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Thursday, October 31, 2013
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
DCNR To Hold Recreation Funding, Management Web Seminars Nov. 14, Dec. 18
With a chance to reach people at their computers without making them travel, DCNR’s Bureau of Recreation and Conservation will be hosting two web seminars within the next two months.
On November 14 starting at 10:00 a.m., DCNR staff will cover “Funding Opportunities for Recreation and Conservation Projects.”
A second webinar will be held December 18 at 10:30 a.m. Part of the Green and Sustainable Webinar Series, the “Meadows 101 – Establishing and Maintaining native Grass/Wildflower Meadows” will focus on strategies and techniques for creating meadows in green parks.
Click Here for more information on these and other upcoming web seminars and to register (Reprinted from the October 30 DCNR Resource newsletter.)
$9.2 Million In Chesapeake Bay Watershed Cleanup Grants Awarded, $1.6 Million In PA
The Chesapeake Bay Program and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Wednesday announced the recipients of $9.2 million in grants for restoration and outreach initiatives in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed’s six states and the District of Columbia, including $1.6 million in Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania projects are:
— Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Inc. ($285,802) will accelerate the implementation of green infrastructure and stormwater Best Management Practices in Blair County. The project will result in a list of Green Infrastructure Priority Sites for the county and will identify at least one critical project site for each of the 13 MS4 communities in which to incorporate green infrastructure and stormwater BMPs.
— The ClearWater Conservancy of Central Pennsylvania ($300,000) will expand the Riparian Conservation Program to improve water quality and restore forest, riparian, and instream habitats in six watersheds through substantial partner and volunteer involvement.
— Blair County Conservation District ($421,424) will work with MS4 municipalities in Blair County to develop and implement watershed restoration plans to improve water quality in the headwaters of the Juniata River.
— Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Inc. ($200,000) will demonstrate practical and effective solutions for reducing nutrient and sediment pollution from agriculture operations in the north-central Pennsylvania portion of the Susquehanna River watershed by linking forest buffer implementation with other comprehensive BMP approaches.
— Western Pennsylvania Conservancy ($105,000) will identify the potential, most “at risk” wild trout streams in Pennsylvania. This initiative will sample 3,000 unassessed waters over the next five years, add appropriate, newly-sampled waters to PFBC's Listing of Streams Supporting Natural Reproduction of Trout, and educate the public and promote the project through outreach.
— Mifflin County Conservation District ($102,237) will improve targeted outreach to underserved farming communities in the Juniata River Basin, including the Plain Sect community, who may not participate in State and Federal cost-share programs.
— The Trust for Tomorrow ($200,000) will restore 50 acres of wetlands through two projects, restoration of 3,720 linear feet of stream and 14 acres of riparian buffer, along Polar Run, an important native trout fishery and a Juniata River tributary.
— Fish and Boat Commission ($80,000) will work to restore fish passage in Chickies Creek, located just upstream from its confluence with the Susquehanna River and approximately 45 miles from the Chesapeake Bay.
This year’s 40 projects will use both innovative and well-known ways to create cleaner waters, restore habitat and strengthen iconic species such as brook trout and oysters, and engage homeowners and residents in environmental work supporting their community’s quality of life.
The funding for these environmental initiatives was awarded through the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund via the Small Watershed Grants Program and the Chesapeake Bay Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction Grants Program, both of which are administered by NFWF.
The complete list of grants awarded is available online.
Non-Profit Groups Have Until Dec. 2 To Apply For Federal Disaster Aid
The U.S. Small Business Administration is reminding eligible private non-profit organizations in Pennsylvania of the December 2 deadline to submit disaster loan applications for damages caused by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding between June 26 and July 11, 2013.
Examples of eligible non-critical PNP organizations include, but are not limited to food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools and colleges.
These loans are available to PNPs in Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Fayette, Huntingdon, Jefferson, Lawrence, Venango and Wayne counties in Pennsylvania.
The SBA offers low interest disaster loans to private non-profit organizations for physical losses up to its loan limits. Approved loans can be increased for protective measures to lessen similar future damages.
Additionally, PNPs can obtain loans for unmet working capital needs. To be considered for this assistance, PNPs need to apply by the deadline.
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application via SBA's secure website.
Disaster loan information and application forms may also be obtained by calling the SBA's Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or by sending an email to: disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.
Applications can also be downloaded from the SBA's website.
Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is December 2, 2013. The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 1, 2014.
For more information, visit the SBA Disaster Loan Program webpage.
