The Chesapeake Bay Foundation issued the following statement from Pennsylvania Executive Director Shannon Gority, encouraging municipalities within the Commonwealth’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed that will receive a portion of a total of $170 million of American Rescue Plan funding, to invest some of it in projects that will clean up and protect water quality in their local communities.
Cities and town in South Central Pennsylvania receiving American Rescue Plan funding are Harrisburg, Lancaster, York, Lebanon, Carlisle, Chambersburg, Hanover, Waynesboro, and Gettysburg.
Ms. Gority said:
“Putting these federal dollars for coronavirus pandemic recovery toward local pollution reduction projects means recovery for businesses that provide related services, and for citizens who would otherwise pay for them.
“For example, investing in stormwater runoff improvements as mandated by the federal government will reduce flooding and polluted runoff, and equally important, lessen the amount of any fee that ratepayers might otherwise be asked to contribute. We applaud communities already considering investing in stormwater management.
“A local municipality might also consider using some of the funds to address its portion of the countywide action plan for reducing pollution.
“While recovering from the pandemic, we must continue to rescue our local waters. Our health, wellbeing, and quality of life depend on it.”
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