Wednesday, December 11, 2024

The Nature Conservancy Now Accepting Applications For Resilient & Connected Appalachians Land Protection Grants; Jan. 15 Webinar

 
The Nature Conservancy is now accepting applications for its Resilient and Connected Appalachians Land Protection Grant Program.  The deadline to apply is February 7

The program offers funding for non-profit organizations, municipalities, and other partners to engage in conservation efforts in the Appalachians.

Grants of up to $100,000 are available for both fee and easement land acquisition projects.

The grants will prioritize funding for projects in one of the Nature Conservancy’s focal areas. 

Use the grant program’s mapping tool to determine if your project will take place in one of these areas.

Applicant Webinar

A webinar on January 15 starting at Noon will provide more information about the grants. Click Here to register.

Visit The Nature Conservancy’s Resilient and Connected Appalachians Land Protection Grant Program webpage for all the details.

For more information on programs, initiatives and other special events, visit the PA & DE  Chapter of The Nature Conservancy website.  Click Here to sign up for updates from TNC, Like them on Facebook, Follow them on Twitter and Join them on InstagramClick Here to become a member.

The Nature Conservancy has 31,000 members in Pennsylvania.


(Reprinted from the DCNR Grants NewsletterClick Here to sign up for your own copy.)

Related Article:

-- French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust, Bob & Shelley Casciato Partner To Preserve 10.4 Acres In Chester County  [PaEN] 

NewsClips:

-- Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper Blog: DCNR Botanist: Protecting Habitat For Rare Wetland Plants Critical As Certain Populations Struggle 

-- NextPittsburgh: Landforce, Partners Receive $15.3 Million Federal Grant For Workforce Development Program 

[Posted: December 11, 2024]  PA Environment Digest

Friends Of The Wissahickon Mark Completion Of $3.5 Million Valley Green Run Stream Restoration & Pedestrian Bridge Project

On December 10, the
Friends of the Wissahickon marked the completion of its $3.5 million Valley Green Run Restoration and Pedestrian Bridge project in Wissahickon Valley Park in Philadelphia with a ribbon cutting. 

The pivotal project, which combines environmental conservation with visitor accessibility and enjoyment, is FOW’s largest capital investment to date and the pinnacle of the organization’s 100th anniversary celebration. 

FOW Executive Director Ruffian Tittmann dedicated the new footbridge as Lida Way, in honor of naming donors Linda and David Glickstein, and in tribute to FOW’s more than 2,000 volunteers. 

In congratulating Tittmann and FOW, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Commissioner Susan Slawson said, “PPR is lucky to have FOW as a partner for your leadership, tenacity, and use of resources to clean and green this majestic watershed park, one of the shining assets of our park system, and for your service over the past 100 years.” 

Other speakers at the event, who acknowledged the importance of partnership and community commitment in undertaking such projects, included Jeanne Barrett Ortiz, Southeast Regional Advisor for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; Jessica Brooks, assistant deputy commissioner of the Philadelphia Water Department; Rep. Tarik Kahn, and Garrett Trego, FOW board president. 

“FOW is all about maintaining balance, and this project is a perfect example of that,” said Trego. “It respects our beautiful park, and solves needs in terms of stormwater management, stream restoration, pedestrian access, and transportation. We’ve accomplished these goals through an incredibly thoughtful, and well-planned and artfully executed project.” 

The ambitious undertaking consisted of two main phases. 

The first phase remediated years of worsening storm-induced erosion on both sides of Valley Green Run, which caused both the streambank and original wooden boardwalk to collapse in 2014, forcing pedestrians to navigate the narrow road as they headed down to the park. 

Now stable, the stream channel and streambank will slow the erosive impacts of stormflow, keep sediment from being discharged to Wissahickon Creek, (which provides drinking water for a third of Philadelphians), and restore a riparian buffer with over 200 Philadelphia native woody plants. 

The project’s second phase created a 200-foot elevated galvanized footbridge that will now safely move visitors off Valley Green Road as they approach the Valley Green area, the most visited area of the park. 

The signature feature is an observation platform that gives visitors an expanded view of the Wissahickon’s schist outcrops and historic Valley Green Bridge as it welcomes them to the park’s unofficial “front door.”  

The final component of the project - the “North Approach" - located just north of the pedestrian bridge entrance, includes the natural-style stream restoration and a new inlaid stone trailhead feature that can retain the hillside, resiliently convey stormwater, and manage high volumes of park visitors through the area. 

The project was funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, Department of Environmental Protection, Commonwealth Financing Authority, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, and the Philadelphia Water Department. 

Additionally, more than $1.3 million was contributed by a combination of private foundations and individual donors - the project’s largest single funding source.

The project team consisted of Skelly and Loy, a Terracon Company, general contractor and streambank restoration designer;  CVMNEXT Construction, design/builder on the pedestrian bridge; Resource Restoration Group, builder for the stream restoration and North Approach elements; and Krieger Architects, pedestrian bridge design architect and project architect for donor recognition. 

