Photo By Kaylee Wendt | Map of where contractors will repair the seawall on Unity Island in Buffalo, New York,...... read more read more
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, Buffalo District City of Buffalo Buffalo Sewer Authority
For Immediate Release: June 3, 2026
City of Buffalo Nick Beiling, Deputy Director of Communications mailto:Press@buffalony.gov
Buffalo Sewer Authority John Ovak, Clerk 716-851-4664 mailto:jovak@buffalosewer.org
USACE, Buffalo District Kaylee Wendt, Public Affairs 716.344.3672 mailto:kaylee.a.wendt@usace.army.mil
Corps of Engineers, City of Buffalo, and Buffalo Sewer Authority Sign Agreement to Protect City’s Only Wastewater Treatment Facility
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, the City of Buffalo, and the Buffalo Sewer Authority have signed a three-way project partnership agreement for a $10.5 million repair to the Freedom Park seawall on Unity Island, home to the city of Buffalo’s only wastewater treatment facility and a historic cultural and recreation site.
Repairs to the seawall will ensure the facility continues to support more than half a million Buffalo and Erie County residents, and the park – which was once a major stop on the Underground Railroad – continues to serve the community.
“This is a commitment to today’s critical infrastructure, and an investment in the future of the City of Buffalo and the Great Lakes region,” said Lt. Col. Robert Burnham, USACE Buffalo District commander. “We’re proud to deliver this repair for the hundreds of thousands of residents who rely on the fresh water, recreational opportunities, and cultural importance that this seawall protects.”
“This is a major win for Buffalo,” Mayor Sean M. Ryan said. “Repairing this seawall will protect our environment, our access to clean freshwater, and the more than half-million people who depend on this facility every day. As a Great Lakes city, we know extreme weather and rising water levels are real threats. This project will help prevent catastrophic damage while protecting our Bird Island Wastewater Treatment facility and the critical infrastructure that keeps our region healthy and thriving.”
“This partnership between the City of Buffalo, the Buffalo Sewer Authority, and the Army Corps of Engineers will ensure that the Bird Island Wastewater Treatment Facility will be able to continue to serve the people of the City of Buffalo and protect the people and environment of Western New York, the Niagara Peninsula, and all downstream communities along the Niagara River, Lake Ontario, and the St. Lawrence Seaway,” said Rosaleen B. Nogle, PE, Principal Sanitary Engineer, Buffalo Sewer Authority.
Repairs will focus on the most critical portions of the island’s western seawall along the Niagara River. 1,620 linear feet will be restored with steel plate shoring, concrete surface repairs, and stone embankment.
Deterioration has accelerated over the last 15 years and threatens the viability of the Bird Island Wastewater Treatment Facility. The facility treats wastewater from a sewer system spanning 110 square miles, including the City of Buffalo, parts of nine surrounding towns and villages, and two Erie County sewer districts.
Construction is anticipated to begin in 2028.
The $10.5 million project is being executed under USACE’s Continuing Authorities Program Section 103 for coastal storm damage reduction. Section 103 allows USACE to study, design, and construct small coastal storm damage reduction projects in partnership with non-federal government agencies. The project is being cost-shared 65% federal, 35% non-federal with $6.9 million from USACE, $3.6 million from the Buffalo Sewer Authority, and real estate provided by the City of Buffalo.
About the Bird Island Wastewater Treatment Facility
The Bird Island Wastewater Treatment Facility was originally constructed in the 1930s to provide wastewater treatment to what was, at the time, one of the largest cities in North America and to protect the public health of downstream communities in both the United States and Canada, including the border community of Niagara Falls. In the 1970s, the facility was expanded to provide biological treatment in addition to the original physical treatment. Today, the facility stands as the largest treatment facility in New York State outside of New York City. More information about the Buffalo Sewer Authority is available at buffalosewer.org.
About Freedom Park
Freedom Park is located on Unity Island at the junction of Lake Erie and the mouth of the Niagara River. The park was established in 1950 and is currently maintained by the City of Buffalo Division of Parks & Recreation. Freedom Park welcomes thousands of visitors each year who enjoy its recreational amenities, including a canoe launch, concession stand, picnic shelter, restrooms, a garden, and nearly a mile of multi-use trails and access to the Bird Island Pier walkway. The park is also home to programs and events hosted by the Friends of Freedom Park. Freedom Park was once the final U.S. stop on the Underground Railroad. From here, people fleeing enslavement took a ferry to cross into Canada and freedom. Today, the park is listed as a designated Network to Freedom site by the National Park Service. More information about the City of Buffalo Division of Parks and Recreation is available at www.buffalony.gov/332/Division-of-Parks-Recreation.
Photos and B-roll of the project site are available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/buffalousace/albums/72177720331293625/
The Buffalo District delivers world class engineering solutions to the Great Lakes Region, the Army and the Nation to ensure national security, environmental sustainability, water resource management, and emergency assistance during peace and war. Learn more at www.lrd.usace.army.mil/buffalo.
For 250 years, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been at the forefront of the nation’s engineering excellence, responding when called. From constructing fortifications during the Revolutionary War, to building the infrastructure that saw America’s strength grow militarily and economically, USACE’s mission has always been to deliver engineering solutions for our nation’s toughest challenges. Learn more about the USACE 250th anniversary at www.usace.army.mil/Home/250th.
| Date Taken: | 06.03.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.03.2026 12:10 |
| Story ID: | 566762 |
| Location: | BUFFALO, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 18 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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