April 2, 2019 – The Westchester County Soil and Water Conservation District has been awarded an additional $99,595.22 this year by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, Soil and Water Conservation Committee. This additional award comes as a result of the SWCD’s achievement of all of the state’s “performance measures” in 2018.
Westchester County Executive George Latimer said: “Our County government is staffed by folks who truly do amazing work. This praise, and subsequent dollars that comes along with it, is another example of the dedication the Soil and Water Conservation District put into the job paying off for the residents of Westchester.”
The Department of Agriculture and Markets, through its Soil and Water Conservation Committee, has set criteria, or “performance measures,” that each of the state’s 58 districts must achieve in order to receive the full amount of available funding. If any of the criteria have not been achieved, funding is correspondingly reduced. Westchester’s SWCD was awarded the full funding amount. Criteria include set levels of staff training and expertise, involvement in conservation-related activities, and implementation of projects and programs that promote the restoration and protection of natural resources.
This funding, which has been available to districts since 2006, is in addition to the District’s award of $60,000 earlier this year of annual state financial assistance and $6,000 late last year for conservation projects financial assistance, bringing the total state funding received by the District for 2019 to $165,595.22 – marking an increase of approximately $12,000 over last year’s funding.
Westchester County Commissioner of Planning Norma Drummond said: “It is great recognition by NYS of all the critical training and environmental work done by the County and its District volunteers.”
Westchester County Soil and Water Conservation District Manager Robert Doscher said: “The District and its Board of Directors are thrilled with this award. It will be well-spent improving the county’s natural resources, providing public education, and enhancing the quality of life for Westchester residents through sound environmental stewardship.”
The $99,595.22 received for meeting the state’s “performance measures” and $6,000 received for conservation projects must be spent on implementation of the District’s work plan and other SWDC-related activities, projects and programs. More information about the district and its projects can be found on the County website at www.westchestergov.com/soilwater.
The $60,000 in annual state financial assistance, per terms of an agreement between the County and District, is transferred to the County’s operating budget.