The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the Open Space Institute (OSI), and the Orange County Water Authority (OCWA) today announced the permanent protection of 83 acres of land to safeguard a critical water source for more than 29,000 residents in the City of Newburgh. Located just 100 feet from Browns Pond and within its watershed, protecting the property has long been a conservation goal for OCWA, Orange County, the City of Newburgh, and a coalition of land and water conservation organizations.
“New York State’s record investments are ensuring long-term access to clean drinking water, and DEC is fortunate to work with partners like the Open Space Institute and Orange County Water Authority to achieve our goals,” DEC Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said. “This project will help protect the water supply in the city of Newburgh, not only as a drinking water source, but also as a valuable environmental and economical resource for the region.”
“Over five years of effort have gone into purchasing this land that will help protect the City of Newburgh's water supply,” OCWA Board of Directors Chairman Dominic Cordisco said. “On behalf of the OCWA, we thank those who helped make this happen, including our partners at the Open Space Institute, Orange County Land Trust, and the County Law Department.”
“In fast-growing Orange County, this project will safeguard sources of clean drinking water for Newburgh, preventing new sources of pollution from being introduced into the watershed,” OSI President and CEO Erik Kulleseid said. “OSI is extremely proud to build on our decades-long commitment to protecting clean water by successfully facilitating a complicated project that is critical to this community's continued health and well-being.”
“Following the discovery of PFAS in Washington Lake which rendered the City of Newburgh’s primary drinking water supply unusable, Governor Hochul has shown her commitment to environmental justice by providing funding for Catskill Aqueduct drinking water for our residents,” City of Newburgh Mayor Torrance Harvey said. “When the Catskill Aqueduct undergoes routine maintenance, the City of Newburgh uses its backup water supply reservoir at Brown’s Pond as its drinking water source. Now, with funding from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Water Quality Improvement Program, Governor Hochul has reaffirmed her commitment to our City of Newburgh residents by protecting the Brown’s Pond watershed. The City of Newburgh is grateful to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the Open Space Institute, and the Orange County Water Authority for their work to preserve the reservoir’s watershed and ensure a continued source of clean drinking water for the City.”
The property acquired by OCWA was identified as a top priority for protection due to its size, the potential for development to impact the water quality of the adjacent reservoir. In 2014, polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were found in Washington Lake, the City of Newburgh's primary drinking water source. Since 2016, availability of Browns Pond in the Town of New Windsor and the Catskill Aqueduct have afforded the City with the flexibility to avoid using Washington Lake as the primary source of its drinking water. Much of the land within the watershed of Browns Pond was developed over the past 40 years for residential use. The remaining undeveloped area in the watershed is under high development pressure due to proximity to major commercial routes. Protecting the property will help mitigate stormwater runoff and prevent potential contaminants from entering the drinking water sources.
Now wholly protected from development, this latest land acquisition will continue to naturally filter rainwater as it flows into the reservoir. The parcel is comprised of a mix of meadows, mature woods, and wetlands with portions of a stream that flow to Browns Pond. It is also adjacent to 440 acres of reservoir land owned by the City of Newburgh. The City of Newburgh is considered a disadvantaged community with both significant population vulnerabilities and environmental burdens, making protecting this land critical to advancing New York State’s environmental justice efforts.
OSI provided project support including technical, legal, and other assistance. Their important role enabled OCWA’s acquisition of the property after it was listed for sale in 2023. There were several competing purchase offers on the table, but OSI was able to successfully secure an agreement to conserve the property for $1.2 million. OCWA plans to acquire additional property with remaining grant funds to further protect the City’s drinking water sources. The land purchase (photos and map available to view) was made possible with approximately $900,000 in funding from a DEC Water Quality Improvement Program (WQIP) grant and the remaining matching funds provided by OCWA.
DEC’s WQIP program is funded through the Clean Water Infrastructure Act (CWIA) and the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) for projects that improve water quality; safeguard aquatic habitat; promote flood risk reduction, restoration, and enhanced flood and climate resiliency; and protect threatened drinking water sources. Like all open space conservation actions undertaken by DEC, acquisitions supported by WQIP help implement the goals identified in the New York State Open Space Plan and the state’s 30x30 Initiative to conserve 30 percent of New York’s lands and water by 2030.
Water Quality Improvement Project Program Applications Being Accepted Through July 31, 2024
In May, Governor Hochul announced nearly $300 million in climate resiliency funding available that included at least $215 million for WQIP projects funded through the State EPF, Clean Water Infrastructure Act (CWIA), and the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act combined. Earlier this year, $166 million in announced WQIP grants is helping support municipal wastewater treatment upgrades, polluted runoff abatement and control, land acquisition projects for drinking water protection, salt storage construction, aquatic connectivity restoration, and marine habitat restoration. More information on how to apply is available on the DEC WQIP website.
New York's Commitment to Water Quality
New York State continues to increase its nation-leading investments in water infrastructure, including $325 million in WIIA and up to $215 million in WQIP in grant opportunities currently available.
With $500 million allocated for clean water infrastructure in the 2024-2025 enacted State Budget announced by Governor Hochul, New York will have invested a total of $5.5 billion in water infrastructure between 2017 and this year. Governor Hochul’s State of the State initiative increased water infrastructure grants from 25 to 50 percent of net eligible project costs for wastewater projects to help support smaller communities. To leverage these investments and ensure ongoing coordination with local governments, the Governor expanded EFC’s Community Assistance Teams to help small, rural, and disadvantaged communities leverage this funding and address their clean water infrastructure needs. Any community that needs help with their water infrastructure needs is encouraged to contact EFC.
The funding is in addition to other substantial water quality investments, including the voter-approved $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022 which is advancing historic levels of funding to update aging water infrastructure and protect water quality, strengthen communities' ability to withstand severe storms and flooding, reduce air pollution and lower climate-altering emissions, restore habitats, and preserve outdoor spaces and local farms. The first round of funding under the Environmental Bond Act was awarded through the WIIA/IMG programs in December, when Governor Hochul announced $479 million in grants to 156 projects across New York State. Disadvantaged Communities will receive at least 35 percent of the benefits of Bond Act funding, with a goal of 40 percent. Governor Hochul also sustained record funding for the Environmental Protection Fund at $400 million in the State Budget.
About the Orange County Water Authority
The OCWA was created to address the long-term water needs of Orange County and supports the planning and implementation of county, municipal, and inter-municipal improvements focused on water supply, water resource protection, watershed planning and conservation. OCWA developed the land acquisition program to purchase land and/or conservation easements on properties that, if developed, could negatively impact the City of Newburgh’s reservoirs: Washington Lake and Browns Pond.
About the Open Space Institute
The Open Space Institute is a national leader in land conservation and efforts to make parks and other protected land more welcoming for all. Since 1974, OSI has partnered to protect more than 2.5 million at-risk and environmentally sensitive acres in the eastern U.S. and Canada. OSI's land protection promotes clean air and water, improves access to recreation, provides wildlife habitat, strengthens communities, and combats climate change while curbing its devastating effects.
