This agreement provides support to the recipient to implement new york's portion of the lake champlain management plan

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation received a $5.6 million Project Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 2 under the Geographic Programs – Lake Champlain Basin Program (CFDA 66.481) effective April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2029. This award supports implementation of New York's portion of the Lake Champlain Management Plan through four primary funding mechanisms: flood resiliency initiatives, agricultural best management practices implementation, streambank stabilization projects, and Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) activities to advance Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) compliance objectives.

The funded activities encompass implementation of WIP and flood resiliency projects targeting phosphorus pollution reduction across multiple source sectors, including rural road best management practices, enhanced agricultural practices, urban stormwater management with master planning, and streambank stabilization in forested areas to reduce sediment loading. Additionally, the award supports development of state-of-the-art studies in high-priority flood-prone watersheds throughout New York State designed to reduce flooding, ice jam formation, and improve riparian ecology, thereby benefiting Lake Champlain Basin residents through improved water quality and ecological health outcomes.

This agreement will support new york lake champlain flood resiliency, agricultural implementation, streambank stabilization implementation, and watershed implementation plan (WIP) funding programs to continue a new york based total maximum daily load (TMDL) program. Applicant and the office of general services has identified high-priority flood-prone watersheds throughout new york state to develop state-of-the-art studies to reduce flooding and ICE JAM formations and improve riparian ecology. These funds would be used for implementation of flood mitigation projects addressed within the flood mitigation analysis section of completed flood mitigation and resilience reports. One of the sources of loading from forested lands is streambank erosion. This funding is meant to support continued work by swcds to implement streambank stabilization or road-side stabilization projects to reduce sediment loading to streams in forests. The 2024 lake champlain WIP/TMDL report provides an updated analysis of the geographic sources of phosphorus pollution by each source sector (agriculture, urban, forested, septic, and wastewater). Funding will support the implementation of projects identified in the WIP and projects that align with the WIP recommendations. The WIP project sub-categories include urban projects, rural roads implementation, enhanced agricultural best management practices, and stormwater management (including master planning). These activities will benefit the people of lake champlain basin by improving the ecological health of the lake.activities:implementation of WIP and flood resiliency projects: -rural road best management practices; -develop and support management decisions and improve water quality by reducing nutrient loading and sedimentation to lake champlain; -develop state-of-the-art studies to reduce flooding and ICE JAM formations and improve riparian ecology. Streambank stabilization: funded bmps would include streambank stabilization; culvert repair and replacement; and, where streambank erosion is exacerbated by ditch erosion (hot-SPOTS), these funds could also be used for ditch stabilization/repair. Agricultural recommended bmps include, but are not limited to, access control systems, comprehensive nutrient management plans, conservation tillage, cover crops, erosion control systems, forest buffers, grass buffers, livestock heavy use area protection, manure incorporation/injection, manure waste storage, prescribed rotational grazing system, and silage leach control and treatment systems. Forested recommended bmps include, but are not limited to, hydroseeding, rural and forest road management, streambank stabilization, buffer installation, skidder bridge programs, culvert repair and replacement, and road ditch stabilization. Urban recommended bmps include, but are not limited to, bioretention/rain gardens, erosion and sediment control for dirt and gravel roads, filter strips, urban riparian buffers, permeable pavement, and infiltration practices.subrecipient:subaward activities funding under this award include WIP/TMD projects:: -implementation of rural road best management practices; -develop and support management decisions and improve water quality by reducing nutrient loading and sedimentation to lake champlain; and -develop state-of-the-art studies to reduce flooding and ICE JAM formations and improve riparian ecology.outcomes:this project will assist with improving water quality by reducing soil and phosphorus loads to lake champlain through agricultural, forest, and urban best management projects involving the reduction of soil erosion into streams which carry soil containing phosphorus, thereby improving the health of the lake by reducing the phosphorus and soil levels which in high content adversely affect lake health by causing algae blooms and other impacts.