Gov. Tom Wolf Wednesday announced the investment of $78.3 million for 12 drinking water, wastewater and nonpoint source projects across 12 counties through the PA Infrastructure Investment Authority.

“The PennVEST Board of Directors has once again come to the aid of a number of communities across the Commonwealth where safe and adequate drinking water is needed and where both human and animal waste is contaminating local streams,” said Gov. Wolf. ”These conditions simply cannot be allowed to continue and I applaud the Board’s efforts and its initiative in addressing these conditions. Pennsylvania is a safer, healthier and more environmentally pleasing place to live as a result.”

Of the $78.3 million, $60.3 million is allocated for low-interest loans and $18 million is awarded through grants.

The nonpoint sources projects included--

-- Armstrong County Conservation District received a $761,400 grant to install a variety of streambank stabilization measures along 3.5 miles of trails where wet weather is eroding the trail surface and surrounding ground, resulting in sediment being carried into Redbank Creek and the Allegheny River.

-- Chester County Conservation District and Samuel Stolzfus received a $314,550 grant to construct new manure management and storage facilities and other improvements on a dairy operation where there is uncontrolled manure runoff from the existing cattle lot.  Also, there is currently no manure storage capacity, which results in manure spreading during winter and other times of the year when the soil is relatively impervious.  All of these conditions currently cause manure and the nutrients it contains to run off into Octoraro Creek and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.

The funding comes from a combination of state funds approved by voters, federal grants to PennVEST from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and recycled loan repayments from previous PennVEST funding awards.

Funds for the projects are disbursed after bills for work are paid and receipts are submitted to PennVEST.

A list of projects funded is available online.

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1/25/2016