Nationwide Environmental Funding Summary

• The ARRA provides $17.025 billion nationwide to protect infrastructure and create new, green jobs. Funds are provided to remediate hazardous waste sites, protect air and water quality and ensure against natural disasters such as floods.

• Some funds will be disbursed on a formula basis, while others are discretionary. Several federal agencies will allocate these funds directly to projects, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Army Corps of Engineers, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and that Natural Resources Conservation Service. Other appropriations, such as the Department of Labor’s “Green Jobs” funds have important implications for both providing employment and ensuring a future, green workforce.

Projects to be implemented directly by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC):

• Leaking Underground Storage Tank funds ($200 million nationwide; allocated pursuant to a formula). Approximately $9 million will be provided to New York State.

• Diesel Emission Reduction Grants (30% of the $300 million appropriation allocated by formula; remaining 70% will be allocated as discretionary funds). A total of $1.7 million is expected to be allocated to New York through the formula. The remaining funds will be allocated through a competitive grant process.

Environmental Funding For New York

• The Diesel Emission Reduction Act and Leaking Underground Storage Tank funds are the only environmentally-related stimulus funds which flow to New York under a formula. All other funds are discretionary or will be spent directly by federal agencies

• NYSDEC is working with federal agencies to determine how other funds will flow, and how to best ensure that New York maximizes its share of these funds

• In addition, NYSDEC is working with federal agencies and local governments to ensure that the projects selected through discretionary grants benefit the state and local communities. For example, we are advising local governments of their ability to apply for local infrastructure grants which will be allocated by the Natural Resources Conservation Service

• NYSDEC will work with project sponsors to ensure that all environmental permitting responsibilities are met.

Projects to be implemented by Federal Agencies:

Environmental Protection Agency

• $700 million nationwide for environmental restoration projects

• According to EPA, plans to implement these programs have been drafted but not finalized or announced. More information will be available at http://www.epa.gov/recovery/ as it becomes known

United StatesForestService

• $500 million in forestry funds, of which $250 million is available for state and private lands; $50 million for competitive biomass grants.

Department of Labor

• $2.110 billion for workforce training and community service, including green jobs

United States Department of Agriculture/Natural Resources Conservation Service

• $2.720 billion for local water infrastructure

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

• $230 million to expand habitat restoration and mitigation projects.

Army Corps of Engineers

• $4.1 billion for Army Corps studies and construction projects to protect from floods, coastal erosion and storms and to maintain safe navigation.

• $100 million to the Army Corps for the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program.

Department of Energy

• $6.010 billion nationwide to remediate sites contaminated with radioactive waste

United StatesGeological Survey/United States Fish and Wildlife Service

• $255 million for USGS and USFWS programs to repair and restore their infrastructure.