The Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development is requesting applications for its Watershed Restoration & Protection Program.
Donor Name: Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development
State: Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/31/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Act 13 of 2012 (Act of February 14, 2012 (P.L. 87, No. 13) (58 Ph.C.’s. §2315(a) and (a.1) (1) (vi)) establishes the Marcellus Legacy Fund and allocates funds to the Commonwealth Financing Authority (the “Authority”) for watershed restoration and protection projects.
Nutrient and sediment loadings coming from multiple nonpoint sources of land disturbance including agricultural and storm water runoff are leading causes of watershed degradation in Pennsylvania. Uncontrolled and untreated runoff coming from these sources causes water quality impairments to over 8,100 stream miles within the Commonwealth. Hydro modification of stream channels due to uncontrolled runoff also impairs a significant number of stream miles across the commonwealth.
The overall goal of the Watershed Restoration and Protection Program (WRPP) is to restore, and maintain restored stream reaches impaired by the uncontrolled discharge of nonpoint source polluted runoff, and ultimately to remove these streams from the PA Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP’s) Impaired Waters list. This may be accomplished by the implementation of watershed based Best Management Practices (BMPs) for agriculture, storm water, stream bank and channel restoration, as well as for BMP repair, upgrade or operation and maintenance of existing practices.
Funding Information
There is a maximum of $300,000 for any project. A 15% match of the total project cost is required.
Eligibility Projects
- Watershed restoration/protection projects implementing runoff control or runoff reduction BMPs on agricultural operations negatively impacting local or regional stream quality. A description of BMPs commonly used for agricultural operations is provided in the PA Soil and Water Conservation Technical Guide administered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
- Watershed restoration/protection projects implementing runoff control or runoff reduction BMPs addressing urban or residential areas negatively impacting local or regional stream quality. A listing of potential BMPs is contained in the Pennsylvania Storm water Best Management Practices Manual, administered by PA DEP.
- Watershed projects that refurbish, restore, or create stream bank or stream channel stabilization using bio-engineering techniques.
- Repair and maintenance of existing watershed protection BMPs address in agricultural,urban/residential, and degraded stream areas.
- Monitoring of water quality to track, or continue to track, NPS load reductions resulting from watershed protection BMP implementation projects
Eligibility Criteria
Any of the following entities may apply for a grant under the Watershed Restoration and Protection Program (WRPP):
- Municipality – Any county, city, borough, incorporated town, township or home rule municipality.
- Councils of Governments – An entity organized by units of local government under an intergovernmental agreement, which provides cooperative planning, coordination and technical assistance to its member governments on issues of mutual concern that cross jurisdictional lines, and which does not act under the direction and control of any single member government.
- Authorized Organization – An entity involved in research, restoration, rehabilitation, planning, acquisition, development, education or other activities, which furthers the protection, enhancement, conservation, preservation or enjoyment of this commonwealth’s environmental, conservation, recreation or similar resources. The organization must be a tax-exempt institution under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (Public Law 99-514, 26 U.S.C. § 501(c) (3)) and registered with the Bureau of Charitable Organizations or an educational institution involved in these authorized activities or a municipal authority.
- Institution of Higher Education – An entity that is an accredited university, college, seminary college, community college or two-year college.
- Watershed Organization – An entity recognized by the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources or the PA Department of Environmental Protection that was established to promote local watershed conservation efforts in an identified watershed.
- For Profit Businesses – other than “producers” of natural gas as defined in Act 13.
For more information, visit Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development.
