By Chrissy Prichard

Express News Staff

The Town of Inlet broke ground on Wednesday, Sept. 5, to begin construction of a wastewater treatment plant and collection system that will not only protect the environment, but will also permit commercial development in Inlet.

Local business leaders, along with environmental advocates for the Adirondacks, attended the groundbreaking at Arrowhead Park along with officials from the Town of Inlet, Hamilton County, the state Environmental Facilities Corp. (EFC), the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the Rural Development Office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

At the groundbreaking ceremony, EFC President and CEO Matthew Driscoll said, “Replacing private septic tanks with a modern wastewater treatment system will help protect the environment and public health of this community and the thousands of people who visit Inlet each year. New York State is happy to make this a reality, giving Inlet the opportunity to grow economically and take full advantage of its appeal as a major tourism destination.”

The new sewer system will help protect Fourth Lake by collecting and treating wastewater that is now handled by privately owned septic systems. The treatment facility will be built at Fern Park while a collection system with new pump stations, a force main and gravity sewers will be installed to serve the town’s 400 residents, along with the thousands of visitors who come to Inlet and three state campgrounds each year.

“Inlet is ‘Open for Business,’” said Inlet Town Supervisor John Frey. “The sewer project has already had an economic impact on the Town. A vacant building has been purchased and is already undergoing renovation bringing year round jobs with it. Other locations are adding services that could not be provided without updated and costly septic systems. We are very thankful that this Governor, EFC and USDA Rural Development understood the needs and found a way to make it come together.”

“USDA Rural Development is a proud partner in this endeavor. Any time we help a rural community achieve its goal of improving the quality of life for it citizens whether through projects like this, or one of our other programs, we are fulfilling our mission,” said Bryan Clerkin, USDA Acting State Director. “This project in particular is important because it creates jobs, provides a sustainable infrastructure, and mitigates health hazards.”  

Chairman of the Hamilton County Board of Supervisors Bill Farber said, “It’s exciting to be part of the momentum which is developing in this County and throughout the North Country Region. Projects like the Inlet wastewater collection and treatment system, which have the potential to help transform a Hamlet, are key to our success. This is another example of a process which is working. So this opportunity to thank the Governor for his leadership is truly a pleasure.”

Adirondack Park Agency Chairwoman Leilani Ulrich said, “Public infrastructure is critical to the sustainability of Adirondack communities like Inlet. The APA applauds the Town for its commitment to implement this project that will help safeguard the environment and ensure opportunity for future growth. Inside the Adirondack Park, municipal infrastructure projects lay the foundation needed to support development that will result in positive regional economic impacts. The Agency is grateful to Governor Cuomo for his leadership and commends the NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation for their understanding of the essential need of this project.”

“We commend the Environmental Facilities Corporation and the USDA for helping the Town of Inlet to realize its dream of a new wastewater treatment system,” said Adirondack Council Director of Communications John Sheehan. “This project will make the Moose River and Fulton Chain of Lakes cleaner and healthier for generations to come. This could not have been accomplished without EFC’s perseverance and its dedication to the Adirondack Park.”

“I’m very pleased that the Town of Inlet, through its joint efforts with the Environmental Facilities Corporation and Rural Development, is taking this giant leap forward in protecting our natural resources and environment,” said Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages Chairman Brian Towers. “We applaud the town board and the residents of this community for its vision.”

Matthew J. Cooper, PE, Principal at Bernier, Carr & Associates, said, “The Inlet wastewater collection and treatment facilities project is a great example of a small community’s perseverance to address inadequate on-site septic systems that threatened the environment and sustainability of their downtown. Through the Town’s cooperative efforts with regulatory and funding agencies, a wastewater solution is at hand that will help ensure the future of this wonderful Adirondack community.”

The $4.1 million project is being financed in part by a $1.788 million Rural Development grant from the USDA through their Water and Environmental Programs (WEP). WEP provides loans, grants and loan guarantees for drinking water, sanitary sewer, solid waste and storm drainage facilities in rural areas and cities and towns of 10,000 or less.   

USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, has an active portfolio of more than $170 billion in loans and loan guarantees. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America.

In addition, EFC has contributed a $1.734 million grant towards the project. Last year, when construction bids came in far above the anticipated figures, Driscoll announced that Inlet would receive an additional $1.534 million on top of a $200,000 grant that EFC had previously committed to the project.

“The additional funding for this project is the result of hard work and sound financial management by the staff of the Environmental Facilities Corporation,” said Driscoll. “By creatively managing and investing more than $12 billion in total assets, EFC is able to help communities afford water-quality systems that would otherwise be unaffordable.”

EFC is also providing a $578,000 interest free loan through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF), which is jointly administered by EFC and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

The CWSRF provides low-interest rate financing to municipalities to construct water quality protection projects such as sewers and wastewater treatment facilities. Its purpose is to help public and private entities comply with federal and State environmental protection and quality requirements in a cost effective manner that advances sustainable growth.