PENNSYLVANIA — The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently awarded more than $3.8 million in grants to 15 projects aimed at restoring impaired watersheds throughout the state.
DEP Secretary Rich Negrin emphasized the importance of clean water for community health. “Clean water is a key part of a community’s health,” said Negrin. “That’s why cleaning up Pennsylvania waters is vital in ensuring our communities live happier and healthier lives. The Section 319 grant provides resources for watershed-based plans and saturating watersheds with practices that will ultimately help our communities thrive. This helps further our mission of upholding every Pennsylvanian’s right to clean air, pure water, and preservation of natural resources.”
The focus of these grants is on mitigating nonpoint source pollution, which arises from many smaller or scattered sources rather than from a single specific point of discharge. Approximately 95 percent of water-quality-impaired watersheds in Pennsylvania are affected by this type of pollution. The Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management Grants specifically aim to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution from agricultural activities, urban stormwater runoff, and streambank and shoreline erosion, as well as iron, aluminum, and acidity pollution associated with energy resource extraction and acid mine drainage (AMD).
The grant program supports projects that implement best management practices (BMPs) outlined in Watershed Implementation Plans for 43 watersheds around the state. Special consideration is given to projects within Pennsylvania’s share of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The program also supports the development of new Watershed Implementation Plans for additional impaired watersheds.
Among the projects that received Section 319 Grants are:
- Etna Borough Green Streets Phase 5.1 Construction in Allegheny County
- AMD Remediation Construction Completion of the Sandy Run SA0-D17 AMD remediation project in Bedford County
- Dairy Waste Storage BMP Implementation in Bucks County
- Implementing the Halfmoon 319 WIP on Priority Parcels in Centre County
- Clean Water for Octoraro Communities and Ecosystems: Increasing Capacity for the Octoraro Source Water Collaborative in Chester County
- Various projects in Lancaster, Luzerne, Mifflin, Schuylkill, and York Counties
- A statewide Conservation District Demonstration Project focused on the remediation of AMD in Western PA
Projects within Pennsylvania’s share of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed also support Countywide Action Plan priority initiatives and the state Phase 3 Watershed Implementation Plan, contributing to the overall health of the watershed.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides the grant funding, authorized through Section 319(h) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
These grants represent a significant investment in the health of Pennsylvania’s waterways and communities. They demonstrate the DEP’s commitment to reducing pollution, improving water quality, and preserving the state’s natural resources. The awarded projects will play a crucial role in restoring impaired watersheds and ensuring clean water for all Pennsylvanians.
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