Good evening and thank you to Supervisor Napierala and the members of the town board for giving me a few minutes to speak tonight.

My intention for this evening is to give you a brief update on where we are in the process of exploring the conceptual development of the Broome Technology Park. And please keep in mind, this is a very lengthy process. If you take one thing away from my remarks this evening, I hope it is this:

A great deal of time, effort, analysis, and care is going into our process to ensure that this proposed park — which is right now in a conceptual stage — has a maximum positive impact on our community, especially residents in the Towns of Maine and Union.

For the past two years, we have been working on a comprehensive study of the Broome Tech Park, an evolving concept proposed for land between Airport and East Maine roads in the Towns of Union and Maine. We have long viewed this type of development as an important part of a broader two-pronged strategy for the long-term economic health of Broome County that includes supporting new development locations like this, while also repurposing existing sites throughout the County.

We believe that creating a sustainably designed, shovel-ready technology park that can attract diverse, small and mid-size manufacturing would be a significant step forward for Maine and Union, and for Broome County as a whole. Given the rapid expansion of high-tech industries across upstate New York, including the planned Micron development just due north of us; preparing this park will provide jobs and will ensure that Broome County does not get left behind in economic and wage growth that other counties are experiencing.

One of the critical goals of this effort is to provide a long-term pathway for young people to stay here and build their lives, just as we have done.

Much has been discussed about the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act — or SEQR — process. The timeline is dictated by both the methodical, data-driven work required for analysis per SEQR law, and by the time frames for various reviews, approvals, and comment periods associated with each phase of the process.

Specifically, we have been working on the preparation of a Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement or DGEIS for release early next year. At this point, I want to emphasize the word Generic – a generic EIS allows us to be more general or conceptual in nature, allowing us to broadly analyze a master plan concept and its potential impacts.  This process, which again is purposely methodical, enables early consideration of impact and alternatives, at a stage in the planning process when there is greater flexibility.

I realize there may be many questions regarding the DGEIS tonight, but I will not be able to answer them due to the legal requirements of the SEQR law. However, let me provide a high-level overview of our work thus far.

We are in the process of examining  environmental considerations like land, water, wetlands and endangered species; municipal resources like wastewater and water capacity and emergency services; and community impacts, like traffic and transportation, and the financial cost of services.

While we have many residents in the audience tonight, I’d also like to mention that one of the remaining studies is a private well water survey that residents will be asked to participate in in the weeks ahead. This survey will be mailed to residents within 1,000 feet of the proposed tech park area and members of our team can be made available for questions. This is a voluntary survey seeking information about groundwater in the area. I just wanted to take this opportunity while we are together to let folks know you may be seeing this in the weeks ahead.

To reiterate and, as I mentioned to Supervisor Napierela and Board Member Robinson earlier this month, because our studies are ongoing, I will not be able provide detailed answers to some of your questions. This process requires that we allow the full analysis to be completed before drawing conclusions. To prejudge that process would undermine its legal purpose.

Once the DGEIS is considered complete and after the draft is accepted by the IDA Board of Directors, there will be a formal public comment period. This is the point in the process when residents, subject matter experts, and local officials will have the opportunity to ask detailed questions and have them answered before the Final GEIS is complete.

For me, it is also the moment that we will use all of the clear, well-studied facts at our disposal to have a collaborative conversation with the Towns of Maine and Union Boards, Broome County, and the community to build out a vision of something we can all be proud of.

Although I cannot discuss the details of the DGEIS nor answer questions about it, I can address some of the looming questions that I most frequently get and take this opportunity to address items that are simply not accurate.

One of the questions I have frequently received is why we did not pursue a zoning change prior to doing the GEIS work. I first communicated to the Town in December of 2022 that we had secured some acreage for the conceptual development of a technology park and that we were about to embark on the preparation of a GEIS to which you just heard a little bit about. The GEIS work began last year and, because of our detailed studies and analysis, the concept of the tech park has continued to evolve and change.

For example, in analyzing community needs, we’ve identified other potential uses such as workforce development, childcare, and housing. So to ask for a zoning change when I first came to the Town back in 2022, would have been premature as the concept was at a very early stage, literally just an idea, that has been shaped and molded throughout this process.

As I mentioned before, there is a lot of work still to be done post SEQR. While we understand the current zoning situation, we will be outlining some potential zoning options for both towns to consider. Post SEQR we wish to work closely with the Town Boards to outline a viable zoning solution that everyone agrees upon.

Another question is what companies are going to build at the tech park? We do not currently have any companies contracted to build at what is still a concept. It would be premature to actively market when there is still so much work to do. However, we talk to businesses frequently to assess their interest in Broome County and would begin active recruitment at the appropriate time.

What we have identified are ‘types’ of companies that we would seek to attract once the SEQR process is complete. From the beginning, we have envisioned a park that is most suitable for industries like advanced manufacturing, semiconductor supply chain to support the Micron development, life sciences, agribusiness, and clean technology supply chain companies.

We also have expanded our vision to include housing and workforce development resources, including a concept for a regional trades training center for high school students and have had very preliminary conversations with several schools on their interest in this. We also have had preliminary conversations with local trade unions about the need for this, and I am thrilled to see representatives here this evening.

We are confident in the long-term potential of this effort. Similar developments across upstate New York counties show that when you do the work to prepare sites and facilitate development that bring new investment, jobs follow. And Broome County needs jobs. Unfortunately, we have the highest poverty rate – both urban and rural – in upstate New York.

That is why we believe this park is needed to support the next 20 years of growth and provide opportunity to keep our young people here. I recall going to high school at Maine Endwell and actively being told not to stay here. It bothered me then, and it is a narrative that needs to change.

The reason why we believe this location, in particular, is right for this type of development is that it provides access to strong infrastructure, proximity to transportation resources like the nearby interstate exchange, and the flexibility it gives us for multiple uses. In reviewing other potential locations, we had found that we could simply not achieve all that we needed to make the Tech Park as competitive as possible.

I would also like to take a moment to clear up some misinformation. To be very clear this evening: We are not pursuing small modular nuclear reactors, foreign-owned battery production, or a location to bury lithium-ion batteries. If you hear these things, they are simply not true.

What we are doing related to energy is we are working with NYSEG and the New York State Independent Systems Operator to review the build out of increased transmission of NYSEG service, which would result in a more stable grid and more capacity for both the park and the Town of Maine. We are also interested in pursuing additional natural gas resources if available. But that is the extent of our conversations around energy. We are not pursuing these other concepts.

I also want to emphasize our commitment to designing a plan that fits with and ultimately enhances the community. When we say “sustainable development,” we mean development that avoids the old model of large, disruptive warehouses that completely disregard the character the Town.

We are focused on maximizing greenspace, preserving mature trees, building with the landscape rather than against it, and doing so gradually and methodically over what could be a 20-year timeline. Economic growth and environmental stewardship can be done together. I would like nothing more than to work with the Town Boards and the residents to ensure that this is done with intention.

My goal was to leave you with clarity about where we are in this process and with confidence that the IDA is committed to working with – not around – the Town of Maine. This is an opportunity for the Towns of Maine and Union to lead the economic growth of the future.  I also recognize that a certain narrative has been created about me, but it does not take away the value I place on this Town from my own experience and of my children. Nothing is more important to me than to deliver something that the Town can be proud of.

With that, I thank you again for your time and happy to answer questions from the Board.