PRESS RELEASE
Allegany County Soil & Water Conservation District
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Friday, July 27, 2012
Contact Name: Gloria Miess
Phone Number: (585) 268-5840
Email:
ALLEGANY COUNTY SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT RECEIVES GRANT FUNDS TO HELP PROTECT WATER QUALITY IN ALLEGANY COUNTY
“Allegany County will receive $207,630 in grant funds to help farms protect Allegany County lakes, streams and rivers from agricultural runoff,” stated Scott Torrey, Executive Director of the Allegany County Soil & Water Conservation District. “The funds were announced on Monday, July 23, 2012, by Governor Andrew M Cuomo as part of a $10.6 million grant to help 159 farms in 27 counties to protect New York’s lakes, streams and rivers from agricultural runoff.”
“New York’s vast network of lakes, streams and rivers are a natural treasure, enjoyed each year by our residents for recreational activities as well as providing a source of quality drinking water,” Governor Cuomo said. “These grants will help our farmers implement safeguards to keep potential agricultural runoff out of our water ways and preserve New York’s natural beauty for future generations to enjoy, while supporting jobs and economic activity in communities across the state.”
The Allegany County Soil & Water Conservation District was awarded two grants, one in the watershed above the Wellsville Water Supply for $102,075, and the other one in the West Almond, Birdsall section of the Black Creek Watershed for $105,555. The Wellsville Water Supply grant will assist 3 farms and the Black Creek grant will assist 2 farms in installing practices to safeguard the waters of the area.
The grants are part of the New York State Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Program which is funded through the Environmental Protection Fund. The recipients are chosen via a competitive process that awards cost-share funding to county soil and water districts to help farms address water quality challenges in priority watersheds throughout the state. Eligible projects are ones which implement best management practices to protect water quality while maintaining the economic viability of the farm. “Since 1996, the Allegany County Soil & Water Conservation District has been awarded more than $1.7 million for water quality projects under this program,” stated Torrey.
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