MakingWaves - Cutoff Date for Fertilizing Lawns; Technical Assistance to Protect Drinking Water; WIIA and IMG Deadline; CWSRF and DWSRF Final IUPs

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation sent this bulletin on 11/19/2021 04:19 PM EST
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
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MakingWaves - News From the Division of Water

In This Issue:

  • Reminder: Cutoff Date for Fertilizing Lawns is December 1
  • Free Technical Assistance to Help Municipalities Protect Public Drinking Water Sources
  • Final Reminder: Funding Available for Water Infrastructure Upgrades
  • Final 2022 Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Intended Use Plans 

Reminder: Cutoff Date for Fertilizing Lawns is December 1

If you plan to fertilize your lawn this fall, remember that it is against New York State law to fertilize lawns between December 1 and April 1. Some areas also have local laws about selling and using lawn fertilizers.

Visit DEC’s Lawn Fertilizer webpage for more information. The law does not apply to agricultural fertilizer or fertilizer for gardens.

Choose a lawn fertilizer with no phosphorus.

Lawn fertilizer can have unnecessary phosphorus that runs into waterbodies. Excess phosphorus in freshwater lakes and ponds can cause algae overgrowth, with serious impacts to the environment and public health.

Free Technical Assistance to Help Municipalities Protect Public Drinking Water Sources

Earlier this year, DEC and Department of Health, in collaboration with the Departments of Agriculture and Markets and State, announced the new Drinking Water Source Protection Program (DWSP2) to assist municipalities with proactively protecting their drinking water sources. The State is now seeking communities to work with a technical assistance provider (TA provider), free of charge, to develop and initiate implementation of a drinking water source protection program.

TA providers will help municipalities develop community-specific DWSP2 plans that they can implement by exploring and ultimately accessing numerous resources available to protect their source of public drinking water.

The DWSP2 is open to all community public water supplies in New York. Selected municipalities must be prepared to work with a TA provider throughout the DWSP2 process and to implement their programs.

To apply, visit the Drinking Water Source Protection Program (DWSP2) website and complete an electronic application (PDF). Direct questions to the DWSP2 Team at source.water@dec.ny.gov.

Final Reminder: Funding Available for Water Infrastructure Upgrades

$400 million is available for critical drinking water and wastewater infrastructure upgrades through the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (WIIA) and the Intermunicipal Water Infrastructure Grant Program (IMG). Applications are due by Monday, November 22. 

Information and application documents are available on the Environmental Facilities Corporation's website. If you have questions, e-mail NYSWaterGrants@efc.ny.gov or call 518-402-6924.

Final 2022 Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Intended Use Plans 

The New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC), Department of Health (DOH) and DEC have prepared the Federal Fiscal Year 2022 Final Intended Use Plans (IUPs) for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). The IUPs include lists of projects that may receive financial assistance between October 1, 2021 and September 30, 2022.

The Final 2022 CWSRF IUP is available on EFC's website .

The Final 2022 DWSRF IUP is available on NYS DOH's website.