HARRISBURG – State Rep. Camille “Bud” George, D-74 of Houtzdale, announced that four infrastructure projects in Clearfield County were approved for more than $10.1 million in grants from Pennsylvania’s landmark H2O PA Water program.
“The H2O PA Act was signed into law just one year ago by Gov. Rendell but already is having a dramatic effect on the rebuilding of vital area infrastructure,” George said. “The funding approved today by the Commonwealth Financing Authority will help revitalize and improve four communities throughout Clearfield County.”
The local projects approved for grants are:
-$5 million for the Karthaus-Burnside Joint Sewer Authority’s $9.2 million project to build a
115,000-gallon-a-day wastewater treatment plant, four sewage pumping stations and 52,000 feet of sewer lines for almost 200 connections in Karthaus Township and Burnside Township, Centre County, including the villages of Karthaus and Pine Glen.
In January, the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority – Pennvest — approved a $3.4 million grant and $5.8 million, 30-year loan at 1 percent interest for the project, which also will serve a $550 million electric plant envisioned for the area.
-$3.5 million for the massive sanitary and storm sewer replacement project in Clearfield Borough. The project will alleviate persistent flooding problems with construction of a new storm sewer system.
The borough faced federal directives to stop raw sewage discharges into the West Branch of the Susquehanna River, and the project involves the installation of almost eight miles of new sewer mains and lines and more than 2,300 connections serving more than 6,600 residents. The project also has received significant Pennvest funding.
-$1.1 million for the Covington-Karthaus-Girard Area Authority project to extend water lines more than five miles from the Village of Bald Hill to Goshen Twp. to include 15 residences and businesses with private wells that have been contaminated by mining.
The funding will dissolve the Croft Water Association, which had been unable to comply with state water regulations.
-$547,750 for the Beccaria-Coalport-Irvona (BCI) Municipal Authority to extend waterlines in Beccaria Twp., Glen Hope Borough and Bigler Twp. Water service also will be extended to Tubbs Crossing, bringing the system into compliance with regulations.
Under the project, BCI will acquire the Glen Hope Water Authority.
George said H2O PA will provide $800 million over the next 10 years for critical water, sewer, flood control projects and repairs to unsafe, high-hazard dams in areas outside of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The debt service on the bond will be repaid using uncommitted game revenues distributed by the Commonwealth Financing Authority.
Roughly 900 drinking water facilities and 1,100 community wastewater operations in Pennsylvania qualify for grants ranging from $500,000 to $20 million under the program. More about the program is available on the state Department of Community and Economic Development Web site.
George noted that the Cold Stream Dam restoration project was awarded a $2.29 million H20 PA grant last month, one of the first grants awarded under the program.