Broome County IDA releases environmental draft, plans public hearing for proposed tech park

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — The Broome County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) will hold a public hearing next month, following the release of the draft scoping document for its State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) environmental-impact assessment of the proposed Broome Technology Park in the towns of Union and Maine, the IDA announced.

The meeting will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the Maine-Endwell High School. Doors will open at 6 p.m. at the school at 750 Farm to Market Road in Endwell, and the IDA will gather formal comments on the scoping document.

“We have committed to community engagement throughout the review process for the Broome Technology Park because public input is essential to creating a development that makes the greatest positive impact on our local economy,” Leadership Alliance CEO Stacey Duncan said in a news release. The Leadership Alliance is the strategic partnership between the Broome County Industrial Development Agency/Local Development Corporation and the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce. “We look forward to presenting a plan for this site that can serve as a model for sustainable economic development statewide and provide good paying jobs that support local families for generations to come.”

The document identifies the criteria and potential adverse impacts that the IDA will assess as it prepares a draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) to analyze potential impacts to the environment and surrounding site including land, air, water, traffic, and local utilities. The GEIS will detail potential mitigation measures to avoid and minimize any adverse impact.

The GEIS is one step in preparing a shovel-ready site for businesses to locate.

The Broome Technology Park is a proposed development aimed at creating a new sustainably focused technology park to attracts businesses in advanced electronics, semiconductors, test packaging, and related supply chains, as well as life sciences and agricultural processing.

It would be Broome County’s first new business park since the Broome Corporate Park site in Conklin was put together in the mid-1980s. That development is nearly 100 percent occupied.

The IDA’s vision is for the site includes facilities built with sustainable materials, access to renewable energy resources, green infrastructure, and amenities like walking trails and public art that benefit both on-site workers and the community.

The public comment period for the draft scoping document formally opens on Aug. 26 and continues until Sept. 24. Community members will have multiple opportunities, including the public hearing, to provide input. The public may also email comments to techpark@theagency-ny.com or by mail to the IDA at 5 South College Drive, Suite 201, Binghamton, N.Y. 13905.

A copy of the document is available online at broometechpark.com/#SEQRResources and at the IDA’s offices during regular business hours.

After finalizing the scope, the IDA will continue with environmental-impact studies through 2024 into 2025. More information about the project is available at: https://broometechpark.com/.