Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has announced the selection of 114 projects to receive $25,143,294 in funding from Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), for the protection of Pennsylvania’s water resources. The selected projects enhance watersheds, mitigate acid mine drainage, and support water pollution cleanup programs.
“The Growing Greener program, and this year’s funding, is an investment in our future and proof that when state government works collaboratively, we achieve long-lasting results,” said Wolf.
“The Environmental Stewardship Fund has helped spark innovation and coordinate partnerships to tackle some of the most challenging environmental issues in our state.”
The 114 selected projects range from a wetland basin restoration in Chester County to sustainable outreach programs in Erie County.
Projects focus on both statewide initiatives, like improving the health of the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay, and local projects, such as riparian buffer enhancement and erosion prevention in Four Mile Run, Westmoreland County.
Every project supports DEP’s mission of protecting Pennsylvania’s waters.
“DEP is proud to support local and regional water quality projects throughout the state,” said Secretary John Quigley. “These investments are essential to protecting and conserving the rivers, streams, and watersheds of Pennsylvania.”
The grant awards are made possible by the Growing Greener Grant Program, the largest single investment of state funds that address Pennsylvania’s environmental concerns. Growing Greener encourages partnerships between counties, municipalities, county conservation districts, watershed organizations, and other organizations to restore and protect the environment.
The Growing Greener program is supported by the Environmental Stewardship Fund, which receives its funding from landfill tipping fees. Twelve projects this year received their funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 319 Nonpoint Source Grant Program, created by the Clean Water Act to reduce water pollution.
Four projects received funding from the Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) Set Aside Program, funded by the Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act and designed to abate AMD pollution. Of the 208 grant applications received for consideration this year, more than half of the proposed projects were awarded grant funding.
For more information on the Growing Greener Grant Program, click here or emailGrowingGreener@pa.gov.
The organizations that were awarded are listed below, by grant type and alphabetically by county, with the project name and funding amount.
GROWING GREENER:
Adams
- Adams County Conservation District, Beaverdam Creek Stream Bank Stabilization: $16,878
Allegheny
- Allegheny County Conservation District, Montour Run Watershed Assessment and Implementation Plan: $94,065
- Allegheny County Parks Foundation, South Park Green Parking Solution: $77,130
- Pittsburgh Botanic Gardens, Kentucky Hollow AMD Treatment System: $369,007
Armstrong
- Armstrong Conservation District, Garretts Run BMP Grant: $245,000
Beaver
- Allegheny County Conservation District, Raccoon Creek Streambank Remediation: $54,395
- Beaver County Conservation District, North Fork Little Beaver Stabilization / Habitat Project II: $25,667
- Stream Restoration Incorporated, Raccoon Creek Bank & Buffer Project: $99,785
Berks
- Berks County Conservation District, Establishing a Berks County Mushroom Environmental Initiative: $111,350
- The Trust for Tomorrow, The Maiden Creek Tributary Stream Restoration Project: $116,000
Blair
- Blair County Conservation District, Blair County – Priority Streambank Restoration Projects: $82,000
Bradford
- Wysox Creek Watershed Association, Inc., Comprehensive Watershed Conservation in Parks and Bullard Creeks: $758,452
Bucks
- Heritage Conservancy, Hart’s Woods Preserve Riparian Buffer Restoration: $17,048
- Lower Southampton Township, Brookside and Pennsylvania Boulevard Basin Naturalization Projects: $103,777
- Township of Bensalem, Cornwells Basin and Constructed Wetland: $173,170
Butler
- Butler County Conservation District, Little Buffalo AG BMP Grant: $220,500
Cambria
- Cambria County Conservation District, Emeigh Run Streambank Stabilization Project: $4,505
- Stream Restoration Incorporated, Puritan AMD Full Treatment: $538,944
Centre
- Penns Valley Conservation Association, Upper Penns Creek Watershed Stream Restoration: $172,600
Chester
- Chester County Conservation District, Restoration of an Unnamed Headwater Tributary to Leech Run: $105,500
