could “decrease their lighting costs by minimally 25 to 50 percent.”
“We’re trying to make a brighter day … for our clients,” Cruz quipped.
“The new location is expected to provide clean-energy solutions that results in 50 percent to 100 percent energy savings to our customer base. At the same time we reduce the carbon footprint of our clients and help them meet environmental goals,” Michael Viggiani, president of Go Green LED International, said in the news release. “The opening of a Syracuse branch will improve our reach and service capabilities to central New York customers.”
Pursuing the business Cruz and his business partners “a couple years ago” decided to pursue a business in the LED lighting market, one that Cruz considers “very promising.”
They developed the business plan, and launched the firm in 2016.
Cruz in late 2014 left his position as controller at Auburn Community Hospital, seeing it as “an opportunity to create” his own business.
One of his business partners was familiar with Go Green LED International and the LED lighting market, and the partners saw the product as a “very good opportunity” to attract commercial customers.
“Now, you’re looking at an accountant in the lighting industry who can count the lightbulbs as well as screw them in,” Cruz said with a laugh.
His partners have been involved with Henderson-Johnson for more than 25 years each, he noted.
Cruz, an Auburn native, is a 1991 graduate of Le Moyne College with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He also earned an associate degree in business administration from Cayuga Community College in 1989, he says.
BINGHAMTON — Through 2011, New York state residents and companies installed solar systems that generated 83 megawatts of solar power. By the end of 2016, that number had jumped to about 744 megawatts, an increase of just under 800 percent. The growth of solar installations is part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision
BINGHAMTON — Through 2011, New York state residents and companies installed solar systems that generated 83 megawatts of solar power. By the end of 2016, that number had jumped to about 744 megawatts, an increase of just under 800 percent. The growth of solar installations is part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) plan to generate 50 percent of the state’s energy consumption from renewable resources by 2030.
CPACE A key element of the governor’s plan is Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE). In November of last year, the state legislature created Commercial PACE (CPACE), designed to help commercial properties make energy-efficiency and renewable-energy upgrades to buildings. CPACE, which is formally known as Energize NY Commercial Financing, helps property owners find incentive programs; identify reliable and certified contractors and engineering firms; access low-cost, long-term financing; and create a post-upgrade plan to verify and measure the energy savings. The end result is that building owners enjoy an increase to the property’s value, all while generating positive cash flow from reduced energy costs.
Enter Southern Tier Solar Works (STSW). “We’re the clean-energy, outreach-and-marketing program of the Binghamton Regional Sustainability Coalition,” says Michael Treiman, STSW solutions manager.
The coalition was formed in 2008 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation to improve the quality of life in the Binghamton region, which includes shifting to more sustainable energy sources. “STSW focuses on developing the solar industry in our region through education and outreach. While our primary regional focus is on five counties — Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, and Tioga — we respond to inquiries from across the Southern Tier. Most of our efforts have been directed to the residential sector educating homeowners to the benefits of clean energy, vetting local solar installers, providing free assessments, and helping with applications. With the passage last year of Energize NY Commercial (CPACE) financing, however, we have expanded our efforts to the commercial sector. Research shows that the Southern Tier has a tremendous potential estimated at 100,000 square-kilometers of solar space on rooftops and ground level. To date, Broome is one of only 13 municipalities to adopt the local law required to enable CPACE financing, which makes solar and other clean-energy measures more affordable to business and nonprofit building owners.”
Municipal projects STSW has not limited itself to just residential and commercial solar projects. “On May 6, we launched a solar-art workshop at the University Downtown Center as part of our ‘solarize’ campaign. We want to develop public green spaces that integrate solar power with sculpture and design. The workshop is a technical and artistic collaboration that brings community members, artists, engineers, and architects together. We invited the Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI) from Pittsburgh to help us with the launch to generate ideas for sustainable-energy infrastructures that enhance our cities by providing works of art that also furnish clean power to area residences. LAGI has generated projects all over the world by providing design competitions, commissions and RFPs, and facilitating the process through construction and operations … Just imagine a power plant as public art.”
