Argall, Barton: $647,000 Coming to Berks, Schuylkill Counties for Chesapeake Bay Watershed Cleanup

December 11, 2024

HARRISBURG - Sen. Dave Argall (R-29) and Rep. Jamie Barton (R-124) announced today the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has awarded more than $647,000 to Berks and Schuylkill counties to reduce pollution and restore local streams, rivers and lakes in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The Berks County Conservation District will receive $200,000, while the Schuylkill Conservation District will get more than $447,000.

“It’s easy to push the Chesapeake Bay off as Maryland’s problem,” Barton said, “but it’s Pennsylvania’s waterways that feed into it. We’re making slow but steady progress in reducing the pollutants that enter our rivