SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE NEARLY $15 MILLION FOR BUFFALO & WESTERN NEW YORK IN THE SOON TO PASS FY24 APPROPRIATIONS BILLS TO SUPERCHARGE CLEAN ENERGY WORKFORCE TRAINING, UPGRADE AGING WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, STRENGTHEN PUBLIC SAFETY, AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE IN NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS WNY
Schumer & Gillibrand, Along With Former Congressman Brian Higgins, Secured These Fed $$$ For WNY To Help Jump Start Long Desired Infrastructure & Community Development Projects
Schumer, Gillibrand: This Federal Funding Will Energize Western NY And Spark A More Resilient Future!
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced, with the support of former Congressman Brian Higgins, they have secured $14,981,864 for Buffalo and Western New York in the soon to pass FY24 appropriations bills to bolster critical infrastructure and upgrade water systems, train the clean energy workforce at Northland and through GreenForce Training, support the University of Buffalo’s new research center, and more.
“This nearly $15 million in federal funding is making major investments in the future clean energy workforce, helping fix our aging water infrastructure, boosting public safety, and our top-notch university right here in Western NY and will build a stronger community in Buffalo and beyond. From UB leading us to the next frontier of scientific research to Northland’s workforce development center to critical infrastructure upgrades across the region, this is an investment in making sure we have the foundation for new growth and that Western New Yorkers have the skills to they need to ensure the region has a future brighter than its past ,” said Senator Schumer. “This funding is making investments in our Western NY communities that need it most, creating new good-paying jobs, and a brighter, cleaner, and more sustainable future for families across the region. I am proud to secure this funding along with Senator Gillibrand, and sincerely thank my friend and partner former Congressman Higgins for helping to deliver on so many of these projects, his impact in WNY continues to be felt even after he’s gone and will be for years to come.”
“Today, we are committing to putting millions toward improving transportation, revitalizing water infrastructure, enhancing public safety, and developing a highly trained workforce across Western New York,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I’m proud to have fought to secure this funding, and I’ll continue to work tirelessly to make sure that Western New York families, workers, and businesses have what they need to thrive.”
A list of projects funded in the soon to pass FY24 appropriations bills can be found below:
$2 million for North Chautauqua Lake Sewer District Improvements.
The North Chautauqua Lake Sewer District will use this funding to upgrade and rehabilitate existing wastewater treatment collection system largely focused on inflow/infiltration correction, creating additional treatment capacity at the WWTP, allowing for more areas to be sewered and protecting the environment. Without this grant, the project will be unaffordable to sewer district residents.
$1.25 million for the University at Buffalo’s Center for Accelerated Innovation Through Materials.
The funding will help establish the University at Buffalo Center for Accelerating Innovation through Materials (AIM), a materials innovation hub that will empower New York's and the nation's transition to a clean energy economy, connecting industry, educational, workforce and community partners to state of the art instrumentation and expertise needed to translate advanced materials science and engineering in a highly accelerated, robust manner, enabling the US to meet demands for innovation in clean energy industries and low-carbon manufacturing.
$1,229,360 for the Town of West Seneca to rehabilitate the district 12 water line.
The funding will go towards rehabilitating approximately 28,655 linear feet of sewer main and associated manhole rehabilitation to comply with Consent Order. By slowing inflow and infiltration (I/I) in this district, areas of Town under Consent Order will have less flooding occurences and SSO overflows. This means less pollution into Cazenovia Creek and more recreational value of the local waterways.
$1 million for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority to develop a battery electric bus rapid transit system along the length of Baily Avenue within the City of Buffalo.
$1 million for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority to construct a multi-use trail along a segment of the Riverline – Del Woodlands bus line.
$1 million for the New York DOT to improve the Jefferson Avenue Streetscape in Buffalo and better accommodate pedestrian and bicycle access.
$1 million for New York DOT to support streetscape improvements along the Abbott Road corridor between Meriden Street and Dorrance Avenue.
$963,000 for the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office to replace its portable radio equipment.
Funding will replace portable radios with new equipment to improve and upgrade communication between law enforcement officers.
$959,752 for Erie County Water Authority to replace the water main under Union Road.
Funding supports the installation of 18,240 linear feet of new distribution waterline along Union Road, improving water service in the towns of West Seneca and Cheektowaga.
$959,752 for the Village of Lewiston to improve water resiliency and replace a century-old water main line to ensure system reliability for residential and business customers in Lewiston.
$800,000 for the Northland Workforce Training Center (NWTC) to bolster the clean energy workforce in Western New York.
This funding will support NWTC’s efforts to attract, train, and empower individuals for careers in the burgeoning clean energy sector, increasing access to new, good-paying manufacturing jobs across the region by funding equipping workers with the skills needed to thrive in the rapidly expanding clean energy sector. The NWTC’s Experience Center, which is its innovation hub for hands-on-learning that aims to inspire high school students and adults seeking to enter or transition into clean energy careers by demonstrating how electricity is at the center of everyday life. With this federal support, the Center will be able to engage the future of the manufacturing and energy workforce outside of the classroom, enabling them to understand how power flows and jumpstarting their understanding of applications and knowledge that can't be taught in school. The NWTC can then enroll students in a certificate or degree track and place them in a job that will pay a family sustaining wage.
$600,000 for the City of Niagara Falls to build a new teen center.
The funding supports the creation of a new Teen Center through renovations to a currently vacant building in the Lasalle neighborhood through a collaborative effort between the City of Niagara Falls, the Niagara Falls City School District, and the Niagara Falls Boys and Girls Club.
$550,000 for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for operations and maintenance work at Wilson Harbor, specifically to assess needed repairs to the breakwater.
$500,000 for GreenForce Training, Inc. to implement a new job-training initiative in Buffalo.
Based in East Buffalo, GreenForce Training recruits and trains unemployed and underemployed people in the Buffalo community for jobs in the growing battery manufacturing industry. The additional funding will support equipment and improvements for the training center.
$500,000 for the Town of Porter Waterline Improvement Project.
The funding will assist with improvements to its water distribution system by replacing select waterlines with larger diameter pipes in five areas with a total of 14,700 linear feet of pipe replacement.
$475,000 for SUNY Research Foundation to purchase, install, and deploy instruments that test the impact of extreme winds on critical infrastructure in Amherst.
$195,000 for the Kenmore Police Department to upgrade its outdated dispatch, communication, and computer equipment.
###
