DEC Announces More Than $500,000 Now Available for Grants to Support Eligible Dam Repairs

 

Funding Available to Local Government and Non-Profit Owners of ‘High Hazard’ Dams for Pre-Construction Activities

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced $564,925 in grant funding is now available to assist eligible dam owners with infrastructure repair costs. Funding is provided through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) High Hazard Potential Dam grant program. DEC is accepting applications for grants to assist with technical, planning, design, and other pre-construction activities associated with the rehabilitation of eligible dams classified as High Hazard dams.

 

"Ensuring dam safety is a top priority for DEC and we encourage eligible dam owners to take advantage of this important funding," said Commissioner Seggos. "The grants announced today will support pre-construction engineering and design activities as part of an overall program to help municipal and not-for-profit owners of High Hazard dams make necessary repairs and improve public safety."

 

New York State's High Hazard dam classification refers to the potential for damage upon a dam's failure, not its likelihood of failure. A High Hazard (or Class C) dam is classified where failure may result in widespread or serious damage to homes, main highways, industrial or commercial buildings, railroads, and/or important utilities, including water supply, sewage treatment, fuel, power, cable, or telephone infrastructure, or substantial environmental damage, such that the loss of human life or widespread substantial economic loss is likely. New York State has 425 dams classified as High Hazard.

 

Local governmental entities and municipalities, including but not limited to counties, cities, towns, and villages, and not-for-profit corporations with dam projects in New York State, are eligible to apply. Projects must be in a county with an approved hazard mitigation plan. Projects and applicants are also required to meet additional eligibility criteria as described in the Request for Applications (RFA). A total of $564,925 in grants is available, with awards up to $100,000 per project.

The deadline for applications is Feb. 10, 2023. RFAs are available online through the New York State Grants Gateway. The Grants Gateway is a web-based grant management system that streamlines the way grants are administered by the State of New York. All grant applicants, including government agencies and not-for-profit corporations, must be registered in the Grants Gateway to be eligible to apply for any state grant opportunity. Not-for-profit applicants are required to "prequalify" in the Grants Gateway system. For more information about Grants Gateway, please visit the Grants Management website or contact the Grants Gateway Team at: grantsgateway@its.ny.gov.