Congressman Tom Reed at podium with County Executive PJ Wendel, CCIDA Director Mark Geise, Falconer Village Clerk Anna Fales, Chautauqua Chamber of Commerce President Dan Heitzenrater, County Legislature Chairman Pierre Chagnon
Congressman Tom Reed said the monies for the $1.2 trillion dollar Infrastructure Bill are now available with $170 billion of those funds scheduled to come to New York State.
Reed made the announcement at the Chautauqua County Department of Public Facilities in Falconer Thursday.
Reed said $13 billion dollars will go toward highway programs in the state, “That will get here into Chautauqua County to take care of, I think you have 552 miles of road here, PJ, under your direction? [County Executive PJ Wendel in background “A little bit more”], 308 bridges, and 258 culverts. And so, those are real needs of Chautauqua County that is going to benefit from this investment in our nation’s infrastructure.”
Reed said he was proud to support the bipartisan bill that was ten years in the making. When it comes to how municipalities and the state will access those funds, Reed said existing distribution models will be used, “So, a lot of the money will be eligible for direct application to the Federal government, to the various agencies that are under that jurisdiction. But it’ll also flow through the states and to the local government.”
County Executive PJ Wendel said the infrastructure work will bring economic growth, “Right now in Stow, we’re looking to bring in water and sewer. And we know that bringing those two infrastructure pieces in will develop in more economy, hotels, conference centers, and the like.”
Wendel said projects that the County plans to apply for funding include sewer projects around Chautauqua and Findley Lakes, broadband expansion, and enhancing municipal water supplies.
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