Yates gets $324K for water quality

FINGER LAKES--The Yates County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $324,510 Tuesday, Oct. 13, to address water quality concerns on 12 county farms. This is part of $11.1 million in total awards to support 29 agricultural water quality conservation projects across the state, benefiting 116 farms. The funding, provided to county soil and water conservation districts (SWCD) through the Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Program, will help farmers with projects that prevent water pollution, reduce erosion and limit harmful sediments and other nutrients in New York's waterways.
The $324,510 was awarded to Yates County SWCD for the implementation of best management practices to address agricultural water quality concerns on 12 farms in the Keuka Lake watershed. Keuka Lake is also a source of drinking water for the village of Penn Yan, village of Hammondsport and more than 2,000 lakeshore properties. The best management practices to be implemented include erosion control practices, riparian buffers (vegetated area near a stream to protect it from nearby land uses) and agricultural chemical handling systems. These systems will keep nutrients, sediment and other pollutants out of the creek while helping the farms remain economically viable.
The Steuben County SWCD also received $623,850 for the implementation of agricultural best management practices to address water quality concerns on one farm in the Cohocton River watershed. This watershed is a sub-watershed within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has assigned a Total Maximum Daily Load with the goal of reducing contamination in order to restore biological function of the bay. The conservation practices will include the implementation of agricultural waste storage which will keep nutrients and other pollutants out of the river when helping the farm remain economically viable.
Nearly 120 farms across the state will benefit from the 29 projects funded, including $2,814,643 for 10 projects in the Finger Lakes region.
"Our County Soil and Water Conservation Districts are great partners," State Agricultural Commissioner Richard A. Ball said. "They have been instrumental in helping our farmers protect our natural resources through environmental planning and implementation of projects that mitigate potential pollutants. Through this round of Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Program funding, we have been able to reach almost 120 farms and help their efforts in ensuring the health of New York's waterways, agribusinesses and communities."
Through the program, the county soil and water conservation districts apply for the competitive grants on behalf of farmers. Projects awarded receive funding to conduct environmental planning or to implement best management practices such as agricultural waste storage systems, riparian buffer systems, conservation cover crops and structural soil conservation practices.