STSW has selected four installer partners for the 2017 program. Halco, headquartered in Phelps with offices in Ithaca and Liverpool, has provided residential-energy upgrades throughout Central New York and the Southern Tier since 1984. In addition to its “net zero” energy-efficiency and HVAC services, the company has installed more than 3.0 megawatts of solar power since 2015. Taitem Engineering, founded in 1989 and located in Ithaca, has installed hundreds of solar-electric systems across the Finger Lakes and Southern Tier. The firm provides a wide range of commercial-engineering services in the clean-energy space. ETM Solar is headquartered in Endicott, and has worked in the solar field since 1993. ETM is currently building a shared-solar project for customers who don’t have favorable conditions to site a system on their property. While the preceding three companies specialize in residential installations, CIR Electrical Construction Corp. focuses on commercial installations. Located in Tonawanda, the company is capable of completing a wide range of commercial and industrial projects.
CPACE eligibility The CPACE program does not deal with traditional loans that are attached to a corporate entity and tied to its credit.
“First, the project must generate positive cash flow from day one,” Treiman notes, in explaining eligibility for the program. “In other words, the estimated annual energy savings from improvements must be less than the remaining energy costs plus the finance payments. Second, the building must be owned by a commercial business or nonprofit corporation: It’s the ownership, not the type of building, that matters. Third, the building-owner’s loan is repaid through an annual charge on the property-tax bill. Nonprofits can request a county-tax bill which would be limited to the annual payments on the [energy] load.
Additionally, a New York Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) certified contractor has to verify that the project is cash positive. The property’s existing loan-to-value can’t be greater than 80 percent. Financing is capped at 10 percent of the property’s appraised value, and the property has to be the majority beneficiary of the on-site, solar power produced. The owner must be free of any bankruptcies within the preceding seven years, have a three-year history of timely property-tax payments, and have secured the consent of a lender … One huge benefit is that the financing automatically transfers to a new owner if the property is sold during the term of the loan, because the CPACE assessment is a debt of property, meaning the debt is tied to the property as opposed to the property owner.”
Financing and incentives In New York, owners of commercial properties can take advantage of the NY Sun Incentive program, and businesses can also benefit from a 30 percent federal-tax credit plus any depreciation. In addition, NYSERDA partners with lenders to help small businesses and not-for-profit organizations access “small-commercial-participation loans” up to $100,000 at below-market rates. NYSERDA offers 50 percent of the project cost, up to $50,000 at 2 percent interest, with the participating lender providing the remainder of the loan at market rates. CPACE provides building owners and not-for-profits with affordable financing up to 100 percent of the project cost based on the eligibility restrictions listed above. Financing is available with customizable loan terms up to 20 years. New York also allows community-shared solar (CSS), a solution for all customers that lack the ability to site solar on their properties.
Additionally, many businesses and nonprofits do not own their buildings, a major barrier to solar adoption. “We know that most properties in our region are not conducive to a solar installation due, in large part, to impediments such as shading, the wrong geographical exposure, and property slope exceeding 15 degrees,” continues Treiman. “In July 2015, the New York State Public Service Commission implemented regs to get the benefits of solar by encouraging remote net metering through association with a solar farm in the local load zone. In effect, it’s community-shared solar (CSS), and the members receive credits on their electric bills. In the owner model, the member buys into the system up front and uses the taxes and NYSERDA incentive. One example is the Renovus Solar project, which completed a ground-mounted, photovoltaic array near Trumansburg in 2016. Initially, 36 families bought into the project utilizing the 30 percent federal-tax credit. The company is adding 50 homes in the second phase and developing similar projects in the region.
“The subscriber model of CSS, otherwise known as pay-as-you-go, allows customers to purchase solar credit from an offsite array with commitments as short as one year,” notes Treiman.
