PA Environment Digest Blog

The Department of Environmental Protection awarded a total of over $28.7 million in 2018 Growing Greener Watershed Restoration Grants funded by the Environmental Stewardship Fund, EPA’s 319 Nonpoint Source Program and federal Surface Mining Reclamation Set-Aside and bond forfeiture funds.

Grants were awarded for projects in 48 counties, plus 14 other projects will benefit multiple counties.

In December 2017, DEP awarded just over $20.7 million in Growing Greener Grants in 45 counties.

Projects funded included a wide variety of on-farm conservation practices, forested stream buffers, floodplain restoration, stormwater pollution reduction, treatment of abandoned mine drainage, dam removals, bioswales, rain gardens, manure storage, wetlands enhancement, stormwater management education for contractors, farm grazing plans and much more.

Of special note are projects designed to provide support to local watershed projects and programs in multiple counties--

-- $1,730,610 to PA Association of Conservation Districts for the Engineering Technical Assistance Program;

-- $553,976 to Northcentral PA Conservancy BMP implementation and verification;

-- $400,000 to Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay for Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership;

-- $250,000 to PA Horticultural Society for TreeVitalize Watersheds Program;

-- $225,000 to Trout Unlimited to provide acid mine drainage treatment technical assistance;

-- $229,594 to Stream Restoration, Inc. (nonprofit) to provide passive mine drainage treatment system O&M technical assistance;

-- $200,000 to Northwest PA Eminent Community Institute for Northwest PA Greenways Implementation Block Grants;

-- $160,784 to Western PA Conservancy for Upper West Branch Susquehanna agricultural BMPs;

-- $111,038 to Penn State Extension for County-based Master Watershed Steward Programs;

-- $105,219 to Chesapeake Conservancy for precision conservation for buffer restoration;

-- $70,000 to Penn State U. for workforce development for BMP implementation in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed; and

-- $57,315 to PA Organization for Watersheds & Rivers for promoting watershed restoration through local watershed associations.

Click Here for a complete list of Growing Greener grants awarded in the 2018 round.

For more information on is grant program, visit DEP’s Growing Greener Grants webpage. Click Here to sign up to be notified when the next application period opens.

Apply Now For These Grants

These watershed restoration, recreation and flood reduction grants programs are now accepting applications until these deadline--

-- March 7: Chesapeake Bay Watershed Community Stormwater Grants

-- March 15: Western PA Conservancy TreeVitalize Pittsburgh, Allegheny County Tree Planting Grants
-- March 29: PA American Water Environmental Grants

-- April 10: DCNR Community Conservation, Recreation, Trail, Riparian Buffer Grants.

-- May 31: Commonwealth Financing Authority Grants for: Watershed Restoration, Abandoned Mine Drainage, Well Plugging, Water Quality Monitoring, Sewage Facility, Flood Mitigation, Greenways, Trails and Recreation funded by the Act 13 drilling impact fee.

Click Here for a list of other environmental and energy grants and awards you can apply for to support your projects.

(Photo: Stream restoration project at Plain Sect Farm in Lancaster County.)
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