Firefighting grant deadline approaches

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) is urging fire and EMS organizations to apply for federal grants through the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) program if they have not already done so. This year’s deadline for filing an AFG application is Wednesday, May 20.

Hinchey said his office is available to help any applicants with questions or problems they may have with the application process or grant program. “These grants play a critical role in making sure that our local emergency responders have modern equipment and updated safety gear and also save our local communities from shouldering the full cost of these important items,” he said.

For more information visit www.firegrantsupport.com/afg/ .

Funding available for rural water wells

WASHINGTON, DC — United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) funding is available to non-profit organizations to help rural homeowners construct or upgrade household water well systems. The funding is provided through USDA Rural Development’s Household Water Well System grant program. USDA plans to award about $1 million in total to non-profit groups that will use the funds to establish a loan program for homeowners.

Loans may not exceed $11,000 and will carry a term up to 20 years at a one percent annual interest rate. Non-profit groups must contribute at least 10 percent of the grant request. Individuals are not eligible for grants, but may be eligible for loans if their annual household income does not exceed 100 percent of their state or territory’s median non-metropolitan income. Loans may not be provided for home sewer or septic system projects.

Applications are due by the close of business May 31. The application guide for this grant program can be found at www.usda.gov/rus/water/HWWSP.htm .

Port TV station may be shut down

PORT JERVIS, NY — Internal turmoil at the non-profit Port Jervis Deerpark television station may lead to a shut-down of the station.

Both Charles Magos and Nancy Gordon, formerly president and vice president of the station respectively, are now claiming to be in charge following Magos’s submission of a resignation letter that he later recanted. Mayor Gary Lopriore has recommended the station’s eviction from the city building unless the mess can be quickly resolved. The space has been provided to them rent free.

Magos contends that certain “sponsorship spots” may step over the line into advertising, threatening the organization’s non-profit status, and also questions whether all the sponsorship money was going into the station’s coffers. Station treasurer Carol Eckes contends that no rules have been violated and says she welcomes an outside audit.

Electronic recycling days in Wayne

HONESDALE, PA — Residents of Wayne County can bring their electronic waste to the county recycling center on Route 652 near Beach Lake, PA.

The center will be receiving the waste on Friday, May 15 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on Saturday, May 16 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. There will be a nominal fee for charged items; for example, for televisions 27 inches and under the fee is $5, computers and monitors will also cost $5, and TVs over 27 inches cost $10.

Businesses must pre-register by contacting the center at 570/253-9727 or email at wcrecycling@co.wayne.pa.us. For questions, call the center on the above number.

Proof of residency is required.

Pennsylvania DEP issues draft permit for drilling waste plant

PENNSYLVANIA — The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has published the first draft discharge permit for a gas well wastewater treatment plant on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. The application was submitted by TerrAqua Resource Management LLC of Williamsport.

The draft permit was published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on May 2 for a 30-day public comment period. DEP will make a decision on the permit after reviewing all public comments.

“When approved, this permit will establish specific treatment parameters for gas well drilling wastewater, which includes frac water, brine water and drill water,” said DEP Northcentral Regional Director Robert Yowell.

TerrAqua’s draft discharge permit allows between 54,412 and 522,245 pounds per day of total dissolved solids to be discharged to the river, and a maximum of 400,000 gallons a day of typical well-drilling wastewater to be treated and discharged from the facility.

DEP expects half of the remaining 10 discharge permit applications for the West Branch to be published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin by the end of May and the remainder by the end of June.

Financial problems loom for Empire

MONTICELLO, NY — Empire Resorts, the owner of Monticello Gaming & Raceway, lost $2.48 million in the quarter ending March 31. It has so far been unable to obtain financing to help pay off creditors, and according to its quarterly report, may be forced into an insolvency proceeding sometime over the next few months.

Although racing revenues were unchanged from last year at the facility, gambling revenues dropped by $1 million and food, beverage and miscellaneous income by $68,000.

Empire said competition from Yonkers and slot machines in Pennsylvania is in part responsible for the slide in revenues.

The next major financial deadline for Empire is May 29, when $7.1 million is due to the Bank of Scotland.