LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION recognizing the Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence,
Oswego and Franklin Counties region as the Energy Valley of New York
State

WHEREAS, The region which includes Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Oswe-
go, and Franklin Counties is already the leader in energy generation in
the state, producing much more energy than is consumed; and
WHEREAS, The region boasts a significant number of renewable and
alternative energy projects and has many more positioned to begin; and
WHEREAS, The development of renewable and alternative energy is crit-
ical to the economic future of the United States, New York State, and
the counties within New York; and
WHEREAS, The development of renewable and alternative energy, in an
environmentally appropriate and sustainable manner, consistent with the
principle of local control and existing land use patterns, is critical
to the economic future of the United States, New York State, and the
many municipalities comprising New York; and
WHEREAS, Jefferson County is home to the Development Authority of the
North Country's methane to electricity facility, a methane digester at a
large agricultural site, a photovoltaic facility, a bio-mass production
facility, 16 hydro plants on the Black and Indian Rivers; and
WHEREAS, Lewis County is home to the Maple Ridge Wind Farm, a bio-mass
facility that burns wood chips to produce energy, 16 hydro facilities on
the Beaver, Moose, Deer and Black Rivers and a proposed community bio-
fuel project that will turn farm waste into methanol; and
WHEREAS, St. Lawrence County is home to a wood pellet production
facility, a methane digester for dairy waste, a bio-mass boiler at a
public school, an extensive hydro system which includes 31 hydro
stations and the Moses Saunders Power Dam at Massena, the Clarkson
University Technology Advancement Center featuring a multitude of energy
efficient technologies, and many proposed energy projects county wide;
and
WHEREAS, Oswego County, also known as the Energy Capital of the North-
east, is home to three nuclear power plants with a fourth having been
proposed, an ethanol production facility, and nine hydro plants located
on the Oswego and Salmon Rivers; and
WHEREAS, Franklin County is home to the Noble Environmental Power Wind
Farm located in Chateaugay, two proposed solar projects, five hydro
facilities on the Salmon, Saranac and St. Regis Rivers, and a proposed
bio-mass facility with large industrial applications; and
WHEREAS, The Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Oswego, and Franklin
Counties region is uniquely positioned to develop additional renewable
and alternative energy products and facilities because of the signif-
icant capacity for utilizing biologically-related energy sources and the
availability of large parcels of land; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
recognize the Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Oswego, and Franklin Coun-
ties region as the Energy Valley of New York State; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Oswego and Franklin Counties.