1. Eligible climate change mitigation projects include, but are not
limited to:
a. costs associated with green building projects, projects that
increase energy efficiency or the use or siting of renewable energy on
state-owned buildings or properties including buildings owned by the
state university of the state of New York, city university of the state
of New York, community colleges, and public schools;
b. costs associated with projects that utilize natural and working
lands to sequester carbon and mitigate methane emissions from
agricultural sources, such as manure storage through cover and methane
reduction technologies;
c. costs associated with implementing climate adaptation and
mitigation projects pursuant to section 54-1523 of this chapter;
d. costs associated with urban forestry projects such as forest and
habitat restoration, for purchase and planting of street trees and for
projects to expand the existing tree canopy and bolster community
health;
e. costs associated with projects that reduce urban heat island
effect, such as installation of green roofs, open space protection,
community gardens, cool pavement projects, projects that create or
upgrade community cooling centers, and the installation of reflective
roofs where installation of green roofs is not possible;
f. costs associated with projects to reduce or eliminate air pollution
from stationary or mobile sources of air pollution affecting
disadvantaged communities;
g. costs associated with projects which would reduce or eliminate
water pollution, whether from point or non-point discharges, affecting
disadvantaged communities; and
h. costs associated with the purchase or conversion to zero emission
school buses, including costs associated with the supporting
infrastructure.
2. The department, the department of agriculture and markets, the
office of parks, recreation and historic preservation, the New York
state energy research and development authority and the office of
general services are authorized to provide state assistance payments or
grants to municipalities and not-for-profit corporations or undertake
projects pursuant to this section.
3. Provided that for the purposes of selecting projects for funding
under this section, the relevant agencies shall develop eligibility
guidelines and post information on the department's website in the
environmental notice bulletin providing for a thirty-day public comment
period and upon adoption post such eligibility guidelines on the
relevant agency's website.
* NB Takes effect only if section 1 of part TT of chapter 59 of the
laws of 2021 enacting the "clean water, clean air, and green jobs
environmental bond act of 2022" is submitted to the people at the
general election to be held in November 2022 and is approved by the
majority of votes