ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York has awarded $20 million for water quality projects on 56 farms across the state.

The funding is intended to allow large livestock farms to comply with new regulations for managing manure to protect ground water and nearby waterways.

The regulations apply to so-called concentrated animal feeding operations, most of which are dairy farms with 300 or more cows. New York has more than 500 such farms.

The manure management funding is part of the $2.5 billion Clean Water Infrastructure Act of 2017. The Department of Agriculture and Markets will launch a second and third application period for an additional $15 million in funding next year and in 2019.

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