Pittsburgh, Pa. – May 9, 2023 – The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and BHE GT&S, a Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company, recently awarded 15 grants, totaling $39,484, to 15 different local environmental organizations in nine different counties across Western Pennsylvania as part of the 2023 Watershed Mini Grant Program.

For years, financial support for the Watershed Mini Grant Program was provided through the generosity of the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, which awarded a total of $433,475 to 130 organizations between 2005 to 2019.

The company that bought Dominion Energy’s interstate natural gas and storage business in 2021, BHE GT&S, is continuing that 17-year philanthropic legacy of supporting local watersheds. The grant program, made possible with $25,000 from BHE GT&S and $25,000 from the Berkshire Hathaway Energy Foundation, provides financial assistance to regional watershed groups and organizations for program expenses in the areas of water quality monitoring, watershed restoration, and organizational promotion and outreach.

Last month, the following organizations received grant awards (county, award amount):

  • Blacklick Creek Watershed Association (Indiana, $2,500)
  • Chalfant Run/Thompson Run Watershed Association (Allegheny, $3,261)
  • Conemaugh Valley Conservancy (Cambria, $1,000)
  • Creek Connections at Allegheny College (Crawford, $3,500)
  • Evergreen Conservancy (Indiana, $3,300)
  • Kiskiminetas Watershed Association (Armstrong, $850)
  • Moshannon Creek Watershed Association (Centre, $3,500)
  • Mountain Laurel Chapter of Trout Unlimited (Cambria, $3,500)
  • Sewickley Creek Watershed Association (Westmoreland, $1,988)
  • Tubmill Trout Club Unlimited (Westmoreland, $3,500)
  • Turtle Creek Watershed Association (Allegheny, $1,285)
  • Upper Allegheny Watershed Association (Potter, $3,500)
  • Upper Chartiers Creek Watershed Association (Washington, $800)
  • UpstreamPgh (Allegheny, $3,500)
  • Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve (Westmoreland, $3,500)

Don Houser, state policy director for BHE GT&S’ northeast region, says he is pleased to continue the philanthropic efforts that help improve local rivers and streams.

“It’s an absolute privilege to support these organizations as they complete meaningful conservation work in our communities. BHE GT&S has been inspired by the commitment showcased by the grant recipients. We congratulate this year’s recipients for their outstanding work and commitment to water quality,” he adds.

Jenifer Christman, vice president of watershed conservation for WPC, says this funding source is vital to local communities. “The Conservancy thanks BHE GT&S for continuing this commitment to assist small, local watershed organizations with projects to directly benefit and improve water quality in their communities,” she says. “Many of these projects, which are making a difference, just wouldn’t happen if not for this funding.”

The Conservancy and BHE GT&S will begin accepting applications for the 2024 Watershed Mini Grant Program this fall.

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About BHE GT&S:
BHE GT&S is an interstate natural gas transmission and storage company headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, that became a standalone subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy in November 2020. The company currently operates more than 5,500 miles of transmission lines in the eastern U.S and 756 billion cubic feet of total natural gas storage — with 420 bcf of working gas capacity — along with gathering, processing and field services businesses. It also provides a variety of LNG solutions through Pivotal LNG, its 25% operating stake in Cove Point LNG — the import, export and liquefaction facility in Lusby, Maryland — and other LNG processing and storage initiatives. For more information, visit bhegts.com.

About the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy:
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) enhances the region by protecting and restoring exceptional places. A private nonprofit conservation organization founded in 1932, WPC has helped establish 11 state parks, conserved more than a quarter million acres of natural lands, protected or restored more than 3,000 miles of rivers and streams, and assessed thousands of wildlife species and their habitats. The Conservancy owns and operates Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List and symbolizes people living in harmony with nature. In addition, WPC enriches our region’s cities and towns through 130 community gardens and other green spaces and thousands of trees that are planted with the help of more than 7,000 volunteers. The work of the Conservancy is accomplished through the support of more than 10,000 members. For more information, visit WaterLandLife.org or Fallingwater.org.

Media Contact:
Carmen Bray
Senior Director of Communications
412-586-2358, work
cbray@paconserve.org