Local News: December 13, 2023

- Cayuga Nation sues New York State for highway fees -

The Cayuga Nation has filed a federal lawsuit against the state of New York. The Native American Nation is accusing the state has never gotten federal approval to operate part of the state Thruway that goes through Cayuga territory near the town of Montezuma. The Finger Lakes Times reports the Nation announced the lawsuit on Tuesday saying the operation of the highway through Cayuga territory violates the 1794 Treaty of Canandaigua. Cayuga representatives say they want the state to get federal approvals, pay for past use, and give future tolls to the Nation.

- Finger Lakes communities to get $350,000 of state funding for water quality and stewardship projects -

The state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) awarded $350,000 to watershed restoration and water quality projects in the Finger Lakes region. The DEC announced the eight projects on Tuesday. They include $50,000 to the Schuyler County Soil and Water Conservation District to stabilize a stream bank and reduce sediment, nitrogen, and phosphorus entering Seneca Lake; $50,000 to Cortland County for flood mitigation work; and $30,000 to a water monitoring project by Hobart and William Smith Colleges to find better ways to reduce phosphorus and nitrogen from entering Seneca and Keuka lakes. This is the first round of awards from the DEC’s Finger Lakes Watershed Grants Program. The grants are meant to complement other DEC, federal, and private funding to improve the region’s water quality.

- Seneca Falls voters approve $27 million school capital project for school district -

Elections are still taking place throughout our region. Tuesday, Seneca Falls voters approved school district capital project funding for the first time since 2020. The $27.7 million will pay for renovations and safety improvements for two elementary schools and the district’s middle school. The Finger Lake Times reports state aid will cover 88 percent of the costs. The school district will pay for the rest from their capital reserve fund and a $20 million bond.

Construction is planned for the summer of 2025.