U.S. Citizens and Chinese Nationals Arrested for Exporting Artificial Intelligence Technology to China

 

Two U.S. citizens and two nationals of the People’s Republic of China (PRC)—all residing in the United States—have been charged with a conspiracy to illegally export cutting-edge NVIDIA Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), which have artificial intelligence (AI) applications, to the PRC, announced Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg for the Justice Department’s National Security Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida.

Those arrested include Hon Ning Ho, aka “Mathew Ho,” a U.S. citizen born in Hong Kong, 34, residing in Tampa, Florida; Brian Curtis Raymond, U.S. citizen, 46, Huntsville, Alabama; Cham Li, aka “Tony Li,” PRC national, 38, San Leandro, California, and Jing Chen, aka “Harry Chen,” PRC national on F-1 nonimmigrant student visa, 45, Tampa, Florida.  On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, Ho and Chen were arrested and appeared in court in the Middle District of Florida, while Raymond was arrested and appeared in the Northern District of Alabama.  Li was also arrested yesterday and is scheduled to appear today in the Northern District of California.

“The indictment unsealed yesterday alleges a deliberate and deceptive effort to transship controlled NVIDIA GPUs to China by falsifying paperwork, creating fake contracts, and misleading U.S. authorities,” said John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “The National Security Division is committed to disrupting these kinds of black markets of sensitive U.S. technologies and holding accountable those who participate in this illicit trade.”

“As demonstrated by this indictment, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida is firmly committed to safeguarding our country’s national security,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida.  “Thanks to the dedicated investigative work by our law enforcement partners, these defendants who wrongfully exported this sensitive technology are facing justice.”

According to the indictment, the PRC seeks to become the world leader in AI by 2030 and seeks to use AI for its military modernization efforts and in connection with the design and testing of weapons of mass destruction and deployment of advanced AI surveillance tools. The PRC seeks cutting-edge U.S. technology in furtherance of that goal, including NVIDIA GPUs. To protect U.S. national security, beginning in October 2022, the Department of Commerce implemented new license requirements for the export of these technologies to the PRC.

As alleged, from September 2023 to November 2025, Ho, Raymond, Li, and Chen conspired to violate these critical U.S. export controls, by illegally exporting advanced GPUs to the PRC through Malaysia and Thailand. In furtherance of the conspiracy, the conspirators used Janford Realtor, LLC—a Tampa, Florida-based company owned and controlled by Ho and Li—as a front to purchase and then illegally export controlled GPUs to the PRC. Despite its name, Janford Realtor, LLC, was never involved in any real estate transactions. Raymond, though his Alabama-based electronics company, supplied NVIDIA GPUs to Ho and others for illegal export to the PRC as part of the conspiracy.

As further alleged in the indictment, the conspiracy encompassed four separate exports of NVIDIA GPUs to the PRC. The first and second exports resulted in 400 NVIDIA A100 GPUs being exported to the PRC between October 2024 and January 2025.  The third and fourth exports to the PRC were disrupted by law enforcement and therefore not completed. These attempted exports related to ten Hewlett Packard Enterprises supercomputers containing NVIDIA H100 GPUs and 50 separate NVIDIA H200 GPUs. 

Despite knowing that licenses were required to export these items to the PRC, none of the conspirators ever sought or obtained a license for any of these exports. Instead, they lied about the intended destination of the GPUs to evade U.S. export controls. The indictment further alleges that the conspirators received over $3.89 million in wire transfers from the PRC to fund this unlawful scheme.

As set forth in the indictment, the United States will also seek forfeiture of 50 NVIDIA H200 GPUs, which are property constituting an item or technology that was intended to be exported unlawfully.

The chart below summarizes the charges against each defendant:

Name and Nationality	Age and Residence	Charges	Max. Term of Imprisonment
Hon Ning Ho, aka “Mathew Ho,” U.S. citizen born in Hong Kong	34, Tampa, FL	Conspiracy to violate Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), ECRA violations (4 counts), smuggling (3 counts), conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering (9 counts)	20 years per ECRA violation; 10 years per smuggling count; and 20 years per money laundering count
Brian Curtis Raymond, U.S. citizen	46, Huntsville, AL	Conspiracy to violate Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), ECRA violations (2 counts), smuggling (1 count), conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering (7 counts)	20 years per ECRA violation; 10 years per smuggling count; and 20 years per money laundering count
Cham Li, aka “Tony Li,” PRC national	38, San Leandro, CA	Conspiracy to violate Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), ECRA violations (1 count), smuggling (1 count), and conspiracy to commit money laundering	20 years per ECRA violation; 10 years per smuggling count; and 20 years per money laundering count
Jing Chen, aka “Harry Chen,” PRC national on F-1 nonimmigrant student visa	45, Tampa, FL	Conspiracy to violate Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), ECRA violations (1 count), smuggling (1 count), and conspiracy to commit money laundering	20 years per ECRA violation; 10 years per smuggling count; and 20 years per money laundering coun

