The State Department of Environmental Protection has announced 61 watershed restoration and storm water project grants, with three projects in Indiana County receiving funds.
The money used for these funds comes from $12.6 million in penalties assessed to Sunoco for violations related to the Mariner East 2 pipeline project. DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell said that all the projects will improve water in Pennsylvania in several different ways. He added that this does not absolve Sunoco of any further responsibility to restore damage to the state’s waters and wetlands through the pipeline’s construction, and the DEP will continue to hold Sunoco accountable for violations.
All three of the grants will go to the Indiana County Conservation District. A $435,000 grant will go towards streambank revitalization and other improvements to reduce runoff pollution into Weir’s Run in Burrell Township. A grant of $88,152 will be used for streambank restoration and riparian forest buffers to improve Buttermilk Falls. The third is for $60,877for streambank restoration in Tom’s Run in Burrell Township.
