FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 30, 2025

Mayor Noble Announces Over $1.5M in Grants for Two Climate Resiliency Projects

KINGSTON, NY – Mayor Steven T. Noble is pleased to announce that the City of Kingston has been awarded more than $1.5 million from New York Department of State’s (DOS) Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act for two climate resilience projects.  

On Friday, Governor Kathy Hochul announced $30 million in funding awards from the 2022 Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act (Bond Act) for projects designed to enhance community resilience to extreme weather events and flooding across New York State.

The City of Kingston was awarded $665,865 for the Mariners Harbor Pump Station Replacement and Relocation project, and $982,733 for the Kingston Point Beach Sea-Level Rise Mitigation project.

Mayor Noble said, “I want to thank Governor Hochul for her continued investment in the City of Kingston and for implementing her ambitious climate agenda by supporting important projects in municipalities across the state. Without this work, Kingston Point will likely be submerged within the next 50 years. The goal of the beach project is to protect the area so that Kingston Point can remain a public and natural asset for decades to come. The pump station project helps us relocate a public infrastructure facility and make it more resilient to ever-increasing flood levels and storm frequency and will ultimately be a long-term benefit for the Waterfront Business District.”

The Kingston Point Beach Sea-Level Rise Mitigation project includes building multi-tiered, raised terraces to implement a climate adaptive design and promote resiliency at Kingston Point Beach, which will promote resiliency through the protection and management of natural resources and sensitive ecosystems, while protecting and reinforcing the shoreline. The design will mitigate sea-level rise resulting from climate change, preserve the existing beach, and protect inland areas. The innovative proposed design is the first of its kind in the Hudson River Valley. The grant award will fund final design and construction. The new DOS funding will supplement additional funding of $3,343,345 from the NYSWIMS grant the City has received for this project.

The Mariners Harbor Pump Station project will replace and relocate the pump station to prevent inundation by floodwaters, which causes a backup of sewage in nearby businesses and residences and creek water contamination. The pump station is in the 100-year floodplain in the heart of the historic Waterfront District. The grant award will fund design and construction.

“This award is so critical to help us fill the funding gap to advance the Kingston Point Beach project. This demonstrates the State’s commitment to supporting the protection of this valuable resource and gives us the resources we need to move this project forward,” said Julie Noble, City of Kingston Sustainability Coordinator.

“These much-needed funds will help the city protect water quality and human health while renewing critical infrastructure and removing an aging pump station from the floodplain. This project will also allow better use of staff time in the future by lessening the ongoing maintenance burden of cleaning and repairing the current outdated pump station, while also helping to reduce sewer odor problems in the downtown restaurant area,” said John Schultheis, City Engineer.

The Bond Act of 2022 supports projects and initiatives in four categories: restoration and flood risk reduction; open space land conservation and recreation; climate change mitigation; and water quality improvement and resilient infrastructure. The funds are being used by New York State Agencies and Authorities to implement projects that protect water quality, reduce pollution, protect natural resources, help communities adapt to climate change, improve resiliency and create green jobs.

The New York Department of State (DOS) administers two programs through the Bond Act — the Coastal Rehabilitation and Resiliency Projects Program and the Inland Flooding and Local Waterfront Revitalization Program. The Coastal Rehabilitation and Resiliency Projects Program supports the implementation of projects that increase resilience with an emphasis on natural processes that provide environmental, economic, and social benefits. The Inland Flooding and Local Waterfront Revitalization Program supports implementation projects that improve waterfront and watershed resiliency and reduce climate impacts, particularly flooding.

“New York is continuing to make historic investments to protect our communities from the growing risks of inland and coastal flooding,” Governor Hochul said. “These projects will strengthen local infrastructure, restore natural protections and make neighborhoods more resilient in the face of climate change. By advancing these projects now, we are not only safeguarding lives and property, but also demonstrating New York’s leadership in building a safer, stronger and more sustainable future.”

To read the Governor’s full announcement, please visit https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-30-million-bond-act-funding-awards-19-projects-statewide-part