- Valley Forge Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Installation of Infiltration Trench on Dayleview Road: $150,000
- West Goshen Township, Extended Detention Wetland Basin Retrofit-Restoration & Demonstration: $296,400
Clearfield
- Trout Unlimited, Inc., MR Tuff/MR Frog Rehabilitation & Improvement Project: $91,385
- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Knisley Land Restoration-AMD Reduction: $211,778
Crawford
- Borough of Cochranton, Cochranton Borough Stormwater BMP and Demonstration: $22,840
- Crawford County Conservation District, Response to Hydrilla Infestation in Pymatuning Reservoir: $191,833
Delaware
- Pennsylvania Resources Council, Inc., Darby-Cobbs Stormwater Initiative: $89,883
- Rose Valley Borough, Ridley Creek Stabilization and Restoration: $39,046
Erie
- Environment Erie, Service Learning Projects : $31,050
- Environment Erie, BeginANEW Stormwater Education and Management: $48,285
- Erie County Conservation District, VinNES Sustainable Outreach and BMP Program: $364,610
Fayette
- Fayette County Conservation District, Stony Fork Ag BMPs Project: $13,373
- Fayette County Conservation District, Meadow Run Nonpoint Source Pollution Grant: $27,864
- Trout Unlimited, Chestnut Ridge Chapter, Glade Run Alkaline Sand Addition Project: $64,115
Franklin
- Franklin County Conservation District, Agriculture Planning in UNT Muddy Run: $50,323
Greene
- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, SGL 223: Whiteley Creek Riparian Planting: $27,800
Huntingdon
- Huntingdon County Conservation District, Warriors Mark Run Agricultural BMPs (Cox and Conrad Farms): $237,205
- Huntingdon County Conservation District, Little Juniata River Agricultural BMPs (Ormsby Farm): $225,352
- Huntingdon County Conservation District, Saddler Creek Agricultural BMPs (Metz Farm): $133,403
- The Trust for Tomorrow, The Brown Farm at Sadler Creek Stream Restoration Project: $33,000
Indiana
- Stream Restoration Incorporated, Neal Run Restoration Project – Phase II: $100,000
Jefferson
- Headwaters Charitable Trust, Howe Creek Coalition of Clarion and Jefferson: $95,587
- Headwaters Charitable Trust, Filson 1/2 & Glenn 17 Passive Treatment Systems-Operation, Maintenance & Replacement: $258,217
Lackawanna
- Congregation of the Sisters Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, IHM Center Meadow Brook Watershed Protection Project: $262,158
Lancaster
- City of Lancaster, Intermunicipal Watershed Action Plan: $40,000
- Lancaster Farmland Trust, Pequea Creek Watershed Agricultural BMP’s: $482,592
- Octoraro Watershed Association, Bells Run Conservation Plan and BMP Assistance: $64,500
Lawrence
- Lawrence County Conservation District, Slippery Rock Watershed Agricultural Restoration: $810,283
Lebanon
- Lebanon Valley Conservancy Inc., Quittapahilla Creek EPA 319 Watershed Implementation Plan: $26,250
Lehigh
- City of Allentown, Livingston Watershed Green Stormwater Infrastructure: $300,000
Luzerne
- Butler Township, The Wash Sediment Abatement Project: $170,000
- Earth Conservancy, Bliss Bank Reclamation Phase II: $734,600
- Luzerne Conservation District, Luzerne County 2015 Ag and Stream Protection Projects: $504,542
Lycoming
- Lycoming County Conservation District, Agricultural Stormwater BMPs: $150,000
McKean
- McKean County Conservation District, Upper Allegheny Ag BMP’s Project: $278,986
Monroe
- Paradise Township, Paradise Creek Restoration Project: $693,596
Montgomery
- Abington Township, Sandy Run TMDL Projects: $186,000
- Lower Gwynedd Township, Lower Gwynedd Basins and Dam Naturalization: $60,850
- Upper Gwynedd Township, Wissahickon Headwaters Green Stormwater Infrastructure: $305,000
- Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association, Wissahickon Headwaters Stream and Riparian Restoration Project: $369,600
Montour
- Montour County Conservation District, Mahoning Creek Restoration Project: $611,037
- Montour County Conservation District, Sitler Roof and Manure Storage Project: $139,165
Northampton
- Wildlands Conservancy, Inc., Oughoughton Creek Watershed Restoration Project: $106,000
Northumberland
- Northumberland County Conservation District, Chillisquaque Creek Streambank Stabilization Project: $20,055
- Point Township: Kapp Heights Stormwater Management Project – Phase 1: $611,703
Philadelphia
- Philadelphia City Treasurer, City of Philadelphia Water Department, Germantown Green Bowls on Park Sites: $300,000
Schuylkill
- Mahanoy Creek Watershed Association, Packer 5 AMD Treatment Design: $85,581
- Schuylkill Conservation District, Good Spring Creek Floodplain Restoration Phase 1: $459,445
- Schuylkill Conservation District, Mill Creek AMD Watershed Restoration Plan Development: $64,857
