LACKAWANNA, N.Y. — Buffalo is an area that was once a hotspot for manufacturing that has since been blighted by high costs, jobs moving overseas, and empty promises of revitalization.
For many residents, the promise of a manufacturing boom and community investment sounds like a dream, but the powerful U.S. Senate majority leader insists those dreams could become a reality soon.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer held a press conference in Lackawanna to discuss a bill introduced by an Ohio Republican last year that aims to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States.
"Everyone wants to bring jobs back to America," said Schumer. "And the ONSHORE Act is a vital piece of legislation that, when combined with the historic investment for domestic manufacturing I passed into law in the CHIPS and Science Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the Inflation Reduction Act, will help bring manufacturing back from overseas to Upstate New York."
If passed, the ONSHORE Act would provide tax dollars from Washington to local governments, to help prepare more shovel-ready sites for industries, such as the former Bethlehem site which has been re-branded as Renaissance Commerce Park.
"You know when companies come and talk about our region you have to have a site," said John Cappellino, President & CEO of the Erie County Industrial Development Agency. "That's one of the first questions they ask...where can we go? We like your region, we like your workforce but we need a physical place to put facilities."
Once the heart of Western New York's golden age of manufacturing, the former Bethlehem Steel site has seen somewhat of a rebirth in recent years.
At the conference, Schumer did not reference the vitality of the bill except to say that there is a "very, very good" chance that it will get passed.
ONSHORE stands for "Opportunities for Non-developed Sites to Have Opportunities to be Rehabilitated for Economic Development."
Specifically, this bill—if passed—would provide $100 million per year for five years in funding for a Critical Supply Chain Site Development Grant Program within the Economic Development Administration (EDA).
Through the EDA's program, assistance would be provided to get sites and utilities ready and develop the workforce among many other things. The idea would be to fit the local manufacturers and businesses with the ability to handle anticipated rapid growth.
As far as the impact of the bill goes, Schumer claims it will create "thousands" of good-paying jobs for New Yorkers.
Schumer went on to liken the bill to the movie "Field of Dreams" starring Kevin Costner.
"If you build it, they will come," Schumer said.