ICYMI: DEC Region 2 Highlights $10 Million Grant Awarded to Local Water Quality Protection Project in New York City

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Region 2 celebrated Governor Kathy Hochul’s recent awarding of a $10 million State grant to support the New York City Department of Environmental Protection’s Wastewater Treatment Improvement project, through DEC’s successful Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) program. The grants support projects that help protect drinking water, update aging water infrastructure, reduce contributors to harmful algal blooms, and improve aquatic and terrestrial habitat in communities statewide.   

“Governor Hochul continues to support critical water infrastructure projects in New York City by making a $10 million investment in essential New York City infrastructure,” DEC Region 2 Director Antonia Pereria said. “This significant funding from the Water Quality Improvement Project program will help New York City upgrade their wastewater treatment facility and make it more resilient to climate change.” 

About the project: 

New York City Department of Environmental Protection, $10 million – The City will rehabilitate six final settling tanks and related systems at their Port Richmond Water Resource Recovery Facility in Staten Island. The project will improve the water quality of Newark Bay and make the facility more resilient to climate change impacts. 

The WQIP funds are part of more than $249 million in grants recently announced by Governor Hochul for 181 projects statewide that help protect drinking water, update aging water infrastructure, reduce contributors to harmful algal blooms, and improve aquatic and terrestrial habitat in communities statewide. More than $206 million of the funding will support water quality improvements for environmental justice communities which may be disproportionately impacted by environmental pollution. This announcement supplements more than $10 billion in water infrastructure improvements and clean water project investments by New York State since Governor Hochul took office. 

More than $42 million of funding provided through the 2022 Clean Water, Clean Air, Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act will be used to implement 49 WQIP projects. View a full list of WQIP grant awards.   

Additionally, more than $2.9 million will help support 42 statewide projects through DEC’s Non-Agricultural Nonpoint Source and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Planning Grant (NPG) program. NPG projects help pay for the initial planning of water quality improvement projects, such as undersized culvert replacements and green infrastructure technologies, State permit-required storm sewer mapping, and stormwater management planning in urban areas. NPG projects will reduce the amount of polluted stormwater runoff entering lakes, rivers, and streams, and improve resiliency against the impacts of climate change. View a full list of grant awards.

Sources of Funding  
WQIP is primarily supported by the State's 2022 Clean Water, Clean Air, Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), and Clean Water Infrastructure funding. The 2026-27 enacted New York State Budget maintains the EPF at $425 million and includes an additional $25 million from the Sustainable Future Program to provide a record $450 million for critical environmental programs, such as land acquisition, farmland protection, invasive species prevention and eradication, enhanced recreational access, water quality improvement, and an aggressive environmental justice agenda.    

New York's Commitment to Clean Water   
Under Governor Hochul, New York State continues to increase its historic investments in water infrastructure. The enacted 2027 budget announced by Governor Hochul sets the national standard with a transformational $3.75 billion water infrastructure investment plan, building on $10.6 billion provided to clean water infrastructure projects since 2021. To leverage these investments and ensure ongoing coordination with local governments, the Governor supports the Environmental Facilities Corporation’s Community Assistance Teams in coordination with State agencies to provide proactive outreach for one-on-one consultations to help municipalities prepare strong applications. New Yorkers can view projects benefiting from DEC’s water grant programs using the interactive grant data portal.    

About the Consolidated Funding Application  

The grants were issued following completion through the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) process. The CFA was created to streamline and expedite the grant application process. The CFA process marks a fundamental shift in the way State resources are allocated, ensuring less bureaucracy and greater efficiency to fulfill local economic development needs. The CFA serves as the single-entry point for access to economic development funding, ensuring applicants no longer have to slowly navigate multiple agencies and sources without any mechanism for coordination. Now, economic development projects use the CFA as a support mechanism to access multiple State funding sources through one application, making the process quicker, easier, and more productive. Learn more about the CFA. 

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