Complements Governor Kathy Hochul’s 2026 State of the State Historic $3.75 Billion Commitment to Water Quality

New York State recently announced more than $18 million in grants to support 12 water quality and climate resiliency projects in the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC’s) Region 9. The awards are part of more than $265 million in investments recently announced by Governor Kathy Hochul to help protect drinking water, improve climate resilience, update aging water infrastructure, reduce contributors to harmful algal blooms, and secure statewide access to clean water. 

Today’s announcement is supported by funding from multiple grant programs administered by DEC and the Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) and investments from the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, Environmental Protection Fund, and other sources. The programs—Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP), Non-Agricultural Nonpoint Source Planning and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Mapping Grant (NPG), and Resilient Watersheds Grant (RWG)—help protect communities and water quality while reinforcing the State’s support for municipalities by making these critical projects more affordable and minimizing the financial burden on local taxpayers. 

DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “Since taking office, and most recently in the 2026 State of the State, Governor Hochul continues to provide unprecedented resources to invest in climate resiliency and water infrastructure to support communities across the State. With more than $265 million from multiple programs, including $185 million supporting improvements in environmental justice communities, the awarded projects will help our municipal partners achieve meaningful reductions in flood risk, protect drinking water, improve aquatic habitat, and safeguard residents from increasingly severe weather events.”

EFC President and CEO Maureen Coleman said, “Governor Hochul is investing billions in water infrastructure every year to help local governments affordably advance crucial water quality and resiliency projects. By pairing Environmental Bond Act funding with other State program funding to support new and signature programs, every dollar goes further and brings New York closer to a safer, more sustainable future. The new Resilient Watersheds Grant program will jumpstart flood-mitigation projects in some of the most at-risk communities while creating good-paying jobs that drive local economies."

The funding complements the historic environmental investments announced earlier this week in the 2026 State of the State, building upon the record support for New York State’s premier grant programs that fund critical water infrastructure, protect drinking water, and safeguard communities.    

DEC Region 9 Awards 

Allegany County  

• Allegany County Soil and Water Conservation District
• $1.2 million through three $400,000 WQIP awards to work with the towns of Birdsall, Granger, and New Hudson to construct salt storage facilities in each of the three towns. The new structures will protect water quality in Black Creek, Rush Creek, and groundwater. 
• $50,000 through NPG for a project to evaluate a segment of Rush Creek with significant streambank erosion. The study will focus on a site survey followed by identifying areas to reinforce bank stability. 
• $50,000 through NPG to address sections of unstable and eroding streambanks along Caneadea Creek, surveying six areas of severe erosion and provide recommendations to reinforce the stability of the streambanks to withstand future flooding events. 
• $50,000 through NPG to create a design report to address unmitigated stormwater runoff that causes shoreline erosion and direct sediment discharge in the Angelica Creek watershed. The assessment will identify intervention designs to stabilize the streambank. 
• $75,000 through NPG to perform a comprehensive stream corridor assessment in the Cuba Lake watershed. The assessment will identify areas for streambank stabilization and riparian buffer restoration to ultimately reduce sediment loading into Cuba Lake.

Cattaraugus County 

• Cattaraugus County Soil and Water Conservation District:
• $805,600 through WQIP for a culvert replacement project in the Town of Hindsdale. The project will eliminate a barrier to aquatic organism passage, connecting approximately one mile of trout habitat. 
• $240,000 through WQIP for a salt storage facility construction project in the Town of Humphrey to protect the water quality of Wrights Creek and groundwater. 
• $171,768 through WQIP to purchase live edge plow blades for plow trucks for the Cattaraugus County Department of Public Works and the Town of Carrollton Highway Department. The new equipment will reduce road salt application protecting groundwater and drinking water supplies. 

Chautauqua County  

• Town of Chautauqua
• $508,363 through WQIP to replace the aged and undersized Wright Road steel pipe culvert with a new arched culvert that will no longer impede stream and debris flow and will reduce erosion and nutrient loading in the Chautauqua Lake watershed. 
• $410,757 through WQIP to replace the undersized and failing Elmwood Road culvert that is obstructing natural stream flow. The new box culvert will reduce erosion and improve flood resiliency in the Chautauqua Lake watershed. 

• Chautauqua County Soil and Water Conservation District
• $20,000 through NPG to prepare a riparian corridor restoration plan. The report will identify areas to incorporate emergent wetlands and replant native species to reduce streambank erosion and improve the water quality of Cattaraugus Creek.

Erie County 

• Buffalo Sewer Authority:
• $10 million through WQIP to install new vortex-style drop shaft to the Scajaquada Tunnel on Colorado Avenue to accommodate higher peak wastewater flows and reduce the number of combined sewer overflows to improve the water quality of Scajaquada Creek and Black Rock Canal. 

• Town of Cheektowaga:
• $10 million through WQIP to rehabilitate 2,800 feet of sewer laterals and over 1,200 manholes, reducing inflow and infiltration in the wastewater collection system during storm events. The project will decrease sanitary sewer overflow occurrences and improve the water quality of Scajaquada Creek and tributaries. 

• Erie County:
• $4 million through WQIP to stabilize eroding streambanks and shorelines at 10 sites located on Erie County Parks and Forest properties, including one site with severe coastal erosion at Wendt Beach Park. The project will stabilize 10,000 feet of shoreline and restore 400 acres of riparian buffers in Lake Erie and the Niagara River watersheds. 

• Town of Grand Island:
• $1.9 million through WQIP to replace three undersized pumps at Lift Station 8 with larger pumps, as well as rehabilitate 10,200 feet of sanitary sewer on Stony Point Road. The improvements will reduce sanitary sewer overflows during storm events, improving the water quality of the Niagara River. 

