The Broome County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) is making progress on its plan to build a new technology park in the towns of Union and Maine, and recently released the draft scoping document for the environmental impact assessment under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). The goal of this initiative is to attract companies in advanced electronics, semiconductors and other related industries.
The IDA is interested in hearing from the community and getting their input on the scoping document. They have scheduled a public hearing for September 10th in the Maine-Endwell High School auditorium. This is an opportunity for community members to provide their formal comments on the document. The IDA is focused on evaluating potential environmental impacts such as land, air, water, transportation, and local utilities. These assessments are required under the SEQRA law.
The IDA says it is committed to creating a site that is ready for companies to move in and create jobs. The draft scoping document is just one step in that process. Once it is completed, the IDA will move forward with environmental impact studies in 2024 and 2025.
According to IDA, citizen engagement is their top priority. They believe public participation is critical in developing a technology park that will positively impact the local economy. Stacey Duncan, CEO of the Leadership Alliance, emphasized the importance of public participation in creating a sustainable plan that can serve as a model for economic development in New York State.
For more information about the proposed technology park and the environmental assessment process, visit broometechpark.com.
The 12 best hiking trails in Broome County
Road trip in upstate New York: Spotlight on Broome County!
We continue our series of county spotlights with a closer look at Broome County. The county has a population of about 200,000, a quarter of whom (50,000) live in and around the county seat of Binghamton. It is home to excellent schools, including the State University of New York at Binghamton, one of the system’s four university centers.
The county has many small towns and villages as well as the larger cities of Binghamton, Vestal, Johnson City, Endicott, and Endwell. These smaller places include Chenango Bridge, Windsor, Deposit, Harpursville, Whitney Point (home of the Broome County Fair), and others. The county covers more than 700 square miles.
Here is a list of 21 things to do and see to make your trip to beautiful Broome County enjoyable.
Gallery credit: Chuck D’Imperio
