$3.75 billion proposed over five years for clean water infrastructure funding
Save the Sound applauds Governor Hochul’s proposal of “a bold five-year, $3.75 billion commitment to water infrastructure, with $750 million in funding per year.” The Governor did not mention this investment in her annual State of the State address on Tuesday, but it was referenced in the “Delivering Clean and Safe Water” section of the 2026 State of the State Book that covers the full range of the Governor’s agenda for the year ahead.
Details of this proposal could be released next week when the Governor is expected to deliver her executive budget proposal for FY2027.
“We applaud Governor Hochul for prioritizing investments in clean water projects that will protect and improve water quality in the Long Island Sound region and across New York State,” said David Ansel, vice president of the Center for Water Protection at Save the Sound. “This commitment acknowledges how fundamental clean water is to New York families, communities, and businesses, and that we cannot wait any longer to fund expansion and modernization of our clean water infrastructure. Increased investment would empower more communities to pursue long-overdue upgrades to wastewater treatment and stormwater management infrastructure, as well as projects to keep PFAS and other toxic chemicals out of our waterways and drinking water, restore habitat, and enhance resiliency. We look forward to hearing the specifics of the Governor’s plan and to spending the 2026 legislative session making the case for increased clean water funding.”
Save the Sound expressed concern over other aspects of the Governor’s speech, particularly the suggestion of rollbacks to critical environmental review processes that regulate development in New York and the emphasis on expanding production of nuclear power as a part of her all-of-the-above energy plan. Save the Sound considers renewable energy to be the best option for meeting the requirements of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in New York State.