Oswego County Awards $300K to Sandy Pond Channel Maintenance Association
Oswego County Awards $300K to Sandy Pond Channel ... Oswego County
sdgtalks
Aug. 10, 2023
The Oswego County Legislature awarded the Sandy Pond Channel Maintenance Association (SPCMA) $300,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to ensure continued navigation from Sandy Pond to Lake Ontario and safeguard the local economy, which relies heavily upon fishing and summer tourism.
Funding for Navigability and Economic Support
The funding will help the SPCMA continue its mission of dredging portions of Sandy Pond to secure a safe boating route from the pond to Lake Ontario. The continued navigability of the channel is critical to water-based activities in the area and important to the local tax base.
- This project aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water, by promoting sustainable use of marine resources and supporting the conservation and restoration of coastal ecosystems.
- It also contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, by sustaining the local economy and supporting tourism and other economic activities in the area.
Importance of the Channel
“This is the only pathway between Lake Ontario and Sandy Pond, and its continued navigability is essential to the local economy,” said Oswego County Legislator Michael Yerdon, District 1. “It’s important that this channel remains open to support tourism and other economic activity, and I’m pleased the Legislature was able to provide ARPA funding for this project.”
In addition to its impact on the economy, Yerdon said that without the dredging activities, drainage from North Pond into Lake Ontario would be reduced and the water quality of Sandy Pond would suffer.
SPCMA’s Mission and Funding
SPCMA President Cathy Goodnough said the county’s ARPA funds would be used in conjunction with other funding streams to keep the channel between North Sandy Pond and Lake Ontario in “a safe and navigable condition.”
- The project’s aim is to maintain a channel that is at least four feet deep.
- However, ongoing sand shifting poses challenges, and the association can only try to keep the channel dredged every year for the recreational season.
Goodnough expressed gratitude for the county ARPA funding and said it’s a huge help to SPCMA’s mission. However, she said more funding will be needed to keep the channel open long-term for the thousands of boaters who choose Sandy Pond as a recreation spot each year.
Impact on Local Economy
“There’s about 3,000 boaters who come here and recreate all season long,” Goodnough said. “It supports all the area businesses – seven marinas, all the campgrounds – it’s a major project and a major draw for this area.”
Dredging activities, carried out by BDS Construction, also help rebuild the barrier dunes and beaches in the region that protect local homes and businesses, Goodnough noted. “Material removed from the channel is deposited on nearby shorelines, some of which have been badly eroded in recent years due to high water on Lake Ontario,” she said.
ARPA Funding and Administration
Funding for the SPCMA disbursement was provided through ARPA, a nearly $2 trillion economic stimulus package approved by Congress in 2021. The spending package contained $350 billion for state and local governments, including $22 million for Oswego County.
In 2021, the Oswego County Legislature created the Office of Strategic Initiatives (OSI) and tasked it with administering the county’s ARPA funds. ARPA funding decisions are made by the Oswego County Legislature with the assistance of the county’s ARPA Task Force, which reviews applications to ensure eligibility.
Oswego County distributes ARPA funding in strategic ways to maximize its impact on public health and safety while recognizing the economic harm the COVID-19 pandemic caused throughout local communities.
For More Information
For more information on ongoing Oswego County ARPA projects, visit the OSI website at https://www.oswegocounty.com/government/county_legislature/american_rescue_plan.php.
PROTECTING LOCAL HABITATS AND ECONOMIES
The American Rescue Plan Act funds will help dredge the channel between Sandy Pond and Lake Ontario. The project will help rebuild nearby barrier dunes and safeguard the local tourism economy. Pictured from left are Legislator Herbert Yerdon, District 2; Legislator Michael Yerdon, District 1; Sandy Creek Deputy Town Supervisor Ruth Scheppard; SPCMA President Cathy Goodnough; Legislator Edward Gilson, District 3; and Brian Wallis, BDS Construction.
A MAJOR UNDERTAKING
BDS Construction begins dredging the Sandy Pond Channel. Funded in part by American Rescue Plan Act funds distributed by Oswego County, the project will help maintain a safe, steady four-foot-deep channel.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
-
SDG 14: Life Below Water
- Target 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans.
- Indicator: The article mentions the importance of dredging activities in rebuilding barrier dunes and beaches in the region, which helps protect local homes and businesses.
-
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Target 8.9: By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products.
- Indicator: The article highlights the reliance of the local economy on fishing and summer tourism, indicating the importance of maintaining navigability for water-based activities and supporting tourism.
-
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Target 11.4: Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.
- Indicator: The article mentions the importance of maintaining the navigability of the channel between Sandy Pond and Lake Ontario for recreational activities, which can be considered part of the local cultural heritage.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 14: Life Below Water | Target 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans. | The article mentions the importance of dredging activities in rebuilding barrier dunes and beaches in the region, which helps protect local homes and businesses. |
| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | Target 8.9: By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products. | The article highlights the reliance of the local economy on fishing and summer tourism, indicating the importance of maintaining navigability for water-based activities and supporting tourism. |
| SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | Target 11.4: Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage. | The article mentions the importance of maintaining the navigability of the channel between Sandy Pond and Lake Ontario for recreational activities, which can be considered part of the local cultural heritage. |
Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.
Source: oswegocounty.com
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