Senator Panepinto’s Eighteen Mile Creek Legislation Unanimously Passes State Senate

ALBANY, N.Y. – Following his recent push promoting the bill in Buffalo, Senator Panepinto’s 18 Mile Creek legislation (S.4109A) unanimously passed the State Senate today. This bill will make the Towns of Hamburg and Evans eligible for millions of dollars in state and federal waterfront revitalization funds by designating Eighteen Mile Creek as an Inland Waterway within the State of New York. Following its passage, Senator Panepinto made the following remarks outside the Senate Chamber:

“For as long as I can remember, outdoor activities involving 18 Mile Creek have been an important part of life for the people of Erie County and Western New York. After much input from the residents throughout my district, I am very proud to have passed legislation that will protect this way of life by improving recreational activity and the quality of our environment near this vital waterbody. By designating 18 Mile Creek as an Inland Waterway, millions of dollars in state and federal funds will be made available for pollution clean-up and waterfront revitalization. I am calling on the Assembly to pass this common sense piece of legislation and place on the Governor’s desk before the end of session. The people of Hamburg, Evans, and the Southern Tier have been fighting for this long enough.”

Senator Panepinto’s legislation has passed the State Senate and is currently awaiting review in the Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee (A.3475B, Sponsor: Assemblyman Sean Ryan). 

Background on Eighteen Mile Creek:

• Eighteen Mile Creek is the second largest tributary in Lake Erie.
• Each year, Eighteen Mile Creek serves as a habitat to thousands of migrating Salmon and Steelhead from August to April, a runoff for more than 120 square miles of agricultural and residential land and a recreational haven for fishermen year-round.

Senator Panepinto has aslo sponsored the following waterfront legislation for Western New York:

• S.4824: Defines the boundaries of the Niagara River Greenway.
• S.3612: Enacts the Clean Water, Clean Air, Green Jobs Bond of 2015.