Solar spotlight According to a report released by the Solar Energy Industries Association dated March 28, 2017, the Empire State has installed 926.7 megawatts of solar with more than 30 percent of the total installed just last year. Solar energy now powers 152,000 New York homes and the industry supports 8,135 jobs throughout the state. (A U.S. Department of Energy Report stated that in 2016, solar full- and part-time jobs nationwide totaled 373,807. Note: the coal industry employed 160,119 nationwide.)
The state is home to 632 solar companies: 88 manufacturers, 201 installer/developers, and 343 others. Total private solar investment in the state now tops $3 billion, of which $768 million was invested in 2016.
The state’s Public Service Commission, in support of Gov. Cuomo’s solar commitment, recently announced a 10-year, $1 billion pledge to develop a self-sustaining, solar market which is projected to reach 3,000 megawatts of photovoltaic installations by 2022. New York is ranked among the top-10 solar markets in the U.S. While solar-installation projections over the next five years are equally split between residential and commercial, most of the increased energy produced will come from the commercial side. Considering that only 0.79 percent of the state’s electricity is currently derived from solar, the governor’s goal to generate 50 percent of the state’s energy consumption from renewable resources is ambitious, even with the inclusion of bio-energy, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal.
Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) “New York is reinventing how we produce, deliver, and consume energy,” says Treiman. “Our current system isn’t much different than the one Thomas Edison installed in Manhattan [in 1882]. We generate energy from a centralized location and then distribute it to users. The system is designed to flow in one direction: from power plant to consumer. It’s also grossly inefficient, since power-generating facilities are built to meet ‘peak demand,’ meaning the system is idle half the time. As our power system ages, maintenance costs are rising rapidly. There are also environmental costs as we pump more carbon into the atmosphere.”
Beginning in 2014, Gov. Cuomo initiated REV, a policy designed to address issues of affordability, reliability, and resilience through renewables and efficiency. The program provided incentives to utilities and consumers to use less energy, rely on sources closer to home, and opt for renewable sources.
“It’s easy to make a case for reinventing our power system by encouraging regulatory reform, lowering the upfront cost of renewable energy, opening access to financing, easing permitting and the local-approval process, and promoting consumer education,” intones Treiman. “Since buildings consume roughly 60 percent of all energy used in the state, the CPACE program gives us another arrow in our quiver to promote solar energy. Solar Works is actively reaching out to commercial enterprises to leverage the concept.
For example, we are talking to two local retirement facilities to join together in a shared-generation project, which would save both facilities money and reduce overall consumption through energy efficiencies. Our efforts are being somewhat limited by the eligibility requirements of CPACE and by current confusion over the transition from net metering to value-distributed energy resources, but STSW is very active meeting with decision-makers to advance the program. Our goal is to make solar a hot topic.
Treiman is one of four full-time staff members at STSW, located in downtown Binghamton. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Binghamton University with a major in human development. Treiman also earned his master’s degree in public administration at Binghamton University. He joined STSW in October 2016.
BINGHAMTON — The man who has served as UHS’s executive VP and COO since 2013 is now the president and CEO of UHS Hospitals. The board of directors of UHS appointed John Carrigg to the role, effective June 1. Carrigg will also become president and CEO of the full UHS System on Jan.1, 2018, UHS
BINGHAMTON — The man who has served as UHS’s executive VP and COO since 2013 is now the president and CEO of UHS Hospitals.
The board of directors of UHS appointed John Carrigg to the role, effective June 1.
Carrigg will also become president and CEO of the full UHS System on Jan.1, 2018, UHS said in a news release issued May 25.
Matthew (Matt) Salanger was set to leave his role as the current president and CEO of UHS Hospitals on June 1 and as president and CEO of the entire UHS System next Jan. 1.
Salanger is now serving as a part-time, senior strategic adviser to the organization, UHS said. He will also remain on the board and its executive committee.