Analysis: Commitment To Cleaning Up PA Watersheds Changed Fundamentally Before, After 2003
On October 28-29, the William Penn Foundation sponsored a two-day Accelerating Action: The Delaware River Watershed Forum in connection with the Foundation’s announcement it was directing significant funding toward creating a new Vision for the Delaware Watershed.
I delivered these remarks at one of the breakout sessions outlining the current political landscape in state government in Harrisburg and how Pennsylvania’s commitment to watershed restoration changed fundamentally before and after 2003. Click Here to read the remarks.
I delivered these remarks at one of the breakout sessions outlining the current political landscape in state government in Harrisburg and how Pennsylvania’s commitment to watershed restoration changed fundamentally before and after 2003. Click Here to read the remarks.
Wednesday NewsClips
William Penn Foundation To Fund Creation Of A Vision For Delaware Watershed
In a major development for the Delaware River Watershed, Laura Sparks, chief financial officer of the William Penn Foundation, announced Tuesday the Foundation is directing significant funding toward impacting the entire watershed and is interested in creating a "Vision for the Watershed."
The Foundation plans to impact the Delaware basin by addressing watershed-wide issues; protecting and restoring places of ecological significance; and building the constituency for the watershed by engaging people.
Sparks was part of a two-day event held October 28-29 at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University and hosted by the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed with the generous support of the Foundation.
Coalition partners PennFuture and New Jersey Audubon helped spearhead the event at which well over 200 individuals attended sessions on preserving and protecting the Delaware River Watershed.
In all, over 60 NGOs, eight federal agencies, state and local regulators, academia, and foundations were represented at "Accelerating Action: The Delaware River Watershed Forum."
The Delaware River Basin is an ecological and economic jewel. It encompasses 13,000 square acres and provides 5 percent of the drinking water of the United States. The basin has an annual economic value of $25 billion and its ecosystem services are valued at $683 billion.
It is also the engine for 600,000 jobs. President John Fry of Drexel University noted, "There are few things more important that preserving and protecting our Delaware River Watershed." He added that protection of "watersheds require a commitment to the long-view."
The interactive forum include facilitated discussion to identify current opportunities, obstacles, challenges, priorities and needs for forests, agriculture, and urban and suburban landscapes as well as issues related to monitoring, policy, and restoration.
Philadelphia Deputy Mayor Michael DiBerardinis noted at the plenary, "This is a time of great challenges but also great opportunities," and added that it was vital to develop a conservation ethic while establishing connections between diverse communities and the River.
Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, talked about the significant impact that climate change will have on the Delaware, saying, "We are moving the planet outside the human experience to a time of climate consequence." His comments were particularly poignant in light of the one-year anniversary today of Superstorm Sandy.
During the luncheon keynote this afternoon, Jerry Kauffman, professor of water science and policy at the University of Delaware, declared, "an ounce of prevention or protection of the pristine headwaters is worth a pound of cure by way of restoration after the fact," noting the incredible economic value of a clean Delaware River. He closed the forum by quoting Winston Churchill, noting, "this is just the end of the beginning."
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Tuesday NewsClips
Editorial: GOP Reps Roadblock On Transportation Funding
How Fracking’s Ups, Downs Affect PA’s Economy
How Fracking’s Ups, Downs Affect PA’s Economy
Click Here for PA Capitol Digest NewsClips
Monday, October 28, 2013
Economic Injury Disaster Loans Available In Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne Counties
Most private, non-profit organizations and small aquaculture businesses in Pike, Susquehanna and Wayne counties are eligible for federal economic injury disaster loans as a result of excessive rain, related flooding, winds and hail last May.
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced the availability of the loans on Friday.
“This is good news for the eligible applicants in these three counties,” said Pennsylvania Emergency Management Director Glenn Cannon. “Disasters don’t know county lines and that’s why adjacent counties are included by the SBA.”
Under this declaration, the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to eligible farm-related and non-farm-related entities that suffered financial losses as a direct result of this disaster. With the exception of aquaculture enterprises, SBA cannot provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers.
The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates of 2.875 percent for private non-profit organizations of all sizes and 4 percent for small businesses, with terms up to 30 years.
The SBA determines eligibility based on the size of the applicant, type of activity and its financial resources. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.
These working capital loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred. The loans are not intended to replace lost sales or profits.
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application via SBA’s secure website.
Disaster loan information and application forms may also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or by sending an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.
Loan applications can be downloaded from the SBA’s website. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
Completed loan applications must be returned to SBA no later than June 2, 2014.
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