HARRISBURG, Pa. – Two projects in Clarion County will receive a combined total of $1.25 million in state grant funding to enhance public safety, Rep. Donna Oberlander (R-Clarion/Armstrong/Forest) and Sen. Scott Hutchinson (R-Clarion/Butler/Forest/Warren) announced on Wednesday.

The first grant, totaling $750,000, will be used to complete the construction of Fiberboard Avenue in Paint Township. Specifically, the project will extend the road 0.8 miles to connect to Route 66 and help facilitate the expansion of Clarion Industries’ manufacturing facility. This will help to address safety issues, especially in the winter, by allowing traffic to and from the manufacturer to have direct access to Route 66, and then to Interstate 80.

The second grant, to Z Train Corp of Clarion, will be used to plug several gas wells, including those in Clarion, Paint, and Monroe Townships in Clarion County. This will alleviate mitigation of natural gas in areas with homes, schools, churches, and public water supplies. That grant is in the amount of $500,000.

“The Clarion Industries project has immense potential to enhance the safety of local motorists and bring hundreds of new jobs to the region,” Oberlander said. “Likewise, plugging several of the area’s abandoned wells will also help to enhance public safety. I’m pleased these projects are receiving significant state investment, and I was happy to offer my support for them.”

“The funding for these projects is great news for Clarion County,” said Hutchinson. “The work by Z-Train to close these old gas wells will greatly reduce the hazards of gas migration to nearby residences and water supplies. Clarion Industries’ road project will alleviate traffic congestion at the intersection of routes 66 and 322, increasing public safety and improving travel times.”

The projects were approved by the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) at its meeting on Wednesday.