Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)
Yesterday, Congressman Mike Lawler was joined by Rockland County Sheriff Lou Falco and other local elected officials outside the Rockland County Sheriff’s office to highlight major infrastructure and public safety investments for the Hudson Valley secured in federal community project funding for Fiscal Year 2025. Although the appropriations work for Fiscal Year 2025 is still ongoing, Congressman Lawler has already secured more than $32.9 million for fifteen different projects across New York’s 17th Congressional District. This is in addition to $38 million in federal funding for 17 projects in Fiscal Year 2024. With the latest numbers, Congressman Lawler is set to deliver more than $70 million for New York’s 17th Congressional District in his first term in office.
“When I was elected to represent this district, I promised I would work with my partners at every level of government and in both parties to prioritize the needs of our residents,” said Congressman Lawler. “That’s exactly what I’ve done in working with each of the officials with me here today to ensure funding for each of these important projects.”
“Projects like these are great examples of what we can accomplish when we put aside politics and focus on meeting the needs of our communities and constituents,” Congressman Lawler concluded. “That’s been my focus as a Congressman, it’s been my focus throughout the appropriations process for both Fiscal Year 2024 and 2025, and it will always be my focus.”
Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of the 118th Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties.
Complete footage of yesterday’s press conference can be viewed here.
Below is a list and description of each project announced by Congressman Lawler:
Rockland County Public Safety and Crime Prevention Initiative
Recipient: Rockland County Sheriff’s Office
Amount: $4,500,000
Summary: The funding will be used for necessary law enforcement priorities such as police vehicles, equipment to be utilized at a new reality-based public safety training facility, and the structural analysis and design of the facility. This project will provide necessary support to the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office to ensure effective enforcement of laws, address crimes, and improve the criminal justice system across the County. These priorities closely align with the purposes of the Byrne Justice Grants program.
Law Enforcement Reality-Based Training Facility
Recipient: Rockland County Sheriff’s Office
Amount: $2,600,000
Summary: The funding will be used to construct a new reality-based training facility for the Rockland County Sheriff Department to grow law enforcement capacity, ensure effective law enforcement operations, and overall enhance public safety throughout the county. This project will increase law enforcement capacity and enhance development of public safety in Rockland County, NY. This new facility will allow the Sheriff’s office to better combat crime, improve community safety, and foster an environment more conducive to economic development.
Westchester Pleasantville Water District Storage Tank Replacement/Rehabilitation
Amount: $2,250,000
Summary: The funding will be used to mitigate risks attached to their leaking North and South Water Storage Tanks. Both 1-million-gallon water storage tanks are housed within the Millwood Water Treatment Plant approximately 3 miles north of the Village and services the entire Pleasantville Water District and approximately 2,000 residents in the Town of Mount Pleasant. Over the course of their 90-year history, both storage tanks have been exposed to natural deterioration, which has led to their useful life cycles coming to an end. Funding for the proposed Water Tank Improvement project will replace both of the Village’s North and South water tanks, which will significantly reduce the tax burden placed on residents. The completion of this project will positively impact the Pleasantville water distribution system, which services all 7,513 residents (U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 Decennial Census) and an additional 2,000+ residents living in the Town of Mount Pleasant. Without funding, Pleasantville’s North and South Water Tanks would continue to suffer from leakage which will compromise the Village’s water supply, further increasing distribution risks that will negatively affect residential quality of life.
Nanuet TOD Project
Recipient: Town of Clarkstown
Amount: $5,000,000
Summary: The funding will be used for construction of the first phase of its transformative vision for the Nanuet Transit Oriented Development Plan (TOD), including water and sewer infrastructure improvements, road, sidewalk, and pedestrian safety and streetscape enhancements. Bringing this extensive new infrastructure will spark the redevelopment of the area by mitigating the drainage issues plaguing development in the area, enhancing the appeal of the area, and creating the necessary connectivity for a walkable and easily accessible TOD neighborhood. This transformational project will lead to an expansion of workforce housing, parking, and economic opportunity for the community.
Safer Ramapo Project
Recipient: Town of Ramapo
Amount: $5,000,000
Summary: The funding will be used for installation of pedestrian safety measures, including traffic signals, turning lanes, walking paths, and sidewalks in the Town of Ramapo. Directing funding towards pedestrian safety measures will not only mitigate the risk of accidents but also cultivate a more pedestrian-friendly environment. This will improve accessibility and safety, improve connectedness, and improve ADA compliance. The Town of Ramapo is also home to one of the largest Orthodox and Hasidic Jewish populations in the country, with many of these individuals walking to shul on Saturdays. To ensure the safety of these individuals, the Town of Ramapo requires additional funding for the construction of sidewalks. From 2011-2022, there have been 983 pedestrian injuries, and twenty-seven (27) deaths in the Town of Ramapo. Safer walking conditions continue to be an urgent need for Ramapo residents.
Carmel Water District II Water Plant Upgrade and Rehabilitation Project
Recipient: Town of Carmel
Amount: $1,250,000
Summary: The funding will be used to repair/replace a 60-year-old facility and associated equipment to meet federal and state requirements of PFOAs. This project will directly benefit approximately 10,000 individuals on a daily basis. Beyond safeguarding public health, it will also have far reaching positive effects on various institutions and businesses in downtown Carmel, including the Putnam Hospital, and Carmel High School.
