EBENSBURG, March 12 – Municipalities and nonprofits are encouraged to apply for grants to plant trees in urban areas and along streams and waterways to beautify communities and improve water quality, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, announced today. Burns said letters of intent are now being accepted for the PA TreeVitalize program, a statewide nonprofit organization dedicating to nurturing forests throughout Pennsylvania’s urban landscapes. “Trees play a vital role in improving overall water quality, storm water management, and they also beautify our communities for generations to come,” Burns said. “They also help keep our air clean, acting as natural pollution filters, and also reduce sedimentation and fertilizer pollution.” Funding for the program is provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The deadline to submit letters of intent is May 1. For more information, please visit the following link: https://treepennsylvania.org/treevitalize-grants-program . If you are interested in applying, please contact Brittany E. Blackham, grants and development specialist, at Burns’ Portage office at (814) 736-7339 for assistance. Read more
EBENSBURG, March 8 – Over $620,000 in funding is available through a state program that reimburses farmers for costs related to erosion, sediment, and soil nutrient management, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, announced today. The state Department of Environmental Protection’s Agricultural Planning Reimbursement Program provides agricultural operators and landowners with up to $6,000 to reimburse them for fees they’ve paid to technical experts to create long-term management plans designed to improve soil and herd health and implement cost-effective uses of farm resources. “Agriculture is one of our state’s strongest industries, with more than 59,000 farm families across Pennsylvania,” said Burns. “This program can help farmers in Cambria County and statewide recoup the costs they’ve paid to implement plans to keep their land and herd stocks viable and productive for generations to come.” The deadline for farmers to register for the reimbursement program is April 1. More information is available at this link: http://files.dep.state.pa.us/Water/ChesapeakeBayOffice/Ag page/3020-FM-CBO0003a_APRP_Registration_Form_Cover_Sheet_2018_2019.pdf If you choose to apply, please contact Brittany E. Blackham, grants and development specialist, at Burns’ Portage office at (814) 736-7339 for proposal assistance. Read more
EBENSBURG, March 7 – Saying it strengthens his working relationships with members of the House Democratic Caucus to advance issues of common interest, such as helping working families, state Rep. Frank Burns, has begun serving in the newly created role of deputy caucus chairman. Burns, D-Cambria, said his selection as someone tasked with running caucus meetings in the absence of Democratic Caucus Chair Joanna McClinton, D-Phila., shows that House Democrats are interested in allowing a cross-section of viewpoints to be heard and given consideration in the crafting of policy and legislation. “As a Democrat who’s conservative on social and fiscal issues, I may not always be in lockstep with Representative McClinton and many others with whom I share the caucus meeting room,” Burns said. “But on the matters where we do agree – such as being pro-labor, pro-working families and pro-economic development – we can and should find common ground.” Burns said this new role fits squarely into his guiding principle as an elected official: that he’ll work with anyone, from either party, to advance initiatives that benefit working people in his district and across Pennsylvania. “We cannot allow narrow self-identities or political labels slapped on us by others to define who we are, as people or state representatives,” Burns said. “As a conservative voice, I’ll continue working Read more
EBENSBURG, March 6 – Residents who need help filing Property Tax/Rent Rebate applications are invited to attend a special outreach event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 13 at the Reade Township Fire Hall, located at 268 Reade St. in Blandburg, said state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria. “My staff will be available to guide seniors through the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program application process and assist them in completing the paperwork at no cost,” Burns said. “No appointment is necessary to attend this event. We are here to help seniors and other residents who may be unable to fill out the forms, or who may have questions.” Applicants must be 65 or older, widows and widowers 50 or older, or people with disabilities 18 or older. Residents should bring their 2018 income statements and their 2018 rent certificate or real estate tax receipt. For more information, residents may call Burns’ district office at 814-472-8021. Read more
EBENSBURG, March 4 – Local public libraries are encouraged to apply for state grants to help them secure funding for vital facility improvements, including – but not limited to – handicap access upgrades, replacements of windows and doors and energy efficient upgrades, announced state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria. Burns said the Keystone Grants for Public Library Facilities, available through the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Office of Commonwealth Libraries, can help libraries secure funding for these projects. “Libraries are the cornerstone of our communities, offering free educational resources to everyone and opportunities to connect with others through job training, events for families and youngsters, and more,” Burns said. “These grants can provide the funding for necessary repairs or upgrades, ensuring they remain vital components of our towns and cities for years to come.” PDE will be accepting grant applications through April 26. Applicants must partner with a sponsoring municipality, and grants must be matched dollar-for-dollar. Matching funds may include cash and in-kind contributions, federal funds and other state funds. For the past several years, Burns has made a priority of informing and encouraging government, nonprofit and other eligible entities to apply for available grants – and has offered the assistance of his own in-house grant writer. Burns Read more
