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Senator Scarnati -- Growing Greener Grants Awarded for Environmental ProjectsNine organizations and local governments in the 25th Senatorial District have been awarded more than $1.5 million in state Growing Greener grants to reduce pollution and improve water quality, according to Senator Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson). Scarnati said the grants are being provided to non-profit organizations, watershed groups and county and municipal governments to address local and regional water quality issues. “These funds will go a long way toward helping local groups – many of them who work on a volunteer basis – to complete important projects to clean up mine drainage, improve agricultural practices and restore wetlands and improve stormwater systems,” Scarnati said. "All these projects not only protect our environment but also contribute to economic development and help to create new jobs." Scarnati said conservation districts were targeted for a majority of the funding, and many will use the grants to improve drinking water supplies. Grants were awarded to eliminate causes of nonpoint source pollution, plug oil and gas wells, reclaim abandoned mine lands and restore aquatic life to streams that were polluted as a result of acid mine drainage. "These are worthwhile projects that will improve the quality of life for area residents," Scarnati said. "These grants are an investment in our natural resources and an investment in our future." Scarnati said the following organizations in his district received funding: CLEARFIELD COUNTY Lawrence Township -- $47,465 for design and permitting of a passive mine drainage treatment system to treat three mine discharges from abandoned underground mines that pollute Montgomery Creek which supplies drinking water to the city of Clearfield. Clearfield County Conservation District -- $47,465 for design, mapping and permitting for the Dimeling Discharge mine drainage treatment system. -- $2,000 for sample collection and analysis, design, permitting and bid document preparation for construction of a mine drainage treatment system on Morgan Run. JEFFERSON COUNTY Jefferson County Conservation District -- $30,300 to complete final design of a passive mine drainage treatment system on the headwaters of the Nye Branch, a tributary in the headwaters of Pine Run watershed. -- $25,300 to re-design the mine drainage treatment system for numerous mine discharges on Caylor Run. ELK COUNTY Elk County Freshwater Association -- $393,000 to design and construct two acid remediation systems to improve water quality in tributaries of Big Mill Creek. Toby Creek Watershed Association -- $40,000 to retrofit the Blue Valley facility to treat water with Activated Iron Solids instead of the high cost chemical oxidant potassium permanganate. POTTER COUNTY Potter County Conservation District -- $10,860 to fund startup of the First Fork Sinnemahoning Watershed Association. TIOGA COUNTY Tioga County Concerned Citizens Committee -- $295,000 to construct passive alkalinity generating systems to address non-mine drainage pollution caused primarily by acid rain that impacts the headwaters of the Fall Brook watershed. Tioga County Conservation District -- $227,107 to improve dirt and gravel roads within the headwaters of Wilson Creek. -- $175,000 to install agricultural best management practices to reduce sediment and nutrient runoff to Wilson Creek. -- $102,297 to create a stable channel on Roaring Branch that will transport sediment under the Route 4 bridge and prevent scour of the bridge abutments and footings. WARREN COUNTY Warren County Conservation District -- $175,550 to implement the Small Farm Agricultural Stewardship Program and install agricultural best management practices.
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