Albany, NY - August 31, 2016 - The deadline to apply for the previously-announced Southern Pine Beetle Community Recovery grants has been extended to 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 14, 2016, the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today.

This grant opportunity, announced by Governor Cuomo on July 20 is available to municipalities, municipal corporations, soil and water conservation districts, school districts and community colleges that can apply for $500,000 in available grant funds to remove infested or dead pine trees or to plant trees to replace those lost to southern pine beetle in Nassau and/or Suffolk County. Grant awards for eligible projects will range from $25,000 to $75,000, and have a local match requirement of 25 percent of the grant amount.

Southern pine beetle has killed thousands of pine trees on Long Island since it was first discovered in 2014. These grants will help communities in Nassau and Suffolk Counties maintain public safety and recreational opportunities, and protect water quality, wildlife habitat, and endangered species by removing the dead trees and replanting in areas where trees have been killed.

Grant applications are available online at the New York State Grants Gateway website, a one-stop location that streamlines the way grants are administered by New York State. Applicants must be registered in the Gateway in order to apply. More information is available on DEC's Southern Pine Beetle Community Recovery Grants web page.