EPA Awards Half a Million Dollars to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Pollution in Central New York
6/14/2010
Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board to Manage Project
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has provided a half million dollar grant to the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board to fund a project designed to reduce greenhouse gas pollution in Central New York, including Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego Counties. Winning communities will receive sub-grants from the Central New York Planning and Development Board to develop plans to retrofit vehicles, buildings and other equipment to make them energy efficient; introduce alternative-fuel vehicles and fueling systems; reduce the miles their fleets travel; conduct feasibility studies for renewable energy projects; and also consider how their city planning and land use policies can become more sustainable.
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USDA Awards Genesee Land Trust Awarded Over $1 million to Preserve Farm Land
6/10/2010
Land on Four Farms will be Protected
The Genesee Land Trust has been awarded $1,083,707 in grant funding from the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program, a United States Department of Agriculture Program, to support the purchase of conservation easements (development rights) on four farms located in Wayne County. This grant award will add 1100 acres of preserved land to the 2000 acres of productive farm lands currently protected in perpetuity, by the Trust.
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NYSERDA Green Residential Building Program
6/1/2010 10:29:00 AM

The Green Residential Building Program (GRBP) is a program run by NYSERDA that promotes green design and building practices throughout New York State by offering incentives to owners of newly constructed or substantially renovated green residential buildings of fewer than 12 units. A green residential building incorporates design and construction practices that can lower energy costs and production of greenhouse gases, reduce waste and water use, and improve indoor air quality. Final rules have been adopted and an FAQ is posted.
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Environmental Achievers in NY Recognized by EPA
4/30/2010
Environmental Quality Awards Given on Earth Day
On Earth Day, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded 22 Environmental Quality Awards. These awards go to individuals or organizations that demonstrate outstanding achievements in protecting the environment.  For example, Port Wahington's Grassroots Environmental Education develped programs that empower people to make positive environmental changes in their communities, such as the "How Green Is My Town?" environmental assessment program that evaluates towns, schools and businesses on a variety of environmental issues, and allows local leaders and constituents to measure their progress. Also honored was a coalition of nonprofit and agency groups which led to the transformation of an abandoned rail bridge over the Hudson River into a majestic state park.
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NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Starts a Blog
4/30/2010

The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation has launched a new blog, "State of Green." It periodically posts commentary addressing issues in the forefront of public discussion in order to further the education and engagement of the public in environmental policy and action. Comments from readers that will add information and expand knowledge on the issue presented are encouraged.
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Abandoned Buildings in Buffalo to be Rehabilitated as Eco-Friendly Apartments
3/10/2010
State - Local Partnership
Three abandoned buildings in Buffalo will be rehabilitated, creating 11 subsidized apartments that will embrace environment-friendly “green” technology like energy-efficient windows and water heaters and solar electric panels. PUSH Buffalo, short for People United for Sustainable Housing, is partnering with the state and the city on a $1.8 million proposed rehabilitation of structures as part of a long-term development plan for the Massachusetts Avenue corridor of Buffalo. New York State is financing 80 percent of the project, while the city has committed to help with the remaining costs.
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State Board Recommends 22 Properties for Historic Register Listing
3/9/2010

The New York State Board for Historic Preservation recommended the addition of 22 properties to the State and National Registers of Historic Places, including a rare pre-fabricated aluminum house in Rochester, a synagogue known as the "Carnegie Hall of Brooklyn," and a Spanish-American War monument. The State and National Registers are the official lists of buildings, structures, districts, landscapes, objects and sites significant in the history, architecture, archeology and culture of New York State and the nation. Listing can assist property owners in revitalizing the structures, making them eligible for various public preservation programs and services, such as matching state grants and state and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits. <
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Sustainable Neighborhoods Program is Moving Forward
2/11/2010
Program Will Serve as a National Model for Urban Revitalization
Governor David A. Paterson announced that his Sustainable Neighborhoods initiative is moving quickly, with officials from the Governor's office and nine State agencies scheduled to tour potential revitalization investment sites with local stakeholders. This initiative will work to create new, affordable, high quality homeownership opportunities by rehabilitating vacant and abandoned buildings and making them available to first-time homebuyers. The Governor has instructed State agencies to identify challenges to revitalization and determine the programs that best fit the goal of the Sustainable Neighborhoods initiative. State agency experts will work with local community development officials to facilitate these projects and establish clear goals for each new sustainable neighborhood. The City of Buffalo, with more than 23,000 vacant housing units, was selected to serve as the starting point for the Sustainable Neighborhoods project which will expand to cities across New York State.
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Empire State Future Releases Transcript of Important Smart Growth Conference
2/8/2010

