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June 2024

WATERSHED DIGEST
monthly newsletter

Update from the Hudson River Watershed Alliance

Join us at the WaveMaker Awards Benefit tomorrow!

Wednesday, June 5, 6-8:30 PM

The Falcon

1348 Rte 9W, Marlboro, NY

Registration + more info

Join the Hudson River Watershed Alliance for our annual celebration of the Watershed WaveMaker awardees and the outstanding efforts of all watershed volunteers.


The event starts at 6 pm, with hot and cold appetizers, a cash bar, and opportunities to connect with attendees on the deck overlooking the waterfalls of the Lattintown Creek. The event features live music from North Country Hollow, a bluegrass and folk trio.


The awards ceremony will run from 6:45-7:45 pm, and includes a presentation of the Watershed WaveMaker awards and panel discussion with this year’s awardees (see below). At 7:45 pm, we’ll break for another set of live music and more time for conversations and networking.

The WaveMaker Awards Benefit is an opportunity to celebrate our WaveMaker awardees, the vast network of rivers and streams that flow to the Hudson River, and the communities that work to protect them. The benefit helps raise funds for the Hudson River Watershed Alliance to continue to unite and empower communities to protect our shared waters.


If you can't make it, please consider making a secure donation on our website here.

More Details + Registration

Celebrate the 2024 Watershed WaveMakers!

Each year, the Hudson River Watershed Alliance recognizes awardees from a variety of backgrounds to represent the diversity of watershed work in the region. This year, we’re honoring the work of:


Sergei Krasikov from Beacon: in recognition of Sergei’s leadership in creating an emerging watershed group, the Fishkill Creek Watershed Alliance, inclusive approach to organizing and sharing information, and volunteer work in Beacon.


John Ladd from Ossining: in recognition of John’s mentorship of Ossining High School students through the science research program, volunteer work with the Town of Ossining Environmental Advisory Committee, and use of mapping tools to better understand and protect our waters.


Rockland Conservation & Service Corps from Rockland County: in recognition of the program’s unique approach to providing opportunities for young people to gain experience in the environmental field and make meaningful contributions to improve the Hudson River and its watershed.


Arm of the Sea Theater from Saugerties: in recognition of innovative watershed storytelling, especially to engage diverse audiences and share science in creative and accessible ways, along with their new Tidewater Center on the Esopus Creek.

Celebrate at the WaveMaker Awards Benefit

Thank You to our Sponsors!

Watershed Sponsor

River Sponsor

Anne & Fred Osborn III / The EASTER Foundation


Creek Sponsor

Fuss & O’Neill

Gordon & Svenson LLP

Hudson Valley Credit Union

Nuvance Health

Restaino Design Landscape Architecture, PC

SLR Consulting


Stream Sponsors

Delaware Engineering, DPC

Riverkeeper

Stewart’s Shops

Ulster Savings Bank


Brook Sponsors

Center for the Urban River at Beczak

Common Ground Consulting, LLC

CDPHP

Insite Engineering, Surveying, & Landscape Architecture, P.C.

Sawyer Savings

Scenic Hudson

Strong Outcomes, LLC

Wallkill River Watershed Alliance

Fran Dunwell

Russell Urban-Mead


This event is made possible through the generosity of our sponsors. More information on sponsorship opportunities is available here, along with the event website.

Breakfast Webinar:

Can Academic-Community Partnerships Be Equitable?

If you missed last month's breakfast webinar, the recording is available on the Hudson River Watershed Alliance's YouTube channel here.


Dr. Kate Meierdiercks from Siena College and Rebecca Jim from LEAD Agency shared lessons learned from a collaborative mapping project focused on flooding along the Tar Creek in northeastern Oklahoma.


This presentation highlighted opportunities and limitations of equity in co-production throughout the process of building the Tar Creek Superfund and Flood map and the many ways it has been used by the community for environmental justice education, outreach, and activism and lessons learned that may have implications for academic-community partnerships in the Hudson River Watershed. 


This program is supported by funding from the Hudson River Estuary Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, with support from the New York State Environmental Protection Fund, in cooperation with NEIWPCC.

