The Water Resources Education Network Project, a program of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania Citizen Education Fund, has announced the award of $101,700 in funding to community partnerships across the state.

Projects will carry out water resources education projects in the coming year. Funding comes from DEP 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 2007-2008 WREN grant program are:

Source Water Protection Projects (funding provided by DEP via the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1996, section 1452 State Revolving Loan Fund for Drinking Water Source Water Protection) -- total awards: $51,700

· Blair County Conservation District, Blair County, $4,700, will hold the Blair County Water Festival in May 2008, hold "The Wonder of Water" poster contest in local schools, and make presentations to students about the importance of protecting the Frankstown Branch of the Juniata River, the source water for the county's drinking water supply. Contact: James Eckenrode 814-696-0877x5, jeckenrode@blairconservationdistrict.org .

· Brodhead Creek Regional Authority, Monroe County, $5,000, will create a children's section in the "Dr. Waters" interactive and educational website (www.drwaters.org) which will promote actions citizens can take to protect the Brodhead Creek. Contact: Michael Reisenwitz 570-421-3232, swpedu@ptd.net .

· Dushore Borough, Sullivan County, $5,000, will use educational equipment, informational brochures, a school sponsored poster contest, water supply area identification signs, and storm drain stenciling to educate students and citizens about the importance of protecting the groundwater which serves as Dushore's drinking water source and the surface waters that supply drinking water to other communities. Contact: Scot Sample 570-928-8020, dushwate@epix.net .

· Pennsylvania Resources Council, Inc., Delaware County, $3,000, will hold two workshops for residents of Marple Township and the Borough of Swarthmore to educate about stormwater management and pollution issues emphasizing how the use of rainbarrels can minimize polluted runoff from entering the area's drinking water source, Crum Creek. Contact: Sue Cochrane 610-353-1555x232, cochrane@prc.org , swcnjcu@hotmail.com .

· Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, Philadelphia, $5,000, will provide watershed education to high schools in Philadelphia that includes in-class lessons on nonpoint source pollution and its intersection with drinking water supplies, a field trip to observe the breadth of watershed issues that impact the source water, creation of posters, and a service learning project aimed at increasing awareness about urban watershed issues. Contact: Gin Ranly 215-482-7300x129, vranly@schuylkillcenter.org .

· Shermans Creek Conservation Association, Inc.Perry County, $5,000, will use a portable display, an EnviroScape model, lesson plans, and Farm*A*Syst seminars to demonstrate to students and adults in Blain Borough and Jackson Township how their actions in the Bower's Run watershed can impact the source of their drinking water and what they can do to protect it. Contact: Linda Sieber 717-582-3376, lssieber@comcast.net .

· Shinglehouse Borough Water Department (and Partner Water Systems: Coudersport Borough Authority and Roulette Water Company), Potter County, $5,000, will work jointly to install Water Supply Area signs, demonstrate groundwater models, and distribute source water protection brochures in a continued effort to educate Coudersport, Oswayo Valley, and Port Allegany students and citizens about the importance of protecting the groundwater which serves as the source of drinking water for households in these three municipalities. Contact: Deborah Resig 814-697-6711, shinglehouseoffice@frontiernet.net .

· Ulysses Municipal Authority (and Partner Water Systems: Genesee Township Water Authority, Northern Tier Children’s Home and Covington-Karthous-Girard Area Water Authority), Clearfield & Potter Counties, $4,000, will work jointly to install Water Supply Area signs, demonstrate groundwater models, and distribute source water protection brochures in a continued effort to educate residents in the Northern Potter and Whitesville School Districts and the Clearfield school district and surrounding townships about the importance of protecting the groundwater that provides the drinking water to these communities. Contact: Betty Jo Hilfiger, Jack Reese 814-848-7551, ulyssesboro@verizon.net .

· Volant Borough, Lawrence County, $5,000, will educate citizens and students about how they can help protect the high quality groundwater and wells that provide the Borough's drinking water with demonstrations of the EnviroScape and Groundwater Simulator models in schools and at events such as the Volant Water Festival and by distributing to local restaurants quantities of the winning placemat from a design contest in the schools. Contact: Jeff Staul 724-662-4706, volantborough@zoominternet.net .

· Warren County Conservation District, Crawford, Erie & Warren Counties, $5,000, will conduct the "Green Tip of the Week" television commercial campaign to educate citizens in Warren, Crawford, and Erie counties about the steps they can take to protect and improve the watersheds they live in thereby protecting the sources of their drinking water. Contact: Jean Gomory 814-563-3117, jean.gomoroy@pa.nacdnet.net

· York County Parks Foundation Charitable Trust, York County, $5,000, will design an educational display and mural of the Codorus Creek watershed, including streams and other watershed features that will educate viewers how public drinking water can be protected both by citizens' individual actions by water supplier commitment to protecting the source. Contact: Tammy Klunk 717-840-7227, parks@york-county.org .

