Waterfront
Brian has long believed in a simple formula for waterfront development: remove the barriers to public access, provide high-quality public destinations along the water’s edge, and economic growth, private development and opportunity will follow. In 2005 he led the charge to secure a $279 million federal relicensing settlement from the New York Power Authority, which has funded and continues to fund parks and public improvements along Buffalo’s Inner Harbor, including Canalside, and Outer Harbor.
In 2013, Brian set out to help the City of Niagara Falls reclaim its waterfront. He pushed for removal of the Robert Moses Parkway to reconnect people and neighborhoods with their waterfront and insisted the New York Power Authority was responsible for paying for it.
Brian’s waterfront efforts reach outside of the Cities of Buffalo and Niagara Falls. Examples include: federal funding for the West River Parkway on Grand Island as well as the Intermodal Hub & Comfort Station connecting waterfront trails in the Tonawandas.
In Congress Brian is a champion for programs that promote, invest in and protect our water. Robust funding for the Army Corps of Engineers ensures waterways are navigable and shorelines are protected. Continued protection of our National Heritage Areas build new opportunities in Niagara Falls and along the Erie Canal. As a member of the Congressional Great Lakes Task Force, Brian fights to reduce threats to our water, including chemical and wastewater pollution, harmful algal blooms, and invasive species, and pushes for expanded funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which has led to revitalization of the Buffalo River.
More on Waterfront
Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26), New York State Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul and Empire State Development Vice President of Waterfront Development Steven Ranalli were joined by New York State Senators Chris Jacobs and Tim Kennedy, New York State Assemblymember Sean Ryan, and City of Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown to detail progress on the latest project underway along Buffalo’s Outer Harbor.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced three new projects to expand Buffalo's waterfront and build on the region's community and economic growth in order to attract more visitors and offer new recreational and cultural opportunities for residents. Approximately $24 million will improve water access, highlight Western New York's rich history, and support the continued growth of the area's tourism sector, which generated more than $3 billion in direct visitor spending in 2017.
The projects and investments include:
Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) is pushing for the DL&W Terminal in Buffalo to receive federal funding in the next round of awards granted through the U.S. Department of Transportation.
(To access video click above or go to: https://youtu.be/TBLlBn-ZNAQ)
Along the old DL&W rail corridor, a ribbon of green runs from the Buffalo River across from Solar City to the DL&W Terminal in downtown Buffalo near Canalside. This land, which extends for a mile and a half through The Valley, The First Ward, and the Perry neighborhood, is owned by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA). These days the only thing that runs along the unused rail lines are deer, trees, and wildflowers.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26), Vice Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee, joined Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05), Vice Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, in hosting a forum focusing on ways that Congress can create economic opportunity in communities like Western New York. The forum included discussion centered around ways to better align local, state and federal policies with the unique challenges facing older, industrial communities.
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) are supporting the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority’s (NFTA) application for a $16.3 million federal grant through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program to complete the DL&W Station project.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the transformation of the new Buffalo Harbor State Park, the City of Buffalo's first state park, is now complete. New York State purchased the once neglected property in 2013 and immediately invested $15 million across 3 phases to remediate the brownfield and transform all 190 acres into a vibrant state park. Today, more than 240,000 people visit the park annually.
Buffalo, New York – Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, Congressman Brian Higgins and state and federal partners provided an up close look today on the quickly progressing habitat restoration at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (NYSDEC) Ohio Street Boat Launch. Through the investment of Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funding, this popular park is being enhanced to include improved wildlife habitat and public access to the Buffalo River along the Ohio Street Corridor.
Congressman Brian Higgins, who has frequently objected to the U.S. Department of Energy’s transport of liquid nuclear waste between Canada and the United States without a thorough environmental review, won approval for legislation that will help support efforts to prepare and protect communities impacted.
Citizens Campaign for the Environment led a “Save the EPA” rally with Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) and several Western New York environmental organizations emphasizing the importance of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) role in protecting the health and safety of communities.