New York announced on May 12 the award of $17 million in grant funding for GI made available through the Green innovation Grant Program. The GIGP awarded 20 projects in support of improving water quality and mitigating the effects of climate change through the implementation of green stormwater infrastructure, as well as energy and water efficiency projects.
"Stable infrastructure is a requirement for clean water, yet it can be a struggle for communities to cover the cost of planning. These grants offer the means to pay for necessary early planning to kick start these critical projects," Governor Cuomo said. "With this funding we are supporting environmentally-friendly projects that will take center stage in cities, towns and villages across this great state."
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner and Chair of EFC's Board Basil Seggos said, "Ensuring the resiliency and durability of our infrastructure is the most critical step to improve water quality across the State. The Green Innovation Grant Program and Engineering Planning Grant Program will allow communities to tackle these costly projects without breaking the bank. This is especially crucial for low-income communities that have borne the brunt of environmental pollution and are most at risk from climate change."
Since the inception of the GIGP in 2009, the program has disbursed over $129.7 million to fund 187 green infrastructure projects. This year, an unprecedented number of applications for more than 130 potential GIGP projects were received. A total of 20 GIGP grants, worth $17 million, were awarded to 20 projects, with more than 70% of the funding awarded to Environmental Justice communities. A list of GIGP awards is below.
Applications for the 2021 GIGP and EPG funding round are now available and must be submitted through the Consolidated Funding Application website by July 30 at 4 p.m.
2020 GIGP awarded projects:
- The City of Buffalo Sewer Authority was awarded $1.1 million for the Niagara Phase 4b project that will create green streets along the Niagara River. The installation of stormwater planters and stormwater street trees will help to renovate an environmental justice area while improving the water quality of the Niagara River. This is an Environmental Justice Community project.
- The City of Binghamton was awarded $330,000 for Deco District Green Infrastructure to revitalize a downtown streetscape. The installation of stormwater street trees and bioretention will help to improve the water quality of the Chenango and Susquehanna Rivers. This is an Environmental Justice Community project.
- The City of Cohoes was awarded $1 million to re-establish wetlands along the Mohawk-Hudson Bike Trail. These wetlands will help restore a scenic recreational area. This is an Environmental Justice Community project.
- The City of Gloversville was awarded $850,000 to replace obsolete water meters with new advanced metering infrastructure. The installation of the new water meters will provide more accurate readings and enable the City to identify system leaks that account for the loss of an estimated 50,000 gallons of potable water per day. This is an Environmental Justice Community project.
- The City of Newburgh was awarded $800,000 to help revitalize Broadway. The installation of bioretention and stormwater street trees will improve infrastructure along a business corridor while helping to reduce combined sewer overflows to the Hudson River. This is an Environmental Justice Community project.
- The City of Norwich was awarded $1 million to upgrade aging water meters with new advanced metering infrastructure. The new water meters will increase the City's water efficiency, which was estimated to have had over 40% of water produced unaccounted for in 2019. This is an Environmental Justice Community project.
- The City of Oswego was awarded $1 million to install new energy efficient blowers at the Eastside Wastewater Treatment Plant. The new blowers will provide a reduction of energy use by over 50%, while also helping the plant operate more efficiently overall. This is an Environmental Justice Community project.
- The City of Poughkeepsie was awarded $355,000 for the Malcolm X Pocket Park in the north side of the City. The installation of rain gardens, bioretention and trees will provide green space as well as help to improve the water quality of the Fall Kill Creek and the Hudson River. This is an Environmental Justice Community project.
- The City of Rome was awarded $2 million to increase treatment capacity of the anaerobic digesters at their Water Resource Recovery Facility. The installation of a new combined heat and power system will allow the facility to produce enough biogas to achieve net-zero energy status. This is an Environmental Justice Community project.
- Oneida County was awarded $1.25 million towards the installation of microturbines at their water pollution control plant. Excess biogas from digesters is currently flared and wasted. The addition of the new microturbines will allow the County to utilize the excess biogas to increase the capacity of electricity production. This is an Environmental Justice Community project.
- The Town of Coeymans was awarded $1 million to make green infrastructure improvements to the Landing Riverfront Park on the Hudson River. The installation of bioretention areas and stormwater street trees will help alleviate flooding at the park while also providing a better environment for the community to gather.
- The Town of Diana was awarded $150,000 to install water meters in the unmetered Diana Water District Number One. The new meters will help the Town comply with a NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Water Withdrawal Permit which requires the Town to meter 100% of all customers by 2025.
- The Town of Ontario was awarded $415,000 to upgrade the Town's wastewater treatment plant. The installation of a cascade post aeration system will replace an existing tank with dedicated blowers and drastically reduce both energy consumption and the plant's carbon footprint.
- The Town of Ticonderoga was awarded $1 million for the installation of an effluent heat exchanger system at the water pollution control plant. This energy efficient system will supplement the existing heating systems, reduce emissions, improve ventilation, and increase the longevity of the equipment at the plant.
- The Town of Wallkill was awarded $950,000 to upgrade existing water meters with advanced metering infrastructure technology. The upgraded meters will reduce water loss in Consolidated Water District Number One, which has become a significant problem over the last decade. This is an Environmental Justice Community project.
- The Village of Ilion was awarded $385,000 towards the second phase of floodplain and creek channel restoration along Steele Creek. This project will increase the flood resiliency of Steele Creek through the installation of floodplain benches and widening of the creek channel. This is an Environmental Justice Community project.
- The Village of Ravena was awarded $475,000 for the Faith Plaza Stream Daylighting Project. The daylighting of a segment of the Hannacroix Creek will improve the water quality of the Creek and the Hudson River.
- The Village of South Glens Falls was awarded $1 million to upgrade existing water meters at commercial properties as well as install water meters at unmetered residential properties. The addition of an automatic meter reading system will provide water efficiencies that will help the Village meet its water demand during summer months.
- Washington County was awarded $940,000 to replace existing influent screw pumps with new energy efficient pumps at their Sewer District Number Two wastewater treatment plant. The new pumps are estimated to provide an energy reduction of over 60%.
- Westchester County was awarded $1 million to replace two outdated inefficient fuel engines with energy efficient combined heat and power engines and heat recovery system at the Yonkers Joint Water Resource Recovery Facility. This project will address air emission concerns, provide on-site energy production, and reduce the amount of fossil fuels consumed at the plant. This is an Environmental Justice Community project.
SOURCE: New York State
