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 Department of the Environment; 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 2024 Non-Agricultural Nonpoint Source Planning and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Mapping Grant (NPG) program, available via the CFA, is a competitive, statewide reimbursement grant program open to local governments and Soil and Water Conservation Districts to help pay for the initial planning of non-agricultural nonpoint source water quality improvement projects and also offer grants to regulated MS4 Operators for mapping; and

WHEREAS, Ulster County is a regulated Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) as designated by New York State, and thus required to comply with NYS GP-0-24-001 (MS4 Permit), under the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Phase II Stormwater Rule as an MS4 located within the boundaries of an urbanized area (as defined by the US Census Bureau); and

WHEREAS, MS4 mapping is required as part of GP-0-21-001, and will enable Ulster County to efficiently map stormwater infrastructure and assets in order to reduce the discharge of pollutants to the maximum extent practicable; and

WHEREAS, Ulster County Department of the Environment, in collaboration with multiple County departments and agencies, is tasked with coordinating the Ulster County Stormwater Management Program per the MS4 Permit requirements and providing assistance to local municipalities within Ulster County to support their compliance with the MS4 Permit; and

WHEREAS, Ulster County seeks to additionally support the fifteen (15) regulated MS4 municipalities within the County by mapping their stormwater assets and developing tools for mandatory inspections and reporting; and

WHEREAS, the County desires to submit an application to the Non-Agricultural Nonpoint Source Planning and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Mapping Grant (NPG) program via the 2024 CFA for an amount up to the grant category’s maximum award amount of Four Hundred Thousand and 00/100 ($400,000.00) Dollars with the required 10% 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: Non-Agricultural Nonpoint Source Planning and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Mapping Grant (NPG) program for an amount up to the grant category’s maximum award amount of Four Hundred Thousand and 00/100 ($400,000.00) Dollars with the required 10% 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 90% OF UP TO $400,000.00

10% COUNTY MATCH REQUIRED