Nonpoint Source Pollution/Watershed Education Projects (funding provided by DEP'sNonpoint Source Management Program through Section 319 of the federal Clean Water Act -- total awards: $50,000)

· Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring, Cumberland County, $4,000, will produce and distribute advertisements in print, on air and through other media and events that encourage Carlisle homeowners and businesses to maintain lawns and automobiles and manage pet waste in ways that will minimize nonpoint source pollution in Letort Spring Run. Contact: Julie Vastine 717-245-1565, vastine@dickinson.edu .

· Birchwood Lakes Community Association: Lake Mgmt Committee, Pike County, $5,000, will provide printed materials and conduct a series of information sharing meetings to teach Birchwood Lakes Community residents and residents of other lake communities in the Dingmans Creek watershed how nonpoint source pollution can be decreased by installing native plants around the lakes, maintaining septic systems properly, and using healthy practices to care for lawns and automobiles. Contact: Charles Ritson 570-828-2111, chasrits50@netzero.com .

· Borough of Media, Delaware County, $5,000, will design and mail to all Media households a calendar illustrating the municipality's accomplishments and commitment to stormwater management and the steps Media residents can take to reduce nonpoint source pollution in Ridley and Chester Creeks. Contact: Judy Fowler, 610-566-5210x239 judy@nightorbs.com .

· Bucks County Planning Commission, Bucks County, $5,000, will coordinate a guided bus tour to showcase innovative best stormwater management practices that municipal officials, engineers, planning commission members and developers can implement to reduce nonpoint source pollution in the Unami, East Branch, Tohickon, Delaware River (North and South), Neshaminy, Little Neshaminy, Pennypack, and Poquessing watersheds. Contact: Rea Monaghan 215-345-3267, remonaghan@co.bucks.pa.us .

· Bushkill Stream Conservancy, Northampton County, $5,000, will hold workshops for homeowners in Palmer Township's Millrace neighborhood to raise awareness of the Township's existing protective measures and to teach residents the actions they can take to further reduce nonpoint source pollution in Bushkill Creek. Contact: Sandra Merwarth, 610-253-4467 shepherd21@rcn.com .

· Lebanon County Conservation District, Lebanon County, $3,350, will hold workshops to educate homeowners and businesses in Lebanon County how the use of rainbarrels can reduce the amount of nonpoint source pollution entering the waterways of the county. Rain barrels will be provided at an affordable rate to attendees completing the workshop. Contact: Stephanie Harmon 717-272-3908x4, stephanie.harmon@pa.nacdnet.net .

· Monroe County Conservation District, Monroe County, $3,350, will hold workshops to educate homeowners and municipal officials in Monroe County how the use of rainbarrels can reduce the amount of nonpoint source pollution in the Brodhead, Tobyhanna, Aquashicola, Pohopoco, Cherry, Bushkill Creeks, and Delaware River watersheds. Rain barrels will be provided at an affordable rate to attendees completing the workshop. Contact: Patricia Attardo 570-629-3060, pamccd@ptd.net .

· Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Delaware, Chester, Montgomery and Bucks Counties, $5,000, will develop a guide and hold workshops to educate public works department staff and commercial property owners in Delaware and Montgomery Counties on the inspection, operating, repair and retrofit procedures for stormwater management facilities that are necessary to minimize nonpoint source pollution in the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers. Contact: Gwyn Rowland 215-592-7020x109, growland@pecpa.org .

· Pike County Conservation District, Pike County, $4,800, will design and distribute an 8 page full color newspaper insert encouraging residents of Pike County to take steps to protect surface and groundwater resources in the Upper Delaware River watershed from the effects of nonpoint source pollution and to be supportive of Pike County's continuing efforts to protect its natural resources in the face of rapid growth. Contact: Michele Ulmer 570-226-8220, mulmer@pikepa.org .

· Strawberry Hill Nature Center and Preserve, Adams County, $4,800, will create and distribute a Watershed Guide designed to educate visitors to the Nature Center and residents of the Monocacy watershed about how proper pet waste management, gardening and lawn care practices and other daily activities can prevent nonpoint source pollution in Middle Creek. Contact: Yvonne Werzinsky 717-642-5840, yvonne@strawberryhill.org .

· Wildlands Conservancy, Carbon County, $4,700, will hold a workshop to educate municipal decision makers in Carbon County and those who advise them on land use matters about managing stormwater in ways that will minimize the impact of nonpoint source pollution in the Lehigh River watershed. Contact: Camille Lore 610-965-4397, clore@wildlandspa.org .

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

6/1/2007