County staff reported Aug. 6 that crews are working on stream‑stabilization projects to protect school property and private access, while federal and state regulatory reviews are delaying other storm‑repair projects.
Scott Torrey, speaking to the Resource Management Committee, said crews are “currently in Friendship working on a stream project” intended to protect Wellman Field at Friendship School and that work will move next to Whitney Valley Road to shore up storm damage that is threatening a private bridge. He told the committee the work at Friendship should stabilize the school grounds once riprap is in place.
The report said two FEMA projects tied to earlier storms have “hit some regulatory hurdles” and that FEMA has repeatedly requested documents the county submitted up to three years earlier. Torrey said the county is working through those requests. On a separate project, the Department of Environmental Conservation has determined that County Road 48 may contain potential freshwater wetlands; the county is awaiting a formal delineation and said it will assess any required mitigation once that delineation is complete.
Torrey also reported work with the Village of Cuba on a stream permit application and ongoing assistance to the Town of Independence on a FEMA grant tied to a storm last August.
Committee members asked for details about work in the Canisterraig area and were told staff have been out to “numerous landowners” and are preparing a permit to remove gravel from a stream where needed. Members also asked whether the Friendship School project would protect school grounds; Torrey confirmed the riprap installation is intended to stabilize the section that threatens Wellman Field.
Ending: The committee did not take formal action on these staff reports; staff said they will continue design, permitting and communications with DEC and FEMA and return with updates as items progress.