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Department of Commerce - Bureau of Industry and Security. It will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph K. Ruddy and Lindsey N. Schmidt of the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

An indictment is merely an allegation and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty in a court of law.   

Attorney General James Announces Convictions and Sentencings of Five Ghost Gun Traffickers in Queens

 

AG’s Investigation Seized 86 Firearms, Including 55 Ghost Guns, and 90 High-Capacity Magazines

New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the convictions and sentencing of five defendants charged with selling dozens of illegal ghost guns, assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and ammunition in Queens, New York. An investigation led by the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) recovered 86 firearms – including 55 ghost guns and 25 assault weapons – and over 90 high-capacity magazines and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. The investigation focused on Satveer Saini and his associates, Mateo Castro-Agudelo, Hargeny Fernandez-Gonzalez, Adam Youssef Senhaji-Rivas, and Milanjit Sidhu. Saini and his associates trafficked their firearms by transporting 3D-printed ghost guns assembled in Nassau County and serialized firearms purchased in Indiana into Queens, where they were stored and sold.

“Gun traffickers who specialize in selling illegal and untraceable weapons undermine our commonsense gun safety laws and put all New Yorkers at risk,” said Attorney General James. “With this investigation, we put a dangerous gun trafficking ring out of business and brought its members to justice. My office will continue to use all the resources at our disposal to take illegal guns off our streets and protect New Yorkers from gun violence.”

The convictions were the result of a joint investigation between OCTF, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York, and the New York City Police Department (NYPD) that began in 2023. In July 2024, Attorney General James announced a 625-count indictment charging the five defendants for their involvement in the sale and possession of firearms. The investigation included controlled firearms purchase operations, covert video surveillance, social media monitoring, and analysis of financial and telephone records.

The investigation revealed that Saini, Fernandez-Gonzalez, and Senhaji-Rivas purchased and transported firearms from Indiana, which has less restrictive gun laws than New York. Fernandez-Gonzalez also bought 3D-printed ghost guns in Nassau County and brought them to Queens for other members of the trafficking ring to sell. Saini, Castro-Agudelo, and Senhaji-Rivas all sold trafficked firearms, high-capacity magazines, and ammunition during the course of the investigation. 

Saini sold these firearms in various locations in Queens, including at the Louis C. Moser Playground in Jackson Heights on a weekday afternoon, and in the parking lot of the Queens Center Mall in Elmhurst.

Castro-Agudelo and Fernandez-Gonzalez used a garage in Elmhurst to store weapons, at one point hiding twelve firearms – including seven ghost guns – and numerous high-capacity magazines inside a guitar case in the garage. Castro-Agudelo used the guitar case to transport firearms and ammunition to his customers. At least one of the firearms sales he made took place outside of a smoke shop in Jackson Heights, where he worked.

The five individuals convicted and sentenced are:

• Mateo Castro-Agudelo, 21, of Long Island City, NY
• Hargeny Fernandez-Gonzalez, 20, of Richmond Hill, NY
• Satveer Saini, 20, of East Elmhurst, NY
• Milanjit Sidhu, 20, of Greenwood, IN
• Adam Youssef Senhaji-Rivas, 20, of Astoria, NY

Mateo Castro Agudelo pleaded guilty on November 2, 2025, to Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony offense, and Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a Class E non-violent felony. On November 20, 2025, he was sentenced to nine and a half years in state prison with five years of post-release supervision for his role in the transactions.

Hargeny Fernandez-Gonzalez pleaded guilty on November 2, 2025, to Criminal Possession of a Firearm in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony offense, and Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a Class E non-violent felony. On November 20, 2025, he was sentenced to five and a half years in state prison with five years of post-release supervision for his role in the transactions.

Satveer Saini pleaded guilty on July 7, 2025, to Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony offense, and Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a Class E non-violent felony. Saini also forfeited $11,925 for firearms sales he made to undercover investigators. On September 10, 2025, he was sentenced to nine years in state prison with five years of post-release supervision for his role in the transactions.

