Broome County IDA to be lead agency for Broome Technology Park environmental review

DICKINSON — The proposed Broome Technology Park, which spans the towns of Maine and Union, will undergo a state environmental quality review, and the Broome County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) will serve as the lead agency for that effort. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has designated the IDA as the lead agency for the New York State Environmental Quality Review (SEQRA) environmental-impact assessment of the property, according to a May 8 announcement from The Agency. The Agency is the lead economic-development organization for Broome County, governing both the Broome County IDA and the Broome County Local Development Corporation (LDC). The ruling allows the IDA to begin a “comprehensive, multi-step” process for developing a generic environmental impact statement (GEIS) analyzing the potential environmental impacts of a proposed sustainably designed technology park on 526 acres. The GEIS will analyze potential impacts to the environment on and surrounding the site — such as to the land, air, water, traffic, and local utilities — and detail potential mitigation measures to avoid and/or minimize any adverse impacts. The GEIS is an important step in preparing a shovel-ready site on which businesses want to locate and bring good-paying, long-term jobs for area residents, helping restore the Southern Tier as a leader in technological advancement and business growth, the Agency contends. While the Broome County IDA will lead the review, it plans to undertake a community-oriented process in which there will be multiple opportunities for public comment and input that can help shape the vision for a sustainable shovel-ready tech park. “This project is focused on securing a bright economic future for Broome County as technology-related development booms across upstate,” Stacey Duncan, CEO of the Leadership Alliance, said in the announcement. “We believe that Broome County not only can lead the state in achieving sustainable development, we also can create a site that maximizes generational economic opportunities and makes a positive impact on the region. Our focus in the months ahead is on working with the community to hone a shared vision for the site that will meet diverse needs.” Leadership Alliance is the strategic partnership between the Broome County IDA/LDC and the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce. The IDA will set a timeline for the environmental review process and will announce to the public “in the weeks ahead.” The process is expected to start immediately and continue into 2025. During that time, the Broome County IDA intends to hold a variety of public-input sessions. The IDA said public input will be “crucial” in shaping a plan for a “sustainably designed technology park that makes the greatest positive impact” on Broome County and the Southern Tier. “As lead agency, the IDA takes very seriously the need for a thorough site review that includes community engagement to ensure we’re making the greatest possible positive impact with this project,” IDA Board Chairman John Bernardo said in the announcement. “We can’t allow the economic growth other communities are experiencing — and, more importantly, the significant opportunity it’s bringing for those currently in the workforce and for future generations — to pass Broome County by. We’re excited to get to work.” “Our region is not defined by where we’ve been, but where we’re going, and now is our opportunity to set a shared vision for a strong future,” Jon Sarra, chairman of the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce board of directors, said. “The next steps for the Broome Technology Park are essential to defining our economy and how we meet the needs of our communities. I’m excited to work with the Broome County IDA and the community on a viable path forward that strengthens the region for decades to come.”