River estuary projects sharing $1.1M from state
Mid-Hudson projects will share about $1.1 million in funding announced this week for 19 Hudson River Estuary plans to improve water quality and habitats, conserve open space, increase storm resiliency, and improve recreational access to the river for people with disabilities. Among the grants:
• The city of Kingston will receive $45,820 to improve access for people of all abilities for swimming, fishing and environmental education programs at Kingston Point Beach.
• Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson will receive $48,720 to work with the Saw Kill Watershed Community to improve understanding about connections between land-se and stream/watershed conditions.
• The Upper Hudson Northern Catskill Natural Resource Trust in Greene County will receive $35,080 to work with Hudsonia and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties to complete a natural resources inventory for Greene County to guide conservation work countywide.
• Trout Unlimited in Columbia County will receive $37,606 to develop the town of Ancram Road Stream Crossing Replacement Plan.
• Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties will receive $23,063 to develop a watershed management plan for the Catskill Creek watershed.
• The Hudson Highlands Land Trust will use its $49,348 grant to partner with Orange County Land Trust to assist the towns of Blooming Grove and Cornwall and the village of Cornwall-on-Hudson in creating open space inventories for each municipality.
• The town of Hillsdale will receive $24,160 to work with a consultant to create a natural resources inventory.
• The Orange County Water Authority will receive $29,079 to renovate a stream monitoring network on the Moodna Creek, including the installation of five new monitoring locations and upgrades to one existing station.
• Pace University will receive $27,541 to work with the Wallkill River Watershed Alliance and implement a community-based land-use leadership alliance in Ulster and Orange counties.
• The city of Middletown will receive $50,000 to work with a consultant to produce a water source protection plan that will provide a framework to ensure safe drinking water for the city.