Milanjit Sidhu pleaded guilty on March 7, 2025, to Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a Class E non-violent felony. On November 20, 2025, he was sentenced to a prison sentence equivalent to time already served, approximately 16 months.

Adam Youssef Senhaji-Rivas pleaded guilty on November 2, 2025, to Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony offense, and Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a Class E non-violent felony. On November 20, 2025, he was sentenced to five years in state prison with five years of post-release supervision for his role in the transactions.

“The NYPD’s strategy for driving shootings to historic lows is simple: identify the guns, identify the people moving them, and build the cases that take them off our streets,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “This investigation is that strategy in action. The women and men of the NYPD helped seize 86 firearms, including ghost guns and assault rifles, before they could ever be used to harm New Yorkers. And today, the five individuals behind this gun-trafficking pipeline are off the streets for good. I want to thank our investigators and our partners in the Attorney General’s Office for the meticulous work that led to these convictions.”

“The convictions and sentencings of these individuals mark a decisive victory in the battle against illegal firearms and the grave threat they pose to public safety,” said HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. “The defendants' criminal enterprise, which involved transporting and selling deadly weapons, fueled the cycle of gun violence and jeopardized countless lives. HSI New York remains resolute in our mission to dismantle gun trafficking networks and protect New Yorkers. I commend the New York Attorney General's Office, the NYPD, and our law enforcement partners for their unwavering dedication to ensuring justice and safeguarding our city.”

State Senator Gustavo Rivera on the Resolution of Legal Case as a Result of Arrest at 26 Federal Plaza

 

"On September 18, I was arrested alongside a group of my colleagues demanding to see the conditions that many New Yorkers are being subjected to at 26 Federal Plaza. As a result of this arrest, I was given an Adjournment In Contemplation Dismissal (ACD) in accordance with the law."

"The irony of this does not escape me. While my colleagues and I were fortunate enough to be afforded due process, many of our neighbors are not being granted the same constitutional rights. As I have said before, I was incredibly proud to take this action not only as a legislator but as a New Yorker. The fight does not stop here, and I will continue to work legislatively and on the ground to protect our immigrant communities from the cruelty of this federal administration."  

EDITOR 'S NOTE :

State Senator Rivera leaves out that  part of the agreement with the U.S. Attorney's office was that State Senator Rivera and the others who took this plea must stay out of any trouble such as this for the next six months.

Permits Filed for 146 East 176th Street in Mount Hope, The Bronx

Permits have been filed for an eight-story residential building at 146 East 176th Street in Mount Hope, The Bronx. Located between Morris Avenue and Grand Concourse, the lot is near the 174–175 Streets subway station, served by the B and D trains. AJ Ginsburg is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 74-foot-tall development will yield 13,688 square feet designated for residential space. The building will have 23 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 595 square feet. The concrete-based structure will also have a cellar but no accessory parking.

Mark C. Weinberger of Adri Architecture is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits were filed this month for a two-story structure on the site. An estimated completion date has not been announced.

MAYOR ADAMS UNVEILS RESTORED SOCCER FIELDS ON RANDALL’S ISLAND AFTER MAKING $5 MILLION INVESTMENT

 

Former Site of Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center Serving Migrants Has Been Transformed Into Four Soccer Fields With New Synthetic Turf and Pathways 

  

New York City Has Helped More Than 87 Percent of Migrants Move Out of Shelter, Take Next Steps in Their Journeys Towards Self Sufficiency

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks) Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa, and the Randall’s Island Park Alliance today announced the re-opening of four restored soccer fields at Randall’s Island Park. Funded with a $5 million city capital investment by Mayor Adams, the restoration project transforms the former site of the Randall’s Island Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center (HERRC) that once served the city’s migrant population with new synthetic turf and pathways — fully revitalizing the area to serve New Yorkers and the surrounding community.  

  

“Today marks yet another a milestone in demonstrating the immense progress we have achieved in turning the corner on an unprecedented humanitarian effort, and delivering this vital public space back to the community. Randall’s Island Park is a premier destination for sports and recreation, and the restoration of these highly used fields marks the return of this important city resource. I’m proud to reopen these restored soccer fields with $5 million in improvements for all to use,” said Mayor Eric Adams. “While the Randall’s Island Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center was key to helping manage the unprecedented migrant crisis and care for more than 240,200 migrants — over 25,000 of whom were sheltered at this one site alone — we have effectively managed our operations and helped more than 87 percent of asylum seekers take the next steps towards lives of self-sufficiency. Now, thanks to the partnership of NYC Parks and the Randall’s Island Park Alliance, we are bringing this park back to life, allowing it to serve a new role where children and families can gather, play, and create lasting memories.” 

