HARRISBURG – Gov. Tom Corbett has announced that the Department of Environmental Protection will invest more than $20.65 million in watershed protection projects to improve watersheds, reduce stormwater runoff and acid mine drainage (AMD), and support educational programs, among other environmental efforts.
“Maintaining water quality and protecting Pennsylvania’s resources is an important focus of my administration,” Corbett said. “The millions invested in these grants demonstrate our continued commitment to protecting and preserving our environment and natural resources for generations to come.”
This year, the Growing Greener program, funded by the Environmental Stewardship Fund, will award $15,120,608 for 97 projects around the state. Four additional projects, funded by the Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Grant, will receive$1,953,947. Two additional grants, totaling $406,975, are funded by the AMD Set Aside Program.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management Program, which was created through the federal Clean Water Act to help reduce water pollution from nonpoint sources, is funding 15 additional projects, totaling$3,174,807.
These projects will reduce nonpoint source pollution in impaired streams by implementing agricultural and stormwater best management practices (BMPs); developing, repairing or installing passive systems to treat AMD; and supporting the establishment of riparian buffers, among other methods.
Two of the primary goals under Pennsylvania’s Growing Greener Program are to invest in projects that protect watersheds from impairment due to nonpoint source pollution and to restore waterways damaged by non-point source pollution. Some examples of priority activities are restoration work to reduce pollutant load in impaired watersheds for which total maximum daily loads have been developed; projects in priority watersheds that would reduce the source of impairment; and priority activities that lead to water quality restoration and protection.
In this latest grant round, 162 eligible applicants requested about $41.8 million. Applications came from counties, authorities and other municipalities; county conservation districts; councils of governments; watershed organizations that promote local watershed conservation efforts; and other authorized organizations involved in restoring and protecting the environment.
For more information about Growing Greener or to see the complete list of grant recipients, email GrowingGreener@pa.gov, call 717-705-4500 or visit DEP’s website at www.dep.state.pa.us, keyword: Growing Greener.
Editor’s note: The 90 organizations that were awarded grants are listed below, alphabetically by county, with the project name and funding amount.
Allegheny
- Borough of Jefferson Hills, Peters Creek Stream Restoration: $84,000
Armstrong
- Armstrong Conservation District, Campbell Run Agricultural BMP: $259,943
- Armstrong Conservation District, Cowannshannock Creek Watershed Streambank Stabilization: $32,452
- Armstrong Conservation District, Shay Stream Streambank Restoration: $8,350
Beaver
- Beaver County Conservation District, Brush Creek Restoration: $48,728
Bedford
- Broad Top Township, Sandy Run AMD Treatment System: $311,375
- Trust for Tomorrow, Yellow Creek Tributary Restoration: $13,200
Bradford
- Bradford County Conservation District, Stephen Foster Lake Forebay Rehabilitation: $202,613.50
- Wysox Creek Watershed Association, Inc., Parks Creek Watershed Rehabilitation: $242,850
Bucks
- Bucks County Conservation District, North Branch Neshaminy Creek Agricultural BMP: $173,477.93
Butler
- Stream Restoration, Inc., Slippery Rock Creek Streambank Stabilization Project: $49,042
- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Thorn Creek Restoration: $31,529
Cambria
- ART WORKS in Johnstown!, Green Roof: $212,500
- Clearfield Creek Watershed Association, Old Beldin Mine AMD Treatment System: $42,350
Centre
- Stream Restoration, Inc., Pine Glen Active Treatment System: $664,373
- Wildlife for Everyone Endowment Foundation, Halfmoon Creek Restoration: $148,404
Chester
- City of Coatesville, Stormwater BMP: $150,000
- Red Clay Valley Association, Inc., East Branch Red Clay Stream Restoration: $159,000
- Stroud Water Research Center, Inc., Chester County Agricultural BMP Planning and Implementation: $400,000
- Valley Forge Trout Unlimited, Inc., Friendship Drive Infiltration Trench: $66,498
- White Clay Watershed Association, New Garden Township Park Riparian Buffer Restoration: $53,030
- YMCA of the Upper Main Line, Stormwater BMP and Dam Removal: $152,300
Clearfield
- Clearfield County Conservation District, Little D AMD Passive Treatment System Construction: $455,028
- Lawrence Township, Montgomery Creek Watershed AMD Passive Treatment System: $413,439
- Stream Restoration, Inc., Alder Run AMD Treatment System: $818,179
Columbia
- Nicholas Wolff Foundation, Inc., Camp Victory Wetlands Reclamation: $165,448
Crawford
- Borough of Cochranton, Stormwater Management: $49,016
- Crawford County Conservation District, Streambank Reforestation: $25,000
Delaware
- Borough of Media, Stormwater Master Plan: $127,192
- Pennsylvania Resources Council, Inc., Community Stormwater Management BMP Workshops: $41,670
- Villanova University, Stormwater Facility Research: $225,968
Elk
- Toby Creek Watershed Association, Inc., Kyler Hollow Passive Treatment System: $260,000
Erie
- Edinboro Lake Watershed Association, Stormwater Management: $78,000
- Environment Erie, ANEW Stormwater Education and Outreach: $42,969
- Environment Erie, Municipal Stormwater Management: $150,972
Fayette
- Fayette County Conservation District, Downers Run Watershed Agricultural BMP: $36,648
- Mountain Watershed Association, Inc., Kalp AMD Treatment System Repair: $305,819
- Stream Restoration, Inc., Jonathan Run Watershed AMD Treatment System: $359,823
- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Dunbar Creek Restoration: $31,435
- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Glade Run Watershed AMD Passive Treatment System Repair: $320,917
Fulton
- Fulton County Conservation District, Big Cove Creek Streambank Restoration: $105,000
Huntingdon
- Huntingdon County Conservation District, Manure Management Planning: $25,095
Jefferson
- Headwaters Charitable Trust, Mill Creek Watershed: $274,621
Lancaster
- American Rivers, Inc., Heistand Sawmill Dam Removal: $49,985
- Chiques Creek Watershed Alliance, Logan Park Floodplain Restoration: $239,200
- Cocalico Creek Watershed Association, Little Cocalico Creek Streambank Stabilization: $38,325
- Conservation Foundation of Lancaster County, Meadow Spring Farm Stream Restoration: $9,000
- Lancaster County Conservation District, Mill Creek Restoration: $49,643
- Lancaster Farmland Trust , Conestoga River Watershed BMP Implementation: $297,000
Lebanon
- Lebanon Valley Conservancy, Inc., Quittie Creek Nature Park Stream Restoration: $444,126
Lehigh
- Lehigh County Conservation District, Perkiomen Creek Watershed Stream Restoration: $18,221
- Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation, Lehigh River Waterfront Redevelopment Project: $466,250
- Upper Macungie Township, Gateway Pines Sub-Basin Retrofit: $7,504
- Upper Macungie Township, Riparian Buffer: $58,125
Luzerne
- Borough of Harveys Lake, Harveys Lake Stormwater System: $157,810
- Earth Conservancy, Bliss Bank Mine Land Reclamation: $928,000
- Luzerne County Conservation District, Stream Stabilization: $60,565
Lycoming
- Muncy Creek Watershed Association Inc., Little Muncy Creek Stabilization: $13,999
Mifflin
- Mifflin County Conservation District, Hungry Run Watershed BMP: $498,847
Montgomery
- Jenkintown School District, Water Harvest Irrigation System: $78,500
- Upper Merion Township, Crow Creek Watershed Restoration: $78,570
Montour
- Montour County Conservation District, Chillisquaque Creek Restoration: $389,822
Northampton
- Bangor Borough, Messinger St. Emergency Stormwater Design: $40,625
- Bethlehem Township, Monocacy Creek Spillway and BMP Retrofits: $56,500
- Bethlehem City, Monocacy Creek Watershed Environmental Assessment: $150,000
- Martins-Jacoby Watershed Association, Atlas Dam Removal: $420,900
- Plainfield Township, Little Bushkill Watershed Management Plan: $46,942
Northumberland
- Northumberland County Conservation District, Carbon Run Passive Treatment System: $90,339
- Rockefeller Township, Dirt and Gravel Roads Improvement: $35,829
Philadelphia
- Frankford Friends School, Stormwater Retrofit and Outdoor Classroom: $40,000
- Friends of the Wissahickon, Inc., Andorra Natural Area Stormwater Management: $330,000
- Schuylkill River Development Corporation, Schuylkill Banks Trail: $100,000
Potter
- Potter County Conservation District, Genesee Headwaters Streambank Stabilization: $56,300
- Trout Unlimited, Inc., Cross Fork Sediment Reduction and Habitat Improvement: $168,054
Schuylkill
- Schuylkill Conservation District, Dandelion Farm Best Management Practice Installation: $144,000
- Schuylkill Conservation District, Mine Pool Treatment System Expansion: $293,898
- Schuylkill Conservation District, Swatara Creek Floodplain Restoration: $300,700
- Schuylkill Conservation District, Oneida #3 AMD Treatment System Optimization: $157,505
- Schuylkill Conservation District, West Creek Flow Loss Assessment and Remediation Plan: $302,006
Somerset
- Shade Creek Watershed Association, Coal Run AMD Repair: $297,950
Susquehanna
- Susquehanna County Conservation District, Agricultural Spring Developments: $59,744
- Susquehanna County Conservation District, DuBois Creek Restoration: $55,000
- Susquehanna County Conservation District, Priority Watersheds Barnyard Project: $205,523
Tioga
- Babb Creek Watershed Association, Inc., Klondike AMD Passive Treatment System Repair: $253,447
- Tioga County Conservation District, Agricultural BMP on Tributaries to the Cowanesque River: $196,478
Union
- Diversified Treatment Alternative, Pond Restoration and Create Wetlands: $75,550
- Union County Conservation District, Agricultural BMP: $178,130
- Union County Conservation District, Little Buffalo Creek Agricultural BMP: $329,851
- Union County Conservation District, Multi-Species Cover Crop Program: $150,000
Venango
- Cornplanter Township, Oil Creek Streambank Stabilization: $120,000
- Iron Furnace Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Porcupine Run Fish Passage: $132,227
- Venango Conservation District, Little Sandy Creek and Sugar Creek Streambank Stabilization: $28,308
Westmoreland
- Jacobs Creek Watershed Association, Scottdale Borough Stormwater BMP: $124,000
- Jacobs Creek Watershed Association, Mount Pleasant Stormwater BMP: $545,399
- Loyalhanna Watershed Association, Inc., Crabtree Creek AMD Assessment: $101,156
- Loyalhanna Watershed Association, Inc., Loyalhanna Creek Stream Improvement: $190,750
- Saint Vincent College, Monastery Run Stream Improvement: $209,526
- Sewickley Creek Watershed Association, Brinkerton Discharge Sludge Removal: $119,400
- Westmoreland County Conservation District, Beaver Run Agricultural BMP: $129,945
- Westmoreland County Conservation District, Delmont Urban Stormwater Retrofits: $110,971
- Westmoreland County Conservation District, Stormwater Basin Retrofits: $128,110
York
- Codorus Creek Watershed Association, South Branch Codorus Creek Restoration: $22,500
- Izaak Walton League of America, Barshinger Run Restoration: $59,925
- Izaak Walton League of America, East Branch Codorus Creek Restoration: $60,500
- Izaak Walton League of America, Pine Run Restoration: $70,000
- Izaak Walton League of America, South Branch Codorus Creek Restoration: $58,905
Not County Specific
- Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Inc., Local Government Watershed Forums: $27,636
- Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Inc., Incentives for New and Established Forested Buffers: $375,000
- Chester County Conservation District, Mushroom Resource Conservationist: $163,421
- Nature Abounds, Pennsylvania Senior Environmental Corps: $356,884
- Northwest Pennsylvania Eminent Community Institute, Management and Continuation of the Northwest PA Greenways:$200,000
- Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, TreeVitalize: $200,000
- Stream Restoration, Inc., Blacks Creek Watershed Analysis: $49,667
- Stroud Water Research Center, Inc., Berks County Agricultural BMP: $400,000
- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Better Roads, Cleaner Streams Program: $26,000
- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Morrison Cove Nutrient and Sediment Reduction: $100,000
- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, PA Stream Access and Riparian Conservation: $250,000
- Wildlands Conservancy, Inc., Lehigh River Watershed Landowner Outreach: $59,090