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 8. 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 8 Awards

Genesee County

• City of Batavia:
• $6.65 million through WQIP for a filtration system project to reduce nutrient pollution and improve the water quality of Tonawanda Creek. 

• Ducks Unlimited, Inc.:
• $641,000 through WQIP to conduct wetland restoration activities on 565 acres in the Tonawanda Wildlife Management Unit and Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. Work includes the installation of water control structures, embankment repair, and riparian buffer restoration that will improve habitat quality for waterfowl, mitigate flood impacts, and protect water quality. 

• Genesee County Soil and Water Conservation District:
• $470,000 through WQIP for a salt storage facility replacement project that will protect water quality in Oak Orchard Creek. 

Livingston County  

• Town of Avon:
• $1.98 million through WQIP to replace two culverts that were severely damaged after recent storm events. This project will reduce a barrier to aquatic connectivity and promote flood resilience from future storm events on Little Conesus Creek. 

• Town of Avon:
• $50,000 through NPG for a culvert assessment project along Little Conesus Creek. The assessment will include the designs to upgrade six undersized and failing culverts. Implementation of report recommendations will improve flood resiliency and reduce streambank erosion. 

• Village of Dansville
• $50,000 through NPG for a culvert assessment project on five inadequately-sized stream culverts that caused significant flooding and streambank erosion and threatened residential infrastructure along a tributary to Mud Creek. The assessment will include designs to upgrade the culverts to accommodate increased stream flow. 

Monroe County 

• Town of Perinton:
• $600,000 through WQIP for a salt storage facility replacement project that will protect the water quality of Thomas Creek, White Brook, and groundwater. 

• Town of Webster:
• $600,000 through WQIP for a salt storage facility construction project at the Town's Highway Department that will protect water quality in the Mill Creek watershed. 

• Town/Village of East Rochester:
• $400,000 through WQIP to purchase a new vacuum truck to maintain MS4 stormwater infrastructure and reduce sediment runoff discharging into the Irondequoit Creek watershed. 

• Town of Clarkson:
• $75,000 through NPG for an MS4 mapping project to inventory, map, and evaluate MS4 outfalls, interconnections, sewershed boundaries, and other infrastructure. The project will assist with discharge investigations and identify significant sources of pollution that may be impacting waterbodies within the area, specifically Lake Ontario. 

• Town of Webster:
• $75,000 through NPG to expand and update MS4 mapping to include outfall locations, interconnections, and other storm sewer infrastructure. This mapping project will address gaps in current mapping and assist the town with proactively maintaining, repairing and/or replacing critical stormwater infrastructure. 

• Town of Penfield:
• $67,500 through NPG for a project to update and expand existing GIS maps of stormwater infrastructure. Enhanced mapping data will allow the town to better identify areas that may be at risk due to climate change, assist with review of proposed development and redevelopment areas, and respond more quickly to problems related to stormwater infrastructure. 

Ontario County 

• Town of Canandaigua:
• $2.8 million through WQIP to acquire 70 acres in the Town of Canandaigua. The project will prioritize forested and former farmland to protect Canandaigua Lake, which provides drinking water to approximately 70,000 people. 
• $2 million through WQIP to replace two undersized culverts that are perched higher than the stream bank, causing erosion and flooding. Box culverts will be installed to accommodate stream flows, reduce erosion, and improve aquatic connectivity in the Canandaigua Lake watershed. 

• Ontario County Soil and Water Conservation District:
• $1.58 million through WQIP for a stabilization project for roadside ditches along Jersey Hill Road at six locations with severe erosion. The project will reduce sedimentation and protect water quality of Honeoye Lake and Genesee River watershed. 

• Town of Farmington:
• $75,000 through NPG for an MS4 mapping project to inventory, map, and evaluate MS4 outfalls, interconnections, sewershed boundaries, and infrastructure. The project will assist in conducting discharge investigations and identifying significant sources of pollution that may be impacting local waterbodies within the Canandaigua Lake watershed. 

• Ontario County:
• $50,000 through NPG for a project to explore potential floodplain restoration on a Seneca Lake tributary. The project will consider stream channel reshaping, culvert resizing, floodplain reconnection, and storage expansion. 

• Town of Gorham:
• $50,000 through NPG for a culvert assessment project on four failing and inadequately sized culverts. The assessment report will recommend cost-effective solutions to improve the culverts, resulting in reduced streambank erosion and flooding impacts. 

• Town of West Bloomfield:
• $50,000 through NPG to perform a condition assessment of five undersized and failing culverts that contribute to eroding embankments, damaged infrastructure, and reduced aquatic connectivity. The report will recommend effective solutions to improve stream flow, increase movement of aquatic life, and reduce erosion. 

Steuben County 

• Town of Greenwood:
• $538,880 through WQIP for a salt storage facility construction and relocation project to move the Bennetts Creek facility to a location above the floodplain, protecting the water quality of Bennetts Creek and groundwater. 

• Village of Savona:
• $197,600 through WQIP to construct a salt storage facility to cover an uncovered salt/sand pile. The new storage facility will protect water quality in Mudd Creek, Canisteo River watershed, and groundwater. 

• Village of Wayland:
• $75,000 through NPG to perform a comprehensive stream corridor study of Mill Creek to address flooding and streambank erosion. The study will identify locations to improve streambank stabilization and repair failing culverts. 

Wayne County 

• Ducks Unlimited, Inc.:
• $ 577,264 through WQIP to conduct wetland restoration activities on 240 acres in the Montezuma Wetlands Complex. The project will create wetland features and restore agricultural fields to native riparian habitat, which will improve flood mitigation and restore migrating bird habitat. 

• Town of Huron:
• $377,200 through WQIP for a salt storage facility reconstruction project that will increase salt storage capacity and protect the water quality of Beaver Creek.

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