The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting applications for grants to help farmers reduce nutrient pollution and small business owners and farmers increase energy efficiency under the Small Business Advantage Grant Program.

The deadline for applications is April 12.

“This grant program was created with small businesses and farmers in mind. There are tremendous monetary savings available to Pennsylvania’s small business owners by installing energy-efficient equipment, such as boilers, LED lighting, and Energy Star certified heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems,” said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “Pennsylvania farmers can also benefit by using these funds to undertake projects which will divert sediment and nutrient runoff from our waterways.”

Pennsylvania farmers and other small business owners with 100 or fewer full-time employees are eligible for the grants.

Projects must save the business a minimum of $500 and 25 percent annually in energy consumption or pollution related expenses.

Natural resource protection projects are exempt from the minimums; however, the projects must be able to quantify sediment and nutrient reductions into nearby waterways.

Businesses can apply for 50 percent matching funds for equipment or materials, up to $7,000, when adopting energy-efficient or pollution prevention equipment or processes.

Applications are considered on a first come, first served basis, and will be accepted until fiscal year 2020-21 funds are exhausted, or April 12, 2021, whichever occurs first.

For more information, visit DEP’s Small Business Advantage Grant Program webpage.  Questions should be directed to the Small Business Ombudsman’s Office, call 717-772-5160 or send email to: epadvantagegtrant@pa.gov.

How Clean Is Your Stream?

DEP’s Interactive Report Viewer allows you to zoom in on your own stream or watershed to find out how clean your stream is or if it has impaired water quality using the latest information in the draft 2020 Water Quality Report.

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[Posted: October 20, 2020]

10/26/2020