The UHS board of directors approved the change during its annual meeting held May 24.
“These changes are part of a senior-leadership succession plan that has been two years in the making,” Jerome Canny, chairman of the UHS board, said in the release.
“We will be promoting from within someone who is uniquely qualified to be the new CEO, and will continue to benefit from our current president’s insights and counsel. That will ensure the long-term stability, strength and continuity of UHS as we continue to serve the healthcare needs of the Southern Tier.”
About Carrigg Carrigg has served as VP for operations and director of UHS Binghamton General Hospital, senior VP and COO of UHS Hospitals, and executive VP and COO of the UHS System.
“Mr. Salanger and I have worked closely together and share the same vision for the future direction of our organization,” Carrigg said in the release. “I look forward to the new challenges and opportunities that UHS will encounter in this decade and beyond, and am grateful to Matt for staying on in a strategy role from which the entire system will benefit.”
Carrigg, a Binghamton–area native, graduated from St. Andrew’s College in North Carolina and earned an MBA degree from SUNY Binghamton, UHS said.
About Salanger Salanger, a Syracuse native, is the organization’s longest-serving CEO since three community hospitals consolidated to form UHS in 1981.
Salanger joined UHS in 1985, serving in a number of managerial roles, including assistant VP, associate VP, the VP for operations and director of UHS Binghamton General Hospital, and executive VP and chief operating officer of UHS Hospitals.
He became president and CEO of UHS Hospitals in 1994. Salanger later became president and CEO of the UHS System in 2007.
Salanger said he believes “the time is right” for the leadership change.
“I have long been convinced that it’s important for succession at the top to happen in an orderly fashion, after careful planning and sound consideration, with the long-term stewardship of the organization being the first priority. On a personal note, I look forward to having more time for family, travel and volunteering, while still maintaining a stakeholder interest in the continued success of UHS,” said Salanger.
About UHS The UHS System is composed of UHS Hospitals (UHS Wilson Medical Center and UHS Binghamton General Hospital), UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital, UHS Delaware Valley Hospital, UHS Senior Living at Ideal, UHS Home Care, the UHS Medical Group, and the UHS Foundation.
Serving a seven-county region, UHS describes itself as “one of the largest and most comprehensive systems in upstate New York with a total community impact exceeding $1 billion a year.
An 896-bed organization, UHS provides a range of medical, surgical, rehabilitative, and long-term care services from 60 locations.
With a workforce of more than 6,000, it is the “largest employer in New York’s Southern Tier” and the workplace of a 392-provider, multi-specialty medical group and a 550-member medical staff, per the release.
SALINA — The 20,830-square-foot office building at 235 Greenfield Parkway in Salina was recently bought by Edgewater Management Company for $1.205 million. Peter Finn, EVP of CBRE/Syracuse, and Mark Rupprecht, senior broker, represented Edgewater Management in the purchase, per a news release from the real-estate firm. The seller was the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. The building,
SALINA — The 20,830-square-foot office building at 235 Greenfield Parkway in Salina was recently bought by Edgewater Management Company for $1.205 million.
Peter Finn, EVP of CBRE/Syracuse, and Mark Rupprecht, senior broker, represented Edgewater Management in the purchase, per a news release from the real-estate firm.
The seller was the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. The building, which sits on nearly 4.5 acres of land, was formerly occupied by ITT Technical Institute. ITT Tech, a national for-profit school, abruptly shut down all its campuses last September after the U.S. Department of Education blocked all federal student-loan funding for the school.
The sale to Edgewater closed on March 8, according to Onondaga County’s online property records. ITT had purchased the property back in 2002 for nearly $2.8 million. The property is assessed at $1.27 million for 2017.
UTICA — Fifteen local organizations will receive Community Impact Grants for community projects to improve the health of the Greater Utica area from the American Heart Association / American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA), the organization recently announced. The grants were awarded to the following organizations: Pathfinder Village, Bassett Healthcare Network, Research Institute, Johnson Park Center, Cornell
UTICA — Fifteen local organizations will receive Community Impact Grants for community projects to improve the health of the Greater Utica area from the American Heart Association / American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA), the organization recently announced.
The grants were awarded to the following organizations: Pathfinder Village, Bassett Healthcare Network, Research Institute, Johnson Park Center, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County, Masonic Care Community, Center for Family Life and Recovery, Mount Markham Central School District, The Arc Oneida-Lewis Chapter of NYSARC, The Boilermaker Road Race, Insight house CDS, Inc., Hart’s Hill Elementary School, Mohawk Valley Institute for Learning in Retirement, Elderlife, Inc., Notre Dame Elementary School, and the Midtown Utica Community Center.
This year’s recipients received between $1,500 and $5,000, for a total community investment of $58,000, according to a news release issued by the AHA/ASA.
Local organizations started applying for grants last December. Project proposals needed to focus on reducing cardiovascular disease and its risk factors by specifically targeting issues like childhood obesity or family health, the release noted. The AHA/ASA said it gave “special consideration” to projects aimed at improving access to healthy foods and increasing CPR/AED training and implementation in the community. A committee of local community volunteers reviewed and ranked the grant applications by the projects’ alignment with the mission of the AHA/ASA.
The funded projects, include Pathfinder Village creating the Pathfinder Produce Market, including purchasing additional growing supplies and equipment to help adults and students learn about healthy gardening. Another project has Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County using funds toward youth-outreach programs to empower teens to grow, process, distribute, and cook with fresh fruits and vegetables grown at the Boilermaker Urban Garden.
“We were so happy to see the level of creative projects being developed to support the fight against heart disease and stroke,” Marolyn Wilson, chairwoman of the AHA/ASA Greater Utica Area advisory board. “There were many merit-worthy projects that would result in improvements in the cardiovascular health of our community. The decisions were not easy.”
Hotels in Broome County were less full in April compared to a year ago, according to a recent report. The hotel occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) in the county declined 5.3 percent to 55.3 percent in April from 58.4 percent in the year-ago month, according to STR, a Tennessee–based hotel
Hotels in Broome County were less full in April compared to a year ago, according to a recent report.
The hotel occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) in the county declined 5.3 percent to 55.3 percent in April from 58.4 percent in the year-ago month, according to STR, a Tennessee–based hotel market data and analytics company. It was the third straight month the occupancy rate fell.
Revenue per available room (RevPAR), a key industry gauge that measures how much money hotels are bringing in per available room, fell 9.5 percent to $46.75 this April from $51.66 in April 2016.
Average daily rate (or ADR), which represents the average rental rate for a sold room, dipped by 4.4 percent to $84.55 from $88.44 a year earlier, per STR.
Most of us work at finding ways to do a better job, advance in a career, and become more successful. That’s commendable, but we may differ on how to go about getting there. While most are straightforward, tackling one challenge after another, others do it differently, and their actions leave marks that affect our success.
Most of us work at finding ways to do a better job, advance in a career, and become more successful. That’s commendable, but we may differ on how to go about getting there. While most are straightforward, tackling one challenge after another, others do it differently, and their actions leave marks that affect our success.
Most of us can’t choose our co-workers, team members, or business associates. Nonetheless, we can avoid being blindsided by those who, often unintentionally, would throw us off course. Here are the people to look out for:
– Those who act too quickly In school, they raced to get a seat in the front row and their hands always went up first when the teacher asked a question, even though they didn’t know the answer. Some never stop raising their hand first. They’re enthusiastic, but they can cause trouble by not taking time to think things through.
– Those who lack flexibility We admire those who stand by their beliefs and don’t give in even when it could help to bend a little. Yet, rigidity can create roadblocks that thwart discussion and lead to hostility.
