Gov. Kathy Hochul recently announced that the County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency (IDA) was the recipient of a $2.787 million grant from the NYS Department of Transportation Passenger and Freight Rail Assistance Program (PFRAP).
The funding will be used to make rail improvements onsite at the Novelis plant in Scriba, including realigning the curvature of the existing track and turnouts onsite to accommodate longer railcars as well as reactivating a section of dormant track so workers can move railcars more efficiently.
Novelis will also replace two high-emission railcar movers with newer more efficient ones.
The $3.5 million total project cost will allow Novelis to reduce the number of tractor-trailer loads of aluminum, mostly coming from Canada, by about 5,000 loads a year. The project is expected to create four new jobs and support the retention of over 1,200 manufacturing jobs at the Oswego area plant.
“This project will provide Novelis the funding to invest in critical on-site infrastructure to keep more aluminum production domestic and ultimately help their sustainability and economic competitiveness here in Oswego County and as a company,” said Austin Wheelock, CEO of the IDA.
Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R,C—Pulaski) stated, “Securing nearly $2.8 million in state funding for the Novelis Rail Enhancement Project provides a tremendous boost for the region’s infrastructure and economy. With roughly 1,200 employees at its Oswego facility, Novelis has been a great partner in our local community. This major investment will help expand production to keep highly skilled, high-paying jobs here at home. I was proud to lend my support in the effort to obtain state funding, and I want to congratulate all those involved in this important project.”
