Congressman John Larson was in Winsted Wednesday to celebrate $350,000 in federal funding for the creation of a new nursing program at Northwestern Connecticut Community College.

Joining him was Connecticut Community College System Chancellor Dr. Marc Herzog, Northwestern President Barbara Douglass and Professor Barbara Berger.

Connecticut will have the second worst nursing shortage in the nation by 2015, according to Larson, with the biggest shortage occurring in Litchfield County.

His office estimated that Litchfield County's nursing vacancy rate is 14 percent, or double the statewide average.

"I am certain, this federal funding and this nursing program will help systemically transform the economic and health care landscape of Litchfield County for the better," Larson said.

Douglass said that the college hopes to welcome its first nursing program students in January 2011.