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The largest of the grants ($600,000) was awarded to the town of Scipio for a new salt storage facility, which will replace the current structure that is leaking and undersized. According to the project's summary, the new salt storage building will protect groundwater near Salmon Creek, which is a Cayuga Lake tributary. 

The Cayuga County Soil and Water Conservation District will receive $400,000 for a shoreline stabilization project in the towns of Aurelius and Springport. The project will reduce erosion and nutrient loading, while protecting 3,000 feet of shoreline in the two towns. 

Ducks Unlimited, a nonprofit organization that focuses on wetland conservation, will get $252,436 for a wetland restoration project in the Owasco Flats Wildlife Management Area near Moravia. The project aims to provide a habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. It will also bolster flood mitigation in the area and improve water quality. 

A $30,544 grant will be provided to the Cayuga County Soil and Water Conservation District to assess 260 road and stream culvert crossings in the Middle Seneca River watershed. The district will use the North American Aquatic Connectivity Collaboration's framework to "determine culverts that are in need of replacement to improve aquatic passage, reduce flood risk caused by undersized crossings and increase safety for road traffic," according to a summary. 

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the grants, which are part of the 14th round of the regional council initiative that began in 2011. The state is providing more than $225 million for 165 water quality projects statewide. 

"Every person deserves access to clean water — which is why New York is implementing a comprehensive strategy to fund infrastructure upgrades and replacement and other generational investments that ensure the long-term protection of water bodies," Hochul said in a statement. 

The funding for the projects is provided through the state Department of Environmental Conservation's Water Quality Improvement Project and Non-Agricultural Nonpoint Source Planning and MS4 Mapping grant programs. 

The awards are supported by other funding sources, including the state's Environmental Protection Fund and the federal infrastructure law.