BUFFALO, N.Y. — Former State Assemblywoman Jane Corwin represented the 144th district from 2009 until she retired in 2016.

The district includes the Lake Ontario shoreline in Niagara County, which sustained heavy flooding last summer.

Corwin says her familiarity with the area led to President Donald Trump nominating her Tuesday to become the U.S. Chair for the International Joint Commission.

"I think there was really a geographic dynamic to this, which my representing the people in the Assembly District along the Lake Ontario shoreline for eight years, being on the Environmental Conservation Committee in the State Assembly for years, I think lends itself to my name being put forward," Corwin said.

The six-member IJC handles issues over border waters between the two countries.

Corwin says Plan 2014 has been the biggest issue that the IJC has had to deal with.

She says while she didn't support Plan 2014 when it was being developed, she says simply scrapping it would not be prudent because of the time and money put into it.

"Looking back at the study and the justifications beyond the study, I don't think that the commission was wrong. I think perhaps maybe there was a missed opportunity for taking into consideration further issues, and so, for myself, personally, being on the commission, I would like to see us review that methodology and make sure that we don't make that kind of mistake again," Corwin said.

As residents living along the Lake Ontario border continue to recover from last year's devastating flooding, Orleans County Legislator Lynne Johnson and Niagara County Legislator David Godfrey say it would be very beneficial having Corwin in a position to fight for them.

"Nobody better than somebody who's represented us in the past, and she's always been reachable. We've met with her many times," Johnson said.

"We hope with not only her position within the IJC, but her background in the political arenas will help campaign, if you will, at the federal level and even the state level to get the desperately needed funding to repair and protect our lake shores going forward," Godfrey said.

Corwin still needs to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Spectrum News reached out to Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer to see if they would support her nomination.

Neither replied.

President Trump's other selections are Robert Sisson of Michigan and Lance Vohe of North Dakota.