2023 New York Laws › SWC - Soil and Water Conservation Districts › Article 2 - State Soil and Water Conservation Committee, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and Other Functions › 11-A - State Aid to Districts.

§  11-a.  State aid to districts. (1) To aid districts in carrying out
the purposes of this chapter, including, but not limited  to,  providing
technical  assistance  to  landowners,  the  state,  within  the  amount
appropriated therefor, shall:
(a) Reimburse each soil and water conservation district to the  extent
of  fifty  percent  of the amount expended by the district for the items
specified in this paragraph, up to sixty thousand dollars  per  district
in  any  fiscal  year. Reimbursement pursuant to this paragraph shall be
limited  to  expenditures  for  the  employment  of  conservation  field
technicians  or  district  managers,  and  the  purchase of supplies and
equipment related to these positions, for the purpose of supervising  or
providing  technical assistance for the establishment and implementation
of soil and water conservation practices  in  accordance  with  programs
undertaken  by  the district. At the end of each calendar year, verified
and detailed claims for such reimbursement shall  be  submitted  to  the
state  soil and water conservation committee in such form and manner and
containing such information as the state  soil  and  water  conservation
committee,  the  commissioner  of  agriculture and markets and the state
comptroller may require. Notwithstanding any  other  provision  of  this
chapter, the soil and water conservation district of New York city shall
be  considered  the  equivalent  of  five  districts  when reimbursed in
accordance with the provisions of this paragraph.
(b) Within amounts available, provide  financial  assistance  to  each
soil  and water conservation district in an amount of up to six thousand
dollars, in addition to the reimbursement provided under  paragraph  (a)
of  this  subdivision,  for  the purposes of carrying out projects which
conserve, restore and enhance the  soil  and  water  resources  of  this
state;  assist  in  the  implementation  of agricultural best management
practices;  prevent  and  reduce   agricultural   and   non-agricultural
nonpoint-source  water  pollution;  assist  in the control of floods and
mitigate flood damage; protect and restore streams and wetlands; protect
and restore wildlife and aquatic habitat;  assist  in  the  drainage  of
agricultural  lands;  prevent impairment of dams and reservoirs; control
stormwater  run-off,  including  from  construction  sites;  assist   in
maintaining   the   navigability   of   rivers   and   harbors;   reduce
agriculturally-generated  air   pollution;   assist   the   agricultural
production  of  green energy; protect open space; collect and dispose of
pesticides; manage public lands; and protect and manage rural and  urban
forests. For purposes of this paragraph, the soil and water conservation
of New York city shall be considered the equivalent of five districts.
(c)  Within  amounts  available, financial assistance to each soil and
water conservation district, in addition to the amounts  provided  under
paragraphs  (a) and (b) of this subdivision shall be distributed equally
to districts that  qualify  pursuant  to  performance  standards  to  be
established  by  the  soil  and  water  conservation  committee  and the
commissioner of the department of agriculture and markets in  rules  and
regulations.  Such  standards  shall include, but not be limited to, (i)
demonstrating the extent and  sufficiency  of  district  board  activity
including  board  operations,  financial  oversight  and  training; (ii)
district reporting requirements, including annual reports and responding
to the state committee, and public outreach  and  education  activities;
(iii) the quality of the delivery of state natural resource conservation
programs   including   appropriate   certifications,   training,  timely
completion of projects, and compliance with reporting; (iv) the  ability
of  the  district  to use such funding to leverage additional funds from
local, federal and private sources;  and  (v)  the  ability  to  promote
partnerships   and   assist   local   governments  and  non-governmental
organizations.
(2) Reimbursement and funding pursuant to this section, when  approved
by  the state soil and water conservation committee and the commissioner
of agriculture and markets, shall be paid out of the state treasury from
funds appropriated and made available for the purposes of  this  section
upon audit and warrant of the state comptroller on vouchers certified by
the  state soil and water conservation committee and the commissioner of
agriculture and markets in the manner provided by law.
(3) The commissioner of agriculture and markets and the state soil and
water conservation committee are each empowered to promulgate such rules
and regulations and to prescribe such forms as each shall deem necessary
to effectuate the purposes of this section.