On September 11, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it is reallocating portions of its Pennsylvania Chesapeake Bay funding from two fiscal years to help apply the funds more quickly and efficiently to the Commonwealth’s efforts to restore the Bay and local waters.

The reallocation of funds was outlined in a September 10, 2019, letter from EPA Regional Administrator Cosmo Servidio to Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick McDonnell. 

The letter followed a “productive” meeting between EPA and PADEP in June 2019 to discuss the Commonwealth’s high amount of unspent grant funds, known as unliquidated obligations (ULOs).

The letter noted that the agencies “jointly made progress in reducing ULOs” by redirecting local government funding to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and reallocating existing, unspent local government funds to ready-to-go projects identified in four pilot county action plans.

“EPA’s actions will further Pennsylvania’s efforts to meet its goals for improving local waters and restoring the Chesapeake Bay,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler.  “We appreciate the opportunity to assist Pennsylvania in making the best use of federal funds for water quality improvements.”

$2.4 Million

Under the plan to reallocate grants from Pennsylvania’s FY 2018 and FY 2019 Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant and Chesapeake Bay Regulatory and Accountability Program, EPA is directing $2.4 million to NFWF’s Small Watershed Grants program to assist Pennsylvania local governments in implementing priority restoration projects.

[Note: The estimated additional annual funding needed to implement Pennsylvania’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan is $324 million each year over the next 6 years.]

Other Funding Support

EPA also will redirect funds to support stream-side forest buffer projects proposed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and fund critical staff positions, including those at PADEP and Pennsylvania’s Conservation Districts, and up to eight new coordinator positions to implement county action plans under the Commonwealth’s Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan.

EPA will also entertain applications for Chesapeake Bay funding from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission for stream restoration projects and from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and other Pennsylvania agencies or commissions for projects that improve local water quality and further nutrient and sediment reductions to the bay.

Click Here for a copy of the EPA letter.

Visit the DEP Chesapeake Bay Plan webpage to learn what Pennsylvania is doing to cleanup water going to the Bay.

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[Posted: September 11, 2019]

9/16/2019