Outreach teams from the New York City Department of Environmental Protection have reached 50,000 homes in southeast Queens as part of the Cease the Grease program. Bureau of Water Supply workers performed an annual cleaning of driftwood from the crest of the Gilboa Dam. Representatives of the Bureau of Water Supply staffed a booth at this year's Delaware County Fair to offer residents information about watershed protection, recreation, and partnership programs.
The 2016 New York City Department of Environmental Protection summer internship program concluded with a showcase of intern experiences. Seven SUNY Ulster college students participated in data collection efforts with DEP stream scientists this summer through the Watershed Conservation Corps. A decommissioned DEP sludge boat, the M/V Newtown Creek, has been sunk in South Florida as part of Shipwreck Park, a diving attraction and artificial reef. A helicopter airlifted construction materials to two DEP facilities on Breakneck Ridge in the Hudson Valley, which are not easily accessible by road.
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection has pledged $36 million toward the construction of green infrastructure as part of the wider Community Parks Intiiative (CPI) of OneNYC. 14 Icelandic sheep have been deployed near Neversink Dam as part of a pilot grass maintenance program. Family Fishing Day will take place August 14 at Pepacton Reservoir, co-sponsored by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
New York City tap water was awarded the top prize in this year's Regional Metro Tap Water Taste Test competition. The recently launched Clean Streets = Clean Beaches campaign aims to inform the public and help clean litter that will improve the health and aesthetics of area beaches. The Croton Water Filtration Plant was awarded the Distinction Award during the 2016 Global Water Awards. The Department of Environmental Protection, along with the Department of Transportation and Department of Design and Construction, began installation of a $41.5 million sewer and water main upgrade project in Ozone Park, Queens.