PLATTSBURGH — A key piece of federal legislation has been secured, ensuring vital funding for much-needed development, projects and the overall health and well-being of North Country residents well into the future.
The Northern Border Regional Commission reauthorization was passed in the U.S. Senate and is on the way to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature.
The bill increases funding and expands the North Country and Upstate New York’s federal grant program for economic development, infrastructure, healthcare and childcare.
The legislation will be reauthorized for the next five years, allowing the North Country to continue to draw vital resources.
“The Northern Border Regional Commission has played a unique and pivotal role in spurring economic development, upgrading infrastructure, improving quality of life and creating jobs in communities across Upstate New York. After months of work, I’m proud that my bill reauthorizing the NBRC with increased funding is included in the bipartisan package that just passed the Senate and is headed to the president’s desk to be signed into law,” U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, who along with Sen. Kirten Gillibrand helped usher in the reauthorization, said.
“This bill will continue support for communities across Upstate New York to tap into millions in federal funding for addressing childcare and healthcare needs, boosting infrastructure projects, supporting workforce training, helping to launch and retain businesses, and more. I look forward to seeing this legislation signed into law so we can deliver much-needed resources for Upstate New York.”
NBRC HISTORY
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 28 counties, including Clinton, Essex and Franklin.
ECONOMIC CATALYST
Gillibrand said the Northern Border Regional Commission has a proven track record of supporting projects that create jobs, develop the workforce, modernize infrastructure, and catalyze economic growth across Upstate New York.
“I’m thrilled to have passed the bipartisan Northern Border Regional Commission Reauthorization Act to reauthorize the Commission so that it can continue to provide tens of millions of dollars for our northern border communities for years to come,” Gillibrand said.
North Country Chamber of Commerce President Garry Douglas said the chamber worked with Schumer and then-Congressman John McHugh on the original creation of the Northern Border Regional Commission and it has become an important program providing support for a range of economic and community development projects that often can’t fit into other federal funding silos.
“It will now continue to make a real difference in our region for at least another five years and we thank Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand for their steady support. Onward and upward,” Douglas said.
In addition to reauthorizing the NBRC for an additional 5 years, the bill would also increase funding for the program from $33 million to $40 million. The bill makes 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, a statement said.
PROJECT HISTORY
From 2010-2024, the NBRC has invested in over 78 projects, totaling more than $48 million in federal funding for Upstate New York.
Schumer’s statement said he has 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.