Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund Awards $3.79 Million In Grants For Projects In PA

The Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund Tuesday awarded over $12.6 million in grant funding to support 44 watershed restoration projects in the Chesapeake Bay region, including $3.79 million for 11 projects only in Pennsylvania and another $1.78 million for 4 more projects that will benefit the state along with others.
Projects will restore habitat and protect waterways across the Bay watershed, which spans across parts of Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA Office Director Harry Campbell said, “CBF would like to congratulate NFWF grant winners and wish them much success with their worthwhile efforts to protect and restore Pennsylvania’s rivers and streams.
“In Lancaster County, some of the new NFWF investments will enable a public-private partnership to accelerate pollution reductions and add forested buffers. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will collaborate effort with 40 organizations to increase the number of streamside buffers. Various stream restoration projects will restore and protect precious trout habitat. Other projects will also benefit from new NFWF grants.
“As the Commonwealth considers yet another budget that does not adequately fund pollution reduction efforts, federal partnerships leveraged by the private sector like those from NFWF and the Chesapeake Bay Program are as important as ever.
“Roughly 19,000 miles of Commonwealth rivers and streams are harmed by pollution. NFWF investments help clean them up, improve farm economies, reducing nuisance flooding, and support local businesses and jobs, among many other local benefits.”
The grants awarded in Pennsylvania were—
-- Partnership for Accelerated Water Quality Efforts in Lancaster County (PA). Grantee: Conservation Foundation of Lancaster County CBSF Award: $750,000 Matching Funds: $1,518,428 Total Project:  $2,268,428.
The Conservation Foundation of Lancaster County will facilitate a public-private partnership to accelerate nutrient loading reduction in Lancaster County’s waters, the region contributing to Pennsylvania’s highest nutrient loading in the Chesapeake Bay. The project will create a focused, concentrated and accelerated effort to address water quality in Lancaster County by bringing partners and programs into collaboration ‒ resulting in a county collaborative with enhanced efforts, resources and framework resulting in a greater impact on water quality.
-- Partnering for Accelerated Agricultural Best Management Practices in Southcentral Pennsylvania (PA). Grantee: Stroud Water Research Center. CBSF Award: $750,000 Matching Funds: $1,911,417 Total Project: $2,661,417.
The Stroud Water Research Center in Chester County will partner with major nongovermental organizations and the private agricultural services sector to deliver agricultural best management practices in southcentral Pennsylvania, prioritizing subwatersheds in Lancaster and Chester counties, in order to improve local and Chesapeake Bay water quality. The project will result in 24 farms installing nearly 200 best management practices, including 14.6 acres of forested buffers.
-- Long-term Pollution Reduction via Permanent Protection of Farmland and Conservation Practices (PA).  Grantee: Lancaster Farmland Trust.  CBSF Award: $490,714 Matching Funds: $1,056,750 Total Project: $1,547,464.
The Lancaster Farmland Trust will place 310 acres under long-term easement and annually remove 127,900 pounds of sediment, 9,611 pounds of phosphorus and 36,988 pounds of nitrogen from local waters through enhanced nutrient management. In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the project will implement an innovative, acceleratory approach to water quality improvement that couples two proven strategies – the permanent protection of farmland and the implementation of conservation practices on farmland.
-- Stream ReLeaf: Reinvigorating the Replanting of Pennsylvania’s Streamsides. Grantee: Department of Conservation and Natural Resources CBSF Award: $750,000 Matching Funds: $2,144,550 Total Project: $2,894,550.
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will formalize the Riparian Forest Buffer Advisory Committee, a collaborative effort of over 40 organizations in Pennsylvania, in order to realize efficiencies in riparian forest buffer outreach, technical assistance and implementation. These efforts will dramatically increase the implementation of riparian forest buffers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed region of Pennsylvania, resulting in significant reductions of nutrient and sediment pollution flowing from Pennsylvania into the Chesapeake Bay.
-- Aquatic Connectivity and Nonpoint Source Pollution at Road-Stream Crossings (PA). Grantee: Trout Unlimited CBSF Award: $195,419 Matching Funds:  $283,261 Total Project:  $478,678.
Trout Unlimited will collaborate among partnering agencies and organizations to successfully and cost-effectively increase aquatic connectivity for eastern brook trout and reduce sediment pollution and road-stream crossings across the Chesapeake Bay watershed in Pennsylvania. The project will replace three culverts and thereby open 15 miles of brook trout habitat.
-- Plum Creek Initiative: Restoring the Impaired Headwaters of a High-Quality Trout Stream (PA) Grantee: The Trust for Tomorrow.  CBSF Award: $196,210 Matching Funds: $138,842 Total Project: $335,052.
The Trust for Tomorrow will improve water quality and eastern brook trout habitat in Plum Creek on agricultural lands in Pennsylvania through the implementation of stream and wetland restoration, agricultural best management practices, riparian buffer restoration and nutrient management planning. The project will result in reduced agricultural non-point source pollution, restored high- quality aquatic habitat and targeted technical assistance to landowners.
