The Water Resources Education Network Project, a program of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania Citizen Education Fund announced this week the award of $100,412 in funding to community partnerships across the state.

The projects will carry out water resources education programs in the coming year. Funding comes from the Department of Environmental Protection for activities that will either address nonpoint source pollution issues on a watershed basis or help protect sources of drinking water. The successful grantees of the 2006-2007 WREN grant program are:

Drinking Water Source Water Protection Projects

Altoona City Authority, Blair County, will partner with Blair County Conservation District to present a Blair County Water Festival in May 2007, visit elementary schools, and participate in Altoona Curve Baseball School Kids’ Days with an educational display promoting source water protection awareness and water conservation in the Juniata River watershed. Tobias Nagle, acalab1@atlanticbbn.net . $5,000.

Ashland Area Municipal Authority, Schuylkill County, will install two Spill Response Signs on I-81 in a Mahanoy Creek watershed area that contains source waters for five water systems and hold a meeting with local emergency response departments on accident clean-up in the source water area. Steve Ulceski, ulceski@verizon.net . $5,000.

Bedford Borough Water Authority, Bedford & Somerset Counties, will implement parts of their Source Water Protection Plan through installation of 6 Water Supply Area signs and distribution of Source Water Protection brochures to residents of the Raystown Branch Juniata River Watershed. John Montgomery, jlm1975@earthlink.net . $1,200.

Berks County Conservation District, Berks County, will develop a calendar that each month will highlight a different Best Management Practice installed at a Berks County farm, business or water supplier in the Maiden Creek and other watersheds in the County. With illustrations and pictures about protecting drinking water supplies, the calendar, along with the District’s website, will be a tool for agricultural organizations and government agencies to educate citizens about source water protection. Lyn O'Hare, cohare@countyofberks.com . $4,800.

Canton Borough Authority, Bradford County, will install Water Supply signs for their wellhead protection area and purchase educational materials (TAPWater kit) for use by area schools in the Towanda Creek watershed. Lester Hilfiger, cantonba@frontiernet.net . $1,450.

Clymer Borough Municipal Authority, Indiana County, will educate students in the Two Lick Creek watershed using a TAPWater kit, sponsor a place mat design contest, and develop a public outreach program that includes a community event display and distribution of the winning placemats to area restaurants. Jan Gallo, cbma1@verizon.net . $1,550.

Johnsonburg Municipal Authority, Elk, McKean County, will begin implementing the education component of their Source Water Protection Plan with installation of five Water Supply Area signs and printing and distributing Source Water Protection brochures in the Upper Clarion River watershed. James DeAngelo, jmawater@ncentral.com . $2,000.

Mountain Watershed Association, Inc., Westmoreland, Fayette County, will expand their use of the national “Trips for Kids” program to introduce children to mountain biking while they learn about things they can do to protect the Indian Creek watershed and the sources that provide their drinking water. Beverly Braverman, mtwatershed@lhtc.net . $5,000.

Riegelsville Borough, Bucks County, will conduct an education and outreach program to implement their Source Water Protection Plan for groundwater in the Riegelsville area including placements, brochures, a display and information on the borough website. Tammy Macaluso, riegelsville@verizon.net . $2,800.

Roamingwood Sewer & Water Association, Wayne County will design and administer two 32-hour workshops along with Lacawac Sanctuary for teachers in the Wallenpaupack Creek watershed based on the TAPWater kit and program. Workshop objectives include equipping teachers with tools and resources for shaping groundwater protection lessons in their schools. Kevin Dunn, Janice Poppich, ownkvn@aol.com . $4,226.

Southeast Project Grass, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia, Schuylkill Counties will develop a 12-month Grazing and Pasture Management Planner illustrating Best Management Practices of pasture management that have been shown to be effective at lowering risks of pollution to drinking water supplies. With dates for implementing BMPs included along with pictures, this project will provide source water protection education in Delaware and Susquehanna watersheds. Dan Ludwig, dan.ludwig@pa.usda.gov . $4,950.

Stewartstown Borough, York County will implement portions of their Source Water Protection Plan with a storm drain-marking program that includes door hangers to provide additional information on drinking water protection in the Borough and Hopewell Township in York County. Robert Hunt, swdept@stewartstown.org . $1,450.

Terre Hill Borough, Lancaster County will implement a wellhead protection program along with Blue Ball Water Authority for groundwater in Terre Hill and East Earl Township area through a school education program and a public outreach program using a TAPWater kit and groundwater flow model to train teachers. The project will also sponsor a placemat/poster contest, install six Water Supply Area signs, design an educational brochure, and distribute the winning placemats to area restaurants. Robert Rissler, pwsbob@terrehillboro.com , office@terrehillboro.com . $5,000.

Union City Municipal Authority, Erie County will use educational tools such as TAPWater Kit and EnviroScape Model to educate attendees at The Gathering at French Creek about protecting the drinking water supplies in the French Creek and Laurel Run watersheds. The project will also host a children’s poster contest and design and distribute an educational brochure to residents. Marsha Tomcho, water@surferie.net . $4,036.

