Pennsylvania DEP Offers Funding for Projects to Reduce Storm Water Runoff

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has opened a grant program to control urban storm water and improve local water quality. Municipalities, including cities, boroughs or incorporated towns within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed are eligible to apply.

"Urban storm water runoff has a big role in local water quality, it's so important to manage that storm water properly to prevent pollution from reaching our waterways," said DEP Secretary John Quigley. "These grants will serve as a valuable tool to enable local governments to improve their urban storm water management and ultimately, their water quality and that of their neighbors downstream."

The grants will fund construction of urban storm water best management practices (BMPs) to reduce the discharge of nutrients and sediments delivered to local waterways, and ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay. Eligible projects include but are not limited to:

• Raingardens/bioretention;
• Permeable pavement;
• Urban stream restoration;
• Urban tree planting;
• Green roofs; and
• Wetlands and wet ponds.

Projects must be complete within two years of grant award. Grants will be selected on a competitive basis.

The money for these grants is provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. There is $2.3 million available for the grant program. The maximum funding amount per applicant is $200,000.

Projects cannot be associated with new development or for new detention basins. Projects must be within urbanized areas according to the latest Decennial Census in which National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit coverage is required for the discharge of storm water from municipal separate storm sewer systems, or for discharges from combined sewer overflows through combined sewer systems.

Grant applications are due no later than Oct. 9, 2015.

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection