Governor Kathy Hochul has announced $30 million in funding for 19 projects across New York State, as part of the 2022 Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act. The announcement coincides with Climate Week NYC and is aimed at enhancing community resilience to extreme weather events and flooding.
“New York is continuing to make historic investments to protect our communities from the growing risks of inland and coastal flooding,” Governor Hochul said. “These projects will strengthen local infrastructure, restore natural protections and make neighborhoods more resilient in the face of climate change. By advancing these projects now, we are not only safeguarding lives and property, but also demonstrating New York’s leadership in building a safer, stronger and more sustainable future.”
The Bond Act supports projects in four main areas: restoration and flood risk reduction; open space land conservation and recreation; climate change mitigation; and water quality improvement with resilient infrastructure. Funding is distributed through state agencies to initiatives that aim to protect water quality, reduce pollution, conserve natural resources, help communities adapt to climate change, improve resiliency, and create green jobs.
The Department of State administers two key programs under the Bond Act: the Coastal Rehabilitation and Resiliency Projects Program, which focuses on natural process-based solutions for environmental protection; and the Inland Flooding and Local Waterfront Revitalization Program, which aims to enhance waterfront resiliency against flooding.
Projects funded under these programs include streambank stabilization along the Wallkill River in Orange County ($450,000), flood resiliency efforts on the Genesee River in Rochester ($2.25 million), wetland restoration by Save the Sound Inc. ($2 million), dam removal in Mohonk Preserve ($1.1 million), stormwater upgrades in Freeport ($3.56 million), salt marsh restoration at Cupsogue Beach in Suffolk County ($4.17 million), tidal wetland work at Turtle Cove by NYC Parks ($3.19 million), flood resiliency improvements in Canandaigua ($2.65 million) and Plattsburgh ($1.18 million), among others.
New York Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley stated: “Communities across the state are already experiencing the impacts of severe weather and sea level rise. The projects we are funding through these programs will deliver the resources local governments need to strengthen critical infrastructure, protect shorelines and restore natural systems that help keep people safe.”
Amanda Lefton, Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation, added: “Whether it’s preventing inland flooding or rehabilitating coastal areas, Governor Hochul is ensuring that we are doing our part to make all New Yorkers safer from the effects of severe weather events. This $30 million investment from the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act builds on the significant resources committed across the state which will save exponentially more in recovery from future storms, while getting put to work, and helping communities get the resources they need to plan and prepare.”
Doreen M. Harris, President and CEO of NYSERDA said: “Governor Hochul’s climate leadership is delivering strategic and proactive solutions for helping our communities keep their residents and businesses safe from the most damaging effects of extreme weather events. The infrastructure investments announced today will benefit generations of New Yorkers by strengthening resiliency systems, allowing these regions to adapt to and recover more readily and cost-effectively from the impacts of future flooding.”
State Senator Pete Harckham commented: “Climate change is already costing our communities more than $2 billion a year, and those costs will only grow if we fail to strengthen the resilience of our infrastructure. This is exactly the kind of investment the Bond Act was created for: protecting our residents and creating good-paying jobs locally. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul and my colleagues in the Legislature for prioritizing this critical issue and for ending Climate Week with a statement of action.”
Assemblymember Deborah Glick said: “I thank Governor Hochul for her foresight and commitment to keeping New Yorkers safe while advancing our climate goals. Climate change demands that we act decisively and proactively, and by directing Bond Act dollars toward resilience projects, the Governor is working hard to protect lives and livelihoods. It is vital that we prepare our state for the challenges of hotter and more extreme weather patterns.”
New York’s broader climate agenda seeks an affordable transition toward clean energy while creating jobs tied to green investments with at least 35 percent directed toward disadvantaged communities.
In November 2022 voters approved a $4.2 billion Environmental Bond Act authorizing state agencies as well as local governments access to funds supporting water quality protection efforts alongside adaptation strategies against climate threats.
