State officials would fund municipal water and wastewater infrastructure

State environmental officials, working with the Environmental Facilities Corporation, would provide payments for replacing and repairing certain public water, storm water, and sewer systems. The program would cover existing systems operated or maintained by a county, city, town, village, or public authority, but not systems under private control. The program would depend on a state appropriation and rules adopted by the commissioner. Aid would be distributed for general operation or maintenance of eligible systems. The program would apply on or after April 1 of the year following the section's effective date.

The program would offer municipalities grants for early planning of eligible Clean Water State Revolving Fund water-quality projects. Eligible planning could include engineering reports, studying water-quality problems and options, recommending a capital project, and reviewing environmental effects. Grants could not pay for project design or construction. Priority would go to planning required by an enforcement order or state discharge permit, system upgrades or replacements, areas with failing septic systems, or watershed pollution plans. The passage gives no separate deadline for applying for or using these planning grants.

The state would set aside $5 million for emergency municipal drinking water, wastewater, and storm water infrastructure grants. The money would support infrastructure projects facing an imminent threat to the environment or public health, through the Department of Environmental Conservation. Payments would be made through the comptroller's audit and warrant process on department-approved vouchers. This appropriation is specifically tied to the wastewater infrastructure and drinking water program. The act would take effect 120 days after becoming law, and the appropriation would be immediately available once the act takes effect.