Grants

The Department of Environmental Protection will be accepting applications for EPA Section 319 Watershed Restoration and Planning Grants. The purpose of these grants is to provide funding to implement nonpoint source management plans and activities identified in Pennsylvania’s Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) watersheds. Implementation activities must address specific sources of nonpoint source pollution identified by the 2019 – 2024 Pennsylvania Nonpoint Source Management Plan.

Objectives:

• Reduce AMD-related iron, aluminum, and acidity pollutant loads.
• Reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollutant loads.
  
  • Implement stream restoration, bank stabilization, and/or stormwater management projects.
  • Plant, maintain, and protect riparian forest buffers.
  • Implement agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs).

This year's grant also provides for funding to develop Watershed Implementation Plans in Hydrologic Unit Code 12 (HUC12) watersheds within Environmental Justice areas.

These projects involve the purchase and/or donation of land for park and recreation areas, greenways, critical habitat areas and/or open space.

This pilot project is an approach to providing funding for urgent, unforeseen situations on designated water trails that impede or impair access, create unsafe conditions/ safety concerns for paddlers or others who want to access the water trail, affect safe ingress/egress from the water trail, etc.

Such situations could include, but are not limited to,

• Storm-induced scouring, flooding, debris impoundments that severely impact navigation.
• Fallen trees or other large obstructions caused by a storm or other event that will prohibit or severely impact an imminent sojourn, paddle fest, race, etc. 
• A situation where there is a major in-water litter/trash issue immediately prior to a planned community event, paddle, race, etc.
• A situation in which an access improvement/ enhancement project was funded and is almost complete, but an unforeseen event or situation threatens to prevent the project from being completed without a small infusion of extra funding.
• The destruction of a safety or wayfinding sign at an access point, if the sign was critical to orienting paddlers or providing critical information about a river hazard, portage, dam, 

In short, the situation must be caused by an “unanticipated” event, or one that could not be reasonably planned for. A known ongoing situation that was simply not addressed in time would not qualify. This funding should be viewed as a “last resort.” 

If the applicant is not the Water Trail Manager, applicant must contact the Water Trail Manager before applying to this funding. Additional, all applicants must contact one of the Water Trail Program Partners at PEC, DCNR or PFBC prior to applying.

The purpose of the Coldwater Heritage Partnership (CHP) is to provide leadership, coordination, technical assistance, and funding support for the evaluation, conservation, and protection of Pennsylvania’s coldwater streams.

Goals of the program include:

• Foster a greater public understanding of watershed characteristics and how they affect coldwater ecosystems;
• Identify special areas of concern, such as areas with exceptional water quality with high potential for impacts;
• Produce conservation plans that will lead to additional planning or implementation of projects that protect and enhance our coldwater ecosystems; and
• Provide technical assistance and financial opportunities to organizations dedicated to protecting coldwater ecosystems.