EBENSBURG, March 1 – Municipalities, businesses, and economic development and public transportation agencies are among entities that state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, is encouraging to apply for state grants related to improving transportation assets. Burns, who has made a priority of informing those eligible for grant opportunities, said grants from the CFA Multimodal Transportation Fund may be used for the development, rehabilitation and enhancement of transportation assets to existing communities, streetscape, lighting, sidewalk enhancement, pedestrian safety, connectivity of transportation assets and transit-oriented development. Projects must have a total cost of $100,000 or more, Burns said, and the maximum grant cannot exceed $3 million for any single project. Applications are being accepted today through July 31. “The CFA Multimodal Transportation Fund provides grants to encourage economic development and ensure that a safe and reliable system of transportation is available to the residents of the commonwealth,” said Burns, who noted that this program is separate from PennDOT’s similarly-named Multimodal Program. Complete guidelines as well as application instructions for the CFA grant program may be found here: http://dced.pa.gov/programs/multimodal-transportation-fund/#.WJDKm3kzW70 Additional assistance is available from Burns’ Portage office at (814) 736-7339. Ask for grant writer Read more
EBENSBURG, Feb. 28 – A nonprofit organization headquartered in Upper Yoder Township is receiving a $50,000 state grant to aid its rural veterans’ outreach project, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, announced today. Burns said Veteran Community Initiatives Inc., located at 727 Goucher St., has been selected by the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to get the grant through the Veterans Trust Fund – which is replenished by generous Pennsylvanians who make a voluntary $3 donation when applying for or renewing their driver’s license or photo ID, or renewing a vehicle registration. Other sources of funding, according to Burns, are the sale of the state’s “Honoring Our Veterans” license plates as well as some private donations. “Since its 1993 inception, Veterans Community Initiatives has been dedicated to assisting, caring and advocating for our area’s veterans, and helping their families,” Burns said. “I’m hopeful this state funding will enable them to maintain and expand that mission.” Burns noted that VCI received the maximum $50,000 under the grant program. Read more
EBENSBURG, Feb. 27 – In the wake of Amazon being spurned by New York state and local officials, state Rep. Frank Burns has invited CEO Jeff Bezos to visit Cambria County to determine its unique suitability as a company headquarters. “Adding 25,000 jobs might not be a big deal in New York City, but I assure you that here in Pennsylvania, local and state officials will work with you in a positive and collaborative manner to create a win-win situation for everyone involved,” Burns wrote in a Feb. 22 letter to Bezos . Burns, D-Cambria, touted the area’s “work ethic that is second to none” and its surrounding “world-class universities” as reasons Bezos should consider it as a viable substitute location. “I realize Cambria County may not have had all of the aspects your company was looking for when it sought the perfect location for a new headquarters,” Burns wrote. “However, I believe Cambria County provides you with a unique marketing opportunity that will further cement your legacy.” Burns told Bezos that as the leader of one of the largest U.S. corporations, he has the power to “revitalize an entire region overnight” and could literally rebuild an area that has struggled to find an identity since the demise of steel mills, coal mines and factories. Burns, who has criticized U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other New York officials whose opposition to Amazon caused the company Read more
I've invited Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to visit and consider Cambria County as a company headquarters that would add 25,000 jobs. Read more
EBENSBURG, Feb. 26 – A $50,000 state grant from the Keystone Communities program will improve and enhance the downtown area of the borough of Ebensburg, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, announced today. “One of the clearest signs of a thriving, successful community is the vibrancy of its downtown area, and this grant will help ensure that Ebensburg -- the county seat of Cambria County -- is attractive to visitors, residents and businesses alike,” Burns said. “Investments like these make our communities stronger and more connected and also encourage job growth and business development.” Burns added that the grant, which is administered by the state Department of Community and Economic Development through its Keystone Communities program, will provide Ebensburg the funds to implement a façade-improvement program in the downtown business district to enhance the appearance of the downtown area. The Keystone Communities program is designed to support local initiatives that grow and stabilize neighborhoods and communities, encourage the creation of partnerships between the public and private sectors in the community, and enhance the overall quality of life for residents. Read more
