MECHANICSBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — On Thursday, Pennsylvania American Water announced it has awarded 14 watershed-related grants through the company’s annual Environmental Grant Program.
Judges selected the grants from 50 applications. These applications were evaluated on environmental need, innovation, community engagement, as well as sustainability.
As quoted in the release, the following Midstate projects were awarded grants.
- Annville Free Library, Lebanon County – Annville Free Library Rain Garden
- Funding will support an educational rain garden to help manage runoff and educate the public on the benefits of rain gardens.
- Borough of Camp Hill, Cumberland County – Clock Courtyard Pollinator Garden
- Partnering with local watershed groups, the borough will plant a pollinator garden with native plants and shrubs, educating the public on gardening with native plants and preserving pollinators.
- Borough of Steelton, Dauphin County – Watershed Education Programming and Clairton Community Garden Improvements
- With the grant, the borough plans to construct several rain gardens and community food gardens to reduce stormwater runoff and address limited access to affordable and healthy food.
- Lower Allen Township, Cumberland County – Pollinator Garden Installation and Turf Grass Conversion
- With the grant, the township will convert two community areas from turf grass to native pollinator meadows to promote the reduction of non-point source pollution runoff to Yellow Breeches Creek and Cedar Run.
“Each year, we are so impressed by the commitment of organizations in our communities to restore and protect our watersheds,” said Justin Ladner, president of Pennsylvania American Water. “It is inspiring to see so many opportunities to bring our diverse communities together to work toward creating a better environment, and we are very proud to support these worthy projects.”
The Environmental Grant Program. was launched by Pennsylvania American Water back in 2005.
