Governor Hochul Announces More Than $265 Million for Water Quality and Climate Resiliency Projects Across the State

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced more than $265 million in grants to support projects that will help protect drinking water, improve climate resilience, update aging water infrastructure, reduce contributors to harmful algal blooms, and secure access to clean water. 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's premier grant programs that fund critical water infrastructure, protect drinking water and safeguard communities.

"Every New Yorker deserves clean water, which has been a top priority of mine since taking office,"  Governor Hochul said. "These grants continue our critical investments to update aging water infrastructure across the state. They will also help our local governments enhance resiliency against flooding caused by severe weather, again demonstrating our commitment to a safe, affordable, and sustainable future for all New Yorkers." 

Today's announcement is supported by funding from multiple grant programs administered by the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and 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 help protect New York State 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. 

More than $209 million was awarded to 131 projects through DEC's Water Quality Improvement Project (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 is being awarded to 44 projects through DEC's Non-Agricultural Nonpoint Source Planning and MS4 System Mapping Grant (NPG) to fund projects that help pay for the initial planning of water quality improvement projects such as replacing undersized culvert, green infrastructure, and 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.

Governor Hochul also announced $55 million in new grant funding for 24 climate resiliency projects in 15 communities across New York State. EFC, in coordination with DEC, administers the Resilient Watersheds Grants (RWG) program funded through the 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.

RWG awards include two projects in Yonkers, where an announcement was made with State and local partners. The City of Yonkers will receive two grants totaling more than $6.66 million for culvert replacement and streambank stabilization along Troublesome Brook near the Scarsdale Road and Manhattan Avenue crossings. The announcement also celebrated two WQIP grants in the Lower Westchester area: the Village of Sleepy Hollow and the Sleepy Hollow Local Development Corporation will receive $600,000 to construct a salt storage facility and protect water quality in the Hudson River and groundwater. Save the Sound, Inc., will receive $2 million for dam removal and critical habitat restoration along the Bronx River.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 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." 

New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation 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."

Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, "Now more than ever, when the federal government is trying to halt New York's progress towards environmental goals, it is crucial that our state continue leading on environmental stewardship. Today's announcement of $211 million in grant funding through the Water Quality Improvement Project Program is a reflection of the Senate's commitment to ensuring New York's communities are more resilient to extreme weather events and safeguarding our state's water resources. I am proud to stand with my partners in government, including Governor Hochul and DEC Commissioner Lefton, to announce these vital investments."

State Senator Peter Harckham said, "This major investment from the state through water quality improvement grants will ensure public health standards, support local municipalities and businesses, and create good jobs as well. Maintaining safe, accessible drinking water sources and supply systems is integral to future growth and prosperity, and I thank Governor Hochul, my colleagues in the State Legislature and the Department of Environmental Conservation for making the financial commitment to see this through."

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's water systems, providing $750 million annually to provide clean water while also unlocking the state's economic potential. This historic funding level will also continue to uplift and support New York'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. 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
The grants announced today 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 here. 

Contact the Governor's Press Office