Franklin County awarded $600,000 for enclosed salt storage project

Franklin County will receive $600,000 through New York’s water quality grant program to build a fully enclosed sand and salt storage building, a project intended to reduce salt runoff in the Lower Salmon River and Lower Trout River watersheds, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced.

The award is part of more than $249 million in grants for 181 water quality projects statewide. More than $246 million is going to 139 projects through the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s Water Quality Improvement Project, while $2.9 million is supporting 42 projects through the Non-Agricultural Nonpoint Source and MS4 Planning Grant program.

The Franklin County project is classified as a salt storage and road salt reduction project. The enclosed building will cover exposed sand and salt piles, helping limit runoff into nearby watersheds.

How the program works

The Water Quality Improvement Project is a DEC reimbursement grant program. Salt storage projects require awardees to provide a local match equal to 25% of the grant under the state’s 2026 program overview.

The state has also continued its “Don’t Be Salty, New York” campaign and is using $17 million in Clean Water Infrastructure funds for salt storage and road salt reduction projects. The Town of Tupper Lake received a similar $600,000 WQIP salt storage award in January 2026.

Earlier statewide grant rounds included $166 million for 187 projects in February 2024 and $272 million for 179 projects in December 2021. Other recent North Country awards included $131,100 for a Collins Brook culvert in Chateaugay and $4.8 million for removal of Whittlesey Dam in the Village of Malone. The Town of Elizabethtown’s $10 million wastewater treatment plant was also listed among the region’s water quality projects.

The grant program affects local governments and highway operations that store materials used for winter road maintenance. Reducing salt runoff can benefit waterways in Northern New York, including the Lower Salmon River and Lower Trout River watersheds.

Franklin County’s project is one of the awards announced by Hochul to improve water quality across New York. The state has not announced a construction start date, completion date or contract timeline for the building.

Information about the WQIP program, application guidance and a map of awarded projects is available through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s WQIP program page. DEC expects the next application period, Round 23, to open in spring 2027. The Environmental Facilities Corporation’s Community Assistance Teams also provide one-on-one help with applications.