Referred to: The Economic Development, Planning, Education, Employment, Arts and Agriculture Committee (Chairwoman Sperry and Legislators Clinton, Corcoran, Hewitt, Litts, Stewart and Walls), The Health, Human Services and Housing Committee (Chairman Uchitelle and Legislators Collins, Corcoran, Harmon, Kitchen, Lopez, and McCollough), and The Ways and Means Committee (Chairman Gavaris and Legislators Collins, Hansut, Kovacs, Nolan, and Roberts)

Chairman of the Health, Human Services and Housing Committee, Abe Uchitelle, and Deputy Chair Craig V. Lopez offer the following:

WHEREAS, this resolution has been submitted at the request of the County Executive on behalf of the Department of Planning and the Department of Health; and

WHEREAS, failing septic systems adjacent to streams and water bodies are significant source of contamination and such repairs and replacements are often beyond the means of homeowners in these locations; and

WHEREAS, the Clean Water Infrastructure Act of 2017 established the State Septic System Replacement Fund (Fund). The purpose of which is to replace existing cesspools and septic systems that are having significant and quantifiable environmental and/or public health impacts to groundwater used for drinking water, or to a threatened or impaired waterbody; and

WHEREAS, the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation has issued a call for eligible counties to participate in the Fund and Ulster County is an eligible county; and 

WHEREAS, the Fund will provide up to $10,000.00 to assist homeowners to repair or replace failing septic systems with a required dollar for dollar match from the homeowner; and

WHEREAS, the Fund requires that assisted systems be within 250 feet of streams and waterbodies with priority locations based on presence of a sole-source aquifer used for drinking water, known water quality impairment linked to failing septic systems, and/or the ability for septic system upgrades to mitigate water quality impairments, and

WHEREAS, within Ulster County the eligible streams and waterbodies include the upper Esopus, Plattekill and Rochester creeks and Binnewater and Dewitt lakes and the reservoirs of the City of Kingston and New York City to name only a few; and

WHEREAS, Ulster County, working cooperatively with the Soil and Water Conservation District, the Catskill Watershed Corporation, and Supervisors and Mayors has an opportunity to apply for and implement a grant to assist eligible homeowners to repair or replace their failing septic system if they so choose by utilizing Fund; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the Ulster County Executive or her designee is hereby authorized to submit an application, as well as all necessary understandings, assurances, and additional information as may be required, to the Environmental Facilities Corporation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for the Septic System Replacement Fund consistent with the funding levels, purposes, and other criteria as provided for in the Program Guidelines,

and moves its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                     NOES:             

Passed Committee: Economic Development, Planning, Education, Employment, Arts and Agriculture on __________________.

Passed Committee: Health, Human Services and Housing on __________________.

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on __________________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

$300,000.00 – ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL REVENUE DOLLARS

 (NYS ENVIRONMENTAL FACILITIES CORPORTATION)