$7.5 million has been allocated from the federal budget to repair the break wall.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Chautauqua County is getting a major boost in funding from the federal government.
$7.5 million has been allocated from the federal budget to repair the Barcelona Harbor break wall.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Rep. Nick Langworthy, and other local officials including Chautauqua County Executive P.J. Wendel and Westfield Supervisor Marha Bills, gathered Monday at the pier to announce the new funding.
The funding will be put toward a project by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to repair the west breakwater, evaluate sediment management measures and dredge the harbor.
Schumer said the Barcelona Harbor Beach brings in tourists and that fixing the wall will create new jobs.
"Bolstering businesses, bolstering our great and important tourism industry, especially with summer just a few months away, and it's going to help locals thrive for years to come," Schumer said. "A working, well-functioning harbor and booming tourist sector means a four letter word here in Western New York: J-O-B-S, my favorite four letter word."
In a media release, Langworthy called the harbor "the lifeblood of our community, serving as a vital hub for economic activity and recreation along Lake Erie's coastline" and noted that "severe degradation threatens this way of life."
The break wall has deteriorated, Schumer's office said and is showing signs of instability, "contributing to a continuous cycle of sediment and debris build up.
The beach is located in Westfield off of Lake Erie.
The funding was secured as part of the Senate's fiscal year 2024 appropriations bills.
In addition to the funding for Barcelona Harbor, Schumer on Monday announced $500,000 has been secured for the Chautauqua Lake Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Project, which would "begin the reconnaissance phase of a feasability study" for the project.
Justin McMullen is a Western New York native who joined the News 4 team in 2023. You can read more of his work here.
