For Release: Wednesday, February 6, 2013

DEC Awards Mohawk River Basin Program Grants

Nearly $50,000 in Mohawk River Basin Program grants has been awarded for six projects in the Mohawk River Basin Watershed, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. These grants, funded by the state Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), will facilitate the implementation of the goals and targets of the Mohawk River Basin Action Agenda 2012-2016.

"These grants will help local partners fund projects designed to help preserve and protect the Mohawk River," said Commissioner Martens. "This is the first year DEC has offered grants to support important local projects in the Mohawk River Basin."

The Mohawk River Basin Action Agenda was developed in collaboration with numerous local, state and federal agencies and organizations that share a common interest for the conservation and revitalization of the Mohawk River, its watershed and communities. The Action Agenda, which is implemented through the DEC's Mohawk River Basin Program and its partners, charts a course to:

conserve, protect and restore fish, wildlife and their habitats;
protect and improve water quality in the Mohawk River Basin area;
promote flood hazard risk reduction and enhanced flood resiliency;
revitalize Mohawk River Basin communities through sustainable development;
maintain working landscapes by supporting well-managed farms and forest lands.

"I applaud the Department of Environmental Conservation for advancing the Mohawk River Basin Action Agenda," said New York Secretary of State Cesar A. Perales. "These grants build on the Department of State's long standing partnerships with Mohawk Valley communities to promote waterfront revitalization and watershed planning."

The grants announced today further the work of the DEC and the Department of State on a multi-agency working group Governor Cuomo established to promote community revitalization, environmental sustainability and flood-hazard risk reduction in the Mohawk River Valley. The state working group, in conjunction with an array of vital partners, is working to further the goals of Congressman Paul Tonko's Mighty Waters Initiative and support the work of the Mohawk Valley and Capital Region Economic Development Councils.

This year, grants were awarded to the following organizations:

Mohawk River Basin Program Grants
County	Applicant Name	Amount	Project Title	Short Description
Schenectady	Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy	$6,500	Bintz Conservation Easement	This project will protect about 120 acres of actively working farmland and associated natural areas with a conservation easement in the town of Glenville.
Montgomery	Schoharie River Center, Inc.	$10,000	Schoharie River Center: Environmental Study Team	This project will improve water quality in the Mohawk River Watershed by expanding water quality monitoring by local community based volunteers and restoring riparian buffers to slow bank erosion and the liberation of suspended sediment.
Albany	Town of Colonie	$10,000	Mohawk Landings Park Connection	This project will connect Colonie's new Mohawk Landings Park to the Colonie Bike Path and the Mohawk River to enhance passive recreational opportunities and the enjoyment of the river and the flood plain ecosystem.
Schenectady	Town of Niskayuna	$10,000	Feasibility Study: Niskayuna Waterfront Development	This study will assess the viability of building a community facility/boathouse on land adjacent to Aqueduct park. The proposed facility would contain public restrooms, historic displays and a boathouse for Niskayuna Rowing's many rowing programs.
Schoharie	Schoharie County	$10,000	Schoharie County Recreation Map	This project will develop an inventory of the recreational opportunities that exist within Schoharie County. The comprehensive inventory will result in the development and distribution of a GIS-based web and paper map identifying recreational opportunities within Schoharie County.
Albany, Schenectady, Montgomery	ECOS: The Environmental Clearinghouse, Inc.	$3,500	Along the Bike Trail Guides &Educational Workshops	This project will involve the research, writing, printing and/or reprinting and distribution of guide books for use of the Mohawk River bike/hike trail in Albany, Schenectady and Montgomery counties.