By HEATHER NELLIS

For the C-S-E

GLEN — A state-of-the-art, indoor, high-tech aquaculture facility could be in Montgomery County’s future, a project hoped to have widespread transformational impacts in the creation of 175 jobs and more than $175 million in initial private investment.

Identified as “Project Aqua,” it’s one of 70 “priority projects” submitted by the Mohawk Valley Regional Economic Develop-ment Council to the state in its preliminary action plan for 2012.

The plan says Project Aqua involves the acquisition of 130 acres of land in the Glen Canal Business Park for the construction of an estimated 840,000 square foot building, housing tanks and other equipment sufficient to produce in excess of 17 million pounds of fish annually.

“The project will have a transformational impact in Montgomery County, and provide 175 net new jobs to New York State in an emerging agricultural technology,” the plan reads.

The project seeks $4 million in Excelsior tax credits, and $2.5 million in capital funds for construction, equipment, and machinery.

That would be posed with more than $170 million in private owner equity and loans to finance the property acquisition, working capital, planning, site preparation, and the bulk of construction, equipment, and machinery, the plan says.

Montgomery County Economic Development and Planning Department Director Ken Rose said he can’t release many details about the project just yet.

“The only thing I can do is confirm the project is going to be in our county, and we’re currently working with the company and the state in relation to project,” Rose said. “It’s a very large project in terms of job creation and investment.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s website defines “aquaculture” as “the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of animals and plants in all types of water environments including ponds, rivers lakes and the ocean.”

According to the NOAA, aquaculture is used for producing seafood for human consumption, as well as enhancing wild fish, shellfish and plant stocks for harvest, restoring threatened and endangered aquatic species, and providing fish for aquariums.

Globally, aquaculture supplies more that 50 percent of all seafood produced for human consumption, the site says.

“That percentage has been and will continue to rise,” the site continues. “Conventional wisdom holds that traditional fisheries are producing near their maximum capacity, and that future increases in seafood production must come largely from aquaculture.”

Other projects identified for Fulton and Montgomery counties include:

• Gehring Tricot Expansion: The Gehring Tricot Corporation expansion project at three facilities, including one in St. Johnsville. It will allow the company to move its Massachusetts weaving operation to New York, to expand, and to enable research and development efforts to continue.

• Gloversville-Johnstown Wastewater Treatment: The project is designed to expand the wastewater treatment capacity needed to accommodate Greek-style yogurt maker Fage’s USA’s $150 million expansion.

• Bad Ponder 2012, Mohawk Fabrics: The company, located on Guy Park Avenue in the city of Amsterdam, plans to purchase two knitting machines at a cost of $200,000 apiece, installing a 50-70 kilowatt solar energy system on the building for an additional $350,000, and the purchasing of new warping equipment at an additional cost of $300,000.

• St. Mary’s Healthcare Outpatient Pavilion: St. Mary’s Healthcare in Amsterdam plans to build an Outpatient Pavilion on the St. Mary’s Healthcare Memorial Campus on Route 30 in the town of Amsterdam to improve operations and provide convenient and accessible outpatient care, especially for seniors.