FEDERAL STIMULUS PROGRAM
Latham Water Tower 
On April 3, 2009, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced a $5,985,153 U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for the Albany County Airport Authority. The garnt was later raised to $6,737,601. The grant will be used to remove and replace the Latham water tower that has always been a safety concern for airplanes departing and landing safely on Runway 28 at Albany International Airport and complete the installation of water mains.
"This is a great use for Economic Recovery funds," said Schumer. "This federal funding will allow this long planned project to move forward much sooner than expected. The old tank will no longer be a hazard, the Village will get a brand new one, and construction jobs will be created at a time when they are desperately needed.”
“As someone who grew up in Upstate New York, I know this airport has always been critical to the economy of the region,” said Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “These much needed federal funds will improve the Albany International Airport by removing the water tower, helping planes take off and land safely and efficiently. I will continue to work with Senator Schumer and the entire Congressional delegation to ensure that New York gets its fair share of federal dollars to help fix this economy.”
The Stimulus Grant will fund Phase 2, Phase 4 and Phase 5 of the project.
Bids for the stimulus protions of the project were awarded as follows:
PHASE-2 Stimulus Grant
Water Transmission Mains
Highlander Construction, 5774 Kester Road, Memphis, NY 13112
$2,064,152.80
PHASE-4 Stimulus Grant
Water Transmission Mains
Highlander Construction 5774 Kester Road, Memphis NY 13112
$1,048,588.45
PHASE-5 Stimulus Grant
General Construction
Wm. Schultz Construction Inc. 831 Route 67, Ballston Spa, NY 12020
$2,589,983.75
Mechanical
Wm. Schultz Construction Inc. 831 Route 67, Ballston Spa, NY 12020
$420,835
Electrical
Brusnwick Electric, Inc. 290 Hoosick Street, Troy, NY 12080
$731,873.00
Background
The Federal Aviation Administration has identified the Latham Water Tower as an obstruction to air traffic. The larger of the two towers penetrates 56 feet into the glide slope of Runway 28.
On June 9, 2008, the Airport Authority Board approved the reciept of a Federal Airport Improvement Grant for $3,230,000. The grant was used to fund Phase 1 of the Latham Water Tower project which included the engineering design for the project and water line easement acquisitions for water lines to extend to the replacement tower.
The replacement tank was originally designed to be a 130 foot tall water tank located on what is known as the Sanderson Park Site, located in the Town of Colonie, contiguous and north of the Albany City Reservoir.
The initial environmental review and engineering studies of the project site revealed no significant environmental issues and the Airport Authority, acting as the lead agency for the project, issued a “negative declaration” in satisfaction of the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) in 2006.
The Authority Board reopened the SEQRA process by rescinding the negative declaration, redesign the new tower to meet the objections of neighbors and to add the removal of the Ross Court Tower as part of the SEQRA process.
The new design calls for a replacement water tank that will stand at or below tree top level on the Sanderson Park Site. The new and preferred replacement tank alternative will be at or below the adjacent pine trees which are over 70 feet high.
The Authority’s engineers completed the new Draft Environmental Impact Statement based on the new design and took public comments on the design until June 18, 2007.
On August 6, 2007, the Albany County Airport Authority adopted the Final Environmental Impact Statement for distribution to involved and interested parties.
