Governor Kathy Hochul has announced that the Environmental Facilities Corporation Board of Directors has approved over $108.8 million in assistance for water infrastructure projects across New York State.
This move allows municipalities to access more than $88.9 million in low-interest financing, coupled with grants, to initiate crucial water and sewer infrastructure projects. These projects are vital for the removal of emerging contaminants and improving the quality of drinking water, consistent with New York’s push to modernize infrastructure and ensure clean water access.
Here are two local projects:
Town of Newfield, Tompkins County — $551,907 short-term interest-free financing $377,609 short-term market-rate financing, and $183,969 WIIA grant for the planning, design and construction of collection system improvements.
City of Auburn, Cayuga County — $3,720,000 WIIA grant for the comprehensive rehabilitation of the Slow Sand Filtration Plant and Rapid Sand Filtration Plant, including structural, electrical, architectural, HVAC and process mechanical improvements.
The backing underscores the state’s ongoing efforts to bolster water infrastructure, including the anticipated support of over $2 billion in new sewer construction projects for the current federal fiscal year. This financial assistance reflects Governor Hochul’s commitment to ensuring clean water for all New Yorkers and is bolstered by a voter-approved $4.2 billion Environmental Bond Act, which targets a substantial upgrade to the aging water systems and aims to deliver considerable benefits to disadvantaged communities.
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