Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara announced state funding to support a number of water quality conservation projects in New York State. The funding will aid farms across the state, assisting in the continued pollution prevention efforts, water quality protection and conservation. Assemblyman Santabarbara, a member of the New York State Assembly Agriculture Committee advocated for the funding in last year’s state budget.

More than two dozen County Soil and Water Conservation Districts applied for the funding on behalf of local farmers, among them the Montgomery County received several awards as follows:

$104,078 for the Canajoharie Creek and Mohawk River watersheds. The project will:

• Reduce the risk of pathogen and nutrient runoff and improve the overall water quality of the watershed
• Improve agricultural waste management
• Implement improvements to a rotational grazing system to promote soil and forage health

An additional $144,085 was awarded for the Otsquago Creek and Mohawk River watersheds. The project will:

• Reduce the risk of runoff from a corn silage bunk silo and improve the overall water quality of the watershed
• Implement improvements to a rotational grazing system to promote soil and forage health
• Remove livestock from the stream corridor

"This investment in protecting our farmland here in Montgomery County will help continue New York's legacy of a thriving agriculture industry," said Assemblyman Santabarbara, who is a member of the New York State Assembly’s Committee on Agriculture. "Completion of these projects helps protect our precious natural resources and ensure clean water for our communities."