Stills from the breakfast webinar presentation.

Hudson Valley Flood Resilience Network Spring Programs

The Hudson Valley Flood Resilience Network (FRN) connects local governments who are committed to taking actionable steps to manage current and future flood risk. The Hudson River Watershed Alliance is a co-facilitator of the Hudson Valley Flood Resilience Network, along with New York Sea Grant.


Representatives from municipal and county governments in the Hudson River estuary watershed can join the FRN for free as Members. Staff from agencies, regional organizations, or private-sector consulting firms can join the FRN as Partners. More information and forms to join are available hereThis flyer also provides a summary.


FRN hosts virtual lunch & learn webinars, in-person meetings, and waterfront site visits to see flood resilience plans and projects first-hand.


This month, we're hosting a webinar focused on Resilient NY and implementing flood studies, along with an in-person meeting and site visit in Beacon.


To attend these programs, join FRN!

Flood Resilience Network meeting and site visit in Yonkers, November 2023.

Opportunities

It's grant season! In addition to numerous open grant applications, there are several upcoming webinars with more information on funding opportunities.


NYS DEC Division of Water webinar on Water Quality Improvement Projects (WQIP) and Non-Agricultural Nonpoint Source Planning and MS4 Mapping Grant (NPG)

Tuesday, June 4 at 10:00 am

Register here


WQIP Land Acquisition for Source Water Protection Funding

Thursday, June 6 at 1:00 pm

Register here


Round XIV of the Regional Economic Development Council Consolidated Funding Application opened on May 13, and webinars and in-person funding workshops are being held around the state to provide information to potential applicants about the grant programs available in this year's round. A list of available resources is here.


Mid-Hudson CFA Workshop

Tuesday, June 11 from 10:00 am - 12:30 pm

SUNY New Paltz

Register here

GRANTS & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE:


NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation: Water Infrastructure Improvement & Intermunicipal Grants

Deadline: June 14

More information


The Water Infrastructure Improvement (WIIA) program provides competitive grants to help municipalities fund critical wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects. The Intermunicipal Grants (IMG) program is available for both drinking water and wastewater projects that serve multiple municipalities, such as a shared water quality infrastructure project or the interconnection of multiple municipal water systems.


NEIWPCC and Hudson River Estuary Program: Tributary Restoration for Culverts and Road Stream Crossings

Deadline: June 21

More information


This RFP seeks proposals to design and/or construct aquatic organism passage improvements and road stream crossing (RSX) replacements and retrofits in the Hudson

River estuary watershed. RSX include bridges, culverts, arches, and other similar structures that allow water to pass under infrastructure that would otherwise block the natural flow of rivers and streams.


NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets: Climate Resilient Farming Program

Deadline: June 24

More information


The Department invites Soil and Water Conservation Districts to submit proposals for funding to the Climate Resilient Farming Program. Funds are available for projects that mitigate the impact of agriculture on climate change and enhance the on-farm adaptation and resiliency to projected climate conditions. 


Partners for Climate Action Hudson Valley: Youth Climate Action Grants

Deadline: June 30

More information


Partners for Climate Action has partnered with Bloomberg Philanthropies’ new Youth Climate Action Fund to provide grants for young people, ages 15 – 24,  to design and implement urgent climate solutions.  Award amounts will range between $1,000 to $5,000. Projects must be conceived and led by people aged 15-24 working in conjunction with an organization located in Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Ulster, Putnam, or Orange Counties.


NYS DEC: Hudson River Estuary Program Local Stewardship Planning Grants

Deadline: July 17

More information


Approximately $750,000 in funding is available for three categories of local projects and programs to support planning for:

  • Creating climate vulnerability assessments, adaptation plans, and strategies for waterfront communities in the Hudson River estuary watershed to adapt to climate risks like flooding, sea-level rise, heat, and drought, including using natural and nature-based solutions while considering social equity.
  • Planning for conservation of natural resources by creating a natural resources inventory, open space inventory/index, open space plan, conservation overlay zone, open space funding feasibility study, or connectivity plan. 
  • Watershed-based stewardship, planning, and capacity building; water quality monitoring; watershed characterization; road stream crossing inventory and planning; and source water protection.


