There’s a certain synchronicity to the fact that this week, while the North Country struggled with floodwaters, the embattled Hudson River Black River Regulating district finally caught a break in court.<\/p>\n
The HRBRRD lost its major source of funding in 2008 when power companies won a lawsuit that freed them from paying regular user fees to the authority.<\/p>\n
Ever since, the Regulating District has operated with deep deficits.\u00a0 An effort to demand that downstream counties pay more for flood protection has been tangled up in litigation.<\/p>\n
But a judge has sided with the dam-operator, concluding that it is appropriate for counties to pay for the flood control services they receive.<\/p>\n
This from the Watertown Daily Times<\/a>:<\/p>\n Those counties had sued in an attempt to overturn the assessments, arguing that additional communities downriver of the regulating district’s dams, including New York City, should be charged the additional expenses incurred by the regulating district.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Saratoga Supreme Court Justice Stephen Ferradino threw out the case April 1. The district was informed Wednesday by the state attorney general’s office, which represented the district in the matter.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The ruling could force Warren, Washington and Saratoga Counties to pay roughly $2 million dollars in annual flood control fees.\u00a0 The Saratogian is reporting<\/a> that the counties are considering an appeal.<\/p>\n Saratoga County Attorney Stephen Dorsey said he was disappointed by the decision and said the private attorneys who represented the counties are urging each of the counties\u2019 officials to appeal the decision.<\/p>\n Dorsey said he will present that option to Saratoga County officials at next week\u2019s law and finance committee meeting.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n