White Announces “Growing Greener” Grants
for Venango and Clarion Counties
(Harrisburg) – State Senator Mary Jo White (R-21) today
announced the awarding of several environmental grants to
Venango and Clarion counties.
The grants were awarded under the Environmental
Stewardship and Watershed Protection grant program – or
“Growing Greener” – which was signed into law in 1999.
Senator White, chairman of the Senate Environmental
Resources & Energy Committee, was the prime sponsor of the
Growing Greener legislation.
Projects receiving funding include:
- $166,324 to Clinton Township, Venango County to plug 15
abandoned oil and gas wells. The abandoned wells currently
discharge into Scrubgrass Creek. The grant will also fund a
Watershed Stewardship Community Day to raise awareness and
educate the public about the importance of a healthy
watershed.
- $131,140 to Clarion Conservation District to implement
BMP for farms in the Redbank Creek Watershed.
- $131,025 to the Alliance for Wetlands and Wildlife to
inventory, prioritize and plug abandoned oil and gas wells
that currently are discharging metals and acid into the
Lower Clarion Watershed. Fifteen wells are to be plugged,
along with the addition of limestone sand along select
streams, in an effort to improve 12 miles of stream. This
project will reduce the acid discharge into the Clarion
River by approximately 10,000 lbs/day.
- $60,820, also to the Alliance for Wetlands and Wildlife
to plug five abandoned oil and gas wells in the East Sandy
Creek Watershed.
“I am very pleased to announce these grants.
Northwestern Pennsylvania, with its abundant natural
resources, has a long history of fueling not only the
Commonwealth, but our nation. This has come with a price
tag to our streams and watersheds,” said Senator White.
“Fortunately, Growing Greener has been able to provide
much-needed funding to restore our waterways and clean-up
sites long ago abandoned. This work would not be possible
without the dedication and sacrifices of our watershed group
volunteers.”
Senator White also noted she was pleased to shepherd
recent passage of Act 90, which will extend Growing Greener
through 2012. “These volunteers give of their time and
expertise, and it is only appropriate that the General
Assembly provide assurance of continued support for the
years to come,” said White.
