Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Grant Program Round 30

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS

NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets

10B Airline Drive

Albany, New York 12235

NEW YORK STATE SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICTS

Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Grant Program

Pursuant to Article 11b of the Soil and Water Conservation District Law, applications will be accepted through February 24, 2024 for financial assistance in the form of matching grants to fund nonpoint source abatement and control projects that plan (AEM Tier III) or implement (AEM Tier IV) Agricultural Best Management Practices on New York State farms. All projects must consist of activities that will reduce, abate, control, or prevent nonpoint source pollution originating from agricultural sources. Applications must be for one of the following: planning activities (AEM Tier III) or implementation (AEM Tier IV).

Eligible applicants are County Soil and Water Conservation Districts or a group of districts acting jointly, who will be referred to as “Project Sponsors.” Groups of districts acting jointly should submit one application with one district assuming lead sponsor status. Eligible projects must be for one of the following: planning activities (AEM Tier III) or implementation of agricultural best management practices (AEM Tier IV). Priority consideration will be given to (1) proposals located within a watershed or subwatershed of a priority waterbody as identified by the Commissioner of Environmental Conservation pursuant to Section 17-1407 of the Environmental Conservation Law (2) projects that promote participation in or further priorities of the District’s local AEM program (3) projects that include the implementation of conservation buffers (4) projects that are located within a 303 D listed watershed or a watershed with a Total Daily Maximum Load (TMDL) or projects located within a public drinking water source as identified on the Department of Health’s Source Water Assessment (5) projects that clearly address identified need or opportunity (6) projects that are proposed with adequate scope of work and time frame (7) projects that demonstrate strong local and landowner/operator support (8) projects that demonstrate cost effectiveness. If the proposal contains no contribution from the owner or operator of agricultural land, then the State may fund up to 75 percent of the total eligible costs for planning or BMP implementation. The amount of State funding may be increased by a percentage equal to the percentage of the total eligible costs that are contributed by the landowner or operator provided, however, that in no event shall the amount of State funding exceed 87.5 percent of total eligible costs.

Availability of funding for this program is from Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Budget which includes an appropriation for this purpose. Funding from the 2022 Clean Water, Clean Air, Green Jobs Bond Act will also be made available for this program.

For an application: contact Jason Kokkinos at Jason.kokkinos@agriculture.ny.gov or 518-457-4669, login to the NYS Soil and Water Conservation Committee Sharepoint site at https://nysemail.sharepoint.com/sites/Agriculture/SWCC/SitePages/Home.aspx or visit the Department’s website at http://www.agriculture.ny.gov/RFPS.html .

This notice was prepared and submitted by:

Jason Kokkinos, Associate Environmental Analyst

Soil and Water Conservation Committee

NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets

10B Airline Drive

Albany, New York 12235

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