Get a shovel: Its acronyms may be torturous, but Albany’s intentions are clear, at least in its efforts to attract fast-growing industries to New York State

Get a shovel: Its acronyms may be torturous, but Albany’s intentions are clear, at least in its efforts to attract fast-growing industries to New York State.

To that end, meet FAST-NY – the Focused Attraction of Shovel-ready Tracts New York grant program, designed to expand key growth industries across the state. Speaking at this week’s New York State Economic Development Council Conference, Gov. Kathy Hochul called the Empire State Development program – which offers up to $200 million to develop sites for high-tech manufacturers, warehousing operations, distribution/logistics enterprises and other in-demand industries – a step toward becoming “the most business-friendly and worker-friendly state in the nation.”

New York State Sen. Anna Kaplan (D-Carle Place), who chairs the Senate’s Committee on Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business, agreed the FAST-NY program was critical to the state’s post-COVID economic recovery. “It’s vital that we invest big into the high-tech manufacturing sector,” Kaplan said in a statement. “Taking steps now to attract these growing industries to New York will position our state for long-term economic success and strong job creation well into the future.”