City of Auburn, NY -

The Auburn City Council added additional support to the City Manager’s Office with the adoption of the 2005-2006 city budget. Over several years, the city has aggressively pursued securing Capital Projects and Grants. Funding from many government grant programs have allowed the city to reinvest in many areas.

The primary effort has been in the Transportation section by participating the New York State Department of Transportation’s (NYSDOT) Five Year Capital transportation plan. The city has also established a working relationship with the New York Power Authority for assistance with several energy projects. See the attached detailed information about the City Of Auburn’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP).

· Over the Public Power Agency: The Auburn City Council through local law #1 of 2004 created the “Auburn Public Power Agency”. Proposed by Mayor Timothy Lattimore, the voters in a referendum approved this new agency. This will allow the city buy / sell and develop alternate energy systems, sell cheaper power to economic development businesses, and purchase power in bulk reducing the city’s overhead and encouraging business growth. The city has power purchase agreements for bulk gas purchase and electricity and can now negotiate with wholesale end users for delivery of such commodities.

· Geothermal Water-to-Water Heat Pumps system in Memorial City Hall: Designed by the Boston Architectural firm of Coolidge, Shepley, Bullfinch and Abbott, this building is on the National Register of Historic Places which required design sensitivity especially in the council chambers and public spaces. McQuay International (4^th largest HVAC manufacturer in the world) has a production plant in Auburn, New York that provided the geothermal units. This helped strengthen the New York economy by continuing to employ local workers and manufacturing jobs in the United States. New York Conference of Mayors (NYCOM) has awarded Auburn a local government achievement award in 2004 for using this new technology to become possibly the first city hall in New York State (if not the country) that uses geothermal system.

· Methane Gas Recovery Project: Located at the city Landfill #1, we are required to collect the methane gas before it escapes into the environment. The gas has been collected at the site and a transmission pipeline set up to transfer the methane gas to the adjacent Wastewater Treatment Plant. This methane recovery system ($1.8 million) provides a fuel source to the incinerator therefore avoiding the purchase of natural gas to fire the incinerator. In the initial year, the city saved approximately $800,000 in gas costs, which has greatly increased since the plant went on line. We have received a $900,000 grant from the New York State Environmental Quality Bond Act (EQBA), which reduces the cost to a one-year payback for this system. The city also received a NYCOM local government achievement award in 2002 for this innovative project.

· Energy Master Plan: The city is working with the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to complete a comprehensive energy audit of all of our primary facilities and buildings. This will allow the city to apply for additional NYSERDA and other grant funding sources to assist with implementation. NYPA will finance the implementation phases where the city will repay capital improvements with energy savings. Greater savings will begin as soon as the capital improvement loans are repaid (5-15 years terms).

· Bio-Solids Thermal Processing Heat Recovery and Electrical Energy Production at Wastewater Treatment Plant – This project is in the engineering stage through the New York Power Authority (NYPA). The Combined Heat & Power (CHP) concept is to take the waste heat from the City of Auburn’s sludge incinerator at 1300-degree f and creates steam to generate electricity to reduce the cost of electricity purchased. The initial evaluation anticipates a 1.4-megawatt production plant, which will generate 100% of the electrical demands at the city’s facility. Any additional available electricity would be used at the city’s “Technology Park”, McQuay, NUCOR Steel and nearby businesses and recreational facilities. The initial estimated cost of this project for a larger co-generation plant $4.7 million with annual savings / generation of $300,000 for a 10-year payback period after the capital costs are repaid the savings will be $900,000 in today’s dollar amounts. We will be using the additional methane capacity from the city landfill. Governor Pataki and NYSERDA chairman Peter Smith have already announced a $1,000,000 grant for this CHP project.

· Police and Fire Department Building HVAC Project: With the assistance of the NYPA, the city has designed a new Geothermal HVAC system for the major Public Safety Building. It is anticipated that the project will be bid during the winter of 2005-2006 with a spring 2006 construction beginning date. A small NYSERDA grant request has been submitted for this new project, which also utilizes the McQuay Water Source Heat Pump products made in Auburn, New York. In addition, NYPA is assisting the city in an energy conservation package to save energy in about 10 city facilities including the Wastewater Treatment plant, Water Filtration plants, the Public Works garage, Casey Park / Falcon Park recreation facilities, etc. This overall energy savings will assist the city in paying for the capital project including the Police & Fire HVAC system making the project economically feasible.

· State Dam – Located within 1,000 feet of both City of Auburn’s Water Filtration Plant and Lower Pumping Station. The city has received a $300,000 matching grant from NYS DEC for dam stabilization. Under efforts of Congressman Boehlert, this project was included for evaluation by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for dam gate replacement. The City is considering the installation of low-head hydropower at this site as part of the project to help defray the costs of electricity for both stations which costs the City approximately $130,000 annually. The installation of this hydropower station will not only save the City money, but also reduce the dependence on the national grid and provide a degree of independence not available to most communities.

· Hydroelectric sites: The NYPA is currently evaluating the existing and potential of several hydroelectric sites throughout the city of Auburn. NYSERDA has also begun the evaluation of potential experimental / predevelopment “Low flow – low head” hydro generation and we are waiting for the evaluation. We still need to review the Federal Energy Regulatory (FERC) requirements, which may be reduced if we use our own power on site rather than transmitting it into the grid. Discussion has begun with GE, for a their desire to create a small scale micro-grid demonstration project.

