EPA, NFWF Fund Actions to Improve Water Quality in Bay-Linked Rivers and Streams in Pennsylvania

 U.S. EPA News Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: R3Press@epa.gov

EPA, NFWF Fund Actions to Improve Water Quality in Bay-Linked Rivers and

Streams in Pennsylvania

PHILADELPHIA (Feb. 10, 2021) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), today announced the award of approximately $1.2 million for eight projects in Pennsylvania to improve rivers and streams that connect to the Chesapeake Bay.

The funds are part of nearly $5 million provided by EPA as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014 to the six Bay watershed states and the District of Columbia for the implementation of restoration projects by local governments.

The Pennsylvania funds, administered by NFWF, will generate more than $2.2 million in matching contributions for a total impact of nearly $3.5 million.

 Among the projects are:

• Implement stream restoration along a tributary of Codorus Creek in York County to remove more than a half million pounds of sediment per year. ($200,000 award; $620,757 match)
• Restore the floodplain of the Conewago Creek and its tributary, Brills Run, in Londonderry and Mount Joy townships (Dauphin and Lancaster counties), reducing the annual sediment load by 1,524 tons. ($200,000 award; $30,000 match)
• Expand a cover crop incentive program on farms in Cumberland County. ($54,600 award; $27,300 match)
• Install animal waste management facilities and barnyard runoff controls as part of a Plain Sect Clean Water Demonstration Farm in Paradise Township, Lancaster County. ($200,000 award; $170,000 match)

A full list and descriptions of the Pennsylvania projects are available at: https://www.nfwf.org/sites/default/files/2021-02/chesapeake-pennsylvania-2020-grant-slate.pdf  .

“EPA is pleased to support home-grown projects that reflect local needs and improve local water quality,” said EPA Acting Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Diana Esher.  “Our success in restoring the Chesapeake Bay relies on improving the streams and rivers that connect to it.  These projects will help Pennsylvania take the next steps in meeting its shared commitment to restoring the Bay.  We appreciate the support of NFWF in this effort.”

“Local governments are critical partners in identifying and advancing watershed restoration efforts that align with local needs, concerns, and resources,” said Amanda Bassow, NFWF’s Northeast Regional Director. “NFWF is pleased to continue partnering with EPA in delivering funding and technical assistance that supports municipalities and conservation districts at the front lines of implementing our local and regional restoration goals.”

The Local Government Implementation (LGI) funds are part of broader grant programs funded and administered by EPA through its Chesapeake Bay Program Office (CBPO) – the Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant (CBIG), the Chesapeake Bay Regulatory and Accountability Program (CBRAP), or both.