NY: Hinchey Applauds Selection of Endicott Huron Campus as Permanent Site for BAE

Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) today released the following statement applauding BAE Systems' choice of Endicott, New York's Huron Campus as a permanent site for its Southern Tier operations. Hinchey, who serves on the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, helped spearhead the effort to keep the company in the region and has long supported BAE's efforts to strengthen its presence in the Southern Tier.

After flooding from Tropical Storm Lee destroyed BAE's Johnson City facility in September, the congressman organized a critical meeting between BAE, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Empire State Development, the Broome Industrial Development Agency (IDA) and other stakeholders to find a suitable arrangement to allow the company to maintain its presence in the Greater Broome region. The congressman's office has continued to aggressively identify federal funding sources to help the company cover the expenses of relocating to another local facility. Hinchey's office also worked diligently to ensure that the United States Air Force would cover the demolition costs of the Johnson City, New York site, which previously housed BAE. In 1993, Hinchey brokered a deal through the Base Realignment and Closure Commission, which allowed the Air Force and IDA to maintain defense contracting work at the Johnson City facility.

"This is an example of what local, state and federal officials can accomplish when we work together. After Tropical Storm Lee, I fought to ensure that BAE Systems would remain in the Southern Tier. I applaud the selection of the Huron Campus in Endicott, New York as a permanent site for the company's facilities, and I'm going to continue working to ensure the transition goes as smoothly as possible.

"Beyond saving over a thousand jobs, this permanent relocation is great news for Endicott, which has seen tough times in recent years. It's going to help restore the downtown corridor, which will generate jobs and increased foot traffic for area small businesses.

"I am also pleased that the United States Air Force has agreed to cover the costs of demolishing the old facility, which housed BAE in Johnson City. As a member of the committee which appropriates funds for our armed services, I'm going to continue working to help the Air Force see this process through."

"BAE is a critically important company, and I have worked for years to deliver important defense projects to the Broome County workforce. In 1993, I brokered the deal to maintain defense contracting at the Johnson City location. The selection of the Endicott site is going to maintain hundreds of high-paying jobs for area residents, and I couldn't be more pleased."