A boost for food and shelter programs

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — Sullivan County has been awarded $46,285 in Federal funds under the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program Phase 28 to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in the county.

The selection was made by a national board chaired by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and consists of representatives from the Salvation Army, American Red Cross, United Jewish Communities, Catholic Charities USA National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA and the United Way of America. The local board will meet on February 9 at 10:00 a.m. at the United Way of Sullivan County to determine how the funds will be distributed among the emergency food and shelter programs run by local service organizations in the area.

For more information call 845/794-1771.

Roscoe receives Main Street grant

ROSCOE, NY — The Roscoe Rockland Chamber of Commerce is the recipient of a $200,000 grant from the New York State Housing Trust Fund and the Office of Community Renewal. The grant is part of the agency’s Main Street Program, and is designed to assist communities in downtown renewal.

The project is a direct result of a series of community visioning meetings under the auspices of Sullivan Renaissance and community planner Helen Budrock. In addition, the chamber has also applied its $50,000 Golden Feather award from Sullivan Renaissance to the project in order to include streetscape work into the project in the form of new and improved sidewalks and enhancements to the downtown business district.

Local artist Jack Yelle has been preparing artistic renderings of the concepts for the project, which will be displayed at a public meeting on Thursday, February 4 at 7:00 p.m. at the Roscoe Central School cafeteria.

For more information call 607/498-5757.

EPA to reject confidentiality claims on chemical risk

WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a new policy to increase public access to information on chemicals. From now on, it will reject a certain type of confidentiality claim, known as Confidential Business Information (CBI), on the identity of chemicals. The chemicals affected are those that are submitted to EPA with studies that show a substantial risk to people’s health and the environment and have been previously disclosed on the Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Inventory. In our area, CBI claims have been a matter of concern as possibly preventing the public from being fully informed about the composition of fracking fluids used for natural gas drilling.

Beyond regulatory actions like this that lie within its control, the current administration of the EPA believes that the Toxic Substances Control Act is in need of reform.

For more information visit www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/principles.html.

Siptroth announces re-election bid

MARSHALLS CREEK, PA — John Siptroth has announced his bid for reelection as state representative of the 189th Legislative District (Pike and Monroe counties). His name will appear on the ballot in the May 19 Democratic primary.

In his announcement, Siptroth said in part, “The natural gas industry has geared up to exploit gas reserves in Northeast Pennsylvania, and already their lobbyists have successfully shifted oversight and inspection of gas wells from local control to a budget-constrained Department of Environmental Protection. Even as gas companies campaign tirelessly to avoid paying a fair share of taxes, they seek access to exploit public game lands and forests in the Poconos. I am determined to prevent the destruction of our drinking water, pristine lakes and creeks, wildlife and scenic landscapes and to ensure that the natural gas industry operates responsibly.”

Siptroth also seeks increased funding from Harrisburg for public school employees and concerns about investment in infrastructure, among other issues.

Bridge replacement begins

SHOHOLA, PA — The Route 1005 Shohola Bridge over the Shohola Creek in Shohola Township has been closed so that PennDOT Engineering District 4 can begin work on a bridge replacement project financed with federal funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

While the bridge is closed, a detour along Routes 434 and 1006 (Knealing Road) will be put in place.

Work to be done will include the removal and replacement of the current bridge, reconstruction of the bridge approach, drainage work and installation of pavement markings. PennDOT plans to invest $72 million of federal economic recovery funds on 23 transportation projects in Northeastern Pennsylvania.