Last October, Empire State Future and the New York Department of State hosted Revitalizing New York: Building a New Economy through Sustainable Development. This statewide summit was designed to convene a diverse audience from across the state and across professions and political persuasions to focus on the imperatives and opportunities of smart growth and sustainable development for all New York’s communities.

Participants included mayors, town supervisors, state officials and legislators, architects, planners, business leaders, developers, aca­demics, health/environmental/education/agriculture practitioners and more. The presentations and panels afforded these attendees many valuable opportunities to learn, share and network. You can read the proceedings in a new report prepared by Empire State Future.
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Nearly $700,000 in Grants to Improve Recreational Access to Hudson River and Lake Champlain Announced
2/5/2010
“Eco-docks” to act as key element in the revitalization of New York waterfront communities
New York Secretary of State Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez announced $693,070 in funding from the state Environmental Protection Fund’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Program for the development of new or refurbished “eco-docks,” which will provide recreational, non-motorized boats improved access to communities on the Hudson River and Lake Champlain. These 12 awards, from the 2009-2010 budget, will serve as legacy projects of the Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial celebration, which marked the 400th anniversary of the voyages of Henry Hudson, who led the expedition up the river that now bears his name, and Samuel de Champlain, the first European to discover the 110-mile-long Upstate lake.

Since 1994 communities along the Hudson River and on Lake Champlain have received 272 awards from the EPF Local Waterfront Revitalization Program totaling over $47 million for planning, design and construction of waterfront improvements.
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Process for Developing New York State Climate Action Plain Detailed
1/21/2010
Expert Advisory Panels to Assist Climate Action Council
Governor David A. Paterson outlined his initiative to develop an extensive plan that will dramatically reduce greenhouse gas pollution while also building New York's clean energy economy. The multi-faceted effort is driven by Executive Order No. 24, which the Governor issued last August and sets a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in New York State by 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.

Over the course of this year, the Climate Action Council (CAC) will meet with expert advisory panels and focus on the full spectrum of energy use and economic activity including:

• Power supply and delivery;
• Residential, commercial and industrial;
• Agriculture, forestry and waste;
• Transportation and land use; and
• Adaptation, such as responses to potential climate-related threats to various sectors.

More than 100 individuals representing private sector companies, utilities, government officials, non-profit organizations, academia, advocacy groups, and others will participate in the advisory panels. Director of State Operations Valerie Grey is the CAC Chair. The staff work of the CAC will be led by NYS Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the Department of Environmetnal Conservation.
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Onondaga County Farm is First to Sell Development Rights in Statewide Land Program
12/28/2009 8:44:00 AM
Development Rights Purchased Under State Farmland Protection Program
The New York Agricultural Land Trust has negotiated its first sale of development rights under the state’s Farmland Protection Program. The development rights to a 244-acre farm in Marcellus (Onondaga County) have been purchased by the state. This will keep the dairy farm on the property tax rolls but off the list of potential development properties. Under the Farmland Protection Program, the state contributes up to 75 percent of the cost to buy development rights, with the remaining 25 percent coming in either cash or in-kind services from the county.
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Funding to Continue Long Island Solar Energy Program
12/17/2009
$6 Million to Help Purchase and Install Solar Photovoltaic Systems

Governor David A. Paterson announced that the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) will provide a $6 million grant to the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). With the grant, LIPA will continue programs that provide homeowners and businesses with rebates and incentives for purchasing solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. It helps LIPA increase its renewable energy portfolio and furthers Governor Paterson’s goal of achieving 45 percent of New York’s electricity needs through improved energy efficiency and renewable sources by the year 2015.

