Schuylkill River Greenways contributes $378K for water quality projects

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The Schuylkill River Restoration Fund grants were awarded to six projects that will focus on stormwater runoff, abandoned mine drainage and agricultural pollution. Also awarded were three land transaction grants that will help preserve critical open space.

The Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area distributed grants totaling $378,671 to nine projects that will improve water quality in the Schuylkill River.

The Schuylkill River Restoration Fund grants were awarded to six projects that will focus on stormwater runoff, abandoned mine drainage and agricultural pollution. Also awarded were three land transaction grants that will help preserve critical open space.

The grant fund is administered by the Schuylkill River Greenways. This year, funds were provided by Exelon Generation’s Limerick Generating Station, the Philadelphia Water Department, Aqua Pennsylvania and MOM’s Organic Market.

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About 35 people attended the grant announcement at Sunny Acre Farm in Centre Township, Berks County, a 2017 Schuylkill River Restoration Fund grant recipient for the Irish Creek Project.

The project includes streambank stabilization, increased riparian buffer along the creek, and cattle fencing. Following the announcement, attendees toured the farm and witnessed firsthand the developments that have been made to promote restoration.

Speakers included Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area Executive Director Elaine Paul Schaefer, Delaware River Basin Commission Executive Director Steve Tambini, Exelon Regulatory Assurance Manager Bob Dickinson, Kelly Anderson with Source Water Protection of the Philadelphia Water Department, Aqua Pennsylvania Environmental Specialist Krista Scheirer, as well as Christine Griesemer and Kent Himelright of the Berks County Conservation District.

“The work that the Schuylkill River Restoration Fund and our partners are doing is exponentially important in today’s legislative and regulatory environment,” said Schuylkill River Greenways Executive Director Elaine Paul Schaefer. “It’s now more important than ever to show communities and government officials the need for public investments and policies that protect water quality as well as preserve our natural resources.”

Schuylkill River Greenways Deputy Director Tim Fenchel announced “In the 13 years of this program there have been over $3.6 million of contributed funds to the Schuylkill River Restoration Fund. Of the 75 or so projects that have been completed, we’re almost at the $5 million leverage mark.”

Grant recipients were carefully selected by an advisory committee consisting of: Exelon Generation, Delaware River Basin Commission, Philadelphia Water Department, Environmental Protection Agency, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, Schuylkill River Greenways and Aqua Pennsylvania.

Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) Executive Director Steve Tambini said local rivers and streams such as the Irish Creek and Schuylkill River have an impact on the entire basin.

“The Irish Creek Watershed flows into the Schuylkill River which is 2,000 square miles of watershed serving about 1.5 million people in water supply. What happens here in the Irish Creek Watershed impacts the Schuylkill and what happens in the Schuylkill certainly impacts the Delaware River Basin and the almost 15 million people who get water from the Delaware,” Tambini said. He added, “Since 2006, over 100 projects like the Irish Creek Project have been implemented in the river sub basin to improve the water quality.”

The grant recipients are:

• Berks County Conservation District, $47,250, for the Chavous Equestrian Ag Project to help implement best management practices on an equestrian boarding operation. The goal is to reduce accelerated erosion, sedimentation and nutrient runoff caused by overgrazed pastures and insufficient stormwater management.

• Berks Nature, $90,000, to install agricultural best management practices on a steer and sheep farm in the Maiden Creek watershed. The goal is to remediate excessive nutrient concerns and address local and regional drinking-water issues.

• Berks Nature, $50,000, to implement agricultural best management practices on a farm in the Saucony Creek watershed, including installation of a manure storage facility.

• Fairmount Park Conservancy, $23,393, for enhancements to Concourse Lake and surrounding wetlands, including improving stormwater runoff.

• Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy, $98,000, to complete stream bank improvements along the west branch of the Skippack Creek in Lower Salford Township, Montgomery County.

• Schuylkill Headwaters Association, $59,325, for removing coal refuse from a previous settling basin in West Brunswick Township, Schuylkill County, and restoring the area to its natural flood plain.

Areas receiving grants for land conservation are:

• Berks Nature, $4,000, to preserve the 32-acre Meister property in the Hay Creek Watershed.

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