Communities across the Southern Tier are sharing in a new round of New York water-quality funding that will support sewer work, stormwater improvements, road-salt controls and other projects intended to protect local waterways.
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office says more than $249 million was awarded to 181 projects statewide. More than $246 million will support 139 projects through the Department of Environmental Conservation’s Water Quality Improvement Project program, while another $2.9 million will support 42 planning projects. The state says more than $206 million of the overall funding will benefit environmental-justice communities.
In Broome County, Binghamton was awarded $400,000 for a vacuum truck that will help clean and maintain more than 3,000 catch basins and reduce pollution reaching the Susquehanna River. Endicott received $820,050 for green infrastructure at municipal parking lots and $1,039,720 for the third phase of sanitary-sewer rehabilitation work.
Tioga County awards include $48,360 for roadside-drainage stabilization by the county Soil and Water Conservation District, $140,245 for expanded salt storage at the county highway garage and a Town of Owego road-salt reduction project. State project records say the work is designed to reduce sediment, nutrient and salt runoff into local waterways and protect groundwater.
Chemung County was awarded $400,000 for a vacuum truck to service more than 7,000 catch basins in communities covered by municipal stormwater rules. The Town of Horseheads received another $400,000 to replace an aging salt-storage facility and help protect groundwater and Catherine Creek.
The state says the grant programs fund projects that improve water quality and habitat, reduce flood risk, protect drinking-water sources and help communities replace or modernize aging infrastructure. The awards were announced Friday, October 30.