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Clean Water Funding Programs Updated
11/2/2009
Goal: Modernize Scoring System and Promote Asset Management

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis announced that the agency will update the system used to score applications for clean water infrastructure loans. DEC will develop new regulations to ensure that the scoring system adds incentives to: support smart growth and wise land use planning, ensuring that a proposed project maximizes existing infrastructure and is consistent with local land use plans; implement asset management planning that encourages ongoing maintenance; and utilize the most energy efficient technologies possible.

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North Country Power Discount Program Thousands of Businesses and Dairy Farms
10/27/2009
Low-Cost St. Lawrence Hydropower to Provide Up to $10 Million in Savings
More than 3,500 Northern New York businesses and dairy farms will receive an approximately 9 percent discount on their electric bill for the next year. The savings will go to St. Lawrence, Jefferson and Franklin counties and will be worth an average of $1,200 for each electric customer – with some of the largest electricity users possibly saving up to $250,000 over the period. The New York Power Authority (NYPA) developed the temporary power discount program in conjunction with the Office of Governor David Paterson, and could result in up to $10 million in total savings.


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Policy on the Development of Oil and Gas Resources in State Parks and Historic Sites
10/16/2009
Explains the Policy of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
This document sets forth agency policy regarding the leasing and development of state-owned oil and gas resources on lands under the jurisdiction of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP). It also addresses privately-owned oil and gas rights located beneath state parkland.
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$10 Million in Brownfiedl Opportunity Areas Program Grants Announced
10/7/2009

More than $10 million in Brownfield Opportunity Areas Program grants has was awarded for 24 projects located in communities across the State. These grants support environmental remediation, community revitalization, job creation and the expansion of the tax base in neighborhoods that have been adversely affected by multiple brownfield sites or economic distress. Brownfields are dormant properties where contamination has impeded redevelopment, making them an economic and environmental drain on localities. To date, nearly 100 Brownfield Opportunity Area revitalization plans, supported by over $14 million in State funding, are underway across New York. The program is administered by the Department of State in partnership with the Department of Environmental Conservation.


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New York Energy Policy Institute Established
10/5/2009
Existing Colleges, Universities and Research Centers in New York Will Coordinate Efforts
Governor David A. Paterson today announced the creation of the New York Energy Policy Institute (NYEPI), a key initiative from the Governor’s State of the State address. NYEPI will coordinate the work of New York’s leading energy research centers, using their established expertise in the field to provide a resource for the state’s energy policymakers. To facilitate this coordination, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) released a request for proposals to establish the policy institute.

Funding of up to $200,000 per year for up to three years has been allocated for this effort. Initially, NYEPI will concentrate on strategies that will introduce more energy efficiency and further reduce energy-derived pollution, while also providing for economic development and increased employment. Electric power generation, transmission and use and heating fuel use are expected to be core issues, then, further effort will work toward new and efficient transportation use within the State.

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$28 Million in Federal Funds Available for Alternative Fuel Transportation Projects
9/1/2009
Grants Support Job Creation; Help to Reduce Petroleum Use and Greenhouse Gases
Governor David A. Paterson announced the award of two U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grants totaling more than $28 million for alternative fuel projects. The funds, available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will assist school districts, local governments, public universities, and private businesses in purchasing clean fuel and alternative fuel vehicles and associated infrastructure.

The $13.3 million DOE Clean Cities grant to New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) will be matched with $18.8 million in cost-share from NYSERDA partners to purchase 307 alternative fuel vehicles and eight infrastructure projects across the State. The Greater Long Island Clean Cities Coalition (GLICCC) was awarded a grant of $14.9 million to deploy five compressed natural gas stations and 179 alternative fuel vehicles in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

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New Law Enhances Historic Preservation Tax Credit
7/31/2009
Enhancements Will Make Tax Credits More Effective in Preserving Historic Structures
Governor David A. Paterson signed legislation to strengthen the New York State Historic Preservation Tax Credit, improving a program that will stimulate investment in urban neighborhoods, create jobs, increase property values and revitalize historic areas. The rehabilitation tax credit program provides incentives to developers, municipalities, businesses and residents to make investments in distressed areas by rehabilitating historic properties that are listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places.