Click Here for opportunities to name planks on the new walkway.

Visit the Friends of the Wissahickon website to learn more about programs, initiatives, upcoming events and how you can get involved.

(Photo: Garrett Trego, FOW board president; Rep. Tarik Kahn; Jessica Brooks, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Philadelphia Water Department; David and Linda Glickstein, bridge naming donors; Jeanne Barrett Ortiz, southeast regional advisor, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; Ruffian Tittmann, FOW executive director, and Susan Slawson, commissioner, Philadelphia Parks & Recreations.)

Related Articles This Week - Watersheds:

-- Chesapeake Bay Executive Council, Including Gov. Shapiro Announce Plans To Revise Watershed Agreement, Form New Agricultural Advisory Committee  [PaEN]

-- DEP Awards $24 Million In Grants To Support County Clean Water Projects To Improve Water Quality In Chesapeake Bay Watershed  [PaEN] 

-- Coalition For The Delaware River Watershed, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Announce $17 Million In Grants To Enhance The Health Of The Delaware River Watershed  [PaEN] 

-- PA Sea Grant Now Accepting Research Proposals To Enhance Use, Conservation Of PA's Coastal, Watershed And Great Lakes Resources; Jan. 15 Webinar  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension Center For Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training Hosts Jan. 22 Webinar On Safeguarding Private Drinking Water Sources [PaEN] 

-- USGS PA Water Science Center Fall Newsletter: Pesticide Sampling; Philadelphia Water Resources Tool; Sampling For PFAS Contamination; Addressing Microplastics Science Gaps  [PaEN]

-- Vote Now For Pennsylvania's 2025 River Of The Year Among 3 Finalists-- Delaware River, Perkiomen Creek, Youghiogheny River [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- PA Capital-Star: Shapiro Joins Governors In Renewed Commitment To Chesapeake Bay Cleanup

-- LancasterOnline: Lancaster Conservation District Receives $5.9 Million For Chesapeake Bay Watershed Pollution Reduction

-- Altoona Mirror: Mid-State Counties Receive Funds To Fight Pollution Of Chesapeake Bay

-- Lancaster Farming: New Ag Committee To Advise Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Program

-- WHYY: Conservationists Celebrate More Than 200 Federally Funded Projects To Restore Waterways In Delaware Watershed

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal - Ad Crable: Study Points To Farmland Treated With Biosolids As Possible Source Of PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ In Fish

-- Center For Biological Diversity: Lawsuit Launched To Cleanup Coal Ash Storage Pond At Talen Energy Brunner Island Power Plant Along The Susquehanna River In York County 

-- USDA Invests $9.1 Million In Sewage Facility Upgrades In Dauphin, Westmoreland Counties 

-- Partnership For The Delaware Estuary: Gardening For Clean Water Newsletter For Habitat Owners, Caretakers

[Posted: December 11, 2024]  PA Environment Digest

EPA Awards $735 Million To Support Local Purchases Of Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles, Including $2.8 Million To Penn Hills School District In Allegheny County

On December 11, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that 70 applicants across 27 states, three Tribal Nations, and one territory have been tentatively selected to receive over
$735 million to assist in the purchase of over 2,400 zero-emission vehicles through its first-ever Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program

The awards include a $2.8 million grant to the Penn Hills School District in Allegheny County to purchase 10 zero emission electric school buses to replace 10 diesel school busses.

Ten Level 3 DC Fast Charging station units will also be installed to support these electric school buses, and the necessary charging infrastructure work will be completed to accommodate the Level 3 DC Fast Charging stations. 

EPA’s Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program, created by the federal Inflation Reduction Act, will replace existing internal combustion engine heavy-duty vehicles with zero-emission vehicles, while also supporting the build out of clean vehicle infrastructure, as well as the training of workers to deploy these new zero-emission technologies. 

Together, the selected projects announced today will reduce harmful emissions from heavy-duty vehicles, support good-paying jobs, and improve air quality in communities across the country, particularly in those that have been overburdened by air pollution.

“Thanks to President Biden, we are accelerating American leadership in developing clean technologies that address the impacts of climate change,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Together, the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant projects announced today will slash air pollution and enhance the country’s infrastructure for cleaner transportation solutions, creating good-paying jobs along the way.”

Click Here for the complete announcement.

Visit EPA’s Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program webpage to learn more about this program.

