Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) recently announced that nearly $2 million in Regional Economic Development funding will be awarded to projects locally in Genesee County. Hawley expressed confidence that the funding will create new sustainable jobs and improve the infrastructure of Western New York.

“I am excited to announce that six of the major projects in Genesee County will receive a combined nearly $2 million in funding,” said Hawley. “In a time when people are still struggling and the economy has not fully recovered, this just may be the spark we need to become a viable economic powerhouse again. The funding package includes several hundred thousand dollars directly for the City of Batavia, and other areas of the county will now have the opportunity to upgrade their sewer, sanitation and infrastructure systems.”

Hawley’s comments come after Gov. Cuomo’s announcement that $709.2 million will be awarded through round four of the Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) Initiative. The Finger Lakes Region was awarded the most funding at $80.7 million to fund 100 projects. The REDC initiative was started by Gov. Cuomo in 2011 in order to create jobs and transform economic development funding from a top-down oriented approach to one that is grassroots, locally controlled and performance driven.