Dec Announces More Than $78 Million In Grant Funding For Water Quality Protection Projects
New York State Department of Environ mental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton today announced the avail ability more than $78 million for water quality improvement and protection projects. The funding is part of the millions of dollars now available through the Consoli dated Funding Application recently announced by Governor Kathy Hochul for more than 20 programs to facilitate projects that advance regional strategic plans and State priorities.
This year, at least $75 million is available through DEC’s Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) program and up to $3 million is available through DEC’s Non-Agriculture Non point Source and Munici pal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Planning Grant (NPG) program. Applications for these grants are available through the New York State’s Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) through July 31, 2025, at 4 p.m.
“This Water Quality Improvement Project funding helps advance the goals of the South Shore Estuary Reserve’s Comprehensive Management Plan and supports the continued progress we are making to protect and restore this vital eco system,” said Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley. “Improved water quality is a key ingredient for healthy habitats and thriving wildlife through out the estuary, and we are grateful to Governor Hochul and our partners at DEC for their continued commitment to this important work.”
WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT PROGRAM
The Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) program is a competitive, state wide reimbursement grant program that sup ports implementation 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. This round of available funding includes a total of at least $75 million combined from the following sources: 2022 Clean Water, Clean Air, Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, State Environmental Protection Fund, Clean Water Infrastructure Act (CWIA), and geographic specific funding provided by the U.S. Environmen tal Protection Agency for Long Island Sound and Lake Champlain water sheds. The following project types are eligible for 2022 Clean Water, Clean Air, Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act funding: non-agricultural nonpoint source abatement and control, dam safety repair/rehabilitation and dam removal, aquatic connectivity, marine district habitat restoration, and fish and wildlife habitat restoration and enhancement.
In WQIP, maximum grant awards range from $100,000 to $15 million depending on the project type and population served, as identified in the application. Municipalities, including Indian Nations, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and not-for-profit corporations are eligible to apply. Nine different project types are available for implementation funding in 2026, including:
Wastewater treatment improvement, including abatement of combined sewer overflows;
Non-agricultural non point source pollution abatement and control, including green infrastructure projects;
Vacuum trucks for municipal separate storm sewer systems;
Land acquisition for drinking water source water protection;
Salt storage and road salt reduction practices;
Dam safety repair, rehabilitation, and removal;
Aquatic connectivity;
Marine District habitat restoration;
Fish and wildlife habitat restoration and enhancement; and
Landfill leachate treatment
Earlier this year, more than $200 million in WQIP grants sup ported projects including municipal wastewater treatment upgrades, abatement and control of polluted runoff, land acquisition projects for drinking water protection, salt storage construction and road salt reduction practices, aquatic connectivity restoration, fish and wild life habitat restoration and enhancement, and marine district habitat restoration.
NON-AGRICULTURAL NONPOINT SOURCE AND MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEM PLANNING
DEC’s Non-Agricultural Nonpoint Source and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Planning Grant (NPG) funds projects that help pay for the initial planning of non agricultural nonpoint source water quality improvement projects, such as undersized culvert replacements and green infrastructure technologies, State permit-required storm water system mapping, and stormwater management program planning in urban areas. These projects will reduce the amount of polluted stormwater and runoff entering lakes, rivers and streams, and improve resiliency against the impacts of climate change.
In NPG, maximum grant awards range from $50,000 to $75,000 for the Nonpoint Source Planning category depending on the report type, $75,000 to $400,000 for the MS4 Mapping category depending on whether the application is on behalf of a collaborative, as identified in the program overview, and up to $50,000 for MS4 Stormwater Management Program planning. There is no minimum award amount. Municipalities, including Indian Nations and Soil and Water Conservation Districts, are eligible to apply for this opportunity. Funding for this program is support ed by the State’s EPF.
Interested potential applicants can learn more about the WQIP and NPG programs by attending a webinar host ed by DEC scheduled for June 8 at 1:00 p.m. There will be time available for questions. Registration is required.
NEW YORK’S COMMITMENT TO WATER QUALITY
New York State contin ues to increase its nation leading investments in water infrastructure. The recently Enacted 2026 27 budget includes the Governor’s historic $750 million one-year commit ment to clean water, with $525 million for Clean Water Infrastructure Act funding, $175 million for water infrastructure proj ects to promote housing, and $50 million for water infrastructure projects to promote housing in rural communities. The bud get also reaffirms New York’s commitment to environmental leadership by appropriating $425 million to the EPF, using $25 million from the Sustainable Future Program to provide a record $450 million for important environmental programs.