Large Share Of $7.3M NY 'Climate Smart' Funds Will Go To Westchester

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — Westchester County municipalities will get a large share of state money set aside to help steel for climate change.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Tuesday that more than $7.3 million will go to municipalities across the state as part of NYS’s Climate Smart Communities grant program. The projects are intended to help New York advance the emission-reduction targets under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act and support local projects to reduce flood risk, increase resilience, and improve critical infrastructure, according to officials.

"New Yorkers are all too familiar with the increased frequency of severe weather events caused by climate change, and I commend the work of these local communities to reduce emissions and address the crisis head on," Hochul said. "These climate smart investments help municipalities across the state build stronger and more resilient communities while helping to ensure the health and safety of residents, providing green jobs, and protecting the environment for years to come."

The money will be distributed across the state with a large share going to the Hudson Valley.

Westchester County recipients of the awards include:

• New Rochelle: $1,130,000. New Rochelle plans to upgrade existing stormwater infrastructure in the area of Ashland St., East Pl., Crestview St., and Chatworth Pl. Several roads in this neighborhood are sloped at around 10 percent, without enough existing infrastructure to capture and convey surface runoff downstream during periods of heavy rainfall. The project aims to reduce or eliminate the frequency and scale of surface flooding and property damage during storms by installing inlets and piping, upsizing existing piping, and improving retention/detention.
• Dobbs Ferry: $1,041,493. Dobbs Ferry plans to design and construct drainage improvements to reduce flooding along Ashford Ave., Gould Park, Maple Ave., and Pietro Pl., where the culvert does not adequately convey the flow and volume of runoff during medium and large rainfalls. Flooding often requires Ashford Ave. to be closed for several hours at a time, cutting off routine and emergency access, and has removed a well-used sidewalk from being used.
• Pelham Manor: $550,000. The village plans to right-size the stormwater drain line in Monroe St., up to Hunter Ave., from 30 inches in diameter to 48 inches in diameter. This will improve emergency response, protect the village's infrastructure and reduce risk for residents.

"The Climate Smart Communities grant funding from the DEC is helping municipalities statewide prepare for the manifold challenges of climate change while also lowering energy costs," State Senator Pete Harckham, Co-Chair of the Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee, said."I appreciate the financial support directed toward Rockland County, so it can create a detailed and strategic framework for measuring and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in its transition away from fossil fuels to more economical renewable energy."

Established in 2016, the Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Climate Smart Communities (CSC) grant program was created to support municipalities seeking to implement climate change adaptation and greenhouse gas mitigation projects, as well as undertake certain actions toward becoming certified Climate Smart Communities.

The grant program for municipal climate action will also support the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act), which requires New York to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 85 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. Since the program’s inception, the DEC reports awarding more than $69 million to municipalities to support of local climate mitigation and adaptation projects.

If awarded a grant, municipalities must provide at least 50 percent of the total costs for most projects. This year, however, the state budget provides new assistance intended to promote equity by authorizing the DEC to provide up to 80 percent of the cost of municipal projects that meet the criteria for financial hardship and for projects located in disadvantaged communities.

More information about the grant program and the 2024 request for applications are available on the DEC website.