CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — Clarion County Commissioners announced Wednesday morning plans for the celebration of the Allegheny River as River of the Year by the Penn Soil Resource Conservation and Development Council (PSRCDC), including mini grants to encourage the celebrations and associated projects.
The Allegheny River in western Pennsylvania was voted the 2017 Pennsylvania River of the Year. The general public was invited to vote online from November 14 to December 19, 2016, choosing from among four waterways nominated across the state. At the conclusion of the public voting campaign, the Allegheny River was a clear winner, tallying 45 percent of the more than 16,700 total votes cast for the four finalists.
The Allegheny River was nominated by PSRCDC, a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization serving the residents of eight northwestern Pennsylvania counties. PSRCDC will receive a $10,000.00 leadership grant from the PA DCNR and the PA Organization of Watersheds and Rivers to help plan the River of the Year celebration.
DCNR and POWR will work with the PSRCDC to create a free commemorative poster celebrating the Allegheny River. PSRCDC will also coordinate with many partner organizations to manage the 2017 River of the Year celebration over a large geographic area through educational and recreational events connecting residents and visitors alike to the value of clean water and resources provided by a high-quality stream such as the Allegheny River.
As part of the River of the Year celebration, PSRCDC will accept applications for mini grants of up to $500.00 each from qualified applicants to co-sponsor River of the Year activities, events, or educational programming associated with the Allegheny River that meet the criteria specified in the grant application.
Projects eligible for the mini grant funding must meet the phoning criteria:
• The project must take place in the state of Pennsylvania and provide educational, recreational, or an environmental benefits focused on the Allegheny River resources.
• The event must be scheduled and held between the dates of May 1, 2017 and November 6, 2017.
• Some examples of eligible projects could include educational sojourns, paddling, or float trip events, water safety programs, public access area improvements, stream cleanup projects, establishment of riparian buffers, erosion control projects, control of invasive species, fishing derbies, educational programs, water quality monitoring training, etc.
For additional information contact the PSRCDC at 814-726-1441 or email [email protected].
