SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE $11+ MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR PROJECTS ACROSS UPSTATE NEW YORK THROUGH THE NORTHERN BORDER REGIONAL COMMISSION
Communities From North Country, Finger Lakes, CNY, Capital Region Win Funding For Critical Community Projects Such As Expanding Access To Healthcare, Upgrading Wastewater Infrastructure, Building New Educational Facilities & More
Schumer, Gillibrand: NBRC Continues Delivering Vital Fed $$ For North Country & Upstate NY
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $11,394,774.01 in federal funding for 18 projects across Upstate New York through the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC), which the senators fought to reauthorize and expand last year. Schumer and Gillibrand said these projects will help address critical needs across the region, including expanding access to healthcare services, increasing early education opportunities, upgrading wastewater infrastructure, and more to improve quality of life and spur economic development in the region.
“From expanding access to health care in the Mohawk Valley to increasing early education opportunities in the North Country to expanding wastewater systems in the Finger Lakes Region, this $11+ million in federal funding through the Northern Border Regional Commission will support major infrastructure upgrades and increase access to vital services across Upstate New York. These federal investments will help spur economic development, create new jobs, strengthen our infrastructure, and boost quality of life across the region,” said Senator Schumer. “I have long fought to secure and increase much-needed resources for the Northern Border Regional Commission and expand this vital federal support. I’m proud to have delivered this critical funding to help families and communities invest in a better future for Upstate New Yorkers.”
“Federal dollars are powering real growth across Upstate New York — strengthening local economies, creating jobs, and delivering the services that New Yorkers rely on,” said Senator Gillibrand. “With more than $11 million going to support communities from the North Country to the Finger Lakes, we’re expanding access to health care and early education, upgrading critical infrastructure, and helping communities across the region build a stronger future. I’m proud to have fought to deliver this funding that will strengthen our communities and make a real difference for working families.”
A full list of projects can be found below:
|
Recipient |
Region(s) |
County |
Amount |
Description |
|
Adirondack Recreational Trail Advocates |
North Country |
Essex, Franklin |
$99,001.92 |
The Adirondack Rail Trail Association will develop a master plan for the 34-mile Adirondack Rail Trail connecting Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake, and Lake Placid. The plan will address community connections, visitor amenities, signage, and long-term maintenance to maximize the trail’s economic and recreational potential. |
|
Oneida Health |
Mohawk Valley, Central NY |
Madison, Oneida |
$1,000,000.00 |
Oneida Health will renovate and expand a primary care facility to meet growing demand in Madison and Oneida Counties. The project will improve access to healthcare services, support workforce development, and accommodate population growth tied to regional economic initiatives. |
|
Village of Avon |
Rochester-Finger Lakes |
Livingston |
$1,000,000.00 |
The Village of Avon will expand and modernize its water treatment plant, which serves multiple municipalities and major industrial users. The project will double treatment capacity, improve system reliability, and support future residential and commercial development. |
|
Village of Bergen |
Rochester-Finger Lakes |
Genesee |
$1,000,000.00 |
The Village of Bergen will address inflow and infiltration issues in its sewer system, which limit wastewater treatment capacity and economic growth. The project will support expansion of the Apple Tree Acres Business Park and enable new residential development. |
|
State University of New York College of Technology at Canton |
North Country |
St. Lawrence |
$1,000,000.00 |
SUNY Canton will construct a 15,000-square-foot childcare center offering affordable early education and intervention services for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. The facility will also serve as a training site for SUNY students in early childhood, psychology, and healthcare programs. |
|
Adirondack Economic Development Corporation |
North Country, Capital Region, Mohawk Valley, Central NY |
Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Oneida, Oswego, St. Lawrence, Warren, Washington |
$197,192.00 |
The Adirondack Economic Development Corporation will launch a nonprofit business acceleration program across 13 rural counties in Northern New York. The initiative will provide business planning, consulting, and financial support to nonprofits, helping them grow revenue streams and expand services. |
|
Warren County |
Capital Region |
Warren |
$231,680.00 |
Warren County will improve the fish rearing ponds and visitor center at its county-operated fish hatchery, a key asset in the region’s outdoor recreation and tourism economy. The project includes reconstructing aging infrastructure, expanding educational facilities, and enhancing accessibility. |
|
St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency |
North Country, Capital Region, Mohawk Valley |
St. Lawrence |
$500,000.00 |
The St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency will establish a purification pilot facility for Empire State Mines’ new graphite processing operation. The project will support the first fully integrated U.S. natural flake graphite production since 1956, advancing critical mineral supply chains. |
|
Cayuga County |
Central NY |
Cayuga |
$100,000.00 |
Cayuga County will conduct a comprehensive housing market study to identify needs, trends, and development opportunities across the county. The study will guide future housing investments, partnerships, and funding strategies to support workforce and community growth. |