– Those who rush to get it done They jump right in, ignoring even the most obvious red flags. They never ask questions, refuse help, and never think through tasks before moving forward. They leave a trail of trouble behind them for others to clean up.
– Those who never quite finish Whatever the task, they drag it out (usually accompanied by questionable excuses). Then, when the deadline passes, they want more time to “check one more thing,” while co-workers are left waiting.
– Those who want to do too much Smart and capable, they’re up for any challenge that’s handed to them. You can count on them to do a good job and do it quickly. Without knowing it, they can also create dissention among team members who resent having a “star” in their midst.
– Those who always misunderstand It seems as if not getting something the way it was intended is a character trait with some people. No matter how clear the instructions or how detailed the discussion, someone always comes up with, “But I thought …” It isn’t so much that they see things differently as it is “reinterpreting” them so they’re comfortable with them.
– Those who are brain pickers “I’m kind of stuck. Could you give me some ideas?” they say. You can count on it. Some are just plain lazy, but others, lacking self-confidence, feel free to take from others, and add nothing of their own.
– Those who are unendingly late Whether it’s getting to meetings or completing assignments, some people are always late. It doesn’t appear to bother them that others depend on them and that being out of step is disruptive.
– Those who make up their own rules In the past, there may have been more room for outliers, those who “march to a different drummer,” or “do their own thing.” But not so much in an interdependent and collaborative work environment that depends on communication, coordination, and cooperation.
– Those who set their own limits Whenever they’re asked to take on an assignment, meet a critical deadline, or make some accommodation, they always have too much on their plate, while others find time to get the job done. Their plates may be too small for the job.
– Those who are always right They may not know the right questions to ask, but they never run short on having the right answers. The more you attempt to convince them otherwise, the more they feel cornered and the more they resist. They’re favorite spot is standing outside the circle and criticizing.
– Those who always see flaws Uncovering flaws is a useful skill for improving the quality of our work. But some flaw-finding can be self-serving when it’s used to improve one’s position by embarrassing or attacking others.
– Those who don’t think things through An analytical approach takes time and, often, requires deferring decisions until more data is available. But that doesn’t satisfy those who want action. “By the time, we get around to making a decision,” they say, “it’ll be too late.” Pushing things through rather than thinking them through is dangerous.
– Those who second-guess everyone and everything No matter how hard you try to draw them into a discussion, they sit by silently while the members of the team wrestle with the issues. It’s then that the second-guessers come to life to let it be known why it won’t work, why it will fail.
– Those who see only through their own eyes No matter how vigorously denied, we’re all held in the clutches of biases that color our picture of the world. It’s the stuff that causes some to misunderstand and righteously reject ideas and actions that differ from their own.
– Those who equate quantity with quality Years ago, a student came to his 10th grade civic class carrying a ridiculously thick binder filled with newspaper clippings. Today, he would download endless articles from the Internet. Either way, the results are the same: a stack of stuff but little or no understanding.
While most of those we encounter throughout our careers are helpful and supportive, there are others whose actions can cause us trouble. So, what’s the best way to avoid being blindsided and hurt? Stay alert and remember, someone is out to get you. Count on it.
John Graham of GrahamComm is a marketing and sales strategy consultant and business writer. He publishes a free monthly eBulletin, “No Nonsense Marketing & Sales Ideas.” Contact him at jgraham@grahamcomm.com, or visit johnrgraham.com
ALTMAR — New York State has acquired more than 6,000 acres of protected lands in Oswego County, which the state intends to target for conservation, recreation, and education. The acquisitions represent the “largest additions” to state lands in Central New York in 45 years. These areas include about 2,825 acres of lands along the Salmon
ALTMAR — New York State has acquired more than 6,000 acres of protected lands in Oswego County, which the state intends to target for conservation, recreation, and education.
The acquisitions represent the “largest additions” to state lands in Central New York in 45 years.
These areas include about 2,825 acres of lands along the Salmon River, “an internationally acclaimed fishing destination,” and 3,236 acres of working forestland in the nearby towns of Redfield and Orwell, the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a news release issued May 24.
