|
Westmoreland County Approves $1.75 Million in Environmental Projects --
“Growing Greener II” Projects to Repair Streams, Reduce Pollution, Enhance
Trails and Improve Quality of Life
Posted 09-07-2006 Conservation and community
enhancement efforts in Westmoreland County will receive a $1.75 million
boost through the state's Growing Greener II County Environmental Initiative
Program. The Westmoreland County Board of Commissioners -- Tom Balya, Tom
Ceraso and Phil Light -- today designated 21 separate conservation projects
for funding. Working
with the Westmoreland Conservation District, the Commissioners targeted
projects that will build new trails and recreation areas, improve water
quality, preserve valuable farmland, secure open space, and, overall,
improve the quality of life throughout Westmoreland County.
"These important projects will
have a significant positive impact throughout the county, from Vandergrift
to Donegal and Monessen to Ligonier," said Commissioner Chairman Tom Balya,
who also serves on the Board of Directors of the Westmoreland Conservation
District. "These improvements will benefit all of us -- our quality of life,
our environment and our economy."
Pennsylvania voters passed a
$625 million bond referendum in the 2005 primary election to be used for
conservation projects statewide, such as cleaning up rivers and streams;
reclaiming abandoned coal mines and brownfields; preserving natural areas
and open space; improving state parks and local recreational facilities;
preserving working farms; and improving habitat.
Growing Greener II has two basic
funding components: funding that state agencies, such as the Department of
Environmental Protection, award to projects throughout the commonwealth and
funding (dependant on the county's size) that officials in each county can
allocate for specific projects in their area.
"The projects we identified for
funding in Westmoreland County address many of the concerns our residents
told us were important to them when we did the county's comprehensive plan,"
Balya said. "The emphasis they sought -- preserving our rural character,
revitalizing older towns, cleaning up pollution in streams, and protecting
scenic and open space -- is exactly what we are doing with our Growing
Greener II allocation."
During its first phase (2000 to
2004), Growing Greener invested more than $4 million in Westmoreland
County's land and streams.
"That money helped many local
farmers, watershed associations and municipalities install best management
practices to reduce pollution," explained Greg Phillips, district manager
and CEO of the Westmoreland Conservation District, an organization that
encourages the wise use of all aspects of the county's natural wealth -- its
soils, forests, streams, open space and productive farmland.
"Two very comprehensive
agricultural programs were completed under the original Growing Greener
program -- in the Whitethorn Creek area and in the Kiski-Conemaugh river
basin -- and some major work is in progress to clean up significant sources
of abandoned mine drainage in Lowber and near Brinkerton that has been
polluting the lower Sewickley Creek watershed for 50 years," Phillips said.
"The county's commitment to conservation projects in this second phase of
Growing Greener will produce similar successes."
Growing Greener II is the single
largest environmental investment in Pennsylvania's history. No new taxes or
fees have been needed to fund this important initiative.
Editor's note: The following is
a list of 21 projects designated by the Westmoreland County Commissioners
for funding through the Growing Greener II County Environmental Initiative
Program. Final approval is contingent upon verification by the applicable
state agency.
Allegheny Township ($3,000)
-- To clean up an illegal dump and restore stream habitat in a ravine along
Indian Hill Road
Countywide ($60,000) -- To
construct a portion of the Coal and Coke Trail from Mount Pleasant to
Scottdale; engineering for the Five Star Trail extension to Scottdale; and
associated costs for the development of the Westmoreland Heritage Trail from
Delmont to Saltsburg
Countywide ($100,000) -- To
preserve in perpetuity a number of additional acres of farmland in several
areas of the county, using agricultural conservation easements to
permanently protect it from development and limit its use to agriculture
only
Countywide ($363,000) -- To
establish a countywide land trust to protect ecologically significant areas,
open space, sustainable woodlots, mine drainage treatment sites and for the
expansion of existing protected areas as prescribed in the county’s
comprehensive plan
Countywide ($110,000) -- To
install agricultural best management practices at six farms to prevent water
pollution
Derry Township ($50,000) --
To improve water quality in the township by keeping water from entering an
abandoned underground coal mine and to restore an adjacent stream channel
Donegal Township ($50,000) --
To complete a project to minimize sedimentation to the Upper Four Mile Run
watershed and control excess stormwater runoff
Greensburg ($50,000) -- To
incorporate trees, plants and associated best management practices in the
new city parking lots to improve aesthetics and reduce stormwater runoff
Hempfield Township ($50,000)
-- To complete funding for the acquisition of a 49-acre tract adjacent to
Twin Lakes County Park
Hempfield Township ($200,000)
-- To install innovative stormwater management controls and energy
conservation practices for the redevelopment of the GreenForge Building
along Donohoe Road
Hempfield Township ($100,000)
-- To construct the Regional Skate Park at Twin Lakes County Park
Irwin and North Huntingdon
($80,000) -- To develop portions of a pedestrian trail connecting downtown
Irwin to Tinkers Run Park and the Norwin Public Library
Latrobe ($75,000) -- To add
green features and extend the existing Creekside Park Trail in conjunction
with the redevelopment of a former industrial site
Ligonier Township ($50,000)
-- To improve aquatic habitat, reduce stream bank erosion and provide
additional floodplain area along Mill Creek and Hanna's Run
Monessen ($50,000) -- To
construct a walking trail, including shade trees and benches, along the
Monongahela River
Mount Pleasant Township
($150,000) -- To install stormwater controls and water quality improvements
at the Westmoreland County Fairgrounds
Mount Pleasant Township
($12,000) -- To provide stream bank stabilization to approximately 400 feet
of Jacob's Creek -- a trout-stocked fishery -- adjacent to Route 31
New Kensington ($50,000) --
To design an innovative stream channel to reduce flooding and erosion along
Little Pucketa Creek near Valley High School in New Kensington
New Kensington ($60,000) --
To develop a riverfront walk area with trees, shrubs, lights, observation
areas and public access to the Allegheny River
Salem Township ($12,000) --
To facilitate the development of a biodigester to accept organic waste to
produce energy products in conjunction with a new sewage treatment plant and
abandoned mine discharge treatment system
Vandergrift ($75,000) -- To
install "green" parking surfaces to manage stormwater in an historic gateway
area to the borough |
