Press Release

Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $1 Million for Infrastructure Upgrades for the North Country

Apr 28, 2009

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $1,400,000 for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to take on a broad range of civil works projects for the North Country.  The federal dollars will help support job creation, rebuild and strengthen critical infrastructure, and enhance security for the North Country. The investments are part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which Senators Schumer and Gillibrand helped pass earlier this year.

“Investing in the North Country’s infrastructure is wise in the short and long run,” said Schumer. “These funds will repair our aging infrastructure and create jobs to stimulate the local economy. This is a great use for the economic recovery funds and will improve the quality of life for residents in the area.”

“This is great news for the North Country,” said Senator Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “These federal dollars will go a long way to upgrade and restore infrastructure across the North Country. This will create jobs across the region and promote long-term economic growth. During these tough economic times, I will continue to work with Senator Schumer to ensure that New York receives its fair share of federal dollars.”

$1,400,000 will be used to replace construction and barge equipment on the site — improving worker safety and upgrading construction efforts for work being done on the Hudson River and the Narrows to Lake Champlain.

Additionally, $2,450,000 will be used to repair outdated rock breakwater to improve navigation safety for vessels in the Plattsburgh Harbor.

The funding for North Country public works projects is part of a $4.6 billion investment for the Corps of Engineers to improve infrastructure and safety across America – an investment expected to create 57,400 construction jobs directly and an additional 64,000 indirect jobs to supply and support construction projects.

Senators Schumer and Gillibrand are strong supporters of President Obama’s economic plan. The investment will help create or save more than 200,000 jobs in New York, while laying the foundation of future economic growth with critical investments in infrastructure, renewable energy, health care technology and education.