Grant Funding is Available in NYS for Emerging Contaminant Treatment at Landfills
UPDATE: The status of the federal funding described in this blog post is uncertain. President Trump’s White House froze all federal grant and loan payments on January 27, 2025. As of February 5, 2025, the order has been rescinded by the Federal Government and blocked by two federal judges, but funding is not being paid out. While this issue plays out in court, we urge you to contact your Congressional representatives (find them here) and local leaders and ask them to protect funding for safe drinking water.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), passed in 2022, included $1 billion in funds for infrastructure to address emerging contaminant pollution, such as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), in surface water and groundwater. The US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) allocates these funds to New York State through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF), which is administered by the NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC).
The funding is provided as 100% grants, and will be available on an annual basis until 2026. Some examples of eligible projects are:
- Landfill leachate collection and treatment to remove emerging contaminants;
- Emerging contaminant treatment at municipal wastewater treatment plants; and
- Emerging contaminant treatment or removal of contaminated material at Superfund sites.
For Fiscal Year 2025 (ending September 30), NYS proposed to award nearly $81 million in BIL funds for emerging contaminant projects. Municipalities have requested about $60 million in FY 2025. The proposed projects include:
- Town of Hurley: $1.3 million to design a landfill leachate collection and treatment system at the Town of Hurley landfill.
- Village of Malone: $14.5 million to plan, design, and construct landfill leachate pretreatment at its wastewater treatment plant.
- Development Authority of the North Country: $1.4 million plan and design a landfill leachate pretreatment facility.
- Steuben County: $25.3 million to plan, design, and construct landfill leachate pretreatment for PFAS.
How to Access Grant Funding for Emerging Contaminant Treatment
The first step toward accessing these grants is to submit your project for listing on NYS EFC’s Intended Use Plan (IUP). The deadline is May 30, 2025.
NYS EFC offers assistance in preparing project applications.
Where to Find More Information
These links lead to additional information about the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law emerging contaminants funding.
NYS EFC | Clean Water State Revolving Fund
NYS EFC | Types of Funding & Deadlines – Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
US EPA | Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Resources for Clean Water
US EPA | Emerging Contaminants Supplemental Appropriation FAQ