Increased Implementation of Comprehensive
-- Riparian Buffer Models in the Juniata River Basin (PA) Grantee: Mifflin County Conservation District CBSF Award: $173,971 Matching Funds: $59,259 Total Project: $233,230.
The Mifflin County Conservation District install riparian specific Best Management Practices through innovative methods and a diversity of programs to improve water quality in the Juniata River Basin. The project will reach new audiences to implement 2.5 miles of riparian restoration through livestock exclusions fencing, instream habitat restoration and riparian forest buffer installations.
-- Permanent Protection of Critical Habitat and Water Quality in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed (PA) Grantee: Western Pennsylvania Conservancy CBSF Award: $199,174 Matching Funds: $769,420 Total Project: $968,594.
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy will permanently protect a minimum of 750 acres of land to protect critical habitat and water quality through conservation easements and fee acquisitions within the Chesapeake Bay watershed in Pennsylvania, an impaired area due to agricultural operations.
-- Kettle Creek Sediment Reduction and Riparian Reforestation for Healthy Brook Trout Habitat (PA) Grantee: Kettle Creek Watershed Association CBSF Award: $43,662 Matching Funds: $62,380 Total Project: $106,042.
The Kettle Creek Watershed Association will construct two streambank stabilization projects and one riparian planting project along Kettle Creek to provide additional stability, increase water quality and enhance habitat for native brook trout in the streambanks. The project will achieve an annual reduction of 43,940 pounds of nonpoint source sediment pollution to the watershed and restore a minimum of 1.1 acres of riparian corridor along Kettle Creek.
-- Bringing Back Eastern Brook Trout to Canoe Camp Creek Watershed through Bank Stabilizations (PA) Grantee: Tioga County Conservation District CBSF Award: $84,330 Matching Funds: $28,110 Total Project: $112,440.
The Tioga County Conservation District will implement bank stabilization projects for a minimum of 2,000 feet and install a minimum of 2 acres of riparian buffer to reduce sediment and nutrient transport downstream of the Canoe Camp Creek, leading to the recolonization of the eastern brook trout.
-- Reducing Pollution Loads to Improve Water Quality and Aquatic Habitat in Spring Creek Watershed (PA) Grantee: Spring Creek Chapter of Trout Unlimited CBSF Award: $160,700 Matching Funds: $100,640 Total Project: $261,340.
The Spring Creek Chapter of Trout Unlimited will implement restoration projects at three sites throughout the Spring Creek watershed, restoring 1.12 miles of streambank and 4.29 acres of riparian habitat. The project will restore the habitat needed to support a self-sustaining wild eastern brook trout and brown trout fishery in the watershed and improve downstream water quality.
These grants were awarded for multiple states including Pennsylvania—
-- Women for the Land: Voices for Soil and Water Conservation in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed (PA, VA) Grantee: American Farmland Trust CBSF Award: $195,057 Matching Funds: $89,907 Total Project: $284,964
The American Farmland Trust will provide direct on-farm technical assistance to graduates of American Farmland Trust’s Women for the Land’s Learning Circles for conservation of the Chesapeake Bay. Project will provide one-on-one assistance to 20 women landowners, and implement nutrient and pasture management plans and ten livestock exclusions.
-- Strengthening the Impact of Riparian Forest Buffers on Water and Habitat Quality (MD, PA, VA, WV) Grantee: Maryland Department of Natural Resources CBSF Award: .$325,274 Matching Funds: $625,281 Total Project: $950,555
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will improve outreach and management of forest buffers and natural filters in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, capitalizing on the region’s networks and their efforts and providing focused leadership to advance landscape-based implementation and community outreach. The project will plant over 200 acres of trees through the implementation of forest buffers, backyard buffers and community tree planting.
-- Integrated Watershed Approach for Improved Headwaters Water Quality (NY, PA)
Grantee: Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation District (NY) CBSF Award: $877,210 Matching Funds: $881,500 Total Project: $1,758,710.
The Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation District in New York will restore 10 acres of wetlands, rehabilitate 5,000 feet of stream reaches, install 100 acres of riparian buffers and implement grazing practices. The latter will include cattle exclusion from 20 streamside acres to further protect and stabilize the riparian corridor and adjacent upland areas, and reduce nutrient and sediment loadings in the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay watershed by building upon and expanding a regional scale implementation delivery system.
-- Increasing Farmer Adoption of Nutrient Stewardship Practices (DE, MD, PA) Grantee: The Mid-Atlantic 4R Nutrient Stewardship Association CBSF Award: $401,425 Matching Funds: $443,108 Total Project: $844,533
The Mid-Atlantic 4R Nutrient Stewardship will accelerate the implementation of 4R Nutrient Stewardship practices (the application of nutrients using the right nutrient source, applied at the right rate, at the right time, and in the right place) in key watersheds in the Chesapeake Bay. The project will support the agricultural community’s efforts to increase water quality in local rivers and result in 325,000 acres of increased practice implementation.
Click Here for the complete list of projects funded.

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