Thanks to the American Rescue Plan a big investment is on its way to Erie County.

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz,  joined by Congressman Brian Higgins and some members of the Erie County Legislature, outlined a plan to use $89.2 million dollars in American Rescue Plan funds.

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“The pandemic presented unthinkable challenges. Businesses suffered, families sacrificed, and local governments were forced to divert attention to critical safety needs depleting existing resources,” said Congressman Higgins. “County Executive Poloncarz led Erie County through a very dark time, and he has established a plan to build a brighter future for County residents as we reach the other side. The RENEW plan utilizes federal resources provided through the American Rescue Plan to lay a foundation for a stronger community through smart investments in water, road, sewer, park and human infrastructure.”

Here are just some of the investments the county is planning:

•    Community Aid: The Plan includes support for entities traditionally supported by Erie County including the Botanical Gardens, Convention Center, Naval and Servicemember’s Park, and the Workforce Investment Board.

•    Business Promotion: The Plan calls for a promotion-based approach to encourage local shopping and small business support, with $2.08 million in small business promotion allocated in the Plan for this purpose. 

•    Park System Investment: The Plan makes major investments of approximately $14.3 million in Erie County parks.

•    Sewer and Water Investment: The Plan proposes using $31.3 million funding for projects related to the Erie County Sewer Districts. 

The money will also fund additional jobs in the county.

The RENEW Plan addresses areas of critical need in Erie County and will be instrumental in our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are using this funding to protect our most precious resource Lake Erie, and also to improve our infrastructure and build a better, healthier and more equitable community. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and we are seizing it to create a better future for Erie county residents,” said Poloncarz.

A more complete list of items in the plan can be found here.

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