To: Donald Katt, President
We request SUNY Ulster Community College rescind their proposed partnership with Niagara Water Bo...
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Please sign this petition to support the SUNY Ulster Environmental Club in asking President Katt and the Board of Trustees to revoke their proposed partnership with Niagara Bottling Company through Start-Up NY.
Why is this important?
The SUNY Ulster Environmental Club as well as many members of the surrounding community do not agree with SUNY Ulster Community College's choice in partnering with Niagara Bottling Co. through the Start-Up NY program.
Niagara is one of the largest water bottling companies in the world. Through the Start- Up NY program, this company would be eligible for tax exemptions for up to 10 years. In return SUNY Ulster would receive internships and ensured jobs for graduating students.
Niagara wants to build a bottling facility that will process at least 1 million gallons per day (MGD) of water from Kingston's water supply at Cooper Lake in Woodstock, using over 25% of its capacity. According to SaveCooperLake.org “With the City of Kingston averaging 3.9 MGD and the Town of Ulster averaging .7 MGD - that's 4.6 MGD . Add in .2 MGD for the new medical complex across from Adams and you get 4.8 MGD. With the new demand from Niagara, the total demand equals 6.55 MGD, which doesn't even account for the .5 MGD guaranteed as a reserve for Woodstock, which brings the total to 7.05 MGD, an excess of 1.05 MGD, or 17% in excess of Safe Yield.”
Many organizations within the Hudson valley such as Riverkeeper, Catskill Mountainkeeper, Food and Water Watch, Espous Creek Conservancy, Woodstock Land Conservancy, Savecooperlake.org and KingstonCitizens.org along with the SUNY Ulster Environmental Club feel that this partnership further jeopardizes the sanctity of the water supply at Cooper Lake by increasing the likelihood of Niagara entering the Ulster County.
Through SUNY Ulster's interactions with the Start-Up NY program, it has the capability to aid in the introduction of sustainable jobs and companies, as well as the potential to introduce unsustainable or environmentally harmful companies to the local area. Support SUNY Ulster in making sustainable business choices through its involvement with Start-Up NY, as well as encourage a stable, long-living community built around a healthy environment.
Please sign this petition to show that the communities within Ulster County do not support this partnership.