Three years ago, voters across New York State approved the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, which allowed the state to borrow $4.2 billion to pay for projects that would benefit the environment and protect against climate change.

Since then, about $1.07 billion — or just over a quarter of the Bond Act’s value — has been awarded to projects around the state.

New York City has now received over $142.4 million worth of funds — or more than 13.3% of the $1.07 billion allocated so far — for projects in all five boroughs, according to state data.

The awards include $43 million to create a new elevated seven-acre park on the waterfront in East Harlem, between 125th and 132nd streets. The park will become a connector in the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway, which will eventually loop around Manhattan. Construction began in October.

Nearly $6 million is slotted for the Department of Environmental Protection to build green street medians in Brooklyn’s East Flatbush and Brownsville, as well as in Baychester and near Soundview Park in The Bronx. The medians, which are in the design phase, will help better absorb rainwater and lessen runoff.

While public data shows $1.07 billion allocated to 344 projects, millions more dollars are in play. According to the state Department of Environmental Conservation, $1.9 billion — or almost half of the full Bond Act funds — has either been awarded to projects that are not yet public, or committed to funding streams that have not yet been disbursed.

The money can pay for stormwater or wastewater management systems, land preservation, flood protection and electric vehicles, among other projects.

More than 41% of the Bond Act money has flowed to so-called disadvantaged communities, which are those that are disproportionately pollution-burdened and more vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The state climate law requires at least 35% of climate spending to go to those areas.

The City University of New York will use $50 million in Bond Act funds to install a geothermal system at Brooklyn College, add solar, heat pumps and electric vehicle charging at City College and upgrade the heating system at Hunter College, among other initiatives.

Plus, Bond Act funding paid for over 100 electric school buses for New York City public schools and 30 chargers for the vehicles.

The state is still developing new programs to deploy the approximately $2.3 billion that remains. 

We will continue to update you on all projects that affect New York City!