Information from the New York State Power Authority Regarding Applications

For Further Information:
Connie M. Cullen
123 Main Street
White Plains, New York 10601-3170
914-390-8196

NEW APPLICATION SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED FOR GREENWAY ECOLOGICAL STANDING COMMITTEE
Early Announcement Allows Time for Pre-Submission Requirement

March 16, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LEWISTON—The Greenway Ecological Fund Standing Committee today announced the upcoming dates for submitting applications and funding decisions for Greenway project proposals. The next application deadline to the Standing Committee is July 24. It is anticipated that funding decisions for applications will be made on Sept. 15. Early announcement of these dates is made because applications must first receive a consistency determination from the Niagara River Greenway Commission.

Before submitting to the Standing Committee, an application must have a determination from the Commission that the project is consistent with the Niagara River Greenway Plan.  May 19 is the submission deadline for projects seeking consistency determination prior to the July 24 application deadline to the Standing Committee.

Commission information for project submission, and schedules for submissions and consistency determination reviews, are available at www.niagaragreenway.org, under Project Submission.

To submit to the Standing Committee, applicants must also follow the application
information at
http://niagara.nypa.gov/RelicensingGreenwayFunds/EcologicalGreenway/EcolDefault.htm
under Award Guidelines and Application Requirements. If you have any questions,
please contact Edward Alkiewicz, New York Power Authority (NYPA) and secretary
to the Standing Committee, at 914-287-3247 or edward.alkiewicz@nypa.gov

Following a review period by the Standing Committee, approved applications
are scheduled to be announced on Sept. 15 at a public meeting and will receive
written funding notification within 30 days. Additional dates for application
submissions and funding decisions are expected for later this year.

The Standing Committee will support projects for the creation, improvement
and maintenance of conservation areas and ecological projects in the Niagara
River Basin to promote tourism, enhance the environment, advance the
economic revitalization of riverfront communities and support the creation
of a Greenway.

Projects eligible for funding include, but are not limited to, habitat improvement;
land acquisition; habitat research; fish, wildlife and indigenous plant restoration;
and ecological stewardship activities in the Niagara River Basin.

Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, chair of the Niagara Relicensing Environmental
Coalition (NREC), is the current chair of the Standing Committee which is
comprised of representatives from NYPA, NREC, the New York State Department
of Environmental Conservation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Seneca
Nation of Indians, the Tuscarora Nation and the Tonawanda Seneca Nation.

The Standing Committee receives funds from NYPA, as part of a settlement
agreement related to the new 50-year license received by NYPA for the Niagara
Power Project in 2007. During the term of the license, the Standing Committee
will receive $1 million a year from NYPA.

There are four standing committees established by settlement agreements to
distribute NYPA funding for projects deemed consistent with the Niagara River
Greenway Plan. In addition to the Standing Committee, the other committees
are: the Buffalo & Erie County Greenway Fund Standing Committee; the Host
Community Greenway Fund Standing Committee; and the State Parks Standing
Committee. Funding to the four committees from NYPA totals $9 million annually
over the 50-year license term for a total of $450 million.

About NYPA:

NYPA uses no tax money or state credit. It finances its operations through the
sale of bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity.
NYPA is a leader in promoting energy efficiency, new energy technologies and
electric transportation initiatives. It is the nation’s largest state-owned electric
utility, with 18 generating facilities in various parts of the state and more than
1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. For more information, http://www.nypa.gov