(HARRISBURG, PA)—Harry Campbell, executive director for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) in Pennsylvania, issued this statement applauding National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) grants totaling more than $5.7 million to local communities clean up and restore polluted rivers and streams. Matching contributions of about $10.3 million could produce a total of more than $15 million of on-the-ground improvements and protections for Commonwealth waters.
NFWF investments like those announced are made through the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund and funded primarily by the Environmental Protection Agency. For 2017, the Stewardship Fund will make a total of 44 grants in the amount of $12.64 million for projects in the Bay region, with an anticipated matching amount of about $18 million for a total on-the-ground impact of over $30 million.
A complete listing of all 2017 NFWF grants can be found at www.nfwf.org.
Of the NFWF grants to Pennsylvania projects, Mr. Campbell said:
"CBF would like to congratulate NFWF grant winners and wish them much success with their worthwhile efforts to protect and restore Pennsylvania’s rivers and streams.
"In Lancaster County, some of the new NFWF investments will enable a public-private partnership to accelerate pollution reductions and add forested buffers. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will collaborate effort with 40 organizations to increase the number of streamside buffers. Various stream restoration projects will restore and protect precious trout habitat. Other projects will also benefit from new NFWF grants.
"As the Commonwealth considers yet another budget that does not adequately fund pollution reduction efforts, federal partnerships leveraged by the private sector like those from NFWF and the Chesapeake Bay Program are as important as ever.
"Roughly 19,000 miles of Commonwealth rivers and streams are harmed by pollution. NFWF investments help clean them up, improve farm economies, reducing nuisance flooding, and support local businesses and jobs, among many other local benefits."
