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Saratoga County holds public hearing on $97.63 million biosolids digester cost increase
Summary
The Saratoga County Board of Supervisors held a Sept. 10 public hearing on a proposal to raise the maximum estimated cost of a biosolids digester for Saratoga County Sewer District No. 1 from $68.55 million to $97.63 million; the environmental review is not complete and no public comments were received.
The Saratoga County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on Sept. 10, 2025, at 4:40 p.m. in the boardroom at 40 McMaster Street in Ballston Spa to consider a proposal to increase the maximum estimated cost for constructing a biosolids digester facility for Saratoga County Sewer District No. 1 to $97,630,000.
The hearing, called under Resolution 242 of 2025, follows an earlier board approval under Resolution 143 of 2023 for the same project at an estimated maximum cost of $68,550,000. The updated notice included revised per-property estimates: the previously cited annual net cost to the typical property in the district of $6.67 is replaced in the notice by figures written as "$22 and $72.10 cents." The notice also states that the environmental review required under the New York State Environmental Review Act has not yet been completed.
Board staff read the public notice and took roll call at the start of the hearing. The presiding official outlined the board’s view that the digester is a substantial upfront investment that could reduce long-term disposal costs, saying it was a "big investment" but arguing the county could save over time when compared with rising disposal costs. The official also said disposal costs have doubled since February 2015 and that pending state legislation about land application of biosolids could increase disposal costs further.
No members of the public registered to speak during the hearing, and the clerk reported there were no written comments received by the posted deadline. After a brief opportunity for board comment, the presiding official closed the hearing.
The notice and board remarks made three items clear for next steps: (1) the board is formally considering increasing the maximum project cost from the amount approved in 2023, (2) the environmental review is still in progress and must be completed before final project approvals move forward, and (3) the hearing record will include any written submissions received by the clerk prior to the stated deadline. The hearing did not include a vote or other formal action on the cost increase.
Copies of the updated project budget and the engineer’s map, plan and report were made available in the clerk’s office and online, according to the notice. The board did not specify a timeline for completing the environmental review at the hearing.
Background: The project was previously approved by the board in May 2023 under Resolution 143 of 2023 at an estimated maximum cost of $68,550,000 with an estimated annual net cost to the typical property of $6.67; the Sept. 10 notice proposes the larger cap and provides the revised per-property figures quoted above. The board’s statement at the hearing framed the decision as weighing higher bond payments against rising biosolids disposal costs and possible future state legislation affecting disposal methods.
No further hearings or votes were recorded in the hearing transcript. The board’s formal action on changing the project cost—if any—will depend on subsequent steps including completion of the environmental review.
