May 25--ESSEX -- Plans for a new town wastewater treatment plant go to vote here June 5.

Essex is the only town on the shores of Lake Champlain without a sewage treatment facility, despite final engineering and site design done four years ago.

Funding through a State and Tribal Assistance Grant was appropriated in 2006, but fell through, halting progress at the time.

"We won a $5 million lottery, but there was no money with it," Town Supervisor Ron Jackson said.

"The pot of gold was empty. The STAG program was transferred to the Army Corps of Engineers with no money attached."

Town planners have regrouped since, retaining $1 million in grant funding from former Gov. George Pataki and $500,000 from Bond Act money.

On May 14, the Town Council approved a $1 million bond to go toward project costs, which are now expected to total $8.9 million.

STIMULUS FUNDS

The Town of Essex has applied for $6 million in federal stimulus money from Environmental Facilities Corp. and Rural Development funding streams.

"It is all federal stimulus money," Jackson said. "We're looking for the full 80-percent maximum coverage allowed as a hardship community -- that is 80 percent up to $4 million -- then an additional $2.5 from Rural Development."

The grant request is pitched against fixed costs that have gone up 50 percent since initial design on the system four years ago, with no financing options.

"It will be that (award) or it won't be built," Jackson said.

PUBLIC VOTE

Federal grant decisions from Environmental Facilities Corp. are expected in about a month, Jackson said.

"But we need the results of the referendum vote before they award us the funding.

"We've had three information meetings; we had an official public hearing and many board meetings on this subject. I'm encouraged by the reaction. People realize how important this is to the environment and to Lake Champlain.

"The majority of people support it, I believe. We'll find out with the referendum vote."

The mandatory referendum seeks to establish Essex Sewer District No. 1 for 110 homes on about 150 properties, Jackson said.

Voting on the sewer referendum in Essex takes place from 2 to 9 p.m. Friday, June 5, at the Essex Fire Station.

USER COSTS

About one-third of the homes are lived in year-round; the majority balance are seasonal residences.

Each property will incur $562 in annual sewer costs, which will increase slightly with inflation each year.

There will be no sewer hookup charge initially, Jackson said.

SITE DONATED

The town has received permit approval from the Adirondack Park Agency for the wastewater treatment plant, which will go on an eight-acre piece of land donated to the town across from the Essex Fire Station off Route 22.

The sewage treatment plant is sited uphill from the village, away from the bedrock and ledges of Lake Champlain shoreline.

Wastewater will be pumped up from the village to the plant, then returned to the watershed at Library Brook, across from the Essex ferry docks, in accordance with engineering design approved by the Department of Environmental Conservation.

"The new system will be using ultraviolet treatment, which has no harmful effect on any organisms in the water except on pathogens," Jackson said. "It has a lot less impact than chlorine would on the environment."

Should the sewer plan meet with taxpayer approval and stimulus funds be granted to Essex, contract would be awarded at the end of August for a finish date by early 2011.

E-mail Kim Smith Dedam at: kdedam@pressrepublican.com

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