West Chester, Pa (Diciembre 5, 2023) – New state investments are on tap to improve water quality and reduce sediment in Chester County waterways, state Senator Carolyn Comitta said.
The Chester County Conservation District will receive more than $1.4 million in grant funding through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Countywide Action Plan Implementation Grant.
“Pennsylvania’s constitution guarantees the right to pure water, and it is important that we take action to secure and protect this right for every person in every community,” Comitta said. “With this funding, we are working to restore the health of our precious water resources and reduce nutrient and sediment pollution in our streams, rivers, and lakes.”
The funding is part of $19.3 million awarded across counties in Pennsylvania within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. These grants support their efforts in reducing nutrient and sediment pollution to restore the health of local streams, rivers, and lakes.
“These grants have proven to be effective in boosting projects restoring Pennsylvania streams, rivers and lakes,” said DEP Interim Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley. “Since 2021, we’ve seen teams implement everything from streambank tree plantings to livestock crossing installations. I’m excited to see the ingenuity and progress made by this year’s grant recipients. Their work benefits not only their communities, but our Commonwealth and beyond.”
Like the other jurisdictions in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, Pennsylvania is mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to lower its nutrient and sediment pollution levels by 2025. Statewide, the funded projects will result in an estimated reduction of over 170,000 pounds/year of nitrogen, 122,000 pounds/year of phosphorus, and 36.3 million pounds/year of sediment.