Central New York communities receive green innovation grants

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul recently announced $20.8 million in grants being awarded to 17 projects across the state that incorporate green storm-water infrastructure, as well as implement energy and water-efficiency measures.

The projects are funded through the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation’s Green Innovation Grant Program. The following five Central New York municipalities received money for their projects:

• City of Fulton — $1.03 million to install bioretention, porous pavement, and a riparian buffer to treat stormwater along the canal. 

• Town of Seneca Falls — $1.285 million to replace existing water meters with advanced metering-infrastructure technology. This project seeks to increase water efficiency in the town. 

• Village of Pulaski — $285,000 to install water meters with advanced meter-reading technology. This project will record water usage in previously unmetered areas of the village. 

• Village of Mohawk — $1.55 million to restore the floodplain of Minnow Brook. This project will further protect the resiliency of the Fulmer Creek watershed, the state says.

• Village of Sidney — $480,000 to install water meters equipped with advanced meter-reading technology. These new meters will encompass the entire village, which is currently unmetered.

“To improve water quality for communities across New York, we must take action to ensure the resiliency of our infrastructure,” Gov. Hochul said in a release. “These grants remove the financial barriers for local governments to invest in critical water infrastructure projects. New York will continue to prioritize funding for low-income communities and expand access to clean water, supporting our state’s economic growth and improving public health.”