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Former Assemblyman Haley of Waddington, driving force in creation of NYSERDA, dies at 83

Posted 2/11/13

WADDINGTON -- K. Daniel Haley, the first Democrat to represent St. Lawrence County in the New York State Assembly, died Friday at the Highland Nursing Home in Massena, where he had been a patient …

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Former Assemblyman Haley of Waddington, driving force in creation of NYSERDA, dies at 83

Posted

WADDINGTON -- K. Daniel Haley, the first Democrat to represent St. Lawrence County in the New York State Assembly, died Friday at the Highland Nursing Home in Massena, where he had been a patient since August 2007. He was 83.

Much of Haley’s adult life was dedicated to public service, as a foreign service officer, an Air Force officer, and in political office.

He was U.S. vice consul in Saigon, Vietnam. As an Air Force officer, he served in intelligence in Korea, the Philippines and Japan until 1957. He was with U.S. AID as deputy training officer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil until 1960. He continued to work in Brazil as a businessman and real estate developer until 1968.

He returned to the North Country and ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1968. Two years later, he ran for and won a seat in the Assembly to represent St. Lawrence County, a position he held until 1976.

During his time in the Assembly he became a champion of energy issues. He was appointed chairman of a Joint Legislative Commission on Energy Policy by the Assembly and the Senate where he oversaw a staff to look at technology and other means of creating, conserving and efficiently using energy. He subsequently sponsored several energy bills. In 1975 he sponsored and worked to pass the bill that created the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Dan had a grand vision for NYSERDA and the New York Power Authority in terms of developing projects for wind, wood and solar energy that would directly benefit the residents of New York.

After his time in Albany, Haley returned to business, in oil and real estate in Texas and Oklahoma.

Calling hours are Wednesday afternoon from 2-4 and 7-9 pm at the Phillips Memorial Home, Madrid.

Funeral services will be Thursday, Feb. 14, 11:00 am at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church with Deacon Arthur Garno officiating.

Interment will be held in the spring in Madrid Cemetery, Madrid.

At the family’s request memorials may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of St. Lawrence Valley.