WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Mayors, supervisors, clerks, board members, superintendents; public works, planning and zoning officials; wastewater and drinking water operators; engineers and consultants.

WHY YOU SHOULD ATTEND: This conference will address the needs of municipal leaders and provide technical assistance, funding updates and practical skill-building sessions. Attendees will hear from state and federal agency representatives on funding updates and opportunities, discuss environmental infrastructure project development and participate in concurrent break-out sessions including asset management, drinking water and wastewater management, and sustainable community planning.

Please contact Melissa Young for more details at myoung@syracusecoe.org or at 315-443-8488.

Program details can be found here: http://efc.syracusecoe.org

To register, click here: Event Register

 The Office of Community Renewal (OCR) announces the availability of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding by publishing a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for each of the rounds of funding. Annually, OCR announces funding for its Annual Competitive Round, Economic Development Open Round, and Strategic Planning Technical Assistance Grant Round. The NOFA for the Annual Competitive Round and the Economic Development Open Round is typically published early in the year. This NOFA is for both rounds of funding. The Strategic Planning Technical Assistance Round NOFA is typically published in the late summer.

Details of the the Planning Grant NOFA is now available on:  http://nysdhcr.gov/Programs/NYS-CDBG/Funding.htm

OCR accepts applications for the Annual Competitive Round in the early spring. For the Strategic Planning Technical Assistance Round, applications are accepted in the fall. The Economic Development program is an open round process and accepts applications throughout the year.

OCR holds a series of application workshops in the fall of each year that provide program and application information and gives potential applicants opportunities to meet with OCR program staff to discuss program and project specific issues. In addition to using CDBG funds as a source of funding for community development projects, other federal, state and private funding sources may also be used as leverage to fill gaps in financing community and economic development projects.

New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) is launching the State Revolving Fund (SRF) Sustainability Initiative - a new strategic planning effort that will enhance the corporation’s ability to use the Clean Water and Drinking Water SRFs to promote smart growth, reduce energy use and improve asset management. Detailed information on the SRF Sustainability Initiative is available on EFC’s website www.nysefc.org/SRFsustainability .

Recommendations for SRF program changes, developed in collaboration with the Clean Water Collaborative will be drafted this spring with the expectation that EFC will begin to make needed changes to the SRF Program in the fall of 2010. The Clean Water Collaborative SRF Advisory Group, composed of representatives from local government, environmental groups, engineering and the Legislature as well as EFC, DEC, DOH, the Environmental Finance Center and NYSERDA, have been meeting regularly and reaching out to other organizations for recommendations to improve the SRF Scoring system.  We need your feedback! Please submit your recommendations for the Scoring Revisions via email to: SRFSustainability@nysefc.org . Phone inquiries may be made to Alma Mitchell at (518) 402-6934.

 

The New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) has announced the availability of approximately $45 million in funding for the NYS Community Development Block Grant http://nysdhcr.gov/Programs/NYS-CDBG/ (NYS CDBG) and New York Main Street http://nysdhcr.gov/Programs/NYMainStreet/ (NYMS) programs.
Brian Lawlor http://nysdhcr.gov/AboutUs/Lawlor.htm, Acting Commissioner of DHCR, said "We have had tremendous success in every region of New York State creating jobs, providing affordable housing and revitalizing downtown business districts with our NYS CDBG and NY Main Street programs. The funds we are making available will help local governments and not-for-profits provide essential services and economic opportunities to the residents of New York State."

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) will soon issue the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program which will provide funding for small municipalities to implement energy efficiency, renewable energy, efficient transportation systems, material conservation, and energy management personnel projects.  To apply for this program, municipalities will need an energy study/audit upon which to base their application.  It is strongly recommended that municipalities prepare for application by locating an existing energy study/audit or conducting an energy study/audit as soon as possible.  It can take several weeks for a study/audit to be completed.

For municipalities who pay the Systems Benefit Charge (SBC), there are NYSERDA programs that may be used to assist with obtaining an energy study/audit.  The SBC charge is paid by electric distribution customers of Central Hudson, Con Edison, NYSEG, National Grid, Orange and Rockland, and Rochester Gas and Electric.  Information on the following programs is available on NYSERDA's website.

• Energy Audit Program: For facilities with less than $75,000 in annual electric bills, this program can identify effective cost-saving measures for buildings and facilities.
• Flex Tech Program:  Applicants can select from a list of NYSERDA's pre-qualified contractors to perform an energy study.  NYSERDA will provide a 50/50 cost share up to $500,000.
• Technical Assistance Program:  Applicants can select their own contractor to perform an energy study.  NYSERDA will provide a 50/50 cost share up to $500,000 on selected studies over five years.

Municipalities who do not pay the SBC charge will need to contact their electric distribution provider for information on available assistance programs.  NYSERDA's clearinghouse website has links to New York Power Authority (NYPA) and Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) programs which may benefit local government.

For more information on the EECBG, visit the NYSERDA - Economic Recovery and Energy - Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants Home page.

$3 million in grant funds available for Water Quality Improvement Projects (WQIP) under the New York City Watershed Program.  Applications are being accepted on a continuous basis.

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