NYS DEC: Hudson River Estuary Program River Education Grants

Deadline: July 17

More information


Approximately $250,000 is available to support projects to enhance education about the estuary along the tidal waters of the Hudson and to make opportunities to learn about the Hudson River Estuary more accessible for a wide range of people, especially communities traditionally underrepresented in science careers. 


US EPA: Building Partner Capacity and Promoting Resiliency and Equity under Clean Water Act, Wetlands, Nonpoint Source, Monitoring, Assessment and Listing Programs

Deadline: July 17

More information


The EPA is soliciting applications from eligible entities to provide support for training and related activities to build the capacity of agricultural partners, state, territorial and Tribal officials and nongovernmental stakeholders in activities to be carried out to support the goals of the Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 303(d) Program, the CWA 305(b) Program, the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Program, the Nonpoint Source (CWA Section 319) Program, the Fish Monitoring/Advisory Programs, the Recreational Waters/Beach Monitoring Programs, and the Water Quality Monitoring Program.

  • National Priority Area I: State and Tribal Aquatic Resource Monitoring Technical Training and Capacity Building Workshops
  • National Priority Area II: State, Tribal and Territorial Data Management and Data Sharing Training Workshops in Support of CWA Section 303(d), CWA Section 305(b), TMDLs and Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment
  • National Priority Area III: Training Workshops on Recreational Waters and Beach Monitoring Programs
  • National Priority Area IV: Nonpoint Source Technical Support for Tribes
  • National Priority Area V: Training Workshop on Fish Monitoring and Advisory Programs


NYS DEC: Water Quality Improvement Project Program Grants

Deadline: July 31

More information


The Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) program is a competitive, statewide reimbursement grant program that supports implementation projects that directly improve water quality or habitat, promote flood risk reduction, restoration, and enhanced flood and climate resiliency, or protect a drinking water source.


NYS DEC: Climate Smart Communities Grants

Deadline: July 31

More information


The Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Grant program was established in 2016 to provide grants to cities, towns, villages, and counties of the State of New York for eligible climate change mitigation, adaptation, and planning and assessment projects.Funds are available for two broad project categories - implementation and certification. The first project category supports implementation projects related to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (mainly outside the power sector) and climate change adaptation. The second supports planning and assessment projects aligned with Climate Smart Communities certification actions.


NYS DEC: Non-Agricultural Nonpoint Source Planning and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Mapping

Deadline: July 31

More information


DEC’s Non-Agricultural Nonpoint Source Planning and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Mapping Grant (NPG) funds projects that help pay for the initial planning of non-agricultural nonpoint source water quality improvement projects, such as undersized culvert replacements and green infrastructure technologies, and State permit-required stormwater system mapping in urban areas. These projects will reduce the amount of polluted stormwater and runoff entering lakes, rivers and streams, and improve resiliency against the impacts of climate change. 


NYS Department of State: Local Waterfront Revitalization Program

Deadline: July 31

More information


The NYS Department of State (Department or DOS) is soliciting application from eligible villages, towns, cities located along New York’s coasts or designated inland waterways, or counties (with the written consent and acting on behalf of one or more eligible villages, towns, cities) to advance the preparation or implementation of strategies for community and waterfront revitalization through the following grant categories:

  • Preparing or Updating a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP), including Updating an LWRP to be More Resilient to Climate Risks
  • Preparing an LWRP Component, including a Watershed Management Plan
  • Implementing an LWRP or a completed LWRP Component


NYS Department of State: Smart Growth Community Planning and Zoning Grant Program

Deadline: July 31

More information


The Department of State is soliciting applications from eligible towns, villages, cities, counties, regional planning entities, and not-for-profit organizations to advance the preparation and adoption of one of the following:

