Pittsburgh, Pa. – August 6, 2021 – The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and BHE GT&S are now accepting proposals for the 2021 Watershed Mini Grant Program, which provides financial assistance to watershed groups and organizations across the region.
The watershed mini grants can be used to support projects in three areas: water quality monitoring, watershed restoration, and organizational promotion and outreach. Grants of up to $3,500 may be awarded for water quality monitoring and restoration projects. Grants of up to $2,500 may be awarded for promotion and community outreach projects. A cash or non-cash match is preferred, but not required.
The program offers funding to watershed groups and organizations in the following counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Blair, Bradford, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Elk, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Tioga, Venango, Washington and Westmoreland.
For years, financial support for this program was provided through the generosity of the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation. However, a new company will now continue the 17-year legacy of supporting local watersheds through this grant program. On November 1, 2020, Berkshire Hathaway Energy completed its acquisition of Dominion Energy’s Gas Transmission and Storage business in the eastern region. This new company, BHE GT&S, is now a standalone subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy’s Pipeline Group. Don Houser, director for external affairs for the BHE GT&S northeast region, says he is pleased to continue the philanthropic efforts that help improve local rivers and streams.
“This mini grant program offers invaluable funding for smaller volunteer-based organizations and helps them to administer and complete a variety of different projects, like tree plantings and water monitoring, that are important to sustaining and enhancing local watersheds,” Houser adds.
An online application, including more details and the grant and proposal guidelines, is available on the Conservancy’s website at WaterLandLife.org/watershed-mini-grant-program. For questions regarding the Watershed Mini Grant Program, or to request an application, please contact WPC’s watershed conservation office at 724-471-7202. Grant applications must be postmarked by October 1, 2021, and mailed to:
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
c/o Kelly Horrell
1067 Philadelphia Street, Suite 101
Indiana, PA 15701
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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 to establish 11 state parks, conserved more than a quarter million acres of natural lands and protected or restored more than 3,000 miles of rivers and streams. The Conservancy owns and operates Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, which is now 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 132 community gardens and other green spaces that are planted with the help of more than 3,000 volunteers. The work of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy is accomplished through the support of more than 9,000 members. For more information, visit WaterLandLife.org or Fallingwater.org.
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.
Media Contact:
Carmen Bray
Director of Communications for WPC
412-586-2358
cbray@paconserve.org