Environment
Western New Yorkers know too well the painful costs of pollution and other forms of environmental degradation and neglect. Over 30 years ago the Buffalo River was declared biologically dead and ecologically destroyed, and only through a persistent restoration effort was it remediated and shows vastly improved water quality. Brian believes that we must learn from this history to prevent the recurrence of environmental disasters like Love Canal and Tonawanda Coke in our district. His work in Washington, D.C. focuses on the conservation and care for the many precious natural resources here in Western New York. From the Great Lakes, to our waterways, to our parks and natural public spaces, Brian is fighting to ensure the federal policies enacted in Congress help to support a healthy environment and protect those most vulnerable to pollution and exposure to hazardous substances. To achieve these goals of preservation, Brian has been a strong supporter of federal funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and the Water Resources Development Act.
More on Environment
Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) announced the House of Representatives has approved the Inflation Reduction Act. The bill, which already passed in the Senate, now moves to the President’s desk to become law. As a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, Congressman Higgins played a key role in crafting the bill.
Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26), New York State Senator Sean Ryan, and New York State Assemblyman Bill Conrad were joined by leaders from the Town of Tonawanda to announce a new $2.12 million trail project in the Town of Tonawanda.
Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) announced approval of a package of federal funding bills investing in American families, communities, and economic growth. The legislation (H.R. 8294) includes nearly $17.2 million requested by Higgins for Western New York projects.
BUFFALO, NY – Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper and Congressman Brian Higgins debuted new Seabin™ technology at Buffalo Harbor State Park on Saturday in partnership with the bi-national Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR) on behalf of the Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup and with NYS Parks.
Niagara County to Receive $3.9 Million in Brownfields-Specific Funding to Address Contaminated Sites
Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) announced the House of Representatives has approved the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Reauthorization Act (HR5973), authorizing $6 million annually for the next five years for projects that support fish and wildlife conservation and restoration in the Great Lakes basin.
Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) announced the House of Representatives has approved a funding package that will create jobs and invest in communities across the Western New York region and the nation.
Congressman Higgins fought for the following projects to be included in the bill, which total $8,165,000 for Western New York:
Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) was joined by representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 2, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeepers, and Citizens Campaign for the Environment to highlight how significant federal investments in the Great Lakes will have a lasting impact on Western New York.
In a recent letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) is calling on the agency to re-study the flood risk for Cayuga Island in Niagara Falls and reinstate the prior flood insurance map from 2010 until errors in the new map are addressed.
Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) announced passage of H.R. 2008, the Local Water Protection Act, a bill that authorizes $200 million annually in Fiscal Years 2022 through 2026 for programs that protect our nation’s waterways from runoff pollution.