So far, the Brownfield Opportunity Area program, which has agreed to provide $8 million to more than 50 projects, has yet to pay out a penny, said Mathy Stanislaus, co-director of New Partners for Community Revitalization.

In the Capital Region, two dozen projects totaling more than $1.3 million are stalled. Projects include how to clean former steel mill sites in South Troy, pollution in the neighborhood around the General Electric plant in Fort Edward, Washington County, and the Scotia-Glenville Industrial Park.

"Each year, the legislature funds the program, but the funds are not getting out," said Jody Kass, New Partners for Community Revitalization's co-director. "There is at least $25 million being held up. The program is being strangled."

The not-for-profit group, based in New York City, held a news conference Tuesday at the Capitol to complain about the logjam, which can only be broken by an agreement among Gov. Eliot Spitzer, Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

All three have to agree on each individual grant, which can be as small as $20,000, before cash can be released. The last time such an agreement was reached was in May 2005, when about $9 million in grants were awarded.

Spokesmen for the Senate, Assembly and governor did not immediately return telephone calls for comment.