PA Governor Rendell Says First Grants From Water Infrastructure Fund Awarded

May 14, 2009 -- HARRISBURG – The first grants to protect Pennsylvania’s flood prone communities and address unsafe, high-hazard dams under the historic H2O PA water-related infrastructure renewal program were approved today, Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell announced.

Seventeen dam projects and five flood control projects received a total of $57.4 million, Governor Rendell said.

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“Pennsylvania’s water-related infrastructure—its drinking water and wastewater plants, dams and flood protection projects—are aging and deteriorating after decades of neglect and underinvestment,” Governor Rendell said. “This is creating a difficult challenge for communities that are facing costly, but much needed, upgrades to their water and wastewater systems.

“This investment is a down payment on our commitment to protecting our people, our communities and our economy by ensuring a safe and adequate supply of water, while ensuring residents are protected. At the same time, we’re putting more people to work by upgrading our infrastructure, which will pay dividends for years to come.”

The funds were allocated from the $800 million H2O PA fund Governor Rendell signed into law in July. Under the program, flood-control projects would receive a minimum of $100 million, and a minimum of $35 million will be committed to high-hazard dams. The first applications for the third component of H2O PA – for water supply, sanitary sewer and stormwater projects – are being evaluated.

There are 900 community drinking water facilities and 1,100 community wastewater operations in Pennsylvania that are owned by a municipality or municipal authority that would qualify for funding.

The projects were approved at today’s meeting of the Commonwealth Financing Authority, which evaluated applications with technical review and assistance from the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Community and Economic Development. Municipalities must provide at least 25 percent matching funds for dam projects.

The High Hazard Dam projects approved today, for a total of $46.6 million, include:

Beaver County
$1 million to the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission for the Upper Hereford Manor Lake Dam renovation and $2.2 million for the Lower Hereford Manor Lake Dam renovation project, both in Franklin Township

Blair County
$5.68 million to the Hollidaysburg Borough Authority for the $7.1 million Muleshoe dam repairs, Juniata Township

Centre County
$2.29 million to Philipsburg Borough for the $2.87 million Cold Stream Dam restoration, Rush Township

Elk County
$1.91 million to the Brockway Borough Municipal Authority for the $3.14 million Whetstone No. 2 Dam spillway capacity project, Horton Township

Greene County
$2.4 million to the Southwestern Pennsylvania Water Authority for the $3 million Wisecarver Dam rehabilitation, Franklin Township

Monroe County
$3.76 million to East Stroudsburg Borough for the $4.7 million East Stroudsburg Dam project, Middle Smithfield Township

Montgomery County
$520,000 to Ambler Borough for the $650,000 Loch Alsh Dam modifications and rehabilitation project, Upper Dublin Township

Schuylkill County
$3.5 million to the Schuylkill County Municipal Authority to assist with the $4.4 million Mount Laurel Dam rehabilitation project, New Castle Township

$2.6 million the Schuylkill County Municipal Authority to assist with the $3.24 million Kauffman Dam rehabilitation project, New Castle Township

$5.76 million to Schuylkill County Municipal Authority to assist with the $7.2 million Indian Run Dam rehabilitation project, Branch Township

$1.67 million to Tamaqua Borough to assist with the $2.1 million Lower Owl Creek Dam rehabilitation project, Tamaqua Borough

$3.6 million to Tamaqua Borough to assist with the $4.6 million Upper Owl Creek Dam rehabilitation project, Tamaqua Borough

Washington County
$2 million to Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission for the Canonsburg Lake Dam renovation project, North Strabane Township

$4.5 million to Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission for the Dutch Fork Lake Dam renovation project, Donegal Township

Westmoreland County
$483,831 to West Leechburg Borough to assist with the $646, 831 West Leechburg Dam removal and Passive Park project, West Leechburg Borough

$2.7 million to the Highridge Water Authority for Sugar Run Dam rehabilitation, St. Clair Township

The five flood control projects, for nearly $10.9 million, approved today were:

Columbia County
$6 million to Columbia County for a flood mitigation project for Kawneer Manufacturing Co., Bloomsburg

Delaware County
$1 million to Haverford Township for Wynnefield Drive flood control rehabilitation, Haverford Township.

Indiana County
$2.12 million to Indiana University of Pennsylvania to assist with Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex flood control project, White Township.

Tioga County
$980,000 to the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission for the Lake Nessmuk Dam renovation project, Wellsboro.

Westmoreland County
$750,460 to Hempfield Township to assist with Fort Allen Watershed flood protection, Hempfield Township.

Source: Pennsylvania Governor