MakingWaves - News From the Division of Water

In this Issue:

• Round XII of Consolidated Funding Application is Open
• Webinars to be Held on DEC Grant Programs
• Celebrate Water Week
• Mohawk Valley Youth Climate Summit
• Environmental Benefit Permit Strategy Priority Rankings

Round XII of Consolidated Funding Application is Open

Governor Kathy Hochul has announced that Round XII of the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) opened Monday, May 2, and will remain open until 4:00 p.m. on Friday, July 29, 2022. A wide range of programs are available through ten state agencies.

DEC's Division of Water has two grant programs available in the CFA. New this year, these programs are not part of the Regional Economic Development Councils initiative and are considered "standalone CFA programs".

• Water Quality Improvement Projects (WQIP): WQIP funds implementation projects to improve water quality or protect a drinking water source. Eligible project types include wastewater treatment improvement, non-agricultural nonpoint source abatement and control, land acquisition for source water protection, salt storage, aquatic connectivity restoration, and marine habitat restoration. For full program details and requirements, including maximum award amounts, required match, and project type descriptions, view DEC's WQIP webpage.
• Non-Agricultural Nonpoint Source Planning and MS4 Mapping Grant (NPG): NPG funds production of planning reports for nonpoint source water quality improvement projects and mapping of Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4). For full program details and requirements, including maximum award amounts, required match, and eligible grant categories, view DEC's NPG webpage.

Other water-related standalone grant opportunities available through the CFA include:

• Climate Smart Communities Grant Program (DEC)
• Engineering Planning Grant Program (Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC))
• Green Innovation Grant Program (EFC)

Webinars to be Held on DEC Grant Programs

DEC will be scheduling webinars to present details about each of its grant programs. They will be announced in MakingWaves and on DEC's website. Two webinars have been scheduled already:

Webinar on WQIP Land Acquisition Projects for Source Water Protection

Join DEC for an information session to learn about the WQIP "Land Acquisition Projects for Source Water Protection" project type, which focuses on acquiring and protecting lands that are critical to safeguard a source of drinking water. Learn how municipalities and not-for-profits can use WQIP grants to further their drinking water source protection goals.

• Register for Wednesday, May 18 at 2:00 p.m.  OR
• Register for Tuesday, May 31 at 1:00 p.m.

Celebrate Water Week

Join DEC's Division of Water in celebrating Water Week May 8 - 14. For almost 40 years, New York has set aside a full week in May to focus on its water resources, highlight water issues, and encourage stewardship. This year's theme is the 50th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act.  

The Clean Water Act of 1972 (CWA) was the nation's first comprehensive water pollution control law. Its enactment still stands as a major milestone in the restoration and protection of our water resources. 

In New York, we are fortunate to have an abundant supply of water in our lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands, as well as underground, for people to use and enjoy. Clean water is an asset to a community’s health and economic vitality. Thanks to the Clean Water Act, and the funding that came with it, cities and villages with once heavily polluted and unusable waterways are now making those same waters the focal points of their communities.

Today, our waters are much cleaner, but there is still work to be done. Fully restoring and protecting the health of New York's waters will continue to take vigilance, funding and collaborative efforts for research, planning and implementation of new technologies and practices.

For ideas on ways you can help protect and conserve our water resources, go to DEC’s Watershed Stewardship and Keep Water Clean webpages.

Mohawk Valley Youth Climate Summit

The first Mohawk Valley Youth Climate Summit will be held May 14, 8:30 to 3:30, at the Rome Free Academy in Rome, NY. Organized by educators from Onondaga Environmental Institute and the Utica and Rome school districts, this event is driven by youth who want to chart a more sustainable climate future. It will feature lectures and hands-on sessions that include “Understanding Climate Change in the Mohawk Valley and the World”, “Vegetable Gardening”, “Planting Trees for the Planet” and “Climate Friendly Cooking”. Students and community groups will host displays on topics, such as climate change-related flooding; reducing energy use and costs; plant forward food to sample; and climate-related books.

Thanks to volunteers and support from DEC’s Mohawk River Basin Program, there is no cost to attend. Youth in grades 7-12 can register on their own or educators/youth leaders can register a group. Registration is capped, so don’t delay.

For questions, contact Amy Samuels, Onondaga Environmental Institute, at asamuels@oei2.org or 315 472-2150 x13

Environmental Benefit Permit Strategy Priority Rankings

DEC is accepting comments on the Environmental Benefit Permit Strategy (EBPS) priority rankings until June 2, 2022. The lists are based on a ranking system that prioritizes wastewater discharge permits for full technical review and, when necessary, modification. 

The ranking scores are updated on a continuous basis due to the discovery of new information and the issuance of modifications that eliminate the factors that go into each score. Each of the ranking lists includes a summary of the scores for each of the permits on the lists. In addition, individual scoring lists are available showing the factors that make up each permit's score.

The 2022 SPDES permit lists can be viewed on DEC's website. Go to the May 4th Environmental Notice Bulletin for additional information.