The recipients will receive a share of grant funds totaling nearly $75,000 for their community-based projects that improve, restore or protect watersheds.
A panel of judges selected the grant recipients from 50 applications, which were evaluated on environmental need, innovation, community engagement and sustainability.
“On this Earth Day, we are inspired by all of these organizations and their commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Mike Doran, president of Pennsylvania American Water. “We hope that these projects equally inspire our communities to get involved and help protect our natural resources.”
The 2022 grant recipients are:
-- Berks Nature, Berks County – Papermill Dam Removal on the Cacoosing Creek ($6,476). Funding will be used to restore the riparian zone along Cacoosing Creek by planting native trees and plants. Additionally, a youth fishing program will be offered following the removal of the dam.
-- Dormont Stormwater Authority, Allegheny County – West Liberty Avenue Parking Lot Rain Garden ($10,000). The Authority plans to install a rain garden at the West Liberty Avenue parking lot to provide a natural, pervious area for stormwater runoff. The garden will also help prevent flooding and debris from entering the collection system as a best management practice.
-- Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation, Luzerne County (EPCAMR) – Millcreek Watershed Cleanups ($3,435). The project involves stream cleanups of unnamed tributaries along Mill and Gardner Creeks, along with the installation of dataloggers to monitor flow and pollution from nearby abandoned mines.
-- East Pikeland Township, Chester County – Hidden River Park & Preserve Riparian Corridor Revitalization ($10,000). Funding will go toward a riparian revitalization project with native shrubs, trees, and 95 acres of meadow grasses to reduce erosion and restore the native habitat.
-- Ellwood City, Lawrence County – Phase III Five Points Community Garden ($6,300). With the grant, the borough will install additional garden beds, complete walking paths, and install signage at the Five Points Community Garden.
-- Fairview Township, York County – Lawn to Meadow Conversion ($3,863). The project involves using native plants and grasses, including pollinators, to improve water quality by creating a meadow within the township to reduce runoff into local waterways.
-- Indiana County Conservation District – First Waves Indiana ($6,390). First Waves Indiana plans to engage underserved youth in meaningful outdoor experiences, including tree planting, stream biology, paddleboarding, and fly fishing, with a resulting video of the program.
-- Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority, Lackawanna County – Restoration Plantings ($5,200). With this funding, volunteers will re-establish a native and biodiverse ecosystem as part of a riparian buffer zone restoration planting program along the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail.
-- Lackawanna River Corridor Association, Lackawanna County – Managing Stormwater/Rain Barrel Workshop ($2,500). Funding will go toward three rain barrel workshops for residents to educate them on stormwater management and demonstrate rain barrel construction.
-- Three Rivers Waterkeeper, Allegheny County – 3 Rivers Watch Expanding Water Quality Monitoring ($9,850). Funding will go toward expanding the organization’s volunteer program, including training for volunteers to assess water quality, as well as increased monitoring, patrolling, and water quality sampling.
-- Silver Spring Township, Cumberland County – Water Sampling and Analysis Project ($950). The project involves investigating the origin of pollution sources impairing tributaries to Conodoguinet Creek through water and soil testing. The goal is to reduce pollutants in the streams.
-- Warren County Conservation District – Where Would Our Streams Be Without Trees ($690). The Conservation District plans to study the impact riparian buffer restoration has on water quality on Barton Run.
-- Watershed Coalition of the Lehigh Valley, Northampton County – Restoration and Outreach Projects for Master Watershed Stewards ($9,240). The Coalition and its partners will install four native shrub nurseries for future sources for live stakes that can be used for stream bank stabilization to reduce pollution and erosion.
Pennsylvania American Water initiated its Environmental Grant Program in 2005 to support projects that protect or restore drinking water sources and surrounding watersheds.
Since then, American Water has expanded the annual program to many of its state subsidiaries across the nation.
To date, Pennsylvania American Water has donated more than $650,000 to fund more than 135 projects.
For more on this program, visit PA American Water’s Environmental Grant Program webpage.
[Posted: April 22, 2022] PA Environment Digest
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