- Schuylkill Conservation District, Delaware Watershed Agricultural Planning Initiative: $30,000
- Schuylkill Conservation District, Animal Heavy Use Area Protection Project: $321,817
Snyder
- Snyder County Conservation District, Snook Barnyard Improvement Project: $275,000
Tioga
- Mill Cove Incorporated, Mill Cove Streambank Stabilization Project: $93,000
Union
- Union County Conservation District, Buffalo Creek Stream Corridor and Wetland Improvement Project: $33,500
Warren
- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Brokenstraw Creek Watershed Improvement Project: $95,770
Washington
- Washington County Conservation District, Raccoon Creek Watershed Agricultural BMPs: $81,608
- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Blaine Township Park Restoration: $113,200
Westmoreland
- Loyalhanna Watershed Association, Inc., Fourmile Run Restoration Project: $328,000
- Westmoreland County Conservation District, Turtle Creek Ag BMPs – Steel’s Run: $22,965
- Westmoreland County Conservation District, First Presbyterian Church of Murrysville, Murrysville Volunteer Fire Company: $102,893
- Westmoreland County Conservation District, Beaver Run AG BMPs #2 – Rebitch Farm: $15,655
- Westmoreland County Conservation District, Sloan Elementary School: $129,085
Wyoming
- Mehoopany Creek Watershed Association, Inc., Rogers Hollow Stream Restoration – Phase 1 Construction: $397,998
Multiple Counties
- Bucktail Watershed Association, Defending Native Plants in the First Fork: $24,130
- Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy, Stream Restoration and BMP Implementation: $354,972
- Northwest Pennsylvania Eminent Community Institute, Management & Continuation of the Northwest PA Greenways Implementation Block Grants: $400,000
- Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc., PACD Engineering Technical Assistance Program: $1,528,516
- Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, TreeVitalize XII: $250,000
- Pennsylvania State University, PaOneStop Manure Management & Nutrient Balance Modules: $168,208
- Pocono Northeast Resource Conservation & Development Council, C-SAW-Consortium for Scientific Assistance to Watersheds (1X): $820,000
- Stream Restoration Incorporated, Datashed 3: $105,718
- Stream Restoration Incorporated: Passive Treatment O&M Technical Assistance 3: $180,000
- Stroud Water Research Center, Inc., Delivering the Berks-Chester RCPP: $249,922
- Trout Unlimited, Inc., West Branch Susquehanna Recovery Benchmark II: $128,515
- Trout Unlimited, Inc., AMD Technical Assistance Program: $225,000
- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Community Riparian Restoration Education Project: $57,635
- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Driftwood Branch Sinnemahoning Creek Riparian Restoration: $65,458
- Wildlands Conservancy, Inc., Black Creek Watershed AMD Restoration Plan: $70,191
TOTAL: $20,694,678
319 NONPOINT SOURCE GRANTS RECIPIENTS:
Allegheny
- Pine Creek Land Conservation Trust, Crouse Run Stream Restoration: $13,800
Bedford
- Broad Top Township, Sandy Run SA0-D10 AMD Remediation: $400,000
Berks
- Berks County Conservation District, Surface Water Assessment in the Maiden & Sacony Creek Watersheds: $60,080
Clearfield
- Clearfield County Conservation District, Deer Creek AMD Treatment Construction: $883,174
Cumberland
- Cumberland County Conservation District, Middle Spring Creek WIP Implementation Phase II: $62,912
Delaware
- Villanova University: VUSP – PaDEP – Stormwater Best Management Practice National Monitoring Site: $323,366
Indiana
- Indiana County Conservation District, WIP SW Region Ag Initiative: $285,092
Lancaster
- West Lampeter Township, Groff Property Floodplain Restoration: $198,950
Mifflin
- Mifflin County Conservation District, Upper Kishacoquillas Creek and Hungry Run Surface Water Assessment: $72,692
Schuylkill
- Schuylkill Headwaters Association, Inc., Reevesdale #2 AMD Restoration Project Phase 2 – Optimization: $485,722
Westmoreland
- Jacobs Creek Watershed Association, Mt. Pleasant Plaza Storm Water Retrofit (Green Infrastructure): $233,299
- Jacobs Creek Watershed Association, Mt. Pleasant Shop N Save: $235,926
TOTAL: $3,255,013
ACID MINE DRAINAGE (AMD) SET-ASIDE GRANTS RECIPIENTS:
Elk
- Headwaters Charitable Trust, Kyler Hollow AMD Passive Treatment System – ALD 1 & ALD 2 Rehabilitation: $618,118
- Headwaters Charitable Trust, Hayes Run & Backside Hayes AMD Passive Treatment Systems – Modifications/Improvements: $384,918
Fayette
- Mountain Watershed Association, Inc., Rondell-Correal AMD Treatment System: $123,543
Schuylkill
- Schuylkill Conservation District, Upper Swatara Creek QHUP AMD Monitoring Project: $67,024
TOTAL: $1,193,603
GRAND TOTAL: $25,143,294