BILL NUMBER: S7325
SPONSOR: WALCZYK
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the state finance law, in relation to competitive grants
for water quality infrastructure projects
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill would earmark two percent of all competitive grant monies for
water quality infrastructure projects to be allocated towards munici-
palities located within the Adirondack or Catskill Park.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Adds section 54-n to the state finance law to require that
two percent of all grant monies for water quality infrastructure
projects go towards municipalities located within the Adirondack or
Catskill Park.
Section 2: Clarifies that said projects include sewer treatment works,
stormwater collecting systems, or septic systems.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Municipalities within the Adirondack Park face tremendous challenges
when applying for water quality infrastructure projects. When evaluating
municipalities' eligibility for these programs, New York takes factors
like neighborhood density and dirty environments into consideration.
Furthermore, even though many Adirondack communities fall below the
state median income for wealth, enough people have second homes in the
Park to make these municipalities seem wealthier than they are. As a
result, towns and villages within the "Blue Line" are not considered
disadvantaged, and thus have a harder time getting funding for vital
projects. Community residents and leaders alike have noted that the Park
has dangerously old infrastructure, and the cost to replace these
systems falls on fewer and fewer residents. This bill would require that
two percent of all grant monies for water quality infrastructure
projects go towards municipalities located within the Adirondack or
Catskill Park. This would help level the playing field for supervisors
and mayors alike deliver better infrastructure for both people who live
in these Parks or visit for pleasure.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.