$460K in federal funds approved for Orleans for railroad projects in Medina, Holley

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 August 2021 at 11:25 am

HOLLEY/MEDINA – U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand have announced $460,000 in federal funding in Orleans County for two railroad projects.

The Orleans Economic Development Agency  submitted the application to the Northern Border Regional Commission for funding to reconstruct the public siding train track in Medina and to build a new siding track in Holley. The funding will go through the EDA’s Orleans Land Restoration Corp.

With the money, the EDA will reconstruct and build new siding tracks in Medina and Holley, and complete preliminary engineering, Schumer and Gillibrand said in a joint news release.

This will extend rail access to the new Medina Business Park South in Shelby.

“This vital access will provide for future industrial development in Orleans County, as well as retain existing jobs,” the two senators said.

The grant was part of $4,661,981 in federal funding for eight projects that range from critical infrastructure, like broadband and sewage, to housing analysis. The funding was allocated through the Northern Border Regional Commission’s State Economic & Infrastructure Development Investment Program to support infrastructure projects and other initiatives that create jobs, support entrepreneurs, and strengthen the economy in northern border communities.

“The Northern Border Regional Commission has a special role to play spurring economic development and creating jobs. This funding will provide support to communities across Upstate New York, working to complete priority projects,” said Senator Schumer. “I am proud to support this essential funding in congress and will continue to fight to ensure it supports critical projects across Upstate New York.”

The NBRC is a federal-state partnership focused on the economic revitalization of communities across the Northern Border region, which includes northern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York. 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 includes 28 counties: Cayuga, Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Montgomery, Niagara, Oneida, Orleans, Oswego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Seneca, St. Lawrence, Sullivan, Washington, Warren, Wayne, Yates.

“After more than a year of grappling with financial hardship caused by the pandemic, New York communities are relying on investments like this to attract new businesses, create good-paying jobs, and revitalize our communities,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Now more than ever, I am grateful for our valuable partnership with the Northern Border Regional Commission that will help New York’s local economies recover from the massive financial losses incurred during the pandemic and will continue to spur economic growth for years to come. I will continue fighting for funding that will help sustain Upstate New York economies through this difficult time and make necessary investments in infrastructure and other critical resources.”