State Sen. Patty Ritchie and Assemblyman Mark Walczyk are applauding Governor Andrew Cuomo’s announcement of a 20-site dredging project designed to help strengthen shorelines along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River in an effort to protect communities from future flooding.

In St. Lawrence County, two projects are planned, dredging the Ogdensburg "City Front Channel" and Morristown Navigation Channel.

In this appearance recently in Sandy Creek, the governor spoke about helping to strengthen a barrier bar there.

“There are countless people along the shorelines of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River who are still reeling from the effects of record high water in 2017 and 2019,” said Ritchie (R-Heuvelton).

“Dredging these sites will be vitally important in our effort to strengthen our shorelines and I thank Governor Cuomo for his leadership and for taking quick action to help protect our communities and make them more resilient in the face of future flooding,” she said.

“All signs point to another year of record high water levels, and in order to keep the Front Yard of America viable and economically sound, it's critical to fortify our shoreline and make the region more resilient against high water events,” said Assemblyman Walczyk.

“This dredging project will not just improve capacity for our waterways, but it will also recycle the dredged sediment, acting as a natural barrier against flooding to allow waterfront communities and businesses to be better equipped to combat rising water levels,” he said.