Micron, plans for small modular nuclear reactor at Nine Mile Point and infrastructure improvement in the area are some of the reasons to be optimistic, says State Assembly Minority Leader Barclay
By Mary Beth Roach
Its geographic location. Its waterfront. Its beautiful scenery and venues. Its “right-size” cities and the diversity of its communities. The new Micron facility planned in Clay, near the Onondaga-Oswego County line. Infrastructure improvements and plans for a possible small modular nuclear reactor at Nine Mile Point.
These are some of the resources and projects that give State Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R-Pulaski) hope for ongoing progress in Oswego County and Central New York. Barclay’s 120th Assembly District includes Oswego County.
“I think the balance that we have between industry and agriculture and tourism is a nice balance. We’re not over reliant on one or the other. I think we can build on that,” he said.
Case in point, tourism is a large revenue source for the area. According to the New York State Tourism Association website, visitors in 2023 spent $228 million and Barclay points to his hometown of Pulaski as an example of how tourism has taken hold and how it can benefit a region.
“I think the more people we can bring into our area; they’re going to see how wonderful it is to live there and hopefully want to stay. I think I think we just build on that,” he said.
But his optimism is tempered to some degree. As he noted, it can be challenging to do business in New York state. While he said there are some things that make him feel optimistic, “but we still struggle in New York. We’re a tax-and-spend state. I think that trajectory, unfortunately, hasn’t changed,” he said in a recent interview.
However, one of the projects that Barclay has strongly supported — a small modular reactor — is showing signs of moving forward. He sees a small nuclear reactor as a great opportunity for Oswego County, citing the efficiency of nuclear power and noting the tremendous amount of power that Micron will require.
It was announced in mid-January that Constellation Energy, which owns one unit and the majority of a second unit at Nine Mile Point, is working with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority on a grant proposal to the U.S. Department of Energy for an early site permit from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for at least one advanced nuclear reactor at Nine Mile.
“I’ve always said we should be the energy capital of New York state. We have the nuclear reactors, we have the steam station, we have hydro. So, I think it sort of fits in the portfolio that we have another one,” he said.
“I think with the Trump administration, I think even with the governor, there seems to be a recognition that nuclear needs to be part of the solution to our energy problems going forward,” he added.
Also important to an area’s progress is its infrastructure and Oswego County’s should see a big boost.
It was recently announced by local media that New York state is making millions of dollars in funding available to Oswego County, for a variety of projects in communities throughout the county. These projects include sidewalk construction and rehab in Pulaski and Minetto and a pedestrian bridge; improvements to the wastewater plant in Parish; the eventual removal of the Pulaski Dam on the Salmon River; plans for the development of a Brownfield Opportunity Area in Schroeppel, near the planned Micron facility; continued lakefront development and recreational opportunities in Oswego.
“Infrastructure is something that I do think the government has a duty to provide and so I try to advocate for those on the state level. I try to have parity between projects downstate and upstate,” he said. Strides in these areas will “allow for future development. I think those types of things will ultimately lead to a better business climate in Oswego County.”
Infrastructure will become even more critical as the county experiences more growth and he pointed out, that the area needs to be prepared to take advantages of these opportunities.
One of those needs is affordable housing, citing the possibility of a large influx of new residents coming in for the Micron facility.
“We don’t have the housing stock in Oswego County. I always wanted to see what we could do to lower the cost so developers would be interested in coming in and developing,” he said.
A 22-year member of the Assembly and a lifelong Oswego County resident whose family has been rooted in the region for eight generations, Barclay said “I try to support business and industry in Oswego County that we currently have and also try to advocate to make New York more business-friendly. I will always try to fight for parity.”
He noted that with 212 legislators in Albany, along with the governor, there are many and varied priorities.
“I always do my best to advocate, make sure at least when it comes to spending dollars, we have parity with other parts of the state,” he said.
