04/22/24 - 117 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/9bh4zbtr
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8 Watershed Projects Receive PA American Water Environmental Grants
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Pennsylvania American Water Tuesday announced eight watershed initiatives across the state have earned financial support through the company’s 2012 Environmental Grant Program. The recipients will receive a share of grant funds totaling approximately $35,600 for their community-based projects that improve, restore or protect watersheds.
A panel of judges selected the winners from more than 50 grant applications, which were evaluated on such criteria as environmental need, innovation, community engagement and sustainability.
“As we mark the eighth year of our Environmental Grant Program, I’m very proud of the partnerships that we’ve developed with so many community groups that share our dedication to watershed protection and environmental stewardship,” said Pennsylvania American Water President Kathy L. Pape.
The following describes the winning Environmental Grant projects:
-- Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Luzerne County: With the funding, the PEC will undertake an invasive species removal, riparian buffer planting and educational program involving Pennsylvania American Water’s property along the Huntsville Creek. The project will improve the creek’s water quality and educate volunteers about healthy riparian buffers. In addition to removing invasive Japanese Knotweed that contributes to stream bank erosion, the organization will replant the area with native species, trees and shrubs.
-- Southeastern Pennsylvania Resource Conservation and Development Council, Montgomery County: To support volunteers working on environmental restoration and beautification projects throughout southeastern Pennsylvania, the grant will help provide tools, power equipment, safety gear and related supplies for the council’s mobile shed known as the Conservation Planting Trailer. The program makes cleanup projects, rain garden plantings, riparian buffers and other environmental projects easier to plan and implement.
-- Derry Township Environmental Action Committee, Dauphin County: The committee plans to host a Water Protection Workshop to educate residents and businesses on storm water runoff and source water protection. The funding will also provide rain barrels to participants of the workshop, which will also serve as a model for future community partnerships on watershed protection.
-- Carnegie Borough Shade Tree Commission, Allegheny County: The grant will support commission’s plans to plant a sunflower rain garden, which will educate residents on the use of rain gardens to alleviate runoff during rain events. A community mural and video documentary will commemorate the project and provide additional educational material on the project.
-- Timmy’s Town Center, Lackawanna County: The organization will use the funding to develop an educational program entitled “Wet Paint” to educate children about watershed protection and resources. Additionally, the program will include decorating four benches to be placed along the Lackawanna River to encourage children to visit the river and foster environmental stewardship.
-- Butler County Department of Community Corrections, Butler County: The grant will provide materials necessary for watershed cleanups along lakes, streams and reservoirs in the county. The project will collect, transport and dispose of litter from the waterways, as well as recycle the collected waste materials, whenever possible.
-- East Pennsboro Township, Cumberland County: To improve the quality of the waterways impacted by the community's storm sewer system and resulting storm water runoff, the grant will fund the purchase storm sewer curb markers for raising public awareness that storm water content drains into local water sources. The project will engage volunteers from the Boys Scouts, Girls Scouts and other community organizations.
-- Paddle Without Pollution, Allegheny County: Funding will allow the group to engage volunteers in a watershed cleanup project throughout southwestern Pennsylvania. Kayakers and canoeists will take to the waterways to rid the shorelines of debris during their journey.
Pennsylvania American Water initiated the Environmental Grant Program in 2005 in Pennsylvania to support projects that protect or restore drinking water sources and surrounding watersheds. Since then, American Water has expanded the annual program to many of its state subsidiaries across the nation.
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5/21/2012 |
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