DEP Announces Award Of $34 Million In Growing Greener Grants To Fund 149 Community-Driven Local Water Cleanup Projects Across PA
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On December 30, the Department of Environmental Protection announced the award of $34 million in Growing Greener Grants to help fund 149 local water quality improvement projects across Pennsylvania.

DEP announced the grant awards in each of its six regional office service areas.

Grants were awarded with funding from the Environmental Stewardship Fund, federal Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) Set Aside and  Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act Bond Forfeitures.

[ Note: 90% Of PA Voters Want Senate, House To Provide More Funding For Critical Environmental, Conservation Programs; That Didn’t Happen In 2020 ]

“Growing Greener awardees help keep Pennsylvania clean,” said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “It is imperative that communities in Pennsylvania receive the necessary funding to reduce pollutants in area waterways.”

Growing Greener is the largest single investment of state funds in Pennsylvania's history to address Pennsylvania's critical environmental concerns of the 21st century.

Growing Greener has helped to slash the backlog of farmland-preservation projects statewide, protect open space, eliminate the maintenance backlog in state parks, clean up abandoned mines and restore watersheds, provide funds for recreational trails and local parks, help communities address land use, and provide new and upgraded water and sewer systems.

DEP is authorized to allocate these funds in grants for watershed restoration and protection, abandoned mine reclamation, and abandoned oil and gas well plugging projects.

Three other agencies also received funds to distribute for appropriate projects: the Department of Agriculture to administer farmland preservation projects, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for state park renovations and improvements, and the PA Infrastructure Investment Authority for water and sewer system upgrades.

Northwest Region -------------------------

DEP announced 20 projects to clean up waters in the state’s Northwest region have been selected to collectively receive more than $3.7 million in funding through DEP’s Growing Greener Plus program.

The Northwest region has also received funding for several Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) Set Aside projects.

The projects include--

Armstrong

-- Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, Buffalo Creek Watershed Coalition, Education, and Assessment, $231,389

-- Armstrong Conservation District, Armstrong Conservation Green Parking Lot and Workshop, $35,720

-- Armstrong Conservation District, Cowanshannock Creek Streambank Stabilization, $93,315

-- Armstrong Conservation District, Todd Culp Agricultural Best Management Practice (BMP) Project, $169,487

-- Armstrong Conservation District, Huling Run AMD Treatment Phase II, $170,000

Armstrong and Clarion

-- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative’s Reclamation Planting Approach - Reforestation of Coal Mine Sites, $52,598

Butler

-- Valencia Borough, Valencia/Adams Twp. Stream/Floodplain MS4 Restoration Project, $30,000

-- Stream Restoration Inc., Datashed 4, $263,228

-- Adams Township, Adams Twp. Stream/Floodplain Restoration Project, $300,000

Crawford

-- Crawford County Conservation District, Crawford County Agricultural BMP Cost-Share Program 2020, $277,591

Erie

-- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Elk Creek, Lake Erie Healthy Watershed Project, $300,000

Indiana

-- White Township, Kennedy King "Stormwater Park" Expansion, $57,500

-- Stream Restoration Incorporated, Neal Run Restoration Project – Phase III, $210,956

-- Indiana County Conservation District, Lucerne 3A/Waterworks Passive Treatment System, $491,515

-- Blackleggs Watershed Association Inc., Big Run Treatment Complex Sludge Management, $277,487

Jefferson

-- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Clarion River Protection Project, $154,812

Schuylkill, Franklin, Adams, Erie, Crawford, Warren

-- The Pennsylvania State University, Furthering the Master Watershed Steward Program in Pennsylvania, $162,422

Venango

-- Venango Conservation District, East Branch Sugar Creek (Davis Road) Streambank Stabilization, $15,649

-- Venango Conservation District, French Creek Watershed Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs), $226,209

Warren

-- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Brokenstraw Creek Watershed Protection Phase III, $200,932

Northwest Region’s AMD Set Aside Projects--

Elk County

-- Headwaters Charitable Trust, Toby Creek Blue Valley AMD Operation and Maintenance, $251,400

-- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Oxic Limestone Bed Maintenance and Performance, $331,978

Indiana County

-- Stream Restoration Inc., Laurel Run #1 Passive System Rehabilitation, $682,854

Northcentral Region -------------------------

DEP awarded grants to 17 projects to clean up waters in the state’s Northcentral region have been selected to collectively receive more than $3 million in funding.

