Ridge Administration Announces Approval of $78.5 Million For Clean-Water Projects

The Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) has approved $70.7 million in low-interest loans and $7.8 million in grants for 45 drinking water, wastewater and stormwater projects to serve communities in 24 counties across the Commonwealth. The grants, provided under Gov. Tom Ridge's "Growing Greener" initiative, were targeted to 10 prohibitively expensive projects to bring them within the financial reach of their customers.

In support of Gov. Ridge's "Growing Smarter" land-use plan, PENNVEST reviewed every application for possible land-use impacts. In addition, each application was reviewed by county agricultural land-preservation groups to ensure that no project funded at the meeting threatened the preservation of prime agricultural lands.

The state funding approved at today's board meeting ranges from $100,000 to replace a malfunctioning on-lot sewage-treatment system for a health-care facility in Butler County, to $15 million to upgrade and expand an existing wastewater-treatment facility, in Northumberland County, that is unable to handle increased water flows during heavy rains and consequently discharges inadequately treated wastewater into Shamokin Creek.

The funding for today's projects brings PENNVEST's total funding for community water and sewer projects to more than $2.3 billion since the program's inception.

SOURCE: Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority