Forage exchange to help farmers hit by flood

ITHACA, NY — A new online forage exchange created by Cornell Cooperative Extension is now available to ensure that flooded New York farms will not run out of feed for their livestock.

Hurricane Irene devastated many New York farms, damaged others and left still other farms relatively untouched. Many flood damaged farms are in desperate need of feed and forage. The Forage Exchange provides an online venue for farmers who have available feed and forage to post that information, and for farmers in need to locate feed and forage. All transactions (including making arrangements for transportation) will take place between the farmers themselves.

The Forage Exchange can be found at ccetest-lamp.cit.cornell.edu/forage/. Additional resources for farms damaged by the flooding are available at www.cce.cornell.edu. Cooperative Extension educators and Farm Bureau staff across the state will be available to assist farmers in using the exchange. In Sullivan County, visit www.sullivancce.org/or call 845/292-6180.

Recommendations made for TAG

NARROWSBURG, NY — At a special meeting of the Project Review Committee of the Upper Delaware Council on September 13, seven Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) awards were determined to be recommended to the full council at its meeting on October 6.

The awards are to the Town of Deerpark, to update and codify town zoning ordinance, $4,500; to Sullivan County, to develop a website for hiking trails, $2,100; to the Town of Lumberland, to produce a Lumberland Cemeteries brochure, $1,200; to Pike County, to launch a public education campaign related to natural gas exploration in Pike County, $1,000; to the Town of Highland, to develop an early warning system and enhanced communications system for use during emergencies, $1,500; to the Town of Highland, to review and update the town zoning ordinance, $1,400; and to Shohola Township, to expand the township website, add an emergency management component and develop a website informational brochure, $2,700. An application had been brought in for the Town of Tusten on September 8, for its zoning rewrite, but was not considered, as it came in past the deadline of September 2.

A total of $16,700 was budgeted, leaving a balance of $2,300. It has not yet been decided what to do with that balance.

NYC files for hydroelectric licenses

NEW YORK CITY — The City of New York, acting through the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), filed draft applications with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) relating to its West of Hudson Hydroelectric Project on September 20. A draft license application was filed with respect to the city’s proposed Cannonsville Hydroelectric Development, and draft applications for exemption from licensing were filed with respect to the proposed Neversink Hydroelectric Development and Pepacton Hydroelectric Development.

FERC awarded a preliminary permit to the city, giving it three years to complete the necessary studies to file for a license application, on March 20, 2009. DEP had submitted a preliminary permit application to study the development of hydroelectric power generation at the Cannonsville, Pepacton, Neversink and Schoharie reservoirs.

Written comments regarding the city’s draft applications are due within 90 days. Accordingly, comments must be submitted to DEP by December 19. Comments should be sent to Zinnia Rodriguez, Principal Administrative Assistant, New York City Department of Environmental Protection, 59-17 Junction Boulevard, 19th Floor, Flushing, NY 11373, or ZinniaR@dep.nyc.gov. Visit www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/dep_projects/woh_hydroelectric_project.shtml.

Road rage

ELDRED, NY — J.P. Gunther of Yulan has been charged with four counts of reckless endangerment and several misdemeanors in relation to a road rage incident that occurred at about 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Gunther is accused of pointing a .22-caliber rifle at a Jeep containing a family (a husband, wife and two infants) and firing a round at it.

According to accounts the victims gave the authorities, the woman was driving the vehicle on Eldred Yulan Road, and having just gotten her learner’s permit, was driving cautiously. Gunther, in a Chevrolet truck, tailgated the Jeep, passed it on a double-lined section of the road, and pulled into his driveway. By the time the couple drove by, he had hold of a rifle, which he pointed at them, and they heard a shot.

Gunther was arrested after a brief investigation. Deputies confiscated two 12-gauge shotguns, a Ruger .22-caliber rifle and a shell casing. He was arraigned in Town of Highland Court and sent to the Sullivan County Jail.