This forestland acquisition will help to “secure the working landscape” of the Tug Hill region that provides “vital economic support” to local communities, the governor contends.
Cuomo made the announcement during a May 24 visit to the Salmon River Fish Hatchery at 2133 County Route 22 in Altmar.
“Protecting valuable natural resources in New York’s pristine Salmon River and Tug Hill region benefits the environment, bolsters economic opportunities for local communities and preserves the unparalleled natural beauty of the region for future generations of New Yorkers,” Cuomo contended in the release. “The Salmon River is a regional treasure, home to some of the best salmon and trout fishing in the world, and by protecting Tug Hill forestland we ensure ongoing timber resource production, safeguard the water quality of the Salmon River, and ensure public access to the region’s outdoor recreation opportunities.”
Salmon River The newly acquired lands run from the eastern edge of the village of Pulaski upstream along sections of the river to the vicinity of the Salmon River Fish Hatchery in Altmar and the lower Salmon River reservoir in the town of Orwell.
Other large tracts of land from the acquisition are found around the upper Salmon River reservoir in the town of Redfield.
The acquisition will increase fishing access points for anglers and help facilitate improvements along the river banks to address erosion.
“The acquisition of this property by the state will be of great benefit to the public, to anglers and to those who rely on the tourism in this area, which can only increase due to addition of accesses,” Assemblyman Will Barclay said in the governor’s news release. Barclay is the Republican representative of the 120th New York Assembly District, which encompasses most of Oswego County.
The state acquired the land as a result of a 2005 consent decree it brought, Cuomo’s office said.
The consent decree asserted that Niagara Mohawk and certain other New York utilities had violated provisions of the federal Clean Air Act in operating various power plants throughout the state.
To settle the case, Niagara Mohawk entered into an agreement to transfer land in the Salmon River area, valued at about $3 million at the time, to New York State for conservation, recreational, and educational purposes.
National Grid will continue to operate and maintain its electric transmission and distribution facilities located on these lands, which provide services to customers in upstate New York.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will propose regulations to protect the 1,700 acres lying adjacent to the Salmon River to preserve the river corridor by controlling camping, campfires, snowmobiles, and target shooting.
The proposed regulations “will be consistent” with public use of the property while owned by National Grid, the release stated.
DEC also expects to establish new trails along the property, constructing new parking areas, and increasing hunting and trapping opportunities on lands that will be designated state forests. DEC is developing a recreation and restoration master plan for the Salmon River lands, which will be released for public comment later this year. The environmental agency has already announced $500,000 in stream restoration work along the river corridor.
Kendall property, Tug Hill forestland A priority conservation area in the state’s Open Space Plan, the 3,236 acre Kendall property located north of the Salmon River reservoir, is embedded in a landscape with existing state lands and working forest easements.
The Conservation Fund purchased the land in 2015 at New York State’s request through its Working Forest Fund with generous support from the Richard King Mellon Foundation.
DEC recently took ownership of the Kendall property using $4.75 million from the state’s Environmental Protection Fund.
The new state-forest land will help to stem the tide of rural land division, which typically costs towns more money in services than they receive in property taxes, the state contends. State ownership of working forests like Kendall is supported by towns because it helps retain traditional access and jobs while protecting town budgets, it notes.
Located within Audubon’s Tug Hill important bird area, the forestland also supports nearby wetlands that provide habitat to a variety of migratory birds.
In the past decade, New York State has cemented itself as a national leader on energy policy and environmental quality with initiatives like the Clean Energy Standard, Reforming the Energy Vision, and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Combined with competitive electricity markets that drive efficiency and support the growth of renewable resources, these initiatives are
In the past decade, New York State has cemented itself as a national leader on energy policy and environmental quality with initiatives like the Clean Energy Standard, Reforming the Energy Vision, and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Combined with competitive electricity markets that drive efficiency and support the growth of renewable resources, these initiatives are improving air quality and expanding New York’s clean-energy industry.