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Report on How Best to Protect New York’s Ocean and Great Lake Ecosystems Released
4/8/2009
Report details an "Ecosystem-Based Management" approach to decision-making

Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis and Secretary of State Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez, on behalf of the New York Ocean and Great Lakes Ecosystem Conservation Council, delivered a report, "Our Waters, Our Communities, Our Future" to Governor David A. Paterson and the members of the State Legislature. The details opportunities to protect and enhance New York's shoreline waters through an "ecosystem-based management" approach to decision-making that recognizes the interconnections among ecosystems and the need to manage human activities to ensure ecosystems deliver what humans need.

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$100 Million in Grants Available as Part of New Sustainabile Regional Planning Grant Program
6/24/2010
Deadline: August 23, 2010.
U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan announced that HUD is launching a $100 million Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant program, the first of its kind designed to create stronger, more sustainable communities by connecting housing to jobs, fostering local innovation and building a clean energy economy. The Regional Planning grants will be awarded competitively to multi-jurisdictional and multi-sector partnerships as well as regional consortia consisting of state and local governments, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), educational institutions, non-profit organizations and philanthropic organizations.
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Federal DOT and HUD Join in Offering Community Challenge and Transportaion Planning Grants
6/24/2010
Deadline: August 23, 2010
HUD’s $40 million Community Challenge Planning Grant Program will foster reform and reduce barriers to achieving affordable, economically vital, and sustainable communities. Such efforts may include amending or replacing local master plans, zoning codes, and building codes, either on a jurisdiction-wide basis or in a specific neighborhood, district, corridor, or sector to promote mixed-use development,  affordable housing, the reuse of older buildings and structures for new purposes, and similar activities with the goal of promoting sustainability at the local or neighborhood level.

HUD’s Community Challenge Planning Grant Program also supports the  development of affordable housing through the development and adoption of inclusionary zoning ordinances and other activities such as acquisition of land for affordable housing projects. Individual communities are eligible. Pre-applications are due by July 26, 2010, at 5 p.m. EDT, and applications must be submitted by August 23, 2010, at 5 p.m. EDT.
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2010 EPF Applications are Now Available
6/17/2010
Deadline: July 12, 2010
State Parks, through state and federal funding sources, provides a number of grant programs. From historic preservation efforts to playgrounds and trail development, we provide grants to a variety of projects that promote recreation, preserve our historic and natural resources and generally improve the quality of life in communities throughout the state.
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2010 Community Development Block Grant Funds Available
6/17/2010
Deadline: July 19, 2010
The NYS CDBG Community Planning Program provides an opportunity for local governments to obtain funding for the development of a wide range of community development planning instruments, including smart growth and sustainable initiatives, as well as shared municipal services and local government efficiency plans. Eligible non-entitlement communities may apply for a grant of up to $40,000.
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Federal Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program Funds Easements
6/17/2010
Deadline: None
The Federal Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program provides matching funds to eligible entities to buy permanent conservation easements on farm and ranch land. To qualify for this USDA program, farmland must: be part of a pending offer from a State, tribe, or local farmland protection program; be privately owned; have a conservation plan; be large enough to sustain agricultural production; be accessible to markets for what the land produces; have adequate infrastructure and agricultural support services; and have surrounding parcels of land that can support long-term agricultural production.
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Energy Efficiency Retrofit Stimulus Funding Announced
4/21/2010
Governor David A. Paterson, Congressman Steve Israel and Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that New York has secured $40 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding to make energy efficiency and renewable energy more accessible to thousands of New York homes and businesses through innovative financing models. The New York State Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) will administer the $40 million award in conjunction with New York City and other municipalities. The award will fund Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) loan programs in participating municipalities and will also leverage the "Green Jobs-Green New York" program, to facilitate installations of energy efficiency measures and renewable energy systems. New York's $40 million award is part of a $452 million Recovery Act investment to "ramp-up" energy efficiency retrofits.
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Brownfield Opportunity Areas Grants
7/2/2009
No Deadline
The Department of State announces the availability of funding under the Brownfield Opportunity Areas (BOA) Program. Funds are available to municipalities, 501(c)(3) community-based organizations and New York City Community Boards to foster redevelopment and return dormant and blighted land into productive and catalytic areas while restoring environmental quality. This program provides resources for communities to undertake area-wide brownfield redevelopment planning and to complete environmental site assessment for strategic redevelopment parcels.
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