SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE NEARLY $700,000 IN APPALACHIAN REGIONAL COMMISSION FUNDING FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHERN TIER COMMUNITIES
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $679,236 in Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) funding for improvements to health and wellbeing services for New Yorkers living in the Southern Tier. The ARC is an economic development partnership agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focused on 420 counties across the Appalachian region.
“This Appalachian Regional Commission funding is great news for the Southern Tier. Good water quality is worth investing in and so is support for people in recovery looking to get back into the workforce,” said Senator Schumer. “I am proud to deliver this federal funding that strengthens infrastructure and improves economic opportunity across the region.”
“We must prioritize economic development in rural communities. This ARC funding is an investment in the Southern Tier to spur economic growth and mitigate disparities,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This federal funding will support local projects in Jamestown, Binghamton, and Elmira to improve health, water quality, and job training for people in recovery. I will keep fighting to ensure our rural upstate communities aren’t left behind while we rebuild a better economy.”
Funding Recipients Listed Below:
Chemung County Sewer District in Elmira received $150,000 for the Wastewater Treatment Plant project. This grant will help consolidate two separate treatment plants to provide better water quality for residents.
The Southern Tier East Regional Planning Development Board in Binghamton received $479,237 to improve services for people in recovery and for employers who seek to include people in recovery in a high-quality workforce. The Collaborative Recovery Empowerment of the Southern Tier project (CREST) is expected to serve 25 businesses and 75 people in recovery, and will help create a new training program for peer support workers in the region.
The Mental Health Association in Jamestown received $50,000 to develop a "recovery ecosystem" focused on supporting people in recovery as they enter the workforce. According to the New York State Health Department, Chautauqua County experienced the "highest opioid burden" over all other counties in New York in 2017. This crisis has only been exacerbated by the pandemic, with a 55% increase in reported overdoses during March-October 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. In addition to this ARC funding, local funds include $33,331 from the county's Department of Mental Hygiene, $10,328 from the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County, and $6,341 from the grantee. The project's total funding will be $100,000.
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