The projects include--

Bedford, Butler, Washington, Clearfield

-- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Technical Assistance Benefiting Conservation Partnerships and Water Quality, $157,000

Bradford

-- Wysox Creek Watershed Association, Inc., Comprehensive Watershed Conservation, $100,000

-- Bradford County Conservation District, Satterlee Creek Stream Corridor Rehabilitation 2, $171,000

-- Bradford County Commissioners, Bradford County Watershed Initiative 2020, $325,000

Centre

-- Spring Creek Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Spring Creek Watershed Initiative - Stream and Riparian Restoration, $38,528

Clearfield

-- Clearfield County Conservation District, Morgan Run Flushing Unit Replacement, $21,417

-- Clearfield County Conservation District, Agricultural Streambank Protection Project, $22,000

-- Clearfield County Conservation District, Morgan Run State Game Lands 98 Acid Mine Drainage Collection and Monitoring, $151,142

Clearfield, Cambria, Huntingdon, Centre

-- Trout Unlimited Inc., Streambank Stabilization in the Chesapeake Bay - A Collaborative Initiative to Improve Stream Health and Reduce Nonpoint Source Pollution, $49,363

Columbia

-- Columbia County Conservation District, Columbia County Water Quality Improvement Projects, $60,732

Lycoming

-- Lycoming County Water and Sewer Authority, Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Chesapeake Bay Pollutant Reduction Plan Collaborative Stormwater Best Management Practice (BMP) Pollution Reduction Project, $80,000

-- Lycoming County Conservation District, Agricultural BMPs, $292,206

Montour

-- Montour County Conservation District, Montour County Agricultural  BMPs and Pasture Management Project, $918,716

Montour, Bradford, Clinton, Columbia, Luzerne

-- Columbia County Conservation District, Multi-County Soil Health 2020-2023, $447,380

Northumberland

-- Northumberland County Conservation District, Northumberland County Grazing Project, $57,228

Snyder

-- Snyder County Conservation District, Snyder County Riparian Buffer Program, $120,000

Tioga

-- Tioga County Conservation District, Charleston Creek Stream Bank Stabilization, $85,315

Northeast Region -------------------------

DEP announced 22 projects to clean up waters in the state’s Northeast region have been selected to collectively receive more than $5 million in funding.

The projects include--

Lehigh

-- Lehigh County Conservation District, Cedar Creek Enhancement, South Whitehall Township, $60,375

-- Wildlands Conservancy Inc., Lehigh Valley and Lehigh River Watershed Landowner Outreach Phase II, $88,500

Luzerne

-- Harveys Lake Borough, Hydrilla Eradication and Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) Monitoring and Management, $266,570

-- Luzerne Conservation District, Toby Creek Watershed Restoration Projects, $268,906

-- Luzerne Conservation District, Huntington Creek Watershed Agricultural Best Management Practice Project, $375,315

-- Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority, Warrior Creek Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MD4) Stream Restoration, $433,000

-- Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority, Gardner Creek MS4 Stream Restoration, $116,875

Monroe

-- Brodhead Watershed Association, Determination of Cause and Significance of Elevated in Forest Hills Run and Yankee Run, $10,478

-- Monroe County Conservation District, Sand Spring Stream Bank Restoration Project, $911,400

Montour, Bradford, Clinton, Columbia, Luzerne

-- Columbia County Conservation District, Multi-County Soil Health 2020-2023, $447,380

Northampton

-- Forks Township, Ramblewood Basin Retrofit, $163,180

-- Friends of Johnston, Inc., Johnston Preserve Stormwater Management Engineering and Permitting, $94,016

-- Plainfield Township, Little Bushkill Stream Restoration, $100,000

Philadelphia, Lehigh, Bucks, Lackawanna, Monroe

-- The Academy of Natural Sciences, Headwater Climate Resilience, $162,591

Pike, Wayne, Lackawanna, Monroe

-- Lake Wallenpaupack Watershed Mgmt. District, Environmentally Sensitive Dirt, Gravel, and Low Volume Road Maintenance Program for Community Associations, $500,000

