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May 2, 1997 Gov. Ridge announces $1 million in rivers conservation grants Gov. Tom Ridge recently announced 19 grants totaling $1.06 million to help non-profit organizations and local governments protect and enhance waterways across the Commonwealth. "These grants demonstrate the Commonwealth's commitment to developing partnerships with local communities to conserve our state's valuable natural resources," Ridge said. "We must invest in our river resources so that present and future generations will continue to enjoy the scenic and recreational benefits as well as the economic opportunities that are gained through river conservation efforts." The Keystone Rivers Conservation Program, DCNR, is part of the Ridge administration's Community Conservation Partnership - a four-year, $75 million grant and technical assistance initiative that provides funding to help communities and non-profit organizations conserve natural and cultural resources, provide outdoor recreation, enhance tourism and foster community economic development. Funded through the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund Act, the grant program provides up to 50 percent of the cost of the project, with the applicant providing the other half through matching funds or in-kind services. DCNR approved 18 grants that will help communities develop river conservation plans. The plans outline local strategies that municipalities, residents and river support groups can use to effectively implement river conservation initiatives such as streambank stabilization and riparian forest buffers; water quality monitoring; public accessibility for recreational opportunities; and citizen participation. In addition to the planning grants, one river conservation implementation grant was approved for the Tulpehocken Creek improvement project in Lebanon County. The following is a list of grant recipients, amounts, and project descriptions: Allegheny County City of Pittsburgh, $65,000, to prepare a river conservation plan for Nine Mile Run. Hollow Oak Land Trust, $56,500, to prepare a river conservation plan for Montour Run. Armstrong, Cambria, Indiana, Somerset and Westmoreland counties Conemaugh Valley Conservancy, $188,000, to prepare a unified Kiski-Conemaugh watershed conservation and greenway plan that encompasses six sub-watersheds in the region. Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Delaware, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, Philadelphia, and Schuylkill counties Natural Lands Trust and The Conservation Fund, $225,000, to develop a regionally based watershed conservation plan for the Schuylkill River basin that can be used to support and assist watershed groups in developing detailed plans at the sub-watershed level. Berks and Lebanon counties Berks County Conservancy, $19,000, to expand the stream corridor plan for Tulpehocken Creek into a watershed plan. Berks and Montgomery counties District Township, $41,000, to develop a watershed plan for the Manatawny Creek, which includes Sanatoga Creek, Hartenstine Creek and Sprogels Run watersheds in Montgomery County. Bucks County Heritage Conservancy, $65,000, to prepare a conservation plan for a section of the Lower Delaware watershed extending from Lower Makefield Township to Bensalem Township. Doylestown Township, $4,000, to complete Neshaminy Creek river conservation plan. Centre County ClearWater Conservancy of Central PA Inc., $50,000, to develop a river conservation plan for Spring Creek watershed. Chester County Green Valleys Association, $42,300, to prepare a Pigeon Creek and Stony Run watershed and sustainability plan. Chester and Delaware counties Chester Ridley Crum Watershed Association and Greenspace Alliance, $60,000, to develop a river conservation plan for restoring, maintaining and enhancing the Chester Creek watershed. Chester and Lancaster counties Octoraro Watershed Association, $20,000, to prepare a river conservation plan for the Octoraro watershed. Lancaster County Donegal Chapter of Trout Unlimited, $25,000, to prepare a Lititz Run river conservation plan. Lebanon County Berks County Conservancy, $32,500, to develop and implement stream improvement demonstration projects and township-wide conservation initiatives to address the high levels of nitrates, phosphates and sedimentation in Tulpehocken Creek in North Lebanon Township. Lackawanna, Susquehanna and Wayne counties Trail Conservation Corp., $40,000, to prepare a river conservation plan for the Upper Lackawanna River. Lehigh County Wildlands Conservancy Inc., $65,000, to develop a Jordan Creek river conservation plan. Montgomery County Montgomery County Planning Commission, $15,000, to
prepare a river conservation plan for Sandy Run Creek. Northhampton County Two Rivers Area Council of Governments, $40,000, to incorporate the development of a greenway plan into the current watershed-based river conservation plan for segments of the Lehigh and Delaware rivers and Bushkill Creek. Venango County Penn Soil Conservancy Charitable Trust, $30,000, to
prepare a river conservation plan for Scrubgrass Creek.
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