NEWS
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Office
of NYS Senator
Betty Little FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, April 27, 2007 CONTACT: Dan Mac Entee, (518) 455-2811 Senator Betty Little (R,C,I – Queensbury) announced today that the Union Depot and Railway Express Agency (REA) building in Saranac Lake are the recipients of an $8,000 grant which will help facilitate an energy-efficiency project at both locations. The project grant is administered by the New York Power Authority (NYPA). “The Saranac Lake Union Depot, with its famed history, plays an important role in promoting the rich heritage of the Adirondacks,” said Senator Betty Little. “With completion of the energy conservation project, this historic facility will be able to accommodate year-round use and reduce its energy costs by about $1,000 a year.” "The Village of Saranac Lake would like to thank Senator Betty Little and the New York Power Authority for the assistance with this very important project,” said Saranac Lake Village Manager John Sweeney. “The Saranac Lake Union Depot area is extremely important for the future development of this area. This project along with others will help further revitalize this portion of the village.” The grant was provided from Petroleum Overcharge Restitution (POCR) funds, established from proceeds of court settlements relating to major oil company violations of federal price controls in the 1970’s and 1980’s. The NYPA administers the funds in New York State. A NYPA audit of the Union Depot and REA Building, owned by the New York State Department of Transportation and leased by the Village of Saranac Lake, identified several measures to reduce the structures’ energy consumption. The energy-saving upgrades include installing 7-day programmable thermostats to reduce temperatures during off-peak hours; applying window treatments and new thermal pane windows to reduce seepage of air from the buildings; and installing a new forced air furnace with ductwork, which will replace a less efficient heating unit. Saranac Lake Union Depot, built in 1904 by the Delaware and Hudson Railroad, handled 18 to 20 passenger trains daily during the years 1912-1940. The Railway Express Agency building east of the depot was built around 1924. In recent years, Union Depot has served as a home to the Adirondack Scenic Railroad (ASR), which restored seasonal tourist rail service to the region in late 2000. ASR’s Adirondack High Peaks Wilderness Train takes riders on a 20-mile round trip from Saranac Lake Union Depot to Lake Placid Station.
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