Schuylkill

-- Mahanoy Creek Watershed Association, Packer 5 Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) Treatment Project Design, $165,434

-- Schuylkill Conservation District, Mahantango High Farms Best Management Practices (BMPs), $750,500

Schuylkill, Franklin, Adams, Erie, Crawford, Warren

-- The Pennsylvania State University, Furthering the Master Watershed Steward Program in Pennsylvania, $162,422

Wayne, Pike, Lackawanna, Monroe

-- Wayne Conservation District, Northeast Region Nutrient Management Plan Reimbursement Program, $242,000

Wyoming

-- Mehoopany Creek Watershed Association, Inc., Mehoopany Creek - Windy Valley and North Branch - Restoration Maintenance Project, $150,000

-- Wyoming County Conservation District, Controlling Nutrients within a High-Quality Watershed, $80,731

-- Wyoming County Conservation District, Nutrient/Sediment Pollution Reduction Initiative, $31,555

Southwest Region -------------------------

DEP Announced 20 projects to clean up waters in the state’s Southwest region have been selected to collectively receive more than $2.7 million in funding through DEP’s Growing Greener Plus program.

The Southwest region also received funding for several Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) Set Aside projects and a Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act Bond Forfeiture (SMCRA) project.

The projects include--

Allegheny

-- Ohio Township, Pollutant Reduction Plan (PRP) Implementation, $115,000

-- Nine Mile Run Watershed Association, Inc., Wilkinsburg Stormwater Resiliency Project, $581,589

-- Borough of Sewickley Heights, Hunt Road Streambank Restoration and Culvert Improvement Project, $28,244

Beaver

-- Beaver County Conservation District, Raccoon Creek Streambank Remediation Phase 2, $25,285

Cambria

-- Headwaters Charitable Trust, Johnstown Inclined Plane Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) Treatment ID and Design, $231,134

-- Cambria County Conservation District, Laurel Run Stream Improvement Project, $20,400

-- Cambria County Conservation District, The North Branch Blacklick Creek Stream Improvement Project - Phase II, $22,630

Cambria, Clearfield, Huntingdon, Centre

-- Trout Unlimited Inc., Streambank Stabilization in the Chesapeake Bay - A Collaborative Initiative to Improve Stream Health and Reduce Nonpoint Source Pollution, $49,363

Cambria, Indiana, Armstrong, Somerset, and Westmoreland

-- Conemaugh Valley Conservancy Inc., Kiski-Conemaugh Stream Team Water Monitoring and Assistance Program II, $121,061

Washington

-- Washington County Conservation District, Ten Mile Creek Watershed Agricultural Best Management Practice (BMP) Project, $467,295

-- North Franklin Township, North Franklin Township Streambank Stabilization, $65,000

-- Canton Township, Log Pile Run Floodplain Restoration, $63,100

Westmoreland

-- Westmoreland County Conservation District, First Presbyterian Church of Murrysville Stormwater Retrofit - Phase 2, $29,820

-- Westmoreland County Conservation District, Westmoreland Heritage Trail Bridge Abutment and Streambank Stabilization Along Turtle Creek, $34,960

-- Westmoreland County Conservation District, Irwin Park Parking Lots/ Streambank Stabilization, $85,756

-- Westmoreland County Conservation District, Fox's Stormwater Detention Improvements, $97,633

-- Westmoreland County Conservation District, Derry Borough Municipal Water Authority Stormwater Retrofit, $113,500

-- Westmoreland County Conservation District, Manor Borough Stormwater Retrofit, $133,500

-- Westmoreland County Conservation District, Lowber Treatment Iron Removal and System Upgrades, $151,891

-- Westmoreland County Conservation District, Brinkerton Treatment Iron Removal and System Upgrades, $277,238

AMD Set Aside Projects:

Greene County

-- Stream Restoration Inc., Maiden Passive System, $244,240

Westmoreland County

-- Turtle Creek Watershed Association Inc., Turtle Creek Qualified Hydrologic Unit (QHU), $75,560

SMCRA Bond Forfeiture Project:

Fayette County

-- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Purco Watkiss AMD Remediation Project, $497,218

Southcentral Region --------------------

DEP announced the award of grants to 43 projects to clean up waters in the state’s Southcentral region have been selected to collectively receive more than $12 million in funding through DEP’s Growing Greener program.