  

“Parks and open spaces are the heart of our communities — places where people come together to play, connect, and recharge — and we’re so proud to welcome New Yorkers back to these beautifully restored soccer fields on Randall’s Island,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Rodriguez-Rosa. “Thanks to Mayor Adams’ investment and our partnership with the Randall’s Island Park Alliance, these new fields will once again serve tens of thousands of athletes, families, and visitors each year. This project is a powerful reminder of how our city continues to transform and reinvest in spaces that support recreation and connection for all New Yorkers." 

  

“We are thrilled to reopen these fields and welcome back kids and sports leagues in time for the fall season,” said Deborah Maher, president, Randall's Island Park Alliance. “These fields serve tens of thousands of children each year and act as a recreational space for kids to get outdoors and play, one of the many reasons why Randall's Island Park is a vital resource for our city. As an island connecting three boroughs, the park serves more than 4 million visitors a year from near and far. We appreciate the partnership of Mayor Adams and NYC Parks in restoring these fields and look forward to continued collaboration on future improvements to Randall’s Island Park.”  

  

Thanks to the $5 million investment by the Adams administration, the fields have been outfitted with brand-new goals to enhance the playing experience for athletes of all ages. Adjacent to the fields, picnic areas and lawns were also restored this past spring by the Randall’s Island Park Alliance and NYC Parks Maintenance and Operations.  

  

The restoration of soccer fields 82, 83, 84, and 85 was completed by William A. Gross Associates under a NYC Parks citywide services contract. As part of the extensive work, crews removed the old turf and repaired worn pathways and fixed fences. The project also included re-grading and leveling the subsurface to create a safer and more durable foundation for play, followed by the installation of new, state-of-the-art synthetic turf designed to withstand heavy use while reducing long-term upkeep.   

  

The new fully restored field has officially been reopened to the public. The HERRC on Randall’s Island opened in August 2023 and closed at the end of February 2025 and helped provided shelter to over 25,500 asylum seekers.   

  

Since the first asylum seekers arrived in the spring of 2022, New York City has continued to focus on the support needed to help migrants take their next steps towards self-sufficiency. The city’s Asylum Application Help Center  — a first-in-the-nation entity — helped complete more than 140,000 applications for work authorization, Temporary Protected Status, and asylum. New York City Department of Small Business Services and their workforce development teams have connected this population to hundreds of job opportunities, and the administration’s case management and resettlement teams — in conjunction with teams across multiple city agencies — continue to find creative ways to assist recent arrivals through direct outreach, resource fairs, and onsite English as a second language courses at shelters, to name a few examples.  

  

Over 90 percent of eligible adults in the city’s care either have or have applied for work authorization thanks to the Adams administration’s efforts. The city has also purchased more than 67,200 tickets to help migrants reach their preferred destinations and help reduce long-term costs for New York City taxpayers. Additionally, staff have conducted nearly 1 million case management sessions with migrants, dedicated to helping them identify self-sufficient pathways out of city shelter, in addition to implementing the city’s 30- and 60-day notice policies.   

 

As a result, more than 208,200 migrants who requested services from the city in the last three years have taken the next steps in their journeys towards self-sufficiency. Since intensive case management services began in October 2023, 71 percent more families with children in humanitarian relief centers each week have taken their next steps. Finally, Mayor Adams successfully achieved more than $7.1 billion in asylum seeker savings over three fiscal years.   

Two People Indicted for $2.2 Million Covid Relief Fraud

 

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., announced the indictment of MARILYN PETER, 54, and MARK ANTHONY, 58, for stealing $1.7 million from the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) and $500,000 from Empire State Development (“ESD”) by submitting fraudulent applications for COVID-19 pandemic relief programs. Following an investigation conducted with the Offices of the New York State Inspector General, defendants are charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with Grand Larceny in the First Degree, Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, and Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree.[1]

“As alleged, Marilyn Peter and Mark Anthony used false information to steal more than $2 million in funds intended to provide relief to businesses at the height of the pandemic,” said District Attorney Bragg. “They then allegedly used a substantial amount of those funds to purchase an apartment complex for their own profit. We will not tolerate abuse of government funds, and I thank our law enforcement partners for their work on this investigation, particularly the New York State Inspector General’s Office.” 

