NY Governor Paterson Announces $43 Million In Stimulus Funds For Clean Water Projects

Green Innovation Projects Will Reduce Energy Costs, Conserve Water and Promote "Green Infrastructure"

October 1 , 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson today announced $43 million for innovative water quality projects across New York through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The funds were awarded to 58 different projects through a new State initiative known as the Green Innovation Grant Program, which promotes sustainable, environmentally sensitive water infrastructure and technologies.

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The grants will support cost-cutting solutions for progressive water conservation, energy efficiency technologies for drinking water systems and clean water infrastructure. The projects include green roofs, permeable pavement, rain harvesting and progressive wastewater treatment processes. In addition, the program expands “green collar” job opportunities across the State and builds upon a legacy of “green” municipal works and entrepreneurship.

“The Green Innovation Grant Program is a giant leap forward in developing the State’s ‘green’ industry. These funds will support innovative solutions that address environmental threats to our rivers, lakes and streams while also creating new jobs and providing taxpayer savings through reduced energy and water use,” Governor Paterson said. “I applaud President Obama, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson and our Congressional Delegation for their work to secure these critical funds that promote economic recovery, development and environmental stewardship.”

Last March, the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) solicited projects to identify green infrastructure opportunities in need of funds. Officials from EFC, the Department of Environmental Conservation, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and State Department of Health reviewed nearly 300 applications seeking nearly $468 million. The selected projects were then submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for final approval. Each grant recipient must comply with the ARRA, Safe Drinking Water Act, Clean Water Act and the New York State Revolving Fund requirements.

New York received $432 million through the ARRA for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and $86 million for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. The ARRA requires states to direct 20 percent of their stimulus funding to water quality projects that use innovative approaches to energy and water efficiency, incorporate stormwater infrastructure, and use innovative treatment technologies. A full list of the grant recipients announced today is available at www.nysefc.org/greengrants. Some of the projects include:

* $3.2 million to Monroe County for the construction of a highly visible and educational green roof on part of the plaza level of the Monroe County Civic Center;
* $2.9 million to the Albany County Sewer District for the installation of a Combined Heat and Power System to capture waste heat and produce electricity from Albany County Sewer District's existing facility;
* $2.1 million to the SUNY at Purchase, Westchester County for the construction of a 24,000 square foot green roof, which will decrease stormwater runoff by an estimated 33 percent
* $1 million to the City of Ogdensburg in St. Lawrence County for the upgrade of equipment with energy-efficient and innovative components including the creation of biomass fuel, a energy, from sewage sludge;
* $928,600 to Orange County for the construction of a green roof, a rainwater harvesting system, and an irrigation system that will reuse stormwater onsite at the Newburgh Campus of the Orange County Community College;
* $831,100 to the City of Utica in Oneida County for the purchase and installation of rain barrels, planting of new trees, and creation of new tree pits at various locations throughout the City in an effort to mitigate stormwater impacts to the Mohawk River;
* $736,100 to the Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation District for the restoration of over 200 acres of New York Department of Environmental Conservation wetlands within New York’s Susquehanna River Basin, to improve water quality by treating nutrients and sediment in stormwater run off;
* $351,600 to the City of Syracuse in Onondaga County for the Green City Homes project, which incorporates innovative permeable paving designs into the roads and sidewalks associated with the City of Syracuse's Xavier Circle, reducing stormwater runoff loading to the sewers;
* $263,300 to the City of North Tonawanda in Niagara County for the construction of bioretention cells and rain gardens to capture and infiltrate stormwater, reducing the largest continuous area of impervious surface in the City; and
* $200,700 to the Lindenhurst Memorial Library in Suffolk County for the installation of permeable pavers and bioswales for stormwater runoff management at the library.

For more information of New York State’s ARRA funds, please visit www.recovery.ny.gov. For more information the New York State Revolving Fund programs, please visit www.nysefc.org/recovery.

Source: New York Governor