The Department of Environmental Protection is reminding 15 counties that county funds are still available for land use planning, watershed protection, farmland preservation and open space projects through unused landfill closure accounts.

Currently, 15 counties have a balance remaining. They include: Bedford, Butler, Centre, Chester, Clarion, Clearfield, Erie, Jefferson, Lackawanna, Lancaster, McKean, Mercer, Tioga and Washington Counties.

Counties may use unspent funds for Growing Greener projects. Under the Environmental Stewardship and Watershed Protection Act (Act 68 of 1999), commonly referred to as Growing Greener, counties may utilize money set aside in landfill post-closure accounts for various environmental, conservation and recreation improvement projects.

The landfill post-closure accounts were established to provide funding for environmental remediation efforts after a landfill was no longer operating. The funding was determined to be unnecessary by DEP and the General Assembly due to adoption of new bonding requirements, and the funding was redirected to Growing Greener as part of Act 68.

If you are interested in learning how to access this funding, contact Tom Woy in DEP’s Bureau of Waste Management at 717-787-7381 or send e-mail twoy@state.pa.us .

12/28/2007