Pictured is a drawing of the land in Ripley the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency has been buying to establish a shovel-ready site for future development. Submitted photo

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer announced $1 million for the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency’s Ripley Interstate Shovel Ready Site project to extend electrical service to prepare a 147-acre site for future employers on Thursday. The funding is through the Appalachian Regional Commission, a federal-state partnership that Schumer boosted funding for in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

“Chautauqua County is a prime location for economic investment, and this $1 million in federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help build a new shovel-ready site in Ripley to ensure that Western NY can land new employers and good-paying jobs,” Schumer said. “I fought to increase funding for the Appalachian Regional Commission because I know how important it is to create opportunities for economic development across Upstate New York. Now, this commission is delivering for New York, positioning the region to attract new investment that will bring employment opportunities and tax revenue to Chautauqua County and broader Western New York.”

The Ripley Interstate Shovel Ready Site project, led by the IDA, received $1,000,000 to turn a large parcel in Ripley into a shovel-ready site. The project is expected to spur economic growth in Western NY by supporting CCIDA efforts to improve infrastructure, especially extending a 34.5 kv electric service to the site, providing necessary power to attract more employers looking to expand or move to the region. This improved site readiness will especially help meet an increased demand from manufacturing, transportation, and warehousing industries to grow in the region, partially spurred by increased investment from the Inflation Reduction Act, CHIPS & Science Law, and Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that Schumer pushed to pass into law.

“Securing this funding marks a tremendous step forward in the development of the Ripley shovel-ready site, a project that is vital to the future growth and prosperity of not only the local community but all of Chautauqua County,” said County Executive PJ Wendel. “I want to extend my deepest thanks to Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer for his steadfast advocacy and to Mark Geise, our Deputy County Executive for Economic Development and CEO of the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency, for his tireless work in bringing this vision to life. This site will provide new opportunities for businesses to invest in our region, creating jobs and fostering economic development that will benefit generations to come.”