EBENSBURG, Feb. 25 – Residents who need assistance in filling out their property tax or rent rebate applications are invited to attend a special outreach event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 4 at the Gallitzin Moose, located at 625 Main Street in Gallitzin, said Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria. “My staff will be on-hand to guide seniors through the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program application process and assist them in completing the paperwork at no cost,” Burns said. “No appointment is necessary to attend this event. We are here to help seniors who may be unable to fill out the forms, or who may have questions.” Applicants must be 65 or older, widows and widowers 50 or older, or people with disabilities 18 and older. Residents should bring their 2018 income statements and their 2018 rent certificate or real estate tax receipt. For more information, please call Burns’ district office at 814-472-8021. Read more
EBENSBURG, Feb. 21 – The generosity of an anonymous donor who contributed $500 has boosted to $1,500 the reward Cambria County Crime Stoppers is offering to catch anyone responsible for the pellet-gun killing of an albino deer, said state Rep. Frank Burns. Anyone with information on the incident – which was reported in the vicinity of Bates Drive in Westmont – is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-548-7500. “This cowardly and illegal occurrence has shocked many residents of our community,” said Burns, D-Cambria. “Those of us involved in offering this reward hope that it encourages cooperation that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.” Last week, Burns joined officials from Crime Stoppers, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and the West Hills and Upper Yoder Township police departments at a Hiram G. Andrews Center news conference to announce what was then a $1,000 reward. Read more
EBENSBURG , Feb. 21 – A longtime advocate of welfare reform, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, has signed on as an early supporter of legislation that would create a pilot program to move welfare recipients to full-time jobs in one year. Burns said he decided to sponsor the “welfare to work” bill because it would establish a public-private partnership designed to wean welfare recipients off the system, by letting them continue to collect benefits while gradually phasing in pay for their full-time work. During this transition, Burns said, employers would initially pay program participants for 20 hours per week, rising to 30 hours after six months and ending at 40 hours – at which point their cash benefits from the public dime would be cut off. “The vast majority of people in my district feel as I do, which is that people who can work should be working, not living off of the system in perpetuity,” Burns said. “I decided to co-sponsor this bill, which is a bipartisan move on my part, because it removes the excuse that, ‘If I get a job, I’ll actually lose money, because I can make more staying on welfare.’” Burns said an added bonus of the legislation is that it relies on the private sector, not government, to supply people with the path necessary to obtain gainful, full-time employment. “I’ll support any and all good ideas when it comes to welfare Read more
EBENSBURG, Feb. 19 – Rural or volunteer fire departments serving communities with fewer than 10,000 people should consider applying for state grants with an application window that runs from Feb. 26 through May 2, said state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria. “As these grants are designed to help unprotected or inadequately protected rural areas, this program is a natural fit for many of our communities,” Burns said. “It should be of particular interest to our small and rural areas – and my office stands ready to help with applications.” The Volunteer Fire Assistance Grants, awarded through the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, are for a maximum $10,000 and can be used for: Purchasing wildfire suppression equipment. Wildfire protective gear. Mobile or portable radios. Installing dry hydrants. Wildfire prevention and mitigation. Wildfire training. Certain projects involving converting and maintaining federal excess vehicles received from the DCNR Bureau of Forestry and used for fire suppression. Burns said a priority will be placed on projects that include purchasing wildland fire suppression equipment and wildland fire protective gear. Priority also will be given to fire companies which have established goals and objectives, and have developed plans to meet them. Brittany Blackham, who is available in Burns’ Portage office at (814) 736-7339, serves as an in-house grant writer and can Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 13 – The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is accepting applications through March 15 to fund programs aimed at promoting responsible – and legal – alcohol consumption, announced state Rep. Frank Burns. A member of the House Liquor Control Committee, Burns, D-Cambria, said school districts, institutions of higher education, police departments and municipalities are eligible to apply, as are nonprofit and for-profit organizations. “Nearly $1 million of these alcohol education grants were awarded in the last cycle of funding, so I once again urge eligible entities in our district to apply,” Burns said. “Anything that promotes safe and responsible drinking by those of legal age, while hopefully discouraging and reducing underage drinking, is a positive for us all.” The current grant cycle is for one year, from July 2019 through June 2020. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis with a maximum award of $20,000. Applications will be received and evaluated by the PLCB’s Bureau of Alcohol Education. The grant application and related information can be found at https://www.lcb.pa.gov/Education/Programs/Pages/Grants.aspx . For additional assistance, contact Burn’s Portage office at (814) 736-7339 and ask for grant writer Britany Blackham. Read more
