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MOREAU, N.Y. — As the area’s population continues to grow, Saratoga County is strengthening its infrastructure with help from COVID rescue funding.

Congressman Paul Tonko (D-Amsterdam) visited Saratoga County’s new sewer and wastewater pump station, located on Route 9 in Moreau, on Wednesday morning to highlight how the local infrastructure project is benefiting from federal funding through the American Rescue Plan Act.

This act, passed by Congress last year with Tonko’s support, delivered $350 billion for state, local, territorial and tribal governments across the nation to respond to the COVID-19 emergency, including $10.7 billion in relief for local governments in New York state.

Saratoga County received a total of $44 million through ARPA, $6 million of which was earmarked for sewer infrastructure projects by the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors.

The new Moreau pump station will allow the county to extend sewer lines northward into the towns of Wilton and Moreau, expanding service for residents and increasing economic development potential along the Route 9 Corridor.

“This is a county that’s seeing economic growth. It’s seeing population growth,” Tonko said. “So it’s important to have these dollars incorporated into providing what are essential services for incoming business. It’s a good economic development tool.”

Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman Todd Kusnierz, who is Supervisor of the Town of Moreau, shared that the county’s population has increased in recent years to more than 235,000 residents, and he is confident about the area’s future growth.

“We know that Saratoga County is one of the fastest-growing counties out of all 52 upstate counties in New York state,” he said Wednesday. “So we’re moving forward to plan accordingly for the economic development that’s poised to take place right through the Route 9 corridor.”

Kusnierz expressed his gratitude to Tonko for securing the ARPA funding needed for Saratoga County’s continued success.

“With growth comes a lot of challenges, a lot of planning, a lot of investment,” Tonko said, “but this is partnership that is about meeting those challenges.”

Town of Wilton Supervisor John Lant, who was also in attendance at Wednesday’s event, said the sewer upgrades will be a “big plus” for the towns as well as the area’s businesses and school districts.

In addition to the Moreau and Wilton sewer expansion, which is using $2 million of ARPA money, other ARPA-funded infrastructure projects are happening throughout Saratoga County.

Tonko noted that the ARPA funds are coming to Saratoga County at a perfect time, as it coincides with the upcoming local expansion of semiconductor company GlobalFoundries, headquartered in Malta. This expansion is expected to create an increased demand on infrastructure in the county, he said, “so the timing of this of this couldn’t be better.”

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