Upstater

Looking for a little light weekend reading? Why not delve into the REDC’s 2014 Awards Project list? The 130-page report documents every project receiving financial backing from the Regional Economic Development Council‘s 10 regional councils. The Mid-Hudson Valley section starts on page 89, and the projects come in all stripes: Breweries, historic building restoration, infrastructure upgrades, educational outreach, and a panoply more. But we find what’s missing from the Mid-Hudson list is even more of noteworthy. The Niagara Bottling Company applied but did not get any of the $83 million that the Mid-Hudson received from REDC. The bottling company proposes to draw nearly 2 million gallons of water a day from Cooper Lake in Kingston (well, technically Kingston. More like Bearsville/Woodstock) to supply their bottled water operation, a plan that’s been met with stern and vocal opposition from a number of residents and organizations, including KingstonCitizens.org. It’s likely Niagara will forge ahead with their proposal, but the rejection of the proposal by the REDC echos the sentiment of many of us here in the Hudson Valley: Yes, we want economic development and job growth in the region, but not on the backs of our water supply. All together, the REDC handed out $709.2 million in awards throughout the state.