Erie County legislators approve $1 million for USS The Sullivans

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Another million dollars in funding has been approved to go towards repairing the USS The Sullivans after it partially sank in April of 2022.

The funding was approved by Republican legislators during Thursday's session.

USS The Sullivans suffered a hull breach in 2022 after being docked in Buffalo's harbor since 1979. It was commissioned in 1943 and named for the five Sullivan brothers who died during World War II.

Since April 2022, millions of dollars in funding have been secured to repair the historic ship. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced $10 million towards the efforts last summer and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer secured $7.5 million.

The ship was 95% righted in May 2022 and officials originally planned to dry-dock it in September 2025 for repairs to be made. That date has since been pushed to October 2026.

In June, President of the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park Paul Marzello said no progress has been made in the past four months.

“We’ve got $21 million to move forward and we’re getting the question all the time. ‘Why aren’t we moving forward?’ Marzello said. “The simple answer is, we don’t control the process. The city owns the ships."

In response, Buffalo’s Department of Public Workers Commissioner Nate Marton said the city is moving diligently in the project and that no deadlines have been missed.

The measure for funding to the ship was approved 11-0 on Thursday.