|
Carthage Area Hospital |
North Country |
Jefferson, St. Lawrence |
$499,780.08 |
Carthage Area Hospital will implement a dual-track nursing initiative, including a graduate nurse residency program and a virtual nursing model. The project will improve nurse retention, expand clinical training, and enhance patient care across two hospital campuses in northern New York. |
|
Village of Newport |
North Country |
Herkimer |
$100,000.00 |
The Village of Newport will conduct a comprehensive engineering study for expanding its municipal wastewater system. The study will evaluate the feasibility of replacing aging septic systems with a village-wide sewer system to support public health and economic development. |
|
Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation |
North Country |
Essex, St. Lawrence |
$1,940,715.00 |
The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation will lead a multistate demonstration of nanocellulose-enhanced concrete in transportation infrastructure. The project will construct eight pilot installations across the Northern Border region, showcasing the environmental and economic benefits of using timber-derived materials. |
|
Town of Moriah |
North Country |
Essex |
$66,940.00 |
The Town of Moriah will update its Economic Development Plan to guide revitalization and investment over the next five years. The plan will identify shovel-ready projects, infrastructure needs, and tourism opportunities to support long-term economic resilience. |
|
Town of Sand Lake |
Capital Region |
Rensselaer |
$750,000.00 |
The Town of Sand Lake will replace the 1920s-era Johnny Cake Lane bridge over Wynantskill Creek with a modern, resilient structure. The new bridge will improve hydraulic capacity, accommodate two-way traffic and pedestrians, and enhance safety and access for local residents. |
|
Hudson Headwaters Health Network |
North Country |
Essex |
$856,724.00 |
Hudson Headwaters Health Network will construct a new dental facility in Ticonderoga, NY, to serve 1,550 additional patients annually. The project addresses a critical shortage of dental care in rural areas and will create seven new healthcare jobs. |
|
North Country Community College |
North Country |
Essex, Franklin |
$52,750.00 |
North Country Community College will conduct a feasibility study for a new field station and art studio along the Adirondack Rail Trail. The facility would support environmental science, recreation, and arts programming for students and the community. |
|
Paul Smith’s College |
North Country |
Franklin, Jefferson |
$999,991.01 |
Paul Smith’s College will launch the Troops to Timber program, which will train veterans and transitioning service members for careers in forestry and logging. The program offers stackable credentials and hands-on training in collaboration with Fort Drum and regional employers. |
|
Saranac Central School District |
North Country |
Clinton, Essex |
$1,000,000.00 |
Saranac Central School District will address urgent infrastructure issues at its new preschool facility, which serves children with disabilities. The project includes sewer system replacement, HVAC upgrades, and kitchen floor repairs to meet health and safety codes. |
After years of advocacy, Schumer and Gillibrand announced late last year that they had successfully reauthorized the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) for another 5 years, increasing funding and expanding the critical Catalyst grant program that has delivered tens of millions of dollars for the North Country and Upstate NY. Despite the wide bipartisan support to reauthorize the NBRC, President Trump’s budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2026 calls for the elimination of this program, an effort that the senators are actively pushing back against to ensure NBRC continues to be funded to provide critical investment to Upstate NY. From 2010-2024, the NBRC has invested in over 78 projects, totaling more than $48 million in federal funding for Upstate New York. Schumer introduced the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) Reauthorization Act of 2023 which paved the way for these key changes.
In addition to reauthorizing the NBRC for an additional 5 years, the bill that passed into law at the end of last year also increased funding for the program from $33 million to $40 million. The bill made critical enhancements to the range of projects the NBRC is able to support to foster growth in the region, including a new program focused on addressing childcare and healthcare needs, increasing support for addiction treatment, and new support for capacity building for business retention, job training, and job creation. The NBRC reauthorization was included as part of the Economic Development Administration reauthorization in the bipartisan, bicameral Water Resources Development Act of 2024.
Schumer and Gillibrand have a long history of championing the Northern Border Regional Commission and its positive economic impacts on Upstate New York. In 2021, the senator successfully secured $150 million for the NBRC, over triple its funding from previous years, through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act.
Established in 2008, the NBRC is a federal-state partnership focused on the economic revitalization of communities across the Northern Border region, which includes New York, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The Commission is composed of the governors of the four Northern Border states and a federal co-chair and provides financial and technical assistance to communities in the region to support entrepreneurs, improve water, broadband, and transportation infrastructure, and promote other initiatives to improve the region’s economy. The northern border region of New York State currently includes 30 counties: Cayuga, Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Montgomery, Niagara, Oneida, Orleans, Oswego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Seneca, St. Lawrence, Sullivan, Washington, Warren, Wayne, Wyoming, and Yates.
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