Gov. Rendell Announces More Than $21.5 Million In Growing Greener II Grants

Gov. Rendell this week announced the investment of more than $21.5 million in 144 Growing Greener projects to reduce pollution from stormwater runoff and farms, treat acid mine drainage, reduce flooding and improve water quality across the Commonwealth.

 

The funds are being distributed to non-profit organizations, watershed groups and county and municipal governments to address local and regional water quality issues.

 

A list of grants awarded is available online.

 

“The vast majority of the work to improve water quality and treat Pennsylvania’s mine drainage and pollution problems is done by community volunteers and local governments, and the role of the Growing Greener program is to provide support to these organizations so that this work can continue,” Gov. Rendell said. “Many of these projects are modest in size but they make significant contributions to the health of our waterways, which improves our quality of life and creates opportunities for economic development in communities affected by historic pollution or flooding problems.”

 

Funded projects include educational programs, scientific studies and youth volunteer opportunities such as an ongoing program that enlists local high school students to perform riparian buffer planting on local farms and streams in Crawford County.

 

Dam removal projects that will improve streamflow and aquatic habitat will be funded in Chester, Lycoming and Montgomery counties, and funding is provided for repairs, upgrades and improvements to urban stormwater control infrastructure.

 

Also funded was a $143,700 grant to the PA Association of Conservation District for the Technical Assistance Program for watershed groups, municipalities and others that PACD would have had to end on February 20.

 

“The Growing Greener program has been a tremendous success for Pennsylvania, investing millions of dollars to help communities and local residents fix historic problems and take on new challenges in all 67 counties,” Gov. Rendell said.

 

Voters overwhelmingly approved the $625 million Growing Greener II bond issue in May 2005. When the General Assembly and Gov. Rendell approved the Growing Greener II bond issue, they capped the spending from the original Growing Greener Program enacted in 1999. As a result, the Growing Greener Program will end in fiscal year 2010-11.

 

For more information, visit the Growing Greener 2 Program website.