On Thursday, Reed held a press conference at the county Highway Department garage in Falconer with other local officials to discuss how the bill will improve infrastructure in Chautauqua County. Reed, who was one of only 13 Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives to support the proposal, said the infrastructure improvement bill was 10 years in the making. Along with maintaining highways, bridges and culverts, Reed said the federal money will also go toward expanding broadband access, improving state railways and supporting airway travel.

“I was glad to support this bill,” he said.

Reed said $13.5 billion of the federal bill is earmarked for New York state. He said the money will be appropriated through the existing structure of a direct application, and money flowing to the state and then to local governments.

County Executive PJ Wendel said the federal infrastructure bill is a “double win” for Chautauqua County because the funds can go toward local infrastructure projects and money that was originally earmarked for sewer, water and broadband improvements in the county’s $24 million American Rescue Plan program, which can now go toward other ventures.

U.S. Rep. Tom Reed, R-Corning, discussing the federal infrastructure bill during a press conference at the county Highway Department garage in Falconer Thursday. P-J photo by Dennis Phillips

Wendel said the federal funding could possibly go toward sewer projects around Chautauqua Lake, increasing broadband access and provide a municipal water supply for areas that need it in the county.

Mark Geise, deputy county executive for economic development, said to attract new businesses and economic development, the county needs water and sewer infrastructure already incorporated to make sites “shovel ready.”

“We really need to have the infrastructure in place,” he said.

Pierre Chagnon, Chautauqua County Legislature chairman, said the federal funding will help with some of the infrastructure in the county that is more than 200 years old, which can be expensive to repair and maintain. He also said the funding will go toward the start up cost for new infrastructure that needs to be installed in the county.