The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) today released for public comment proposed eligibility guidelines to guide allocation of funding for water quality projects under the historic $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022. The draft eligibility guidelines will help identify projects and investments to expand on the state’s efforts to assist farmers in implementing best management practice systems to protect New York’s watersheds.

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “Our farmers are on the front lines of meaningful, sustainable efforts to preserve our natural resources and combat the effects of climate change. Enhancing our existing state programs with Bond Act funding will go a long way toward helping New York’s farmers continue to implement best management practices that are designed to reduce soil erosion and reduce nutrient runoff. An investment in our environment is an investment in our agricultural industry, and this funding will help ensure our farms across the state can remain competitive, profitable, and sustainable.” 

The public is now encouraged to comment on the draft eligibility guidelines, which are available in today’s  Environmental Notice Bulletin. The final guidelines will inform the use of Bond Act funding for agricultural conservation benefits, which will be allocated under the Water Quality Improvement and Resilient Infrastructure category. AGM will use feedback from this public comment period to modify its Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Program (AGNPS) and its Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) Program to better support farmers in their water quality protection efforts.

Eligible best management practice systems under the AGNPS program include, but are not limited to:

• Access Control System
• Agrichemical Handling and Storage System
• Composting System – Animal
• Erosion Control System – Structural
• Irrigation Water Management System
• Livestock Heavy Use Area Management System
• Manure and Agricultural Waste Treatment System
• Pathogen Management System
• Petroleum and Oil Products Storage System
• Prescribed Rotational Grazing System
• Process Wash Water Management System
• Short-term Waste Collection and Transfer System
• Silage Leachate Control and Treatment System
• Stream Corridor and Shoreline Management System
• Waste Storage and Transfer System

Eligible best management practice systems under the AEM program include, but are not limited to:

• Access Control System
• Agrichemical Handling and Storage System
• Composting System – Animal
• Erosion Control System – Structural
• Irrigation Water Management System
• Livestock Heavy Use Area Management System
• Manure and Agricultural Waste Treatment System
• Pathogen Management System
• Petroleum and Oil Products Storage System
• Prescribed Rotational Grazing System
• Process Wash Water Management System
• Short-term Waste Collection and Transfer System
• Silage Leachate Control and Treatment System
• Stream Corridor and Shoreline Management System
• Waste Storage and Transfer System

The full eligibility guidelines are available in today’s Environmental Notice Bulletin. Public comments on the draft guidelines may be submitted in writing to:

For AGNPS: Bethany Bzduch, 10B Airline Drive, Albany, NY 12223; (518) 457-2713, [email protected]

For the AEM Program: Gregory Albrecht, 10B Airline Drive, Albany, NY 12223; (607) 229-4654, [email protected]

Public comments on the guidelines are to be submitted in writing to the contacts listed above and will be accepted until Friday, April 12, 2024, at 5:00 pm.

New York’s Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022

On November 8, 2022, New Yorkers overwhelmingly approved the $4.2 billion Environmental Bond Act. State agencies, local governments, and partners will be able to access funding to protect water quality, help communities adapt to climate change, improve resiliency, and create green jobs. Bond Act funding will support new and expanded projects across the state to safeguard drinking water sources, reduce pollution, and protect communities and natural resources from climate change.

Since the Bond Act passed, an inter-agency working group comprised of multiple state agencies has been implementing a transparent and collaborative process to identify needs for environmental funding across the state to help develop program logistics. In the last year, the State announced a $200 million funding investment toward its existing Water Infrastructure Improvement and Intermunicipal Grant programs, $100 million for zero-emission school buses, $100 million for Clean Green Schools, a $2 million investment to protect existing park infrastructure at Cedar Beach on Long Island to protect communities from extreme weather and $13.1 million to support construction of the Adirondack Rail Trail. For more information and to sign up for progress updates, go to the Environmental Bond Act webpage.