EBENSBURG, Feb. 11 – Municipalities and organizations may want to take note of several varied competitive state grant programs with open application windows that close in the next month or so, according to state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria. “I urge anyone and everyone who thinks they may be eligible to make application, because you’ll never know unless you try,” Burns said. “That’s why I’ve consistently touted these grant opportunities as a way to have more of your tax dollars returned to our communities.” For the past several years, Burns has made a priority of informing and encouraging government, nonprofit and other eligible entities to apply for available grants – and has offered the assistance of his own in-house grant writer. Burns said Brittany Blackham, who fills that role, can be reached in his Portage office at (814) 736-7339 to provide information or help with the following grant applications: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission: Keystone Historic Preservation Eligibility: Municipalities and nonprofit organizations. Use: Community preservation projects or construction grants for publicly accessible, government/nonprofit-owned historic buildings. Application Deadline: March 1 More Information: https://www.phmc.pa.gov/Preservation/Grants-Funding/Pages/Planning-Projects.aspx or Read more
EBENSBURG, Feb. 6 – Urging counties and municipalities to potentially avail themselves of gas well impact fee monies, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, is announcing that the Commonwealth Financing Authority is accepting grant applications today through May 31. Burns said numerous grants, sourced through the Marcellus Legacy Fund known as Act 13, will be awarded later this year for projects such as: abandoned mine drainage abatement; abandoned well plugging; sewage treatment; greenways, trails and recreation; baseline water quality data; watershed restoration; and flood control. “As in years past, I wholeheartedly encourage anyone who is eligible to apply,” Burns said. “My office can help, either by providing information and guidance, or assistance in helping prepare and submit your grant application.” Burns’ in-house grant writer/assistance is Brittany Blackham, who is available in his Portage office at (814) 736-7339. The CFA grants can be applied for in these categories: Abandoned Mine Drainage Abatement and Treatment Program – Grants for abatement of AMD and/or treatment of AMD through treatment facility system construction. Grants may also be awarded for treatment system repair, upgrade or operation and maintenance of existing passive and active treatment systems. Baseline Water Quality Data Program – Grants to fund statewide initiatives to establish baseline water quality Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 5 – State Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, today issued the following statement regarding Gov. Tom Wolf’s budget address: “After years of the governor pushing different tax schemes, I’m pleased that he has proposed a no-new-taxes budget. As a fiscally conservative Democrat, I have consistently opposed tax hikes and will do so again, if needed. I look forward to working with leaders of both parties, in a bipartisan manner, to ensure we have an on-time budget. “During budget negotiations, I will insist the families in my district are heard. It’s time for everyone to put party affiliation aside and focus on what’s really important: investing in our children, taking care of the seniors of our community, fighting for working families and honoring the veterans who fought for this country.” Read more
EBENSBURG, Feb. 4 – Supporting local transit agencies and their riders, state Rep. Frank Burns is co-sponsoring legislation to delay potentially costly and disruptive changes to the state’s Medical Assistance Transportation Program. The program – which offers shared rides to medical appointments for Medical Assistance recipients when other means are unavailable – currently operates at a local level that takes account of each region’s geographic needs. A new law requires the state Department of Human Services to move to a statewide or three-region system. Burns joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in supporting a bill that would require DHS to study the issue further before making changes to the program. “We cannot allow the state to dismantle a system that works simply because some bureaucrats claim they could save money when they haven’t looked at the true cost to our communities,” said Burns, D-Cambria. “Before any contracts are issued, DHS needs to bring local transit agencies to the table to negotiate the best way to provide Medical Assistance transportation moving forward.” Burns, chairman of the Northwest Democratic Caucus, said he’s heard from CamTran and other transit agencies that losing the ability to provide the Medical Assistance trips could lead to cutbacks in service areas and hours, as well as steep fare hikes. Moved by their concerns, Burns wrote a Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 1 – State Rep. Frank Burns said he wants to alert municipalities, institutions of higher education, counties and community-based organizations of a grant opportunity to help them implement violence-prevention initiatives. "This funding can help ensure our schools and the communities that surround them are safe places,” Burns said. “Public safety should be a priority, and I encourage those who are eligible to apply for this funding." Applicants for 2019 Community Violence Prevention Grants may submit proposals for up to two-year projects designed to reduce community violence, and may request up to $350,000. All applications must be submitted by Feb. 7 to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. Awards will be approved and announced at the public meeting of the School Safety and Security Committee in April. Those interested in applying must visit https://www.pccdegrants.pa.gov/Egrants/Public/OpenAnnouncements.aspx . Interested applicants that are not already registered in PCCD’s E-grants system must register here before applying: https://www.pccd.pa.gov/Funding/Pages/Egrants-Home.aspx . Additionally, school entities that applied for School Safety and Security Grant Program funding by Oct. 12, 2018, will be able to revise and resubmit their applications between Feb. 4 and 25. Those applications may be accessed through the E-grants system. The funding for these grants became available in 2018-19 under Act Read more
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