Pittsburgh, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced today that 13 projects in the state’s Southwest region were awarded a total of $2,749,569 through DEP’s Growing Greener Plus grant program. These projects work to protect waterways and watersheds, reclaim abandoned mine sites, and work to reclaim and plug abandoned oil and gas wells. This year’s awards exceed $15 million statewide.
“The Growing Greener Plus grant program empowers communities to pursue environmental progress and innovation,” said Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley. “This support fuels vital Pennsylvania initiatives that protect our land and restore local watersheds. As a result, our Commonwealth can look forward to a greener future.”
Growing Greener is the largest single investment of state funds in Pennsylvania's history to address critical environmental concerns. Growing Greener grants can be awarded to watershed groups, local or county government, municipal authorities, county planning commissions, county conservation districts, council of governments, educational institutions, or non-profit organizations. Grantees have up to three years to implement their projects.
This funding is being distributed through existing Commonwealth grant programs to ensure high-impact projects are selected in the affected communities and that proper oversight is provided. Grant programs include those operated by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the DEP.
For more information on the Growing Greener Plus grant program, application guidance, and to sign up for notifications when grant programs reopen, visit DEP’s webpage, Growing Greener Plus Grants Program.
In August 2022, the Office of Attorney General (OAG) announced that Energy Transfer Marketing & Terminals, L.P. was convicted of criminal charges related to its conduct during construction of two major pipelines. As part of the settlement agreement, Energy Transfer has paid $10 million toward dedicated projects that improve the quality of watersheds and streams along pipeline routes, including one project in Washington County and one in Westmoreland County.
“Every Pennsylvanian has the right to access clean water. Thanks to the work of the OAG in 2022, securing $10 million in restitution to improve water quality, the Office of Attorney General is able to partner with DEP and the Growing Greener Program to fund projects along the route of the Mariner East Pipeline. These projects will go a long way in improving local watersheds along the pipeline, ensuring safe and clean water,” said Attorney General Dave Sunday.
Growing Greener Projects in the Southwest Region funded by the settlement agreement include:
Washington County
- Union Township Road District - $166,740 for Union Township – Pleasant Stream Park Streambank Restoration
Westmoreland County
- Rostraver Township - $253,455 for Elks Place Stormwater Improvements
The full list of approved Growing Greener Plus projects, funded by the Environmental Stewardship fund, in the Southwest Region includes:
Allegheny County
- Allegheny County Conservation District - $58,000 for the Mamone BMP Implementation Project
- Allegheny County Conservation District - $50,000 for Plum Stormwater Project: Phase 1 Design/Permit
Beaver County
- Beaver County Conservation District - $439,679 for Brush Creek Ag BMP #2
- Beaver County Conservation District - $33,882 for Dilworth Run-North Fork Little Beaver Creek Streambank Stabilization Design and Construction
Cambria County
- Cambria County Conservation District - $222,938 for Bay Watershed Projects Phase II
- Cambria County Conservation District - $260,932 for Ohio River Watershed Projects Phase II
Fayette County
- Mountain Watershed Association - $415,614 for the Marsolino Treatment System
Somerset County
- Somerset County Conservation District - $266,986 for the Laurel Hill Creek Fish Habitat Enhancement Project
Washington County
- Washington County Conservation District - $121,705 for the 2024 Route 519 Stream Restoration Project
Statewide
- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy - $267,638 for Technical Assistance Benefitting Conservation Partnerships and Pennsylvania’s Water Quality Improvement Goals
- Trout Unlimited Inc. - $300,000 for the AMD Technical Assistance Program
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