Albany County authorizes Greenway grant application to fund countywide natural resource inventory

Albany County authorized staff to apply for a Hudson River Valley Greenway Community Grants Program award to support a countywide natural resource inventory. Patrick Curran of the County Executive’s Office said the $20,000 grant (with a required 50% county match) would fund an inventory of parks, trails, lakes and other county and municipal natural‑resource assets and that the project would be procured through an RFP if awarded.

"This will kind of serve as a foundation for just kind of a baseline of what we have in terms of natural resources within the county," Curran said, describing the inventory as a basis for hazard mitigation, the countywide climate action plan and the countywide comprehensive strategy.

Committee members asked whether private open land or urban open spaces and scenic views would be included. Curran said the inventory would focus on county‑ and municipal‑owned assets while also identifying potential opportunities for conservation on private land; he specifically named the Helderberg Escarpment and its viewsheds as assets that would be considered. He also said applying as an intermunicipal project in subsequent phases could open access to additional funding.

Curran said the Greenway grant is $20,000, requires a 50% county match and would bring the total project value to roughly $40,000; he said the county would issue an RFP for the inventory work. A motion to authorize submission of the grant application was made, seconded and approved by the committee.