On April 3, the EPA awarded the largest grant in it history to New York State. It represents a portion of the $4 billion dollars that will be awarded to fund wastewater infrastructure projects across the country under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The state will use the Recovery Act grant to provide money to municipal and county governments and wastewater utilities for projects to protect lakes, ponds and streams in communities across New York.

More than that it will create thousands of jobs, jumpstart local economies and protect human health and the environment across the state. Governeor Paterson said that "New York State is committed to innovative approaches to building environmentally sustainable and energy efficient wastewater treatment technologies. This funding will help protect our environment and will support thousands of jobs across the State at a time when we need it most."  New York State will also provide at least 20 percent, or at least $86 million, of its Recovery Act funds to “green” projects, those that involve green infrastructure, improve energy or water efficiency, or that have other environmentally innovative aspects. New York’s program also provides funding to communities facing financial hardships. 
For more information on EPA’s implementation of the of 2009 in New York, go to http://www.epa.gov/region02/eparecovery/.