New Rochelle and Mamaroneck Secure Portion of $22 mm in DEC Climate Smart Grants

ALBANY, NY (January 4, 2026) — New Rochelle and Mamaroneck are among the Westchester County municipalities awarded funding in the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s latest round of Climate Smart Communities Grants, totaling more than $22.7 million for 43 projects statewide.

The grants support local efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase resilience to climate impacts and address flood risks through projects such as infrastructure retrofits, walkability and cycling improvements, food waste reduction initiatives and engineering studies.

“DEC’s Climate Smart Communities grants support municipal investments to reduce pollution, protect the environment, and increase community resilience to climate impacts and severe weather,” DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said. “Governor Kathy Hochul recognizes reducing harmful emissions and advancing climate equity is critical to improving New Yorkers’ health and quality of life, while also helping save money on energy costs. DEC is proud of our partnerships with local governments taking the lead on climate adaptation and resilience statewide.”

In New Rochelle, the city was awarded $112,500 to implement a citywide tree planting initiative. The project will plant approximately 400 climate-adapted street and park trees in disadvantaged community neighborhoods, with a focus on public rights-of-way, sidewalks and parks. The initiative addresses urban heat, stormwater runoff and public health disparities while advancing long-term climate adaptation benefits.

In Mamaroneck, the village received two awards totaling $167,304. The first grant of $115,304 will fund the Emergency Operations Preparedness, Planning, and Training Project. Mamaroneck will install flood gauges and cameras at key points along the Mamaroneck, Sheldrake and Beaver Swamp Rivers; develop a comprehensive emergency operations plan; and coordinate training for local response teams. Situated in a densely developed floodplain, the village has repeatedly faced severe storms and coastal surges. These tools are crucial for issuing timely alerts, coordinating evacuations and reducing risks to lives, property and infrastructure during more frequent and intense weather events resulting from climate change.

The second Mamaroneck award of $52,000 will support the Municipal Fleet Inventory and Efficiency Planning Project. The village will conduct a comprehensive fleet inventory and develop a municipal fleet efficiency policy to support the transition to a low-emission municipal fleet. Once the fleet inventory is completed, the village will conduct a rightsizing analysis to evaluate vehicle utilization with operational needs.

Funding for the Climate Smart Communities Grant Program is supported by the $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act and the State’s Environmental Protection Fund, which reached a record $425 million in the 2025-26 State Budget. Since the program began in 2016, DEC has awarded more than $109 million to municipalities. Most projects require a 50 percent local match, though grants may cover up to 80 percent of costs for projects in financially distressed or disadvantaged communities.

Below is the complete list of grant awards by region, including all municipalities and amounts as announced:

MID-HUDSON

• City of Beacon: $2,000,000 (Melzingah Reservoir Dam Rehabilitation)
• Village of Briarcliff Manor: $1,972,903 (Law Park Drainage Basin Phase 3)
• City of Peekskill: $1,775,436 (Paramount Theatre Cooling Center)
• Town of Clarkstown: $1,590,933 (Prospect and Church Street Sidewalks)
• Village of Tannersville: $1,166,400 (DPW Relocation Project)
• Village of Hastings-on-Hudson: $1,156,894 (Ravensdale Pedestrian and Bike Improvements)
• Village of Irvington: $550,000 (Train Station Connectivity Project)
• Town of Ramapo: $418,864 (Climate Smart Parks)
• City of Kingston: $400,000 (Early Flood Warning System)
• Village of Mamaroneck: $115,304 (Emergency Operations Preparedness, Planning, and Training Project) and $52,000 (Municipal Fleet Inventory and Efficiency Planning Project)
• City of New Rochelle: $112,500 (Citywide Tree Plantings)
• Town of Poughkeepsie: $80,000 (New Hamburg Flooding Engineering Study)
• Town of Woodstock: $46,567 (Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan)
• Town of Pine Plains: $15,000 (Government Operations Greenhouse Gas Inventory)

CAPITAL DISTRICT

• Town of Niskayuna: $500,000 (Sidewalks to School – Birchwood and Hillside)
• Village of Philmont: $33,600 (Natural Resources Inventory)

CENTRAL NEW YORK

• City of Fulton: $527,080 (4th, 5th, 7th, and Fay Street Sidewalks)
• Oswego County: $171,060 (Climate Emergency Response Resource Enhancement)
• Town of Tully: $72,578 (Route 80 Sidewalk Project)
• City of Syracuse: $52,000 (Natural Resources Inventory)

FINGER LAKES

• City of Rochester: $780,000 (Dewey Avenue Cycle Track Implementation)
• City of Geneva: $60,000 (Daylighting Castle Creek Feasibility Study)
• Ontario County: $60,000 (Organics Management Plan)

LONG ISLAND

• Town of Brookhaven: $500,000 (Land Acquisition – East Patchogue)
• Town of East Hampton: $200,000 (Natural Resources Inventory)
• Village of Garden City: $40,000 (Government Operations Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory, Fleet Inventory, and Fleet Efficiency Policy)

NEW YORK CITY

• New York City Department of Small Business Services: $1,995,638 (Hunts Point Food Distribution Center Floodproofing)
• New York City Department of Transportation: $1,614,012 (Heat Adaptation in the Public Realm)
• New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene: $869,354 (Air Conditioner Recycling Program)

NORTH COUNTRY

• Lewis County: $129,048 (East Martinsburg Road Flood Study) and $60,028 (Dam Analysis for Flood Resilience)
• Town of Plattsburgh: $100,000 (Comprehensive Plan with Sustainability Elements; Evaluate Policies for Climate Resilience; Plan for Biking and Walking)
• Warren County: $74,927 (Climate Resilient Rural Stormwater Management)
• Village of Saranac Lake: $72,000 (Climate Vulnerability Assessment and Climate Adaptation Plan)
• Village of Canton: $50,000 (Climate Adaptive Stormwater Conveyance System Upgrade Study)
• Town of Colton: $50,000 (Wastewater Infrastructure Resiliency Upgrades)
• Town of Jay: $30,000 (Complete Streets Policy and Planning for Biking and Walking)

SOUTHERN TIER

• Village of Lansing: $572,139 (Uptown and Craft Roads Sidewalk Connectivity Project)
• Town of Chenango: $90,000 (2025-2035 Comprehensive Plan with Sustainability Elements Update)

WESTERN NEW YORK

• Erie County: $1,885,231 (Refrigerant Collection and Disposal Program)
• Town of Lancaster: $375,000 (Cool Down Lancaster)
• Village of Lancaster: $310,492 (Renewable Energy Resilience Initiative)

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This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.