October 16, 2024 - Harrisburg, PA
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has awarded more than $3.4 million in grants to projects to improve water quality and fish and wildlife habitat throughout Pennsylvania's part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and other watersheds. "Ensuring clean water and healthy watersheds is a fundamental right for all Pennsylvanians. With these grant awards we will continue our work to reduce pollution and improve water quality in Pennsylvania," said DEP Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley. "These projects are creating healthier streams and wetlands across Pennsylvania, reducing flood risk and improving fish and wildlife habitat. We are building on the success we are seeing in the Chesapeake Bay watershed by restoring streambanks, removing legacy sediment, and treating mine water discharge, among other improvements."The 12 awards are funded by the Section 319 Grant program from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and selected by DEP. The purpose of the grants is to support projects that carry out best management practices (BMPs) specified in Watershed Implementation Plans for 43 watersheds around the state. The program also supports development of new Watershed Implementation Plans for impaired watersheds in Environmental Justice (EJ) areas. Ten of the 12 grants are for projects in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. List of Speakers:Adam Ortiz, EPA Region 3 Regional AdministratorJill Whitcomb, Acting Deputy Secretary for Water Programs, DEPChris Thompson, Lancaster County Conservation District ManagerAmanda Goldsmith, Watershed Specialist with Lancaster County Conservation DistrictMatt Kofroth, Asst. District Mgr. with the Lancaster County Conservation District
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