Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. (I, D, WF-Sag Harbor) announced today that the deadline to apply for the previously announced Southern Pine Beetle Community Recovery grants has been extended to 2:00 p.m., on Thursday, November 9, 2017, according to the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

Through these grants, communities can receive funding to remove trees that have been infested or killed by the southern pine beetle (SPB), replant impacted areas with native trees and other plants, and conduct forest management activities, such as prescribed burns, that would make the forests less susceptible to SPB attack.

This grant opportunity is available to municipalities, public benefit corporations, public authorities, school districts, and not-for-profit organizations that have a public ownership interest in the property or are acting on behalf of a public property owner. Awards will range from $25,000 to $75,000, and have a match requirement of 25 percent.

The invasive pest SPB 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.

Applicants may obtain all necessary directions and forms for Southern Pine Beetle Community Recovery Grants on the DEC's website and need to be submitted through the New York State Grants Gateway.