RECORD OF MEETING

FREIGHT TASK FORCE

DATE/TIME/PLACE: November 15, 1993; 3 PM; Hudson Valley Automobile Association Offices

ATTENDANCE: Tom Magliocca (Port of Albany), Steve Iachetta (Albany County Airport), John Newman (John T. Newman Associates), Chungchin Chen (CDRPC), Dennis Cottrell (NYSDOT Commercial Transport Division), Gus Lapham (Hudson Valley AAA), Carl Belke (CP Rail), Kristina Younger (CDTC)

DISCUSSION SUMMARY:

Minutes of Previous Meeting - No changes. Steve Iachetta, reacting to several comments about the airport cargo operations in the last meeting record, gave a brief presentation of the overall Terminal Improvement Plan for the Albany County Airport. Major cargo facility expansions are planned for both the northwest and northeast quadrants of the airport property -- an almost doubling of the existing facility. The northeast quadrant has been environmentally cleared and includes the potential for direct access from NY 7 via Kelly Road ("the back door to the airport" that was asked about at the last meeting. There is already internal circulation and access that would be enhanced.

Cargo projects are being advance completely separately from the passenger terminal improvements. The new cargo facilities will be privately managed, and require their own taxiway. There is a lot of site work to do in the northwest quadrants, including moving an oil tank farm, that could begin as early as the next construction season. Both cargo facilities are a response to existing demand and private interests -- not necessarily to accommodate projected future demand. Air Freight has seen a >5% annual growth -- about twice the rate as for other freight modes. Still, cargo activity represents less than 3% of the total activity at the Albany County airport.

The funding for these improvements was briefly discussed. Federal entitlement programs represent between $250,000 and $500,000 per year. There is also discretionary funding awarded on a competitive basis. Competing for this discretionary funding has removed a major barrier to data collection from the private airlines.

Status of Data Collection - REEBIE DATA: Conrail reviewed the Reebie data distributed at a previous meeting and concluded that, at a gross scale, it is reasonable. However, caution should be exercised at the finer levels of detail. Carl Belke agreed with this assessment. Kristina also did a check with the most recent Port of Albany annual Report, and reached the same conclusion. It is important to realize that the Reebie data is often several years old. For example, the recent attraction of the Port of some new commodities like cocoa beans was not reflected in the data. ADDITIONAL DATA NEEDED: Highway clearance, load posting, and turning radii inventories have been compiled by NYSDOT. Summary maps, with major truck routes overlaid on top will be available at the January meeting and will be the basis of a portion of "Phase 2" Task Force work.

December Conference preparations - The majority of the meeting time was spent on this topic. Much of the discussion is reflected in the revised presentation outline and final draft "white paper" included in this mailing. Carl Belke was selected as the Task Force spokesperson for the conference.

Ideally, the Task Force would like a map of freight facilities and movements to be available. As the inventory for the State Intermodal Management System is not complete, this is not feasible. As a different way to visually convey freight movement, a small number of slides should be included in the presentation. Kristina Younger will work to get or take such slides with the port, airport, and Conrail.

ACTION ITEMS:

* NEXT MEETING: Monday, January 17, 1994, 3 - 5 P.M. At the offices of CP Rail in Clifton Park, on Route 146, about 1 mile west of I-87 Exit 9

* Agenda to discuss conference results and begin Phase 2 -- developing actual recommendations

* Highway sufficiency data is now available.

* Dick Corp to check on the new regulations regarding "R" permits and report back to the group.

* John Lemmerman to bring Intermodal Management System inventory back to the Task Force when it is closer to completion.

* Kristina to follow up on shipper membership.