· Geothermal Well: In 1984, the former Mayor Lattimore approached NYSERDA and the US Dept. of Energy to fund a deep geothermal water injection well. This first deep Geothermal well east of the Mississippi River was installed to a depth of over 5,000 feet. In 1991, this well was covered to use the natural gas that was in the well to heat the East Middle School. The current owners (Auburn Enlarged Central School District has recently begun to increase the efficiency of this well and expand uses. The city of Auburn has applied in 2005 for a $100,000 NYSERDA grant to drill a new natural gas well at the 215-acre landfill site for additional capacity. Dr. Joseph Robinson professor emeritus of Syracuse University’s Geology dept. worked on the initial gas well and is proposed part of the grant team for this estimated $270,000 project developed with NPA assistance. The city site is also the location of two major transmission gas lines that cross New York State.

· Engine Company #3 – Located on the City’s west side, it is approximately 500 feet from a City’s North Division Street facility, a currently operating hydro plant within 2,000 feet of the Bombardier company, a major employer in the City of Auburn. The City is currently looking at utilizing the power generated at the hydro-plant to offset the cost of electricity to run both the Engine Company and assist Bombardier. The city’s desire is to have this facility powered by renewable energy for emergency command center for services not dependant upon the national power grid. The estimated cost for this project is $750,000.

· Net metering / Wheeling charges: The State of New York is discussing revised legislation that would allow net metering added for solar for libraries and schools. The City of Auburn would propose legislation to expand the energy to include hydroelectric power, electricity and gas transmission and add for municipalities. This would allow the city to use the hydroelectric power that we currently produce in our own facilities. If this is not accomplished, we need to negotiate with NYSEG over the existing hydroelectric dam agreements for what is often called “wheeling charges”. The existing Mill St. is currently operating at the NYSEG avoided costs of under $.02 cents per kW. We would like the Public Service Commission to encourage municipal governments to produce power and transmit and consume at their own facilities. The N. Division St. hydroelectric dam is still providing a significant revenue to the city (.0846c / kw) however we can produce additional power above the existing 600 KW limit for distribution. This additional power could be used at the Engine Company #3 or at Bombardier Manufacturing across the city street.

· “Community Bio-Digester” – This project currently under evaluation will bring in dairy waste and manure from within Cayuga County to one central location for processing. This will not only benefit the environment, but also again will provide methane gas to power generators and supply nearby City industries at “Technology Park” with low cost electricity to allow them to compete in today’s market, and expand to provide jobs to local residents. The estimated cost of this project is approximately $3.5 million. A feasibility study grant request cooperative project with Cayuga County has been approved by NYSEDRA for assistance with the design aspects. Eco Technology Solutions, (ECOTS) to complete the feasibility study is for 50% grant ($18,750 each party). Cayuga County has recently received a $1,000,000 grant to assist with the construction of the first bio-digester facility.

The Auburn City Council has adopted many of the projects in the proposed 2005-2006 Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The largest are centered on the highway reconstruction efforts. Many are included within the New York State Department Of Transportation (NYS DOT) Five Year Capital Improvement Program, which includes both Federal and New York State funding assistance.

Genesee Street Reconstruction: This project was completed over the 2004-2005 construction seasons. Beginning at the William Street intersection in downtown Auburn, this project runs west to the Auburn City Line. At a cost of over $8 million dollars, this program included new storm drainage improvements, relocation of historic limestone curb and new granite curbing, decorative street lighting, complete pavement reconstruction, the replacement of Woodbrook Culvert, much sidewalk and Handicap curb crosswalks and over 130 new trees planted along one of Auburn’s finest boulevards. We also added several historic markers for various designate sites throughout the project limits. There has been a significant reinvestment in this commercial / residential neighborhood as a direct result of this overall project. The funding includes approximately 75% Federal funding, 13% New York State funding and 12% local share including betterments.

Connector Road: Included within the city’s Comprehensive Plan, efforts have been underway to build a new Connector Road between New York State Route 5 (Grant Avenue) and NYS Route 34 (North Street). This new facility would service the north west corner of the city by increasing the available truck traffic access to the city’s industrial / economic development sites. Senator Michael Nozzolio assisted in the securing of $2 million dollars of New York State Multi-modal funding which is completing the phase one of the project, which began construction in 2005. The Federal Transportation Bill of 2005 also included an additional $800,000 of assistance towards phase 2. The State of New York’s Department of Transportation have also been involved with the completion of the preliminary design report which outlines the alternative routes available. Currently under consideration, once to report is finalized the city will request the required “Legislative Law Hearing” regarding the crossing of the railroad tracks.

York Street Reconstruction: One of the major industrial corridors of the city that runs from NYS Route 34 (North Street) west to the city limit at the Auburn Landfill and Technology Park. NUCOR is the largest steel producer in the United States and has a production plant in Auburn located on York Street. Included within the New York State Empire Zone, this area also provides access to McQuay International (HVAC manufacture) and several other operations.

The design process has begun and it has been proposed that York St merge with the new connector road at the North Street intersection. Once the railroad issues are resolved, then the eastern most section can be completed. In this 2005 Transportation Bill $4.8 million dollars was appropriated by the efforts of Congressman Sherwood Boehlert and U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton and U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer.

East Genesee Street Reconstruction: The major east west route into the heart of Auburn is U.S. Route 20. Also a part of the original Indian trail across New York State, this route also was a part of the Underground Railroad. The NYSDOT has also been involved with this “locally administered Federal Highway Aid Project”. The design report is in the final edit phase and then will be presented to the DOT Albany and Federal Highway Agencies for their approvals. As soon as the technical reviews have been completed, the final plans and specifications will be prepared for competitive bidding. The utility companies, NYSEG and Version Telephone and Adelphia Cable has relocated and upgraded their services.