Provide support to the commonwealth of pennsylvania in implementing its nonpoint source management program, focusing on watersheds with water quality impairments caused by polluted run-off from…

This $8.3 million formula grant from the Environmental Protection Agency supports the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in implementing its nonpoint source pollution management program under the CFDA 66.460 Nonpoint Source Implementation Grants program. Funding will support best management practice design and implementation, watershed planning, and water quality monitoring projects through 2027 to address impairments from abandoned mine drainage, agriculture, and stream degradation. Projects will be carried out by the state agency and eight sub-awardees, including municipalities, conservation districts, and non-profit organizations. Anticipated outcomes include completed best management practice designs and implementations, EPA-approved watershed plans, and water quality monitoring data to restore impaired waterbodies and attain water quality standards in accordance with approved Section 319 plans.

Description

The purpose of this agreement is to provide support to the commonwealth of pennsylvania in implementing its nonpoint source management program, focusing on watersheds with water quality impairments caused by polluted run-off from nonpoint sources. Nonpoint source implementation projects can be conducted by both the state grant recipient as well as by a variety of sub-recipients, and include a variety of structural and non-structural best management practices (bmps), watershed planning, monitoring, technology demonstrations, and a variety of education/outreach programs. This action awards federal funds of $4,967,300 plus an additional $10,000 of EPA in-kind funding.activities:activities to be performed include the design, permitting, or implementation of best management practices to reduce pollutant loading from abandoned mine drainage, agriculture, and stream degradation, watershed-based plan development and revisions, and stream and lake monitoring/assessments projects.subrecipient:proposed subagreement work in this grant includes the design, permitting, or implementation of best management practices to reduce pollutant loading from abandon mine drainage, agriculture, and stream degradation, watershed based plan development and revisions, and stream and lake monitoring/assessments projects.outcomes:anticipated deliverables and outcomes include completed design/permitting for future BMP implementation, completed BMP implementation, EPA accepted watershed-based plan revisions or new watershed-based plans, and stream/lake monitoring data uploaded to WQX. In addition to these expected outcomes, other deliverables include two semi-annual reports, one annual report, final reports for all completed 319 projects under the award, and 2 319 program success stories. The implementation projects are expected to primarily achieve pollutant load reductions in watersheds with clean water act section 319 approved watershed-based plans, ultimately leading to restoration of waterbodies and attainment of water quality standards. The beneficiaries are citizens in the state of pennsylvania.