In Broome County, responsible development starts before construction - by Stacey Duncan

When people hear about a proposed development like the Broome Technology Park, their first questions are naturally about what could eventually be built there.

What kind of company could come? How many jobs could it create? What would it mean for traffic, water, wildlife, neighboring properties and the broader community?

Those questions deserve more than promises. They deserve clear, credible information.

That is why, before anything is built, we first have to build confidence. And confidence begins with a process that is transparent, thorough and open to scrutiny.

For the Broome Technology Park, that process has taken the form of an extensive environmental review under New York’s State Environmental Quality Review Act. We know that opportunities in advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, and other technology-related industries have the potential to reinvigorate our local tech economy and contribute to New York State’s broader tech renaissance spurred by the likes of Global Foundries, Micron and others. But the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement, or DGEIS, is an essential tool for examining how future development of such business could affect traffic, stormwater, infrastructure, natural resources, open space and surrounding communities.

Environmental studies like this are sometimes dismissed as paperwork standing between a community and economic growth. I see them differently.

They are decision-making tools. They help us understand what a site can support, where challenges may exist and what protections or improvements would need to be in place before development could move forward.

Just as importantly, they require us to ask difficult questions early, while there is still time to study the answers and make thoughtful adjustments.

How should traffic be managed? Where should infrastructure be located? How can stormwater impacts be reduced? Which natural resources require additional protection? What improvements could benefit not only a future employer, but the surrounding community as well?

The value of the process is not simply that these questions are asked. It is that the analysis, the findings and the public’s concerns become part of the record used to guide future decisions.

Following the release of the DGEIS, residents, local officials, community organizations, and other stakeholders had the opportunity to review the findings and provide feedback. That public comment period has now closed, and The Agency is preparing the Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement, or FGEIS.

The FGEIS will do more than summarize earlier findings. It will respond to substantive public comments, clarify or expand the analysis where needed, and help establish the environmental framework that would guide any future development at the site.

Public engagement is not simply a box to check after key decisions have already been made. It is part of how better, more informed decisions are made in the first place.

Residents understand their communities in ways that cannot always be captured on a map or summarized in a technical report. They know where traffic backs up, how water moves after a major storm, which roads already feel strained and which natural or historic resources hold particular importance.

That local knowledge strengthens the process. It can help shape both effective study and mitigations.

Broome County has a real opportunity to compete for advanced manufacturing, technology and other industries that can create long-term jobs and investment. We also have a responsibility to pursue those opportunities in a way that protects the resources and quality of life that make people want to live here in the first place.

The strongest communities increasingly recognize that economic competitiveness and environmental responsibility must advance together.

Today’s employers want locations with available land, reliable infrastructure, and a skilled workforce. They also value communities that can navigate complex environmental reviews, plan responsibly, and address challenges before they become obstacles.

The generic environmental review process allows us to do that work now, before a specific company arrives and before construction decisions are made.

Better information does not guarantee a particular outcome. It gives us the ability to weigh opportunities, understand tradeoffs, and make informed decisions that reflect our economic goals and our environmental responsibilities. Before Broome County builds anything, that is the foundation we should expect.

Stacey Duncan is executive director of The Agency; president and CEO of the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce; and director-at-large board member of New York State Economic Development Council, Binghamton, N.Y.