By JIMMY LAWTON

LOUISVILLE -- The River Agency will review 24 applications to before allotting up to $554,325 in grants to local community and economic development projects.

Industrial Development Agency CEO Patrick Kelly said the St. Lawrence River Valley Redevelopment agency hopes to make awards by the end of April.

The 24 applications seek a more than $2 million in assistance for projects totaling more than $5 million.

Kelly said $25,000 will be allocated to St. Lawrence County's FishCap initiative as the third installment of a three year agreement made in 2011.

In January the board approved changes to the review process, offering more points to projects that focused on job creation, local business development and the leveraging of other funding sources.

According the application, no requests will be funded if does not have at least a 10 percent match - at least one-half of which must be new cash provided by the applicant.

"Such match can be provided by funds secured (or to be secured) from federal, state, local, or foundation grants and/or loans."

The board in “emergency circumstances” can waive this requirement.

In the past River Agency funds have been used to rehabilitate buildings in Massena, replace the roof on the Waddington Civic Center, provide upgrades and improvements a Lisbon Beach and establish a mobile poultry slaughterhouse in Gouverneur and cleanup the former Shade Roller site in Ogdensburg.

A complete list of projects funded through the agency can be found at http://www.slrvra.com/index.php?id=15.

The St. Lawrence River Valley Redevelopment Agency is a partnership of St. Lawrence County, the four communities of Lisbon, Louisville, Massena and Waddington, and the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency Local Development Corporation.

The Agency was formed in 2010 to administer funds established and set aside through the New York Power Authority (NYPA) for economic development activities and programs.

Funding is secured through the operation and energy sales from hydroelectric facilities owned by NYPA on the St. Lawrence River.

Projects funded by the agency are "intended to further the quality of life of both the local communities impacted by the hydroelectric facilities and the residents of St. Lawrence County," according to statement on the agency's website.