Volant Borough, Lawrence County will implement part of their Wellhead Protection Program through a professionally designed display describing the local groundwater supply and the Neshannock Creek Watershed and how people can help protect water supplies in the area. The display will be placed near public restrooms in a community park where tourist traffic is high. Jeff Staul, jhstaul@hotmail.com . $1,950.

Watershed Protection Projects

Alliance for a Sustainable Future, Montgomery County will work with three municipalities to install stream crossing signs, distribute education and free tree assessments to stream-side property owners, and arrange for community wide education about what homeowners and businesses can do to keep nonpoint source pollution out of creeks and open waters in the Wissahickon Valley watershed. Susan Curry, suscurry@comcast.net . $5,000.

Clearfield County Conservation District, Clearfield County will orchestrate a “Conservation Celebration” which will include a run-bike-canoe triathlon and a festival promoting outdoor activities to educate Clearfield County citizens about the role they can play in protecting and restoring local streams and rivers, including the west branch of the Susquehanna. Rachel Kester, rkesterccd@atlanticbbn.net . $1,680.

Dauphin County Conservation District, Dauphin County will equip municipal officials in the county with the tools and knowledge to make decisions related to development and stormwater management which will prevent nonpoint source pollution from reaching the county’s rivers and streams. Andrew McAllister, amcallisterdccd@pa.net . $5,000.

Erie County Conservation District, Erie County will build an outdoor “micro-watershed” demonstrating all the major causes of nonpoint source pollution such as agricultural operations and failing septic systems and how citizens and officials can work together to prevent pollution from entering Mill Creek. Brian Zeppenfeld, bzeppenfeld@adelphia.net . $5,000.

Kiski-Conemaugh Stream Team, Cambria & Somerset Counties will implement portions of the Paint Creek Restoration Plan by using the monitoring data collected by the Water Monitoring Committee in initiatives to educate citizens in the community about abandoned mine drainage and how data can be used to prioritize and evaluate Paint Creek watershed cleanup projects. Melissa Reckner, mreckner@kcstreamteam.org . $5,000.

Lower Tunkhannock Creek Watershed Association, Susquehanna & Wyoming Counties will show how development and changing land uses in the Tunkhannock Creek watershed can cause nonpoint source pollution in local waters. Using photographs, data, and presentations, the project will educate how citizens and officials can work together on practices and policies that can be implemented to reduce pollution in the watershed. Robert Daniels, bobio@epix.net . $2,170.

Luzerne Conservation District, Luzurne County hold workshops to demonstrate how homeowners can reduce nonpoint source pollution in the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay Watershed by maintaining "backyard conservation" measures such as rainbarrels and alternate methods of landscaping, including water gardens and stormwater wetlands. Shawn Rybka, s.rybka@luzernecd.org . $5,000.

Mehoopany Creek Watershed Association Inc., Sullivan, Wyoming, Bradford & Luzerne Counties will provide information to the community about stream restoration efforts intended to reduce nonpoint source pollution in the Mehoopany Creek and educate landowners and local officials about using natural stream design principles to manage their properties in a way that reduces sedimentation and water flow speed in the Mehoopany Creek. Lars Lundin, lundin2015@epix.net . $1,550.

Moshannon Creek Watershed Coalition, Center & Clearfield Counties will design a newspaper insert about acid mine drainage and the devastating effects this nonpoint source pollution has had on the Moshannon Creek. By placing the insert in several area newspapers, citizens will learn how they can support officials looking to initiate and finance restoration efforts. Art Beveridge, ascotchman@iqnetsys.net . $5,000.

Northampton County Conservation District, Northampton & Lehigh Counties will coordinate and conduct the 2006 Lehigh Valley Watershed Conference, a forum for individuals, watershed protection organizations and municipal officials that will equip participants with resources and tools to address nonpoint source pollution in the watersheds of the Lehigh Valley. Kate Brandes, kate-brandes@pa.nacdnet.org . $5,000.

Pennsylvania Resources Council, Inc., Delaware County will hold workshops for homeowners and businesses of Radnor and Upper Providence Townships illustrating how rain gardens and rain barrels can lower the amount of stormwater runoff during rain events and significantly curtail the amount of nonpoint source pollution entering the Darby Creek, Ridley Creek, and Crum Creek. Sue Cochrane, cochrane@prc.org . $5,000.

Peters Creek Watershed Association, Inc., Allegheny & Washington Counties will use written materials, interpretive signage, and web based educational programs to instill in the citizens of Peters Creek watershed an incentive to adopt behaviors and encourage local policies that will reduce nonpoint source pollution in Peters Creek. Tim Schumann, peterscreekwsa@verizon.net . $4,600.

For more information, visit the WREN Project website or contact Sherene Hess, WREN Project Director, 724-465-4978 or sherenehess@yourinter.net

6/2/2006