“COVID-19 pandemic relief programs were created to keep New Yorkers’ families and businesses afloat during an unprecedented crisis,” said New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang. “Exploiting those lifelines by diverting public funds for personal gain is not only unlawful — it undermines the trust placed in government at a moment when communities needed it most. My office remains steadfast in protecting the integrity of such programs and ensuring that critical assistance reaches New Yorkers in need.”

As alleged in court documents and statements made on the record, PETER and ANTHONY used the identity of three individuals – two of whom were family members – to submit loan applications for 11 different companies. PETER and ANTHONY controlled email accounts purportedly used by those three individuals and posed as those three individuals when communicating with the SBA and ESD’s grant program administrator, Lendistry, by phone and email. PETER and ANTHONY also executed SBA loan agreements and ESD grant disbursement agreements that contained the names of those three individuals.

From May 5, 2020, to August 10, 2021, PETER and ANTHONY allegedly obtained $1,730,100 in COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) advance funds and loan funds for nine companies by submitting applications containing false information about their number of employees, gross revenues, and cost of goods sold. From August 10, 2021, to December 27, 2022, PETER and ANTHONY sought EIDL loan increases for those nine companies. The SBA flagged those applications for EIDL loan fraud. PETER and ANTHONY have since defaulted on the nine loans.

From September 1, 2021, to April 14, 2022, PETER and ANTHONY allegedly obtained $500,000 in ESD grants for 10 companies by submitting applications containing false 2019 and 2020 gross receipts figures. Five of those companies also had not submitted a 2019 tax return with the IRS at the time that the ESD grant disbursement agreement was signed. One company reported approximately $1 million less in 2019 gross receipts to the IRS than it reported to Lendistry.

In October 2021, PETER and ANTHONY allegedly transferred $1.2 million to Fidelity National Title Insurance as part of a real estate transaction to acquire Hayes Court, an apartment building complex in Jackson Heights, Queens. EIDL loan funds and ESD grant funds previously received by PETER and ANTHONY comprised the majority of those transferred funds. 

D.A. Bragg thanked the New York State Inspector General’s Office, particularly Senior Investigator Ilene Gates and Investigative Counsel Ray Gdula.

D.A. Bragg also thanked the United States Small Business Administration, New York State Urban Development Corporation d/b/a Empire State Development, and B.S.D. Capital Inc. d/b/a Lendistry for their assistance with the investigation.

Attorney General James Calls on Federal Government to Reverse Naturalization Ceremony Cancellations

New York Attorney General Letitia James today sent the below letter to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph B. Edlow following the administration’s abrupt decision to cancel naturalization ceremonies in several New York counties, including Broome, Onondaga, Rockland, Schenectady, Tompkins, Washington, and Westchester.

Dear Director Edlow:  

I am writing with grave concern about U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ abrupt decision to cancel naturalization ceremonies in Broome, Onondaga, Rockland, Schenectady, Tompkins, Washington, and Westchester counties in New York State and to cease conducting these ceremonies going forward.

As you well know, and as reflected in the many meaningful ceremonies your agency has organized over many years, taking the oath of allegiance and becoming a United States citizen is a proud and significant moment for our newest citizens and their communities. An oath ceremony represents the culmination of a lengthy process and the beginning of a new chapter for those who achieve U.S. citizenship. For years, New Yorkers have celebrated this milestone with friends and family in their communities, at ceremonies that reflect the best of us as a Nation.   

Hosting naturalization ceremonies within communities in New York has also been an important benefit to our residents, as it allows them to take the oath in an easily accessible place that has become their home and permits families and friends to participate without traveling long distances.  

This sudden change has caused alarm and disappointment from a bipartisan group of county officials, local leaders, and community members. They received this news on short notice, without adequate explanation, and without any effort to address and resolve any obstacles. I ask that you reconsider, and work with our county leadership who will continue to play their part in organizing these important ceremonies.  

Therefore, my office requests written responses to the following questions below within the next 15 days, on or before December 4, 2025:  

Are naturalization ceremonies at these sites canceled permanently, or is this merely a short-term delay due to the recent government shutdown?  

If these ceremonies were impacted by the government shutdown, can you describe the nature of the impacts by the shutdown; and whether those impacts have been resolved by the new federal government funding agreement?  

What additional preparations is USCIS currently engaging in to ensure there is no delay with the processing of New Yorkers’ citizenship paperwork?  

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.  

