"Recreation trail set in Cattaraugus County" from the
Thursday, September 14, 2000 issue of The Buffalo News
By Kathy Kellogg- Cattaraugus Correspondent
ELLICOTTVILLE- All the red tape that for most of this year snarled development of a recreation trail between Salamanca and Cattaraugus has been cut, and work is proceeding on building a recreation trail along an abandoned railroad.
The Cattaraugus county Industrial Development Agency Board of Directors learned Tuesday at its monthly board meeting that 12-mile section of its abandoned railroad line was transferred two weeks ago to the new owners, the Cattaraugus Local Development Corp.
Agency Director Norman Leyh said the deal was held up several months after Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. mistakenly cut down trees along the rail bed before obtaining a lease for a rights-of-way.
Niagara will pay the CCIDA a $14,500 lump sum, which includes the first lease payment damages for the trees and other compensation. Niagara Mohawk will also pay the local development corporation $1,750 a year during the 30-year term of the lease. The monthly lease payments will be dedicated to remediation of the clear cutting and annual trail maintenance. The lease will be re-evaluated every 10 years and adjusted to stay in line with inflation.
“Niagara Mohawk is working out to be a good partner,” said CLDC Director Rick LeFeber. “It’s a win-win situation.”
LeFeber said the trail could be open by December 2001.
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