Burns: $900,000 in environmental grants awarded for local projects
Rep. Frank Burns October 16, 2018 | 11:26 AM
EBENSBURG, Oct. 16 – Environmental projects in Munster and Washington townships have been selected to receive more than $900,000 in state grants, state Rep. Frank Burns announced today.
The two projects involve the reduction of agricultural runoff from Vale Woods Farm and the restoration of an abandoned mining area to reduce runoff into the Little Conemaugh River. The projects were awarded $592,407 and $340,000, respectively. The grants come from the historic $12.6 million penalty assessed to Sunoco for violations related to the Mariner East 2 pipeline project.
“I am pleased to see that two local projects that will improve water quality in the region have been chosen to receive these grants,” said Burns, D-Cambria. “I also applaud the state’s decision to reinvest the penalties Sunoco paid into projects in the municipalities impacted by the pipeline.”
The state Department of Environmental Protection collected the $12.6 million penalty in February for numerous violations along the Mariner East 2 pipeline and began accepting grant applications in April.
The two Cambria County projects are among 61 selected across the state. Grants were awarded for stormwater management, invasive species removal, forest restoration, farm runoff reduction, streambank restoration, and many other projects that ultimately improve water quality in Pennsylvania. Grantees include County Conservation Districts, municipalities, school districts, and nonprofit organizations.