FLORIDA — Local and state officials gathered at the Florida Business Park Wednesday to celebrate groundbreaking for the new Beech-Nut Baby Food plant and corporate headquarters, a project officials lauded for its focus on being environmentally friendly.

Hero/Beech-Nut CEO Christoph Rudolf addressed a group of more than 50 people. He said it was an “exciting moment” and expressed gratitude for the work of state and local officials in helping to bring the project through the planning phase.

Rudolf said Democrat Paul Tonko, who was also present, was “instrumental” in helping to get the project off the ground and encouraged those in attendance to support Tonko’s run for Congress.

Rudolf also urged local contractors to submit qualifications to be considered for the project expected to create 400 construction jobs.

Union and trade groups have criticized the state and local benefits extended to the company in the absence of any guarantees local workers and companies would be used for the construction.

Officials have estimated the 580,000-square-foot manufacturing plant on 83.6 acres of the site east of the Target Distribution facility will cost about $85.4 million. The entire project is estimated to cost $124.8 million including materials and equipment, headquarters relocation expenses and other miscellaneous costs.

Government incentives for the project, which will maintain 356 jobs and is expected to create another 135 jobs, are estimated at $106.5 million including inducements from Empire State Development and tax breaks through the state Empire Zone program and Montgomery County IDA PILOT agreement.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, praised the work of state and local officials and said the project would benefit local farms, suppliers, processors and other businesses in Montgomery County.

Other officials, including state Sen. Hugh Farley, R-Niskayuna, Republican Florida town Supervisor William Strevy, Democrat Amsterdam Mayor Ann Thane and Republican Montgomery County Board of Supervisors Chairman Vito “Butch” Greco, praised the work of those involved and wished the company good luck.

Farley assured residents of Canajoharie, which along with the village of Fort Plain will lose more than 300 jobs at the current factory and cereal plant, that their concerns now become a priority.

“We haven’t forgotten Canajoharie. … We’re going to look out for Canajoharie,” Farley said.

GREEN BUILDING

Several officials cited the Hero Group for its focus on designing a new factory expected to take a smaller toll on the environment than the current facilities in Canajoharie and Fort Plain.

Officials said the facility’s construction will ensure energy and water conservation. Land will also be set aside to serve as habitat for threatened and endangered species.

Modern equipment is expected to reduce the factory’s water usage by 40 percent, officials said.

Rudolf said natural lighting and a design that improves energy and water efficiency are among environmentally-friendly characteristics of the project.

The Hero Group company is seeking recognition for the plant to be designated an environmentally-conscious operation through a LEED certification, which stands for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a green building rating system designation that is a trademark of the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council.

Using a third party, companies verify their building project meets “the highest green building and performance measures,” according to the Web site of the U.S. Green Building Council.

Certified projects, according to the USGBC, are considered “environmentally responsible, profitable and a healthy place to live and work.”

LEED-certified buildings assume several characteristics, including lower operating costs, reduced waste sent to landfills, energy conservation, safer employee environment and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

In some cases, companies that secure the certification can also secure tax benefits, according to the council.

Companies employ various methods to meet the LEED certification requirements.

They include preventing the loss of soil during construction, keeping sediment out of storm sewers and nearby streams and minimizing air pollution caused by dust and particulate matter, according to the council.

Creating earthen dikes, silt fencing and sediment traps, and employing temporary or permanent seeding are examples of efforts that can meet these goals, according to the council. Other focuses of the program include reducing light pollution and modifying roofs to prevent impacts on human and wildlife habitat.

Ken Rose, Montgomery County economic development director, said the state Department of Environmental Conservation reviewed all the project’s details in a short amount of time. DEC spokesman Yancey Roy said the applications were received last August and permits were issued in May. He said the permitting process for most such projects takes well over a year.

“They can’t ignore any steps. We really had their undivided attention. For a project of this magnitude, we couldn’t be happier with the efforts that the DEC and DEC staff put into this,” Rose said.

Rose said planning a massive building with a LEED certification in mind can cost more money, so it’s not a practice all companies choose.

“They’re designing their whole building around [seeking a LEED certification],” Rose said.

“I think it really depends on the business. As you implement a lot of these environmentally-sensitive technologies, a lot of times they are more expensive than the traditional method,” Rose said.

“Obviously it kind of shows they’re coming to the site and the area for the long haul,” Rose said.