  • A new or updated comprehensive plan for an entire town, village, or city that integrates smart growth principles
  • Preparation and local adoption of a new or updated comprehensive plan for an entire county that integrates smart growth principles
  • A new or updated community wide zoning regulations (i.e., local law, ordinance) for a town, village, or city that would implement an existing comprehensive plan that supports smart growth principles for the community
  • Amendment of existing zoning regulations for part of a town, village, or city to implement an existing comprehensive plan or previously adopted area plan that integrates smart growth principles
  • A new or updated area plan for part of a town, village, or city that supports smart growth principles for the community, and which plans may include, but would not be limited to, transit-oriented development plans and downtown/hamlet area plans


NYS DEC: Environmental Justice Community Impact Grants

Deadline: August 7

More information


This year, $7.34 million in Environmental Justice Community Impact Grants is available to help communities most vulnerable to the impacts of pollution and climate change address environmental concerns and legacy pollution. Community-based organizations can apply to receive up to $100,000 in funding for projects that address environmental and public health concerns of residents in impacted neighborhoods. 


NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation: Green Resiliency Grant Program

Deadline: August 16

More information


The new grant program will prioritize grants to flood-prone communities and help them undertake innovative green infrastructure projects such as green roofs, green streets, and permeable pavement. 


Hudson River Valley Greenway: Hudson River Valley Greenway Grant Program

Deadline: September 6, 2024; November 1, 2024

More information


Community Grants: The Hudson River Valley Greenway Grant Program provides match grants to Greenway Communities and Compact Communities. Greenway Communities are eligible to receive up to $10,000 to develop plans or projects consistent with the five Greenway criteria: natural and cultural resource protection, economic development, public access, regional planning, and heritage and environmental education. Higher amounts are awarded for intermunicipal projects.

Conservancy Trail Grants: The Hudson River Valley Greenway Conservancy Trails Grant Program is dedicated to funding recreational trail projects. Special consideration is given to projects that seek to implement the goals of the Greenway Trail Program. The application emphasizes connections to the Empire State Trail.  


U.S. EPA: Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants

Deadline: rolling, until November 21, 2024

More information

Approximately $2 billion dollars in Inflation Reduction Act funds are available for environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity to address environmental and climate justice challenges.


Capital District Transportation Council/Capital District Regional Planning Commission: Community Planning Technical Assistance Program (rolling)

More information

The Community Planning Technical Assistance Program offers staff time and expertise to local governments in Albany, Rensselaer, Schenectady and Saratoga counties that are undertaking small scale community planning initiatives. 


NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation: Community Assistance Teams (rolling)

More information

EFC's Community Assistance Teams help municipalities (small, rural, and disadvantaged communities ) address their clean water infrastructure needs. Teams host regional events and connect communities with experts who can help them undertake their critical water infrastructure projects. These Teams provide on-site or virtual consultations to help communities across the state jump start planning, submit funding applications, and see their projects through to completion.

JOB POSTINGS


Groundwork Hudson Valley: Youth Programs Manager (Yonkers, NY)

More information


Hudson Valley Regional Council: Clean Energy Communities Coordinator (Newburgh, NY)

More information


Hudson Valley Regional Council: Water Resources Manager (Newburgh, NY)

More information


NEIWPCC: Environmental Analyst – Habitat Researcher (Staatsburg, NY)

More information


NEIWPCC: Assistant Environmental Analyst – Hudson River Stewardship (Staatsburg, NY)

More information


NEIWPCC: Environmental Analyst – Drinking Water Specialist (Albany, NY)

More information


NEIWPCC: Program Manager – Drinking Water Source Protection Program (Albany, NY)

More information


Palisades Park Conservancy: Administration and Program Associate (Hybrid: Office in Manhattan, NYC with flexibility to work remotely in NYC or the Palisades

Region/Hudson Valley)

More information


Teatown Lake Reservation: Director of Stewardship (Ossining, NY)

More information


Teatown Lake Reservation: Land Protection Specialist (Ossining, NY)

More information


Town of Greenburgh: Part Time Forestry Officer (Greenburgh, NY)

More information

The Hudson River Watershed Alliance unites and empowers communities to protect our shared waters.

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