Hallocks Mill Sewer District Extension Project
Recipient: Town of Yorktown
Amount: $1,250,000
Summary: The funding will provide public sewer service to neighborhoods presently serviced by residential septic systems. The properties served by septic systems have generally been installed on small lots with steep slopes and environmental constraints, which are not ideal for septic system performance. The extended district will dramatically improve and enhance the water quality of Sparkle Lake, a major recreational resource for town residents, as well as the Croton Reservoir, which provides drinking water for millions of residents in the metropolitan area. The proposed wastewater infrastructure project, however, protects one of the largest public water systems in the United States.
Croton Falls Sewer Project
Recipient: Town of North Salem
Amount: $1,250,000
Summary: The project will install sewers in the Village of Croton Falls’ General Business district to replace existing septic and cesspools. The Village is struggling because some of its businesses, especially all of the restaurants which have mixed use with residential apartments over them, are on older septic tanks that cannot be upgraded due to a lack of space. Due to its proximity to the Muscoot Reservoir, many of the existing tanks and fields are on New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) property and under roads, some are not fixable if they were to fail. To allow the Village to take advantage of its assets and begin to realize the potential of the community, Croton Falls needs sewers, which this funding will provide.
Town of Orangetown Sidewalk Improvement Project
Recipient: Town of Orangetown
Amount: $1,500,000
Summary: The funding would be used for streetscaping improvements in the Hamlet of Pearl River in the Town of Orangetown specifically to install sidewalks, curbs, and drainage improvements. This project provides streetscape improvements that meet a compelling local need consistent with the statutory purposes of the Economic Development Initiative. The corridor receiving these improvements has seen three fatalities in the last 15 years and is part of Orangetown’s continued efforts to improve pedestrian safety on Middletown Road. Sidewalks are a critical element of community well-being and serve as a connector between residents, neighborhoods, local economies, and more. Walkable sidewalks will ensure Orangetown is a place that attracts both businesses and new residents, which will surely promote economic development in the community.
Village of New Square Road Infrastructure Improvements Project
Recipient: Village of New Square
Requested Amount: $4,000,000
Summary: The funding will complete much needed improvements for NYS Route 45, widen Village roads, and complete paving improvements. The project will enhance traffic flow and increase the safety of motorists and pedestrians by addressing long-standing concerns about road conditions and motorist/pedestrian safety in the Village of New Square. Portions of the project area lack adequate sidewalks as a buffer from narrow, congested roads and are inherently dangerous in a fast-growing Village where many pedestrians utilize Village streets to travel to school, shopping, and visits to friends and family. By rectifying roadway deficiencies, the Village will relieve congestion, reduce travel time, and increase vehicle operating benefits.
Memorial Drive Reconstruction Project
Recipient: Village of Suffern
Amount: $1,000,000
Summary: The funding will be used for the reconstruction of Memorial Drive. The project will reopen a critical thoroughfare for emergency vehicles and for their timely response which can save lives, prevent injuries and protect property. Memorial Drive, which is currently closed due to the continual road deterioration and for the safety of residents, is also a major connection between the local community and US Route 202. Its reconstruction will stabilize the road for the safe use by all traffic including emergency vehicles.
Downtown Water Main Lining Project
Recipient: Village of Sleepy Hollow
Amount: $983,200
Summary: The funding will support a multi-phase project to address hydraulic inefficiencies in the downtown area, the Village of Sleepy Hollow will reline and replace approximately 1,980 linear feet of existing 8” water main line along a portion of Cortlandt Street and College Avenue. The current downtown water system is over 100 years old. The inner village neighborhoods bordering the downtown area represent the Village’s largest number of public housing units, low-income housing, low-income senior housing, and middle-income housing. This corridor is a critical aspect of public health and safety, connectivity and multi-modal transportation, affordable housing, resilient infrastructure, and overall economic investment. As a result, this project will provide immediate remediation and resiliency to infrastructure that otherwise poses a water quality and economic risk to the community, particularly its most vulnerable residents.
Samsondale Avenue Curbs & Sidewalk Replacement Project
Recipient: Village of West Haverstraw
Amount: $800,000
Summary: The funding will be used to construct necessary upgrades of sidewalks and curbing along Samsondale Avenue, which have rapidly deteriorated and become a hazard. The project will unlock critical improvements to a main thoroughfare for a Village operating on a limited budget. Many pedestrians utilize Samsondale Avenue to get to the business district along Railroad Avenue and Route 9W as well as access to and from the Village of Haverstraw. The lack of sidewalks is potentially hazardous to people walking on them. This project will improve accessibility and safety, improve connectedness, and improve ADA compliance.
Westchester County Public Safety Enhancements
Recipient: City of Peekskill
Amount: $520,000
Summary: The funding will be used for expanding and modernizing the Peekskill police station, which is currently at capacity. The City of Peekskill’s police station is currently at capacity and urgently requires more space. With this necessary facility expansion and modernization, the City will be able to hire 10 more law enforcement officers, which will significantly improve operations.
North State Road Water Main Replacement Initiative
Recipient: Town of Ossining
Amount: $1,000,000
Summary: The funding will upgrade the community’s water distribution system on North State Road, an area that has a history of water main breaks, including 14 incidents over the last 5 years, that has exposed the general public to health risks and requires expensive repairs. It will improve the Town’s water distribution system as a part of a larger initiative to replace all aged cast iron water mains, significantly reducing the likelihood of water main breaks in a historically problematic area and positively impacting all 37,764 users in the service area.
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