Related Articles This Week:

-- PA Solar Center: Whitehall Borough, Allegheny County To Install Solar Energy Facility In Early 2025  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension: How Local Ordinances Can Address Concerns About Physical Impacts Of Grid-Scale Solar Development  [PaEN]

-- Guest Essay: Renewables Can Help Stop Winter, Summer Power Outages, Avoid Energy Price Spikes - By Matt Walker, Clean Air Council and Julia Kortrey, Evergreen Action  [PaEN] 

-- Rep. Martin Causer Returns As Republican Chair Of House Environmental Committee; Priority- Getting Government 'Out Of The Way' Of Energy Production  [PaEN] 

NewsClips:

-- The Energy Age Blog: Dream Team: Rooftop Solar With Electric Vehicle - Crunching The Numbers From May to August 

-- PA Capital-Star: It’s Do Or Die Time For Philly Hydrogen Hub, Green Groups Are Rallying Against It 

-- Inside Climate News: Clean Energy Industry Questions New PJM Proposal That Could Move Fossil Fuel Projects To Front Of Interconnection Queue 

-- Utility Dive: PJM Expects Summer Peak Load To Grow 2% A Year On Average Driven By Data Centers 

-- Utility Dive: FERC Rejects Plan To Shift PJM’s Electric Transmission Planning Protocol In Win For State Regulators 

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: Middlesex Twp., Cumberland County Could Become Home To Region’s First Large Scale, 700 Acre Data Storage Complex 

-- Bloomberg: When A Giant Data Center Comes To A Small Town

[Posted: December 11, 2024]  PA Environment Digest

Penn State Extension Center For Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training Hosts Jan. 22 Webinar On Safeguarding Private Drinking Water Sources

A webinar designed to raise awareness about smart strategies for farming in sensitive ecosystems, with a
focus on private drinking water sources, will occur from Noon to 1:00 p.m. January 22.

Hosted by Penn State Extension’s Center for Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training, this event is designed for agricultural conservation professionals, environmental educators, agricultural advisers, watershed organizations, and anyone interested in soil and water conservation.

Proper inspection and maintenance of well and spring systems are crucial for safeguarding both family health and the integrity of agricultural operations, organizers noted. 

Efficient systems prevent contamination and support the quality of shared groundwater essential for farming and the broader ecosystem. 

Regular upkeep also helps avoid costly repairs and ensures sustainable water use for future generations.

Instructors aim to equip participants to guide farmers in safeguarding the environment while maintaining productive and sustainable farming operations. 

Participants will learn how to assess environmentally sensitive areas, understand their ecological significance, and implement best practices to minimize risks.

Who is this for?

-- Agricultural Conservation Professionals 

-- Environmental Educators  

-- Agricultural Advisors 

-- Watershed Organizations  

-- Individuals interested in soil and water conservation

What will you learn?

-- Flora and Fauna

-- Integrated Pest Management

-- Invasive Species

-- Native Plantings

-- Private Water Sources and Septic Systems

-- Ponds, Lakes, and Wetlands

The Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission, through the state Clean Streams Fund, partially funds this program.

Penn State Extension offers this event free of charge, but registration by Jan. 21, 2025, is required.

Click Here to register and for more information.

Visit Penn State Extension’s Center for Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training webpage for more educational opportunities and other resources.

Related Articles This Week - Watersheds:

-- Chesapeake Bay Executive Council, Including Gov. Shapiro Announce Plans To Revise Watershed Agreement, Form New Agricultural Advisory Committee  [PaEN]

-- DEP Awards $24 Million In Grants To Support County Clean Water Projects To Improve Water Quality In Chesapeake Bay Watershed  [PaEN] 

-- Coalition For The Delaware River Watershed, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Announce $17 Million In Grants To Enhance The Health Of The Delaware River Watershed  [PaEN] 

-- PA Sea Grant Now Accepting Research Proposals To Enhance Use, Conservation Of PA's Coastal, Watershed And Great Lakes Resources; Jan. 15 Webinar  [PaEN] 

-- USGS PA Water Science Center Fall Newsletter: Pesticide Sampling; Philadelphia Water Resources Tool; Sampling For PFAS Contamination; Addressing Microplastics Science Gaps  [PaEN]

-- Vote Now For Pennsylvania's 2025 River Of The Year Among 3 Finalists-- Delaware River, Perkiomen Creek, Youghiogheny River [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- PA Capital-Star: Shapiro Joins Governors In Renewed Commitment To Chesapeake Bay Cleanup

-- LancasterOnline: Lancaster Conservation District Receives $5.9 Million For Chesapeake Bay Watershed Pollution Reduction

-- Altoona Mirror: Mid-State Counties Receive Funds To Fight Pollution Of Chesapeake Bay

-- Lancaster Farming: New Ag Committee To Advise Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Program

-- WHYY: Conservationists Celebrate More Than 200 Federally Funded Projects To Restore Waterways In Delaware Watershed

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal - Ad Crable: Study Points To Farmland Treated With Biosolids As Possible Source Of PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ In Fish

-- Center For Biological Diversity: Lawsuit Launched To Cleanup Coal Ash Storage Pond At Talen Energy Brunner Island Power Plant Along The Susquehanna River In York County 

-- USDA Invests $9.1 Million In Sewage Facility Upgrades In Dauphin, Westmoreland Counties 

-- Partnership For The Delaware Estuary: Gardening For Clean Water Newsletter For Habitat Owners, Caretakers

[Posted: December 11, 2024]  PA Environment Digest

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