Sincerely,  

Letitia James   

Governor Hochul Announces Nearly $66 Million to Replace Lead Service Lines and Protect Drinking Water Across New York

Supports Public Health and Water Infrastructure Improvements in Historically Underserved Communities Statewide

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced nearly $66 million in State grants awarded to communities across New York State to improve their drinking water infrastructure by identifying and replacing lead service lines. The Governor’s Lead Infrastructure Forgiveness and Transformation (LIFT) Grants initiative helps local governments throughout the State pay for these projects and demonstrates the State’s ongoing commitment to protecting public health and drinking water for New Yorkers.

“Protecting the health and safety of New Yorkers is my number one priority — that’s why we’re investing in grants across the state so that communities can make the critical improvements they need,” Governor Hochul said. “Every family deserves clean, safe drinking water, and these grants will help us make that goal a reality.”

Lead is harmful to human health and can enter drinking water when plumbing materials that contain lead corrode. The most common sources of lead in drinking water are lead pipes, faucets and fixtures. Water that has high acidity or low mineral content corrodes these pipes, faucets, and fixtures. In homes with lead pipes that connect the home to the water main, also known as lead service lines, these pipes are typically the most significant source of lead in the water. Lead pipes are more likely to be found in older cities and homes built before 1986. 

The State funding awarded today will be used by municipalities to help cover the costs of lead service line replacement projects that received funding through the federal Infrastructure Improvement and Jobs Act (IIJA), but whose costs were not fully covered by IIJA grant. These loan forgiveness grants will, at completion of a project, pay off the financing component of the municipality’s funding. This will ensure local ratepayers in these communities will not bear the full financial burden of these vital water quality projects.

The LIFT initiative delivers on Governor Hochul’s affordability, clean water, and safety agendas. Coupling State and federal funding takes the fiscal pressure off local governments, allowing them to protect their residents by replacing more lead service lines. The State’s comprehensive approach continues to provide communities with the resources they need to improve their water infrastructure. 

The State funding awarded today is specifically targeted to historically disadvantaged communities. The awards prioritize communities that meet one or more of the following criteria: 

• The community’s median household income is less than 80 percent of the regionally adjusted statewide median household income
• The community’s local poverty rate is higher than the statewide poverty rate
• At least 50 percent of the community’s lead service line project serves an environmental justice community

The communities receiving these awards are: 

• City of Buffalo $3,454,800
• City of Gloversville $1,352,484
• City of Lockport $10,477,044
• Mohawk Valley Water Authority $3,822,000
• New York City (Areas of the Bronx and Brooklyn) $14,000,000
• City of Oswego $4,774,962
• City of Poughkeepsie $14,000,000
• City of Rochester $14,000,000 

In addition to this funding, New York State’s Lead Service Line Replacement Program has invested $30 million to identify and replace lead service lines across the State. To date, $23 million has been spent through the program replacing 3,574 lead service lines in New York. 

New York’s Commitment to Water Quality 

New York State continues to increase its nation-leading investments in water infrastructure, including more than $3.4 billion in financial assistance from EFC for local water infrastructure projects in State Fiscal Year 2025 alone. With $500 million allocated for clean water infrastructure in the FY26 Enacted Budget announced by Governor Hochul, New York will have invested a total of $6 billion in water infrastructure since 2017. Any community that needs help with its water infrastructure is encouraged to contact EFC. 

The funding, in addition to other substantial water quality investments, includes the voter-approved $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022 which is advancing historic levels of funding to update aging water infrastructure and protect water quality, strengthen communities' ability to withstand severe storms and flooding, reduce air pollution and lower climate-altering emissions, restore habitats; and preserve outdoor spaces and local farms.  

About the Infrastructure Improvement and Jobs Act (IIJA) and Lead Service Line Replacement Funding

The Infrastructure Improvement and Jobs Act invests a historic $15 billion nationwide to identify and replace lead service lines. The law mandates that 49 percent of Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Lead Service Line Replacement funds must be provided as grants or loan forgiveness to disadvantaged communities, a crucial investment for communities that have been underinvested in for far too long. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency projects a national total of 9 million lead service lines across the country, based on data collected from the updated Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The federal funding is provided specifically for lead service line identification and replacement across the nation and will help New York fund projects to remove lead pipes and reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. To ensure that funding is used for lead service line related activities in the states with the most need, federal Lead Service Line Replacement allotments are based on need — meaning that states with more projected lead service lines receive proportionally more Lead Service Line Replacement funding.