Schumer, Gillibrand, Tonko, Higgins Announce Recently Announced Federal Funding Bill Authorizes an Additional $2 Million in Federal Funding to Preserve Erie Canalway National Heritage CorridorMembers Secure $2 Million More Than Previously Authorized
Washington,
May 1, 2017
“When I visit the Erie Canal, I am filled with a profound sense of history and place. But the Erie Canal is more than just a part of our heritage. It drives local job creation and significant economic activity across our region. That is why I am happy to announce today that I have led efforts in the U.S. House to secure its place as a federal priority in the latest budget deal. We will continue our work to ensure that the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor helps us remember our past and define our future as a region of innovators, hard workers and problem-solvers.” -
Rep. Paul Tonko.
Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Representatives Paul Tonko and Brian Higgins today announced that the Omnibus Appropriations package, which is set to pass Congress, raises the lifetime funding cap for the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor to $12 million. Designated as a National Heritage Area in 2000 (NHA), the federal investment is $2 million more than the previously authorized level. “This increased funding cap for the Erie Canalway National Heritage Area means more resources and support for this vital attraction. This increase preserves The Erie Canal Heritage Area’s ability to receive critical annual federal funding through the National Park Service (NPS), and protects this critical attraction so that it can continue to be an economic hub and a draw for Upstate residents and tourists,” said Senator Schumer.
Last November, Gillibrand, Tonko and Higgins wrote to congressional appropriators in the Senate and House urging to lift the lifetime cap from $10million and extend funding by $2 million.
The Erie Canalway Heritage Corridor consists of the 57 canal way locks, spanning 524 miles and connecting Lake Erie to the Hudson River. The corridor spans upstate New York from Buffalo to Albany and north along the Champlain Canal to Whitehall. Each year hundreds of thousands of visitors boat, bike, and walk along the corridor, supporting tourism, businesses, and job creation all over the state. The corridor touches hundreds of diverse communities and landscapes across Upstate New York. Schumer helped fight for the creation of the Erie Canalway Heritage Corridor, and successfully fought for reauthorization of its funding in 2009. ### |