NYS Tug Hill Commission

06/08/2026

Listen in as Comprehensive Chris and Municipal Maria run through the latest edition of Tug Hill Times!

☀️The full newsletter can be found here: https://tughill.org/publications/tug-hill-times/

06/05/2026

⭐️Tug Hill Times: Live⭐️

Join Comprehensive Chris and Municipal Maria on Monday, June 8, as they go through the most recent edition of Tug Hill Times!

The full newsletter can be found here: https://tughill.org/publications/tug-hill-times/

06/03/2026

We’re so excited to be hosting the 16th Annual Black River Watershed Conference today with Lewis County Soil & Water Conservation District. We have a great lineup of speakers and are looking forward to all the discussions that come from the day!

A huge thank you to our sponsors and exhibitors, and of course our presenters and attendees. We appreciate all of you!

06/01/2026

FY 2025 Assistance to Firefighters (AFG) grants are open for three project areas: operations and safety; vehicle acquisition; and regional projects. Applications are due by June 22 at 5 p.m., with detailed eligible requirements for each category available here. The AFG program, delivered through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), delivers resources to equip and train emergency personnel to meet recognized standards, outfit responders with compliant personal protective equipment to enhance safety, retrofit or modify facilities to address known health hazards, and acquire emergency response vehicles. Additionally, the program supports the development of health, wellness, and resiliency initiatives to prepare responders for incidents, improve operational efficiency, promote interoperability, and strengthen community resilience.

Eligible applicants are fire departments, non-affiliated EMS agencies, and state fire training academies. Organizations must have a Unique Entity Identification (UEI) number, an Employer Identification Number (EIN), be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) and register in the FEMO GO grant system. Be aware that it can take up to four weeks for a new registration to be processed, so start the process as soon as possible.

Matching funds are required and determined by community size. In general, a match of non-federal funds of at least 15% of the grant amount is required. Exceptions are made for communities of less than 20,000 residents, which means for most Tug Hill communities the match amount is 5%. There is $291,600,000 in funding available, and there are anticipated to be 1,800 awards. For communities of less than 100,000, the maximum grant amount is $1,000,000. For more information on the AFG grant pro-gram, including the Notice of Funding Opportunity, visit https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/firefighters/assistance-grants/documents.

Official U.S. Government Website 100% Free The Official U.S. Government System for: Contracting Research and engage in federal contractingEntity Information View entities doing federal businessFederal Hierarchy Search the directory of federal organizations Federal Assistance Learn about grants and o...

05/30/2026

Applications are now open for funding through the New York Places for Learning, Activity, and Youth Socialization (NY PLAYS) Initiative, a $67.5 million competitive grant program that supports the design, construction, and renovation of public playgrounds across New York State. NY PLAYS helps communities expand access to safe, welcoming outdoor spaces that pro-mote physical activity, emotional well-being, and in-person social connection for children and families. Applications will be accepted from May 4, 2026, through June 15, 2026. Grant awards will be announced no earlier than August 3, 2026.

Please note that registering and/or obtaining a prequalified SFS Prequalification Application (formerly known as the Grants Management Gateway Document Vault) may take several weeks. All applicants to an open competitive grant procurement or Grantee of an Economic Development grant should allow ample time to complete this process. If your organization needs to get registered and or Prequalified in SFS, please refer to the Grants Management website at the following link for more information: https://grantsmanagement.ny.gov/register-your-organization-sfs.

Steps to register in SFS

05/29/2026

Tug Hill Commission staff member Patrick Brady recently participated in the Adirondack/North Country GIS Users Group Meeting held at Clarkson University on May 1. The event brought together approximately 45 GIS professionals, educators, students, planners, and representatives from academic, state government, and commercial GIS organizations. The event provided an opportunity for GIS professionals throughout the region to share projects, research, and emerging applications of geospatial technology.

During the meeting, Patrick delivered a lightning talk, Planning Before the Boom, which highlighted a GIS-based buildout analysis completed for a local municipality. The presentation explored how rural communities can use GIS tools and spatial analysis to proactively prepare for future growth pressures associated with large-scale economic development projects, including the proposed Micron semiconductor investment in Central New York. GIS can assist municipalities in identifying development constraints, evaluating land suitability, and planning for long-term infrastructure and housing needs before rapid growth occurs. The project also illustrated how similar GIS methodologies can support planning efforts related to renewable energy, industrial development, and regional population shifts.

05/29/2026

Don't miss out! Today is the last day to register for the 16th Annual Black River Watershed Conference.

🔹Register here: https://tinyurl.com/BRWC2026 🔹

Date: Wednesday, June 3
Location: Tug Hill Estate
Time: 8:30 am to 4:00 pm
Breakfast and lunch are included.

We have something for everyone.

🔹Communicating science to a wide range of audiences
🔹Emergency response to flooding
🔹Agricultural best management practices
🔹Tree planting
🔹Learning how to work with municipalities and land owners to better the environment
🔹Invasive species management
🔹Using culvert knowledge to plan for the future
🔹Deicing salt - understanding the environmental implications and actions to take for best management
🔹Wildlife management tracking

Please reach out if you have any questions. We hope to see you there!

Lewis County Soil & Water Conservation District
Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District
Oneida County Soil and Water Conservation District
Hamilton County NY Soil and Water Conservation District
Herkimer County Soil and Water Conservation District
Climate Central
SLELO Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management
Cornell University
Lewis County Highway Department

05/28/2026

The River Area Council of Governments’ (RACOG) next board meeting will be on May 28 at 6:00 p.m. at the Castorland Fire Hall, 5187 NY-410, Castorland. The board will review the draft strategic plan at this meeting and consider its potential adoption. The strategic plan focuses on the direction RACOG would like to take over the next five to ten years. It includes background on RACOG’s formation, its purpose, mission, vision, goals, objectives, strategies and tactics, and drivers and risks. Each RACOG member is encouraged to attend and provide feedback on the strategic plan.

A Lowville Academy student who attended the Local Government Conference back in April will be in attendance with her student council to talk about her conference experience. Additionally, the village of Black River has requested to join RACOG, which will also be voted on.

05/28/2026

The North Shore Council of Governments (NorCOG) will hold its summer meeting on Thursday, May 28th at 6:30 p.m. at the Cleveland Village Hall, 2 Clay St, Cleveland. The meeting will feature a review of the draft Explore the North Shore Community Guide, an initiative highlighting the region’s communities, businesses, and recreational assets. Updates will also be provided on the status of the SOCRIS project, the Oneida Lake 9E watershed initiative, and coordination efforts with the Oneida Lake Association. Additional discussion will include the Tug Hill Special Areas Planning Accord, the potential additional associate circuit rider, and annual dues. Member municipalities are encouraged to attend and participate in this important regional planning and collaboration meeting.

05/27/2026

Listen in as Comprehensive Chris and Municipal Maria run through the latest edition of Tug Hill Times!

🌼The full newsletter can be found here: https://tughill.org/publications/tug-hill-times/

🌼Reminder: The Black River Watershed Conference is scheduled for June 3, 2026. Those interested can register here: https://tughill.org/2026-black-river-watershed-conference/