• Town of Aurora:
• $486,044 through WQIP for a salt storage construction replacement project to protect the water quality of East Branch Cazenovia Creek. 

• Town of Clarence:
• $400,000 through WQIP to purchase a vacuum truck to increase maintenance and cleaning of the catch basins throughout the regulated MS4 area of the town. Acquiring the truck will reduce pollutant loading and improve water quality within the Ransom Creek watershed and tributaries. 

• Town of Alden:
• $388,532 through WQIP for a salt storage construction replacement project to protect water quality in Ellicott Creek and groundwater. 

• Village of Alden:
• $386,324 through WQIP to purchase a vacuum truck to service the catch basins throughout the regulated MS4 area of the village. Catch basin cleaning will reduce sediment in the Ellicott Creek watershed and improve maintenance operations through more effective catch basin cleaning. 

• Town of Amherst:
• $67,500 through NPG to map a portion of the stormwater system to update existing GIS maps with flow direction, pipe types, and any unmapped components to assist the Town in maintaining the system and tracking illicit discharges.

Niagara County 

• New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
• $3.3 million through RWG for a culvert removal project and to daylight approximately 600 linear feet of stream in Reservoir State Park, including creating a wetland pond and walking trail. The project improves stormwater retention capabilities.

• Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper:
• $2 million through WQIP to conduct a living shoreline restoration project along Gill Creek in the City of Niagara Falls. Restoration activities include planting native plants, removing a deteriorating boardwalk, and replacing a mowed lawn with riparian habitat to reduce erosion and improve habitat for aquatic organisms. 

• City of North Tonawanda:
• $75,000 through NPG for an updated MS4 mapping project. This effort will assist the city in identifying issues within the existing stormwater system, with a focus on flood-prone areas, and help improve overall stormwater management. 

• Niagara County Soil and Water Conservation District:
• $388,250 through WQIP for a salt storage facility construction project for the Town of Royalton Highway Department. The new storage facility will protect water quality within the Eighteenmile Creek watershed.

Wyoming County 

• Trout Unlimited, Inc.:
• $344,471 through WQIP to replace a culvert along Trout Brook in Wyoming County, reconnecting over three miles of stream habitat. The new culvert will increase passage for aquatic organisms and promote flood resilience through increased flow capacity. 

• Wyoming County Soil and Water Conservation District:
• $300,000 through RWG to restore a severely eroded stream along Creek Road and relocate the main channel to its historic location. This project protects the drinking water of the City of Batavia and improves habitat for the proposed endangered Salamander Mussel.

• Village of Warsaw:
• $50,000 through NPG for a culvert replacement project to prevent flooding and streambank erosion throughout the village. Upon completion of the assessment, the village will be able to seek grant funding to implement the suggested repairs and ultimately improve water quality and flood resiliency in the Genesee River Basin. 

More than $208 million was awarded to 131 projects statewide through DEC’s WQIP grant program.  WQIP grants fund projects that directly improve water quality or habitat; promote flood risk reduction, restoration, and enhanced flood and climate resiliency; or protect a drinking water source. A full list of grant awards can be found here. 

A total of $2.9 million was awarded to 44 projects through DEC’s NPG program to fund the initial planning of WQIPs, such as replacing undersized culverts, implementing green infrastructure, and completing State permit-required storm sewer mapping in urban areas. NPG projects reduce the amount of polluted stormwater runoff entering lakes, rivers, and streams, and improve resiliency against the impacts of climate change. A full list of grant awards can be found here.  

In addition, $55 million in new grant funding was awarded to 24 climate resiliency projects in 15 communities across New York State. EFC, in coordination with DEC, administers the RWG program funded through the Environmental Bond Act. RWG projects were selected to reflect the diverse, statewide issues that New Yorkers are facing and include stream and floodplain restoration; removal of dams, culverts and other barriers; culvert replacements; and property buyouts. The RWG program builds on the success of DEC’s Resilient NY, which delivers state-of-the-art studies of flood-prone, high-risk watersheds across the state. All awarded projects were recommended actions by Resilient NY studies or a comparable flood study. A full list of grant awards can be found here. 

New York State's Commitment to Water Quality Improvements 

Governor Hochul remains committed to ensuring New Yorkers have access to safe, clean drinking water. As outlined in the 2026 State of the State, Governor Hochul is proposing a bold five-year, $3.75 billion commitment to modernize New York State’s water systems, providing $750 million annually to deliver clean water while also unlocking the state’s economic potential. This historic funding level will also continue to uplift and support New York State’s premier water programs, such as WQIP, the Water Infrastructure Improvement program, and the Lead Infrastructure Forgiveness and Transformation program. In addition, the new Smart Growth Water Grant Program will fund the essential sewer and water infrastructure required to build new housing and support the state’s growing economy.   

Since 2017, Governor Hochul and the State Legislature have invested $6 billion in clean water infrastructure to replace aging water mains, upgrade sewage treatment plants, replace lead pipes, filter toxic PFAS chemicals, and much more. The Governor’s new commitment would raise that total to nearly $10 billion.  

About New York’s Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act

On November 8, 2022, New Yorkers overwhelmingly approved the $4.2 billion Environmental Bond Act. State agencies, local governments, and partners will be able to access funding to protect water quality, help communities adapt to climate change, improve resiliency, and create green jobs. Environmental Bond Act funding will support new and expanded projects across the state to safeguard drinking water sources, reduce pollution, and protect communities and natural resources from climate change. A total of $1.9 billion is invested to date. Learn more at www.environmentalbondact.ny.gov.

About the Consolidated Funding Application