Gov. Tom Wolf Wednesday announced the investment of $39 million for 12 drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and nonpoint source projects across nine counties through the PA Infrastructure Investment Authority.

“Today marked another special day for the PennVEST program and for the citizens of Pennsylvania. By approving almost $40 million in funding for clean water projects across the commonwealth, the PennVEST Board continued its commitment to improve the quality of our rivers and streams, the health of our families and the economic prosperity of our state”, said Gov. Wolf. “Together we will further the achievement of these goals and make Pennsylvania an even more desirable place to live and work for this and future generations.”

Of the $39 million, $18.2 million is allocated for low-interest loans and $20.8 million is awarded through grants.

The nonpoint water quality projects funded include--

-- Chester County Conservation District and Elmer Kaufman received a $408,039 grant to install a variety of manure control facilities, including a concrete waste storage structure, gutters and downspouts, four catch basins and new pipes, as well as planting 900 feet of new grass waterways, in order to reduce nutrient runoff into Two Log Run during wet weather.

-- Chester County Conservation District and Daniel Esh received a $350,467 grant to install a variety of manure control facilities, including more than 1,000 square feet of paved and curbed barnyard as well as 14,400 square feet of reinforced gravel animal trail, in order to reduce nutrient run-off into a tributary of the East Branch of Octoraro Creek during wet weather.

-- Chester County Conservation District and Fiddle Creek Dairy received a $245,494 grant to install a roofed manure stacking structure, a watering facility, underground outlets, as well as animal trails and walkways that will serve to reduce nutrient runoff into a tributary of Big Beaver Creek during wet weather.

-- Chester County Conservation District and David Stoltzfus received a $347,055 grant to make a variety of improvements it manure handling facilities as well as installing reinforced gravel animal walkways, a stream crossing and streambank fencing, all of which will reduce nutrient run-off into Muddy Run during wet weather.

-- The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary was approved to receive $7,934,000 in funding to construct a freshwater mussel hatchery that will produce hundreds of thousands of mussels annually, which will be used to restore mussel beds in both the Susquehanna and Delaware estuaries. These mussels will, in turn, contribute to the improvement of water quality in both the Chesapeake Bay and the Delaware Estuary by filtering out nutrients, particularly nitrogen, that run off the land in these and into hundreds of streams in both watersheds.

-- Westmoreland County, Unity Township received a $2,050,000 grant to make a variety of improvements to its stormwater control systems, which will include the installation of more than a mile and a half of new storm water pipes. The existing facilities are deteriorated and allow flooding of private property as well as contamination of local streams during heavy rainfall.

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.

Click Here for a list of projects funded.

For more information, visit the PennVEST website or call 717-783-6798.

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[Posted: April 19, 2017]

4/24/2017