Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation has approved more than $44 million for drinking water and wastewater projects across New York State. The funding includes grants, interest-free financings, and low-cost financings, approved by the EFC Board of Directors. This will provide cost-effective solutions for critical infrastructure projects across the state that protect or improve water quality.
«One of the most important things to keeping a community strong and resilient is access to clean water. By ensuring our local partners have the resources they need to invest in critical water projects, we can bolster the public health in our state, and lay the foundation for growth and economic development,» Governor Hochul said. «This funding will help local governments make critical upgrades to key infrastructure, like wastewater collection systems, drinking water mains and water storage tanks, helping to protect water quality for New Yorkers for generations to come.»
Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner and EFC Board Chair Basil Seggos said, «In the face of our changing climate and more frequent and severe storms, New York’s aging drinking and wastewater systems are being challenged like never before. Governor Hochul understands the fiscal challenges local governments face in making necessary upgrades to water infrastructure and has made supporting their efforts a top priority. Today’s announcement of more than $44 million in grants and low-cost financing through New York’s Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Funds and the Clean Water infrastructure Act will help local governments implement major infrastructure projects critical to protecting and improving water quality. DEC is proud to partner with the state’s Environmental Facilities Corporation and communities across the state to help strengthen New York’s water infrastructure systems. The Board of Directors welcomes EFC President and CEO Maureen Coleman, as she continues EFC’s mission to help communities with critical water infrastructure needs across New York State.»
EFC President and CEO Maureen Coleman said, «Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York continues to provide unprecedented support to help communities improve water quality as shown with her recent announcement of providing $400 Million for Water Infrastructure Improvement grants available to local communities. By approving funding to local governments for critical water infrastructure work, the EFC Board of Directors has ensured that communities statewide can cost-effectively undertake important projects that help protect our precious water resources. We are pleased to partner with the Department of Environmental Conservation, the Department of Health, and local governments as we work together to strengthen and modernize New York’s aging water infrastructure systems.»
Department of Health (DOH) Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said, «New York’s continued commitment to fund drinking water upgrades and other clean water initiatives is making a lasting impact on the health of communities statewide. Water systems are doing the work now to shore up outdated infrastructure that will ensure residents’ access to quality drinking water long into the future.»
The Board’s approval includes financing through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) and grants pursuant to the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act.
The project financings approved at the Oct. 14 meeting include:
Drinking Water Projects:
- City of Jamestown in Chautauqua County – $3,000,000 WIIA grant for water main replacement.
- Village of Canisteo in Steuben County – $3,000,000 WIIA grant and $1,776,800 in short-term, market-rate financing for storage and distribution system upgrades.
- Village of Walton in Delaware County – $1,200,000 WIIA grant and $800,000 in short-term, market-rate financing for storage and distribution system upgrades.
- City of Kingston in Ulster County – $900,000 WIIA grant and $600,000 in short-term, market-rate financing to upgrade transmission and distribution systems.
- Massapequa Water District in Nassau County – $4,000,400 Intermunicipal Grant to upgrade a distribution system.
Clean Water Projects:
- City of Lockport in Niagara County – $531,250 WIIA grant, $2,268,750 short-term interest-free financing, and $1,000,000 short-term market-rate financing for wastewater treatment plant improvements.
- Village of Addison in Steuben County – $2,914,513 in long-term, interest-free financing for wastewater system improvements.
- City of Binghamton in Broome County – $2,740,000 in long-term, interest-free financing for wastewater treatment plant restoration and rehabilitation with the Village of Johnson City.
- Village of Johnson City in Broome County – $2,260,000 in long-term, interest-free financing for wastewater treatment plant restoration and rehabilitation with the City of Binghamton.
- Village of Boonville in Oneida County – $5,122,500 in short-term, interest-free financing and a $2,457,500 grant from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for wastewater treatment plant improvements.
- Town of Ticonderoga in Essex County – $9,275,936 in long-term, interest-free financing for treatment plant improvements, sanitary sewer separation and stream daylighting.
- Town of New Windsor in Orange County – $392,188 WIIA grant for sewer rehabilitation.
The CWSRF and the DWSRF are EFC’s core funding programs. With its partner DEC, EFC is responsible for the operation and administration of the CWSRF. The CWSRF allows EFC to provide interest-free or low-interest rate financing and grants to support a variety of eligible water quality improvement projects. EFC similarly operates and administers the DWSRF, with its partner DOH, to provide interest-free or low-interest rate financing and grants for drinking water infrastructure projects. To learn more about how EFC provides access to low-cost capital, grants and expert technical assistance, visit EFC’s website at www.efc.ny.gov.