But as the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) looks to a cleaner-energy future in New York, we see the emerging story of our electric system as one of a grid characterized by stark regional differences that can be thought of as a tale of two grids. Not surprisingly, there are distinct differences between Upstate and downstate in terms of power resources and consumer demand.
We have an abundance of renewable-energy resources and generation capacity in upstate New York, yet relatively low demand. In contrast, the downstate region has a higher concentration of fossil-fuel generators and significantly higher demand, using 66 percent of the state’s electric energy annually.
In fact, nearly 75 percent of the electricity generated in the downstate region last year was produced by fossil-fuel resources, while about 85 percent of electricity generated Upstate came from nuclear, hydro, and wind resources with no carbon emissions. Our recently released Power Trends 2017 report highlights this fundamental problem for New York: longstanding transmission constraints between the two regions prevent more clean energy produced in Upstate from reaching the broader, statewide market.
This physical constraint on the grid is also giving rise to two markets. The low cost of natural gas to fuel generation and the continued growth of clean-energy resources Upstate are keeping market prices in this region low. As a result, other resources are finding it difficult to compete, raising concerns that price signals will deter investors from building new generation or upgrading existing plants to support reliable operations.
Power Trends also highlights the emergence of a much different grid with the growth of smaller, more distributed energy resources, typically located on a customer’s premises. While these resources usually supply the customer’s electricity needs, our “distributed energy resources roadmap” highlights how on-site electricity can also provide services to the “bigger grid,” and the larger wholesale market.
A cleaner, greener, integrated grid — one that includes both central power station and distributed resources will depend on a modernized, upgraded, and expanded transmission system. Upgraded transmission capability is vital to meeting the state’s renewable public policy goals and efficiently moving power to address regional power needs.
Transmission enhancements will also relieve constraints on the system, making more effective use of current and future renewable resources. Further, strategic transmission investments will enable upstate resources to better serve a broader market — providing benefits such as a more resilient grid, access to more diverse energy resources, and more efficient market competition.
The power grid has been described as the greatest engineering achievement of the 20th century, providing the foundation upon which our modern life and economy is built. Today, our main focus at the NYISO is ensuring this engineering marvel will meet the emerging challenges of the 21st century.
Working closely with utilities, generators, regulators, and industry stakeholders, we are transforming New York’s power grid for the better — both Upstate and downstate. At the NYISO, we’re proud to be a part of the change that will determine our state’s clean-energy future.
Brad Jones is president and CEO of the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), an independent nonprofit company that operates New York’s high-voltage power grid and manages competitive wholesale electricity markets.
UTICA — ConMed Corp. (NASDAQ: CNMD), a Utica–based surgical-device maker, recently announced that its board of directors has declared a cash dividend of 20 cents a share for the latest quarter. The dividend is payable on July 5 to all shareholders of record as of June 15, according to a company news release. At its
UTICA — ConMed Corp. (NASDAQ: CNMD), a Utica–based surgical-device maker, recently announced that its board of directors has declared a cash dividend of 20 cents a share for the latest quarter.
The dividend is payable on July 5 to all shareholders of record as of June 15, according to a company news release.
At its current stock price, the dividend yields about 1.6 percent on an annual basis.
ConMed specializes in surgical devices and equipment for minimally invasive procedures. The company’s products are used by surgeons and physicians in a variety of specialties, including orthopedics, general surgery, gynecology, neurosurgery, and gastroenterology.
The firm has a direct selling presence in 17 countries and international sales account for about half of its total sales. Headquartered in Utica, ConMed employs about 3,300 people worldwide.
ConMed reported a net loss of $4.5 million in the first quarter of this year, compared to a net loss of $2.3 million in the first quarter of 2016. The company generated nearly $187 million in revenue in the latest quarter.
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