Schumer Pushes for More Funding for Indian Pt. Municipalities
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By Rick Pezzullo
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is making a push for municipalities surrounding the Indian Point nuclear power plants to receive federal assistance to help offset the loss of revenue following the plant’s closure.
Earlier this month, Schumer announced his two-pronged plan for federal economic development investment, including making permanent the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Assistance to Nuclear Closure Communities (NCC) program.
The funding would directly benefit the Town of Cortlandt, Village of Buchanan, Hendrick Hudson School District and Westchester County.
“The closure of the Indian Point nuclear power plant has meant the loss of one of the area’s largest employers, displacing 1,100 workers from their jobs and eliminating a revenue source for critical services in the impacted communities. This devastating loss, coupled with the added economic challenges brought on by the pandemic, has created a perfect storm that could impact the growth of these areas for generations,” Schumer said.
In a letter to House and Senate Appropriators, Schumer explained that Indian Point was one of the county’s largest taxpayers, bringing in about $32 million in annual property tax revenue to Buchanan, Cortlandt, the Hendrick Hudson School District, and Westchester.
“Permanent authorization and increased funding for the Nuclear Closure Communities program will be crucial for the Village of Buchanan as we look to upgrade our infrastructure and replace our tax base following Indian Point’s shutdown,” said Buchanan Mayor Theresa Knickerbocker. “Buchanan feels very strongly that we should be compensated for being a de facto storage facility of nuclear waste for the department of energy.”
“The federal funds and assistance provided by the Nuclear Closures Communities program will be a lifeline for the Town of Cortlandt as we look to offset the lost jobs and tax revenue associated with Indian Point’s shutdown. This will help Cortlandt by improving our infrastructure to attract new companies to the area and create jobs,” said Cortlandt Supervisor Dr. Richard Becker.
In 2020, Schumer and former Congresswoman Nita Lowey successfully secured for Cortlandt a $3.2 million grant through the NCC program for an economic diversification initiative in preparation for the closure of Indian Point on April 30, 2021.
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
