August 26, 2002
Herald-Standard
Grants to support environmental projects
State Sen. Richard A. Kasunic (D-Dunbar) has announced that state grants totaling more than $1.03 million have been awarded to 12 environmental improvement projects in Fayette and Westmoreland counties.
Grant funds are administered through the Growing Greener program.
"Funds from the Growing Greener program help our communities fight pollution on several fronts by preserving farmland and protecting open space, restoring watersheds and providing new and upgraded water and sewer systems," Kasunic said. "I am pleased that so many different Fayette County projects will reap the benefits of this program."
The programs receiving funds in Fayette County are as follows:
- Fayette County Conservation will receive a $247,500 grant to support treatment of agricultural pollution in the Fayette portion of the State Water Plan Watershed (including Grassy Run Watershed).
- Fayette County Conservation also will receive a $49,608 grant to design and bid for a treatment system to clean up discharges into Morgan Run. The conservation agency will receive an additional $36,285 to initiate a non-point source pollution environmental education campaign to benefit the county and surrounding areas.
- Another $11,126 grant awarded to Fayette County Conservation will help the Georges Creek Clearwater Cooperative Initiative establish a working parnership to implement best management practices that will reduce sediment and nutrient loading. As a match, one of the partners, Ducks Unlimited, will construct a half-acre wetland to increase water infiltration and improve the wildlife habitat.
- The Westmoreland County Conservation District will receive a $227,960 grant to improve water quality in the Middle Youghiogheny Watershed. Participating farmers will contribute a 25 percent funding match.
- The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy will receive a $180,000 technical grant to expand services of the Watershed Assistance Center in Mill Run to the Susquehanna and Potomac basins. These services include legal advice, data management and engineering and geology technical assistance.
- Greater Redstone Clearwater will receive a $139,034 grant to develop a complete design to eliminate iron discharges from Phillips Mine into Redstone Creek. The project is expected to remove 2,000 to 5,000 pounds of iron per day out of the creek.
- A separate $27,314 grant will enable the Greater Redstone Clearwater to develop an engineering design for a passive treatment system that will take about 36 tons of iron out of Rankin Run each year.
- The Mountain Watershed Association Inc. will receive a $41,200 grant to assess the Upper Indian Creek portion of the watershed in Westmoreland County. The assessment will be used to develop a restoration and protection plan.
- The Mountain Watershed Association also will receive a $29,680 grant to develop the natural stream stabilization engineering, design and permitting phase for a 1,000-linear-foot section of Mill Run in the Indian Creek Watershed.
- The Pittsburgh Council Boy Scouts of America will receive a $26,458 grant to design a streambank stabilization plan for affected locations along a 1,500-foot stretch of Little Sandy Creek at the Heritage Reservation campground in Fayette County.
- Springhill Township will receive an $18,000 grant to complete an assessment, prepare detailed engineering designs and obtain the necessary permits to alleviate four acid mine drainage discharges in the Georges Creek Watershed.
