Shuster Secures Chambersburg Army Reserve Center - CASD Land Transfer in Defense Bill

Congressman Shuster is pleased to announce that he has been successful in securing the transfer of land from the Chambersburg Army Reserve Center to the Chambersburg Area School District. Shuster inserted the language for the conveyance into the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, which will be passed by the House this week.

Last year, Congressman Shuster secured $14.9 million in military construction funding for a consolidated Army Reserve Center at Letterkenny Army Depot to replace the existing Army Reserve Center on South Sixth Street in Chambersburg. When this new facility is complete in 2011, the current reserve center in Chambersburg will be vacated. The Chambersburg Area School District has expressed its desire to acquire the existing reserve center for a variety of uses for the school district and the surrounding community.

Congressman Shuster secured language in the FY2010 Defense Authorization bill that provides for the transfer of the excess property reserve center to the school district at such time as the Army vacates the property. The House is in the midst of debating the bill and it is expected to pass the legislation by the end of the week. The legislation must then be passed by the Senate and signed into law by the President before the conveyance is finalized.

Shuster announces job creating project in Franklin County

David Sciamanna and Congressman Shuster talk to the press about the transportation project

This morning, Congressman Shuster joined local elected leaders and members of the Cumberland Valley Regional Development Corporation to announce details of a major transportation improvement and job creation project off of Exit 24 of PA 696 in Shippensburg.

Shuster announced that a bridge-widening project on Pa. 696 at Exit 24 would begin this week. Federal funding will provide $2.2 million for the project, which will expand the bridge from two to three lanes and include 10-foot shoulders. The project in Southampton Township is expected to be completed by Thanksgiving of this year. The bridge will improve driver safety and help increase access to the new United Business Park that is now in development.

Other infrastructure improvements will be paid for by the developer of the business park, Cumberland Valley Regional Development Corp. They include realignment of the I-81 northbound ramp of the exit, installation of traffic signals at the northbound exit ramp, improvements to Pa. 696 that include widening of the road, and a driveway into the business park.

Including the bridge project, the infrastructure improvements total almost $3 million. Two-way traffic will be maintained throughout the project, with rolling shutdowns at night, as needed.

Planning for United Business Park began in earnest seven years ago when the Cumberland Valley Regional Development Corp. was formed in August 2002. The park is a joint venture between the Chambersburg Area Development Corp. and the Shippensburg Area Development Corp. CVRDC received a $7 million loan in 2006 through the Pennsylvania Business in Our Sites Program.

David G. Sciamanna, executive director of Chambersburg Area Development Corp., hopes the project will duplicate the success of the Chambers-5 Business Park in Chambersburg. That CADC-owned park, also 350 acres, began in 1990 and was filled last year when Vacon Inc. decided to build its North American headquarters on the last available lot in the park off of Orchard Drive.

According to Sciamanna, Chambers-5 Business Park is one of the premiere business locations in south central Pennsylvania. It houses more than 30 locally and nationally known businesses that provide about 1,800 jobs.

Posted by: Press Secretary

Congressman Shuster on the importance of the Franklin County First Responder Alliance

On Friday March 20th, Congressman Shuster announced $500,000 in federal funding for the Franklin County First Responder Alliance. Here is a short video from the announcement where Shuster highlights why interoperable communications equipment is necessary for area first responders and comments on the good job the Alliance is doing to serve its community.

Posted by: Press Secretary

Photos from Chambersburg

On Friday morning, Congressman Shuster was on the road in Chambersburg to announce $500,000 in funding for the Franklin County First Responders Alliance. The Alliance will use the funding to help complete their purchase of new interoperable communications equipment. The new equipment will allow emergency service personnel throughout the county to work with other fire and EMS departments in neighboring counties as well as departments in other states.

The event took place in the Commissioners' Meeting Room at the Franklin County Courthouse in Chambersburg. We had a great turn-out at the announcement, with local elected officials and members of the EMS, fire and police departments that will benefit from the funding.

Posted by: Press Secretary