The projects include--

Adams

-- Conewago Township, Sherry Village Basin, $108,000

Berks

-- Berks County Conservation District, Agricultural Best Management Practice (BMP) Implementation in High Quality Kittatinny-Pine Creek watershed, $381,494

-- Berks County Conservation District, Riparian Forest Buffer Implementation in Berks County, $385,000

-- Berks County Conservation District, Little Swatara Creek Tributaries TMDL Ag BMP Implementation, $67,485

-- Borough of Shoemakersville, Shoemakersville Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Pollution Control Bioswale, $42,200

Blair

-- The Trust for Tomorrow, Poplar Run Repair and Maintenance Project, $40,000

Cumberland

-- Commissioners of Lower Allen Township, Beacon Hill Stormwater Basin Retrofit Project, $63,700

-- Cumberland County Conservation District, Yellow Breeches Trout Habitat and Stream Bank Restoration at Allenberry, $255,980

-- Silver Spring Township, Detention Basin Retrofits, $350,000

Franklin

-- Borough of Chambersburg, South Main Street Stormwater BMP Implementation Project, $200,000

-- Franklin County Conservation District, Installation of Horse Operation BMPs along two Different Streams, $380,795

Fulton

-- Fulton County Conservation District, Upper Big Cove Creek Watershed Assessment, $112,000

Huntingdon

-- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Huntingdon County Ag BMPs, $442,305

-- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Spruce Creek Stream Restoration, $45,720

Lancaster

-- American Rivers, Chiques Roller Mill Dam Removal, $140,255

-- Conservation Foundation of Lancaster County, Cocalico Creek Headwaters Floodplain Restoration – Construction, $769,271

-- East Donegal Township, Evans Run Riparian Buffer Planting and Stream Restoration, $200,000

-- Lancaster Farmland Trust, Crossing the Finish Line: BMP Implementation on Strategic Farms in East Lampeter Township, $670,947

-- Lancaster Farmland Trust, Driving Pollution Reduction in the Mill Creek Watershed (Upper Leacock Township), $274,405

-- Little Conestoga Watershed Alliance, Indian Run Floodplain Restoration, $72,000

-- Manheim Borough, Chiques Creek Pollutant Reduction Project – Construction, $437,931

-- Mount Joy Township, Green Meadows Streambank Stabilization Construction, $265,792

-- Mountville Borough, Mountville Borough Dry Extended Detention Basin/Constructed Wetlands, $200,000

-- Penn Township, Chiques Creek Green Infrastructure Improvements - Basin Retrofits and Vegetated Swale, $402,000

-- Stroud Water Research Center Inc, Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Forested Buffers for Lancaster Focus Areas, $1,253,551

-- Water Science Institute, Lancaster Dams and Nutrient Reduction Opportunities - Part 2, $57,200

-- West Hempfield Township, Stormwater Basin, Streambank Stabilization and Riparian Forest Buffer, $315,000

-- West Hempfield Township, Chiques Creek Stormwater Basin, Streambank Stabilization and Riparian Buffer Project, $250,000

-- West Lampeter Township, Groff Farm Floodplain Restoration – Construction, $600,000

Perry

-- Perry County Conservation District, North Rice Farm Streambank Stabilization Project, $22,970

York

-- Partnership for the Economic Development of York County, Codorus Creek Beautification Initiative, $500,000

-- Springettsbury Township, Springettsbury Township Turnkey Water Quality Improvements for its 2018-2023 MS4 Permit, $162,000

-- The Borough of Hanover Stormwater Authority, Hanover Borough, $103,000

-- York County Conservation District, Bennett Run Restoration Design and Permitting, $110,000

-- York County Conservation District, Unnamed Tributary to Bald Eagle Creek Design and Permitting, $90,500

-- York County Conservation District, Unnamed Tributary to Leibs Creek Restoration Design and Permitting, $80,000

-- York County Rail Trail Authority, Oil Creek Watershed Restoration Plan, $38,000

-- York Township, Queenswood Improvements, $39,325

Chester and York

-- Dickinson College, Developing High-Frequency Sensor Monitoring Tools for Managing Harmful Algal Blooms, $171,624

