Referred to: The Energy, Environment and Sustainability Committee (Chairman Hewitt and Legislators Donaldson, Greene, Litts, Nolan, Stewart, and Walls), and the Ways and Means Committee (Chairman Gavaris and Legislators Collins, Hansut, Kovacs, Nolan, and Roberts)

Chairman of the Energy, Environment and Sustainability Committee, Chris Hewitt, and Deputy Chair Richard Walls offer the following:

WHEREAS, this resolution has been submitted at the request of the County Executive on behalf of the Departments of the Environment and Public Works; and

WHEREAS, the Regional Economic Development Councils (REDCs) and the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) were created to advance efforts to improve New York’s business climate and expand economic growth; and

WHEREAS, the CFA is a single application for state economic development resources from numerous New York State (NYS) agencies, including: Department of Environmental Conservation; Energy Research and Development Authority; and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; and

WHEREAS, the fourteenth round of the CFA was announced in May of 2024 with an application deadline of July 31, 2024; and

WHEREAS, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) program, available via the CFA, is a competitive, statewide reimbursement grant program open to local governments to implement projects that directly improve water quality or aquatic habitat, promote flood risk reduction, restoration, and enhanced flood and climate resiliency, or protect a drinking water source; and

WHEREAS, Ulster County Department of Public Works has identified 600-plus linear feet of eroded streambank along the Esopus Creek adjacent to the Ulster County rail corridor in the Town of Shandaken, and

WHEREAS, restoration and stabilization of said streambank would improve water quality of the New York City drinking water supply, ensure the safe continuance of the use of the adjacent rail line (a local economic driver), enhance climate resiliency, and mitigate flood and erosion hazards; and

WHEREAS, the County desires to submit an application to the Water Quality Improvement Project grant program via the 2024 CFA for up to the grant category’s maximum award amount of Ten Million ($10,000,000.00) Dollars, with the required 25% match to be provided by Ulster County; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Director of the Ulster County Department of the Environment is hereby authorized to submit an online application through the New York State Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) for the following New York State grant program: Department of Environmental Conservation Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP), for up to the grant category’s maximum award amount of Ten Million ($10,000,000.00) Dollars, with the required 25% match to be provided by Ulster County,                                                                                           

and move its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                       NOES:      

Passed Committee: Energy, Environment and Sustainability on ________________.

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on ________________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

STATE SHARE WILL BE A MAXIMUM OF 75% OF UP TO $10,000,000.00

25% COUNTY MATCH REQUIRED