ALBANY – Chautauqua County will receive $586,564 to implement water quality protection on certain local farms.
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that $14.7 million has been awarded to implement water quality protection projects on 43 farms across the state. The funding was provided through the second round of the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Waste Storage and Transfer System Program.
Cattaraugus County has been awarded $770,000 through the same program.
The money will be used for projects to allow large livestock farms to better manage and store nutrients, such as manure, to protect ground water and nearby waterways. The program is part of the $2.5 billion Clean Water Infrastructure Act of 2017, which invests resources for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure and other water quality protections statewide.
“Agriculture and water infrastructure are key to New York’s current and future economic prosperity and this program will help livestock farms in every corner of the state protect drinking water, while also strengthening our agricultural sector,” Cuomo said. “With this investment, we are supporting New York’s economy and helping to ensure our essential natural resources and our farms are preserved for years to come.”
Through the program, 50 waste storage and transfer systems will be installed on Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation permitted farms in 22 counties across the state. Grants will help offset the cost of construction, site preparation and associated best management practices. Funded projects will also help farmers meet the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s environmental requirements first announced in January of 2017.
In December 2017, Governor Cuomo announced $20 million had been awarded through Round 1 of the program to implement water quality protection projects on 56 farms throughout the state. The Department of Agriculture and Markets will launch a third application period for an additional $15 million in grant funding in 2019.
