Environmental Funds & Investments

For Immediate Release: January 19, 2015

Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition Celebrates Announcement of Department of Environmental Protection Growing Greener Grants

(HARRISBURG, PA) The Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition — the largest coalition of conservation, recreation and preservation organizations in the Commonwealth — today celebrated the approval of more than $23 million in Growing Greener Environmental Stewardship Funds through the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to support 109 watershed protection efforts throughout the state.

“These grants will have a lasting impact on the state by supporting vital projects that protect the Commonwealth’s most precious resource – water,” said Andrew Heath, executive director of the Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition.

The Growing Greener Environmental Stewardship Fund (ESF) derives its revenue from the state’s “tipping fee,” the cost disposing trash in the Commonwealth. Each year the fee generates about $60 million for the ESF fund, but due to legislation passed with the Growing Greener II program in 2005, about $40 million of that revenue is used to pay the yearly Growing Greener II bond debt service.

On the other hand, Act 13, the impact fees on natural gas drilling, generates new funds for the ESF. Revenues from 10 percent of the Marcellus Shale Legacy Fund, along with a $35 million yearly transfer from the state’s Oil and Gas Lease Fund, help to ensure that water protection, conservation and recreation efforts continue across the Commonwealth.

The Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition was instrumental in ensuring that funds collected through the Marcellus Legacy Fund be made available for statewide environmental, conservation, and recreation projects.

The recently announced DEP grants will be used to protect our water resources by improving watersheds, reducing stormwater runoff and acid mine drainage, and supporting public outreach efforts.

A recent report issued by the DEP stated that Pennsylvania has nearly 20,000 miles of waterways that are considered impaired.

“This is more evidence that cleaning our rivers and streams must be a higher priority to our elected officials in Harrisburg,” Heath said. “More investments are needed to address this growing concern.”

For Immediate Release:  December 6, 2013

Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition Applauds
$38 Million Investment in Conservation and Recreation Projects Statewide 

Coalition Highlights Importance of Maintaining and Expanding Funding for Future Projects

(HARRISBURG, PA) The Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition, the largest coalition of conservation, recreation and preservation organizations in the Commonwealth, today applauded the investment of $38 million in grants to support conservation and recreation projects statewide, and highlighted the importance of maintaining and expanding funding for future projects.

“The Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition applauds the state’s approval of $38 million in grants that will be used to support critical conservation and recreation projects in nearly every county throughout the Commonwealth,” said Andrew Heath, executive director of the Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition.  “These grants remind us of the importance of maintaining and expanding funding to protect vital natural resources that provide numerous economic and quality of life benefits.”

The grants were awarded through the Community Conservation Partnerships Program, which is

supported with funds from a variety of sources that include The Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund, Growing Greener Environmental Stewardship Fund and the Pennsylvania Heritage Areas Program.

The following are examples of projects that have received grant funding:

•  Natural Lands Trust will receive a grant of $834,500 to acquire and preserve a 234-acre stretch along Ridgeway Road within the Schuylkill Highlands in Berks County. The preserved forestland,  which provides habitat and recreational opportunities, will eventually be transferred to the PA Bureau of Forestry.

•  The Nature Conservancy will receive more than $306,000 to acquire approximately 110 acres within the Tannersville Cranberry Bog in Monroe County, for habitat and wetland bog protection.
•  Pennsylvania Recreation & Park Society will receive $185,000 to provide recreation and park outreach and education.
•  Oil Region Alliance of Business, Industry & Tourism was awarded a grant of $183,500 to provide technical assistance to partner organizations on the development of trails and greenways in Venango and Crawford Counties, to facilitate the construction of the Oil Creek Memorial Landing and to install signage along a segment of the Erie-to-Pittsburgh Trail.
•  Allegheny Ridge Corporation will receive $200,000 to implement the Kiski Valley Outdoor Connections Plan, which include coordination of two trail acquisitions, installation of signage on regional trail systems and construction of boating accesses in Huntingdon County.

•  Western Pennsylvania Conservancy will receive a grant of $110,000 to acquire approximately 48 acres along River Road in Confluence Borough to be used for forest protection and recreational opportunities.

“Investments in conservation contribute to the long-term economic success of Pennsylvania and to the health and well-being of its residents,” said Molly Morrison, president of Natural Lands Trust.  “These grants will allow Natural Lands Trust to preserve hundreds of acres of land—from rural Berks County to the Mt. Airy neighborhood in Philadelphia—that will protect important wildlife habitat and provide ecreational opportunities now and for years to come.”

According to a recent survey from the Center for Survey Research at Penn State Harrisburg, 92 percent of 608 Pennsylvanians surveyed think that state funds dedicated to preserving farmland and

open space, providing parks and trails and protecting rivers and streams should continue to be used for these purposes.

In addition, the survey found that nearly 78 percent of respondents support increasing state funds to conserve and protect open space, clean water, natural areas, wildlife habitats, parks, historic sites, forests and farms even if would cost the average household $10 more annually. These high levels of support are constant throughout every geographic region and every gender, ethnic, educational and economic demographic throughout the state.

Regional Coalition Releases:

* Southeast Pennsylvania

* Northeast Pennsylvania

* Central Pennsylvania

* Southwest Pennsylvania

* Northwest Pennsylvania

Governor’s Release

List of Projects Funded by County

For Immediate Release:  November 26, 2013

Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition Celebrates Approval of Marcellus Legacy Fund Grants for Recreation and Critical Land and Water Conservation Projects

(HARRISBURG, PA) The Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition, the largest coalition of conservation, recreation and preservation organizations in the Commonwealth, today celebrated the approval of more than $28 million in Marcellus Legacy Fund grants to support recreation and critical land and water protection efforts throughout the state.

“These grants will have a lasting impact on the Commonwealth by supporting vital projects that will protect watersheds, preserve open space, mitigate flooding, build and improve recreational trails and treat contaminated water at former mining sites, said Andrew Heath, executive director of the Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition.

Impact fees on natural gas drilling have generated more than $400 million to date.  Forty percent of the fees collected is allocated to the Marcellus Shale Legacy Fund and a portion of that is distributed in the form of grants from the Commonwealth Financing Authority [CFA] to support statewide conservation and recreation efforts.  This initial round of grants distributed more than $28 million in grants.

The Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition was instrumental in ensuring that funds collected through the Marcellus Legacy Fund be made available for statewide conservation and recreation projects.

A breakdown of the grants distributed by the CFA is as follows:

• $5.6 million to restore streams impaired by polluted runoff in 18 counties.
• $16 million to support 116 greenway, trail and recreation projects throughout the state.
• $5.2 million to support 12 abandoned mine drainage abatement and treatment projects statewide.
• $700,000 to support flood mitigation projects in Blair, Bucks, Lackawanna and Northumberland counties.
• $225,000 to plug orphaned and abandoned wells in Allegheny and Washington counties.

“The Marcellus Legacy Fund was created to help support important environmental protection efforts statewide and in local communities, and we’re glad to see that its impact is starting to be felt,” Heath said.  “This first round of grant awards will go a long way to improving environmental outcomes and upholding Pennsylvania’s status as a great place to live and work.”

For Immediate Release:  June 21, 2013 

Growing Greener Coalition Encourages Submission of Applications for Newly Announced Grant Funding

(HARRISBURG, PA) Pennsylvania’s Growing Greener Coalition encouraged eligible applicants today to apply for $23 million in grant funding that the Corbett Administration and the Department of Environmental Protection announced would be made available for environmental protection efforts.

“The Growing Greener Coalition applauds the Commonwealth for recognizing the critical need to protect Pennsylvania’s water and land resources and natural environment,” said Andrew Heath, executive director of the Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition.  “These funds will be put to good use restoring watersheds and removing hazardous materials from ground soil, ensuring clean, safe drinking water and an improved quality of life for Commonwealth residents.”

The funds will be made available through the Department of Environmental Protection to be distributed to local agencies through a competitive grant process.  According to the Administration, funds will support watershed restoration, acid mine drainage and water quality improvement projects throughout the state.

For more information about the grants, and to download a copy of the application, visit the Department of Environmental Protection’s website (www.dep.state.pa.us) and select “Growing Greener.”  The grant application period will run through August 16^th.

Support for the program will come from a combination of Act 13 impact fee revenues, Growing Greener Environmental Stewardship Funds and Growing Greener II bonds.

Growing Greener Environmental Stewardship Fund (ESF) receives its revenue through a 1999 increase in the state’s tipping fee, along with revenue transfers from the Oil & Gas Lease Fund made possible through the enactment of Act 13.

The Coalition was instrumental in ensuring that the state dedicated a portion of the impact fees from natural gas drilling to conservation, recreation and preservation projects.  This dedicated revenue is now being distributed across the Commonwealth via the Growing Greener Environmental Stewardship Fund, the Commonwealth Financing Authority and the County Conservation and Recreation Initiative all established under Act 13.

According to a recent survey from the Center for Survey Research at Penn State Harrisburg, 92 percent of Pennsylvanians surveyed think that state funds dedicated to preserving farmland and open space, providing parks and trails and protecting rivers and streams should continue to be used for these purposes.

The Penn State Harrisburg survey also found that nearly 78 percent of respondents support increasing state funds to conserve and protect open space, clean water, natural areas, wildlife habitats, parks, historic sites, forests and farms even if that would cost the average household $10 more annually. These high levels of support are consistent across every geographic region, gender, ethnic, educational and economic demographic throughout the state.

For Immediate Release: December 20, 2012 

PA Growing Greener Coalition Points to Newly Released Survey as Clear Evidence of Strong Public Support for State Conservation and Recreation Funding 

(HARRISBURG, PA) The Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition today pointed to a newly released statewide survey as clear evidence of strong public support for state funding to preserve farmland and open space, provide parks and trails and protect rivers and streams.

The survey, conducted between Oct. 1 and Nov. 4 by the Center for Survey Research at Penn State Harrisburg, showed overwhelming public support for both continuing existing dedicated state funding for conservation and recreation, as well as increasing state funding to protect land, water and wildlife.   The survey questions were commissioned by The Nature Conservancy and The Trust for Public Land. …

For Immediate Release:  June 29, 2012

Renew Growing Greener Coalition Applauds Restoration of Recreation and Conservation Funding

(HARRISBURG, PA) The Renew Growing Greener Coalition, the largest coalition of conservation, recreation and preservation organizations in the Commonwealth, today applauded the restoration of funding for two key programs in the 2012-13 state budget.

Andrew Heath, executive director of the Coalition, issued the following statement:

“The Coalition applauds the decision to restore funding for our parks, trails, open space, waterways and family farms and thanks our lawmakers for recognizing the importance of investing in recreation, conservation and preservation. …