Clean Water Act Section 604(b) Water Quality Planning Grants
The Clean Water Act Section 604(b) Water Quality Planning application period opened March 1, 2023, in the NYS Grants Gateway (leaves DEC's website).
DEC will host a webinar to present more details about this grant on March 15, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. Register to attend.
Overview
Clean Water Act Section 604(b) Water Quality Planning Grants fund regional comprehensive water quality management planning activities as described in Section 604(b) of the federal Clean Water Act. 604(b) funds are to be used for water quality management planning activities, such as determining the nature, extent and causes of point and nonpoint source water pollution problems, and developing plans to resolve these problems.
DEC typically issues a Request for Applications (RFA) every 3-5 years and awards funds to multi-year projects.
View the 2023 604(b) RFA (PDF) to see the funding priorities and grant requirements for the current open application. Funding is available for Baseline Planning Programs (Application # DEC01-604b-2023) and a Statewide Planning Coordination Program (Application #DEC01-604bSW-2023). Apply through the NYS Grants Gateway (leaves DEC's website).
Email your questions to user.water@dec.ny.gov with the subject line "2023 604(b) Grant Funding."
Eligible Applicants
The following regional planning and interstate organizations are eligible for 604(b) funding.
NYS Regional Planning Organizations
- Capital District Regional Planning Council
- Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board
- Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council
- Herkimer-Oneida Counties Comprehensive Planning Program
- Hudson Valley Regional Council
- Lake Champlain-Lake George Regional Planning Board
- Long Island Regional Planning Council
- Southern Tier Central Regional Planning and Development Board
- Southern Tier East Regional Planning and Development Board
- Southern Tier West Regional Planning and Development Board
Interstate Organizations
- Delaware River Basin Commission
- Great Lakes Commission
- Interstate Environmental Commission
- New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission
- Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission
- Susquehanna River Basin Commission
Baseline Planning Program
The 2023 RFA requires at least one of the following objectives to be addressed in Baseline Planning Program applications:
- Nine element (9E) watershed management plan development and implementation assistance
- Drinking water source protection program development and implementation assistance
- Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) General Permit assistance
- Chesapeake Bay Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan local engagement assistance
- Local, regional and watershed planning
- Targeted surface water monitoring to support statewide water quality reporting or specific planning or implementation initiative
Funding amount
DEC anticipates that a total of approximately $1.3 million will be available annually from 2023 to 2028. The minimum amount per grant is $25,000 per year; maximum is $150,000 per year. Actual amounts for grants each year will depend on Congressional appropriations.
Match
A minimum 5% local match of the award amount is required.
Statewide Planning Coordination Program
The 2023 RFA requires the following objective to be addressed in Statewide Planning Coordination Program applications:
- Serve as a statewide coordinator for the 604(b) Water Quality Management Planning Program.
Funding amount
Up to $25,000 will be available annually from 2023-2028.
Match
No local match is required for the Statewide Program.
2018 Awards
DEC awarded grants to nine organizations for ten four-year water quality management planning programs in response to the 2018 604(b) RFA. Nine baseline planning programs were awarded, and one statewide coordination program.
| Awardee | Program | Year 1 Award Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Capital District Regional Planning Commission | Baseline Planning Program | $53,582.32 |
| Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board | Baseline Planning Program | $73,327.50 |
| Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board | Statewide Planning Coordination Program | $25,000.00 |
| Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council | Baseline Planning Program | $97,769.91 |
| Oneida County (Herkimer-Oneida Counties Comprehensive Planning Program) | Baseline Planning Program | $58,992.45 |
| Hudson Valley Regional Council | Baseline Planning Program | $96,104.00 |
| Lake Champlain-Lake George Regional Planning Board | Baseline Planning Program | $97,770.00 |
| Southern Tier Central Regional Planning and Development Board | Baseline Planning Program | $97,770.00 |
| Southern Tier East Regional Planning and Development Board | Baseline Planning Program | $64,307.11 |
| Southern Tier West Regional Planning and Development Board | Baseline Planning Program | $50,940.13 |
More about Clean Water Act Section 604(b) Water Quality Planning Grants:
- Information for 604(b) Awardees - Information for 604(b) grant award recipients.
