§ 11-A — State aid to districts

§ 11-a. State aid to districts. (1) To aid districts in carrying out\nthe purposes of this chapter, including, but not limited to, providing\ntechnical assistance to landowners, the state, within the amount\nappropriated therefor, shall:\n (a) Reimburse each soil and water conservation district to the extent\nof fifty percent of the amount expended by the district for the items\nspecified in this paragraph, up to sixty thousand dollars per district\nin any fiscal year. Reimbursement pursuant to this paragraph shall be\nlimited to expenditures for the employment of conservation field\ntechnicians or district managers, and the purchase of supplies and\nequipment related to these positions, for the purpose of supervising or\nproviding technical assistance for the establishment and implementation\nof soil and water conservation practices in accordance with programs\nundertaken by the district. At the end of each calendar year, verified\nand detailed claims for such reimbursement shall be submitted to the\nstate soil and water conservation committee in such form and manner and\ncontaining such information as the state soil and water conservation\ncommittee, the commissioner of agriculture and markets and the state\ncomptroller may require. Notwithstanding any other provision of this\nchapter, the soil and water conservation district of New York city shall\nbe considered the equivalent of five districts when reimbursed in\naccordance with the provisions of this paragraph.\n (b) Within amounts available, provide financial assistance to each\nsoil and water conservation district in an amount of up to six thousand\ndollars, in addition to the reimbursement provided under paragraph (a)\nof this subdivision, for the purposes of carrying out projects which\nconserve, restore and enhance the soil and water resources of this\nstate; assist in the implementation of agricultural best management\npractices; prevent and reduce agricultural and non-agricultural\nnonpoint-source water pollution; assist in the control of floods and\nmitigate flood damage; protect and restore streams and wetlands; protect\nand restore wildlife and aquatic habitat; assist in the drainage of\nagricultural lands; prevent impairment of dams and reservoirs; control\nstormwater run-off, including from construction sites; assist in\nmaintaining the navigability of rivers and harbors; reduce\nagriculturally-generated air pollution; assist the agricultural\nproduction of green energy; protect open space; collect and dispose of\npesticides; manage public lands; and protect and manage rural and urban\nforests. For purposes of this paragraph, the soil and water conservation\nof New York city shall be considered the equivalent of five districts.\n (c) Within amounts available, financial assistance to each soil and\nwater conservation district, in addition to the amounts provided under\nparagraphs (a) and (b) of this subdivision shall be distributed equally\nto districts that qualify pursuant to performance standards to be\nestablished by the soil and water conservation committee and the\ncommissioner of the department of agriculture and markets in rules and\nregulations. Such standards shall include, but not be limited to, (i)\ndemonstrating the extent and sufficiency of district board activity\nincluding board operations, financial oversight and training; (ii)\ndistrict reporting requirements, including annual reports and responding\nto the state committee, and public outreach and education activities;\n(iii) the quality of the delivery of state natural resource conservation\nprograms including appropriate certifications, training, timely\ncompletion of projects, and compliance with reporting; (iv) the ability\nof the district to use such funding to leverage additional funds from\nlocal, federal and private sources; and (v) the ability to promote\npartnerships and assist local governments and non-governmental\norganizations.\n (2) Reimbursement and funding pursuant to this section, when approved\nby the state soil and water conservation committee and the commissioner\nof agriculture and markets, shall be paid out of the state treasury from\nfunds appropriated and made available for the purposes of this section\nupon audit and warrant of the state comptroller on vouchers certified by\nthe state soil and water conservation committee and the commissioner of\nagriculture and markets in the manner provided by law.\n (3) The commissioner of agriculture and markets and the state soil and\nwater conservation committee are each empowered to promulgate such rules\nand regulations and to prescribe such forms as each shall deem necessary\nto effectuate the purposes of this section.\n