Environment DEC
From the June 2008 issue
Smart Growth/Energy Efficiency to be Promoted Through Clean Water Funding
To modernize New York State's drinking water and clean water loan programs, DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis announced recently that energy efficiency and smart growth will be included as factors to help prioritize funding decisions. The state will also launch an initiative to provide more transparent information regarding the use of the funds.
Fostering Green and Healthy Communities
"One of DEC's priorities is to foster green and healthy communities," Grannis said. "These programs support critical municipal infrastructure, and we need to maximize their benefit by promoting good land use and efficient energy use along with protection of water quality."
New York uses the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Funds (SRFs) to evaluate and financially support infrastructure for wastewater collection and treatment systems, and drinking water systems. Both programs employ a point system to prioritize proposed municipal projects for funding, using a range of public health and water quality factors. Going forward, the programs will incorporate wise land use and energy conservation as factors. This effort will involve an interagency rulemaking team spearheaded by DEC and involving the Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) and the state Department of Health (DOH).
In addition, the initiative will serve as a follow-up to the governor's executive order establishing a smart growth cabinet and directing all agencies to review programs that impact land use and economic development.
Reducing Demand for Electricity
New York State's aging sewage-treatment infrastructure will need over $36 billion in repairs over the next 20 years
"By making sure that the state is funding energy-efficient upgrades at treatment plants," Grannis said, "we can contribute to Governor Paterson's effort to reduce statewide electricity demand 15 percent by 2015, as well as reducing the pollution that causes climate change."
"This initiative will bring a more sophisticated approach to funding water-related infrastructure plans," said James Tierney, DEC Assistant Commissioner for Water and Watersheds. A recent DEC report found that sewage-treatment infrastructure around the state is aging and in need of an estimated $36.2 billion in repairs over the next 20 years. DEC has established a new executive staff position to focus on this looming public need.
Initiative Highlights
As a result of the initiative, Commissioner Grannis has directed DEC and EFC to:
- Work in partnership with DOH to reexamine the regulations governing the clean water funding programs and to issue preliminary options for modifying these programs by September 1;
- Solicit public input by holding stakeholder sessions around the state on the issues of energy efficiency and smart growth as they relate to SRF programs;
- Consult with municipalities and municipal organizations regarding enhancing SRF programs to address land use, smart growth, and energy efficiency;
- Initiate a rulemaking process for the DEC regulations affecting these programs and consult with partner agencies regarding similar efforts with respect to their jurisdictions.
- Post fact sheets on each project funded by the revolving loan funds on the EFC website, along with a statewide map of all projects by September 1.