Clearfield, Cambria, Huntingdon, Centre

-- Trout Unlimited Inc, Streambank Stabilization in the Chesapeake Bay - A Collaborative Initiative to Improve Stream Health and Reduce Nonpoint Source Pollution, $49,363

Lancaster, York, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Centre

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation Inc., Prioritizing Forested Buffer Incentives, $675,000

Montour, Bradford, Clinton, Columbia, Luzerne

-- Columbia County Conservation District, Multi-County Soil Health 2020-2023, $447,380

Schuylkill, Franklin, Adams, Erie, Crawford, Warren

-- The Pennsylvania State University, Furthering the Master Watershed Steward Program in Pennsylvania, $162,422

Southeast Region --------------------

DEP announced the award of grants to 24 projects to clean up waters in the state’s Southeast region have been selected to collectively receive more than $4.9 million in funding through DEP’s Growing Greener program.

The projects include--

Bucks

-- Bucks County Conservation District, Equine Concentrated Animal Operation Best Management Practice (BMP) Implementation, $305,140

-- Heritage Conservancy, Bellwood Preserve Riparian Restoration, $26,563

-- Neshaminy School District, Restoration of Idlewood Environmental Station along the Neshaminy Creek, $100,339

-- Penndel Borough, Hydrodynamic Inlet for Pollution Reduction in Penndel Borough, $199,461

Chester

-- Brandywine Red Clay Alliance, Plum Run Stream Restoration Phase 3 at Strode’s Mill, $194,689

-- Chester County Conservation District, Chester County Chesapeake Bay Agricultural Waste Storage Project, $46,200

-- City of Coatesville, Millview Basin Stormwater Basin Retrofit, $300,000

-- Kennett Area Park Authority, Red Clay Stream Restoration at Anson B. Nixon Park, $203,514

-- Stroud Water Research Center Inc., Agricultural BMPs and Forested Buffers for Chester County Focus Areas, $707,818

-- Valley Forge Chapter Trout Unlimited, Valley Creek Monitoring Project at the Former Knickerbocker Landfill, $7,275

-- Valley Forge Chapter Trout Unlimited, Install More Infiltration Trenches in Neighborhoods of Upper Crabby Creek, $256,300

-- Valley Township, Valley Crossing Stormwater Basin and Swale Retrofit, $188,000

Delaware

-- Delaware County Conservation District, Conservation Planting Trailer, $11,285

Montgomery

-- East Norriton Township, Kimberly Drive Basin Retrofit, $203,352

-- Horsham Township, Witmer Road Basin, $150,000

-- Lower Merion Conservancy, Growing Greener Streets, $184,960

-- Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel, Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel Stormwater Improvements, $265,000

-- Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership, Jenkintown Creek Restoration: Alverthorpe Park Stormwater Management Project, $543,250

Philadelphia

-- Delaware River City Corporation, dba Riverfront North Partnership, Pennypack Creek Streambank Stabilization, $178,458

-- Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, Inc., Shell Recycling in Philadelphia for Climate Resiliency Projects, $103,784

-- Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, TreeVitalize Watersheds XV, $250,000

-- Schuylkill River Development Corporation, Repairing the Tidal Schuylkill River Bulkhead, $175,000

Chester and York

-- Dickinson College, Developing High-Frequency Sensor Monitoring Tools for Managing Harmful Algal Blooms, $171,624

Philadelphia, Lehigh, Bucks, Lackawanna, and Monroe

-- The Academy of Natural Sciences, Headwater Climate Resilience, $162,591

Statewide Projects

-- Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts Inc, PA Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, $1,522,910

-- Pennsylvania Lake Management Society, Implementation of Lake BMPs Project IV, $468,790

-- Pocono Northeast Resource Conservation Development Council, Consortium for Scientific Assistance to Watersheds (C-SAW) X, $703,638

-- Western Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation, Quick Response 9: Fiscal Management for Repair of Growing Greener Projects, $200,000

More Information

For more information on the program, visit DEP’s Growing Greener Plus webpage and the Environmental Stewardship Fund website.

[How Clean Is Your Stream?

[DEP’s Interactive Report Viewer allows you to zoom in on your own stream or watershed to find out how clean your stream is or if it has impaired water quality using the latest information in the draft 2020 Water Quality Report.].

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[Posted: December 30, 2020]


1/4/2021

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