The Dept. of Environmental Protection announced the 15 winning projects of its 2011 Green Infrastructure Grant Program and awarded $3.8 million to fund the building of green infrastructure projects designed to reduce sewer overflows and improve water quality in New York Harbor including green roofs, blue roofs, porous concrete, and bioswales. The 15 winners were selected out of 52 applications by a panel that included experts from the city’s Depts of Transportation, Design and Construction, Parks and Recreation, the DEP, the mayor’s office of Long Term Planning and Sustainability and the New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation. Together the winning projects are expected to manage as much as 5.7 million gallons of stormwater per year.
In addition to providing cost effective stormwater controls, DEP also selected the winning projects for their ability to provide other benefits such as increased shade, decreased energy use for cooling buildings and increased awareness in both stormwater management and community stewardship. The winners will be providing $953,500 in matching contributions and the projects will be monitored on their effectiveness in managing stormwater.