Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced today that 17 projects in the state’s Southcentral Region were awarded a total of $3,709,759 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 five in the Southcentral Region.
“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 Southcentral Region funded by the settlement agreement include:
Cumberland County
- Middlesex Township - $426,309 for Middlesex Township Stream Restoration – PRP Project 8
- North Middleton Township - $500,000 for Old Carlisle Landfill Seep Mitigation – Phase 3
Huntingdon County
- Huntingdon County Conservation District - $124.000 for bridging a funding gap for Agricultural BMPs
Lancaster County
- Cocalico Creek Watershed Association - $128,000 for Harnish Run Floodplain and Wetland Restoration
Lebanon County
- Doc Fritchey Chapter of Trout Unlimited - $481,563 for Snitz Creek 2 – Stream and Floodplain and Restoration Project
The full list of approved Growing Greener Plus projects, funded by the Environmental Stewardship fund, in the Southcentral Region includes:
Berks County
- Mount Penn Borough Municipal Authority - $231,361 for Carsonia Park Crystal Lake Stormwater BMP and Constructed Wetland – Phase II
Cumberland County
- East Pennsboro Township Authority - $348,677 for Enola Run Stream Restoration Project
Dauphin County
- Capital Area Greenbelt Association - $182,435 for Parkway Creek Restoration Project
Franklin County
- Greene Township - $65,00 for Phillaman Run Stream Restoration
Juniata County
- Juniata County Conservation District - $288,427 for Juniata County Agricultural BMP Implementation
- Juniata County Conservation District - $182,223 for East Licking Creek Stream Restoration Projects
Lancaster County
- Manheim Township - $88,000 for Granite Run Stream Restoration – Design and Permitting
- East Donegal Township - $30,000 for Longwood Bioretention Basin Retrofit
- Lancaster Farmland Trust - $41,200 for Agricultural BMPs on Preserved Farms in the Pequea Creek Watershed
- Lancaster Farmland Trust - $17,500 for Agricultural BMPs on Preserved Farms in the Octoraro Creek Watershed
Statewide, Region Specific
- Pennsylvania Lake Management Society - $333,214 for Implementation of Lake BMPs – Project V
- Trout Unlimited - $241,850 for Nonpoint Source Technical Assistance Program
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