Nearly $11 million in federal funding will go toward maintaining and upgrading hydroelectric facilities and infrastructure across upstate New York, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer announced Tuesday.

The $10,858,000 comes from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydroelectric Incentives Program and will apply to eight projects that will upgrade generating units, install trash racks and rake systems, and automation systems to increase the reliability and efficiency of power production.

“From the North Country to the Hudson Valley, hydropower is a critical renewable energy source for communities along our many waterways from the Wallkill to the Seneca River, and this funding will make long overdue improvements to these facilities and help restore wildlife and surrounding environments, all while creating good paying jobs in Upstate NY and fighting climate change,” Schumer said in a statement. “When I led the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law to passage, it was investments like these — that improve Upstate’s infrastructure and help our nation run on clean energy — that I had in mind. Projects like these are a blueprint for how we can strengthen our electric grid, all while mitigating the impacts of climate change.”  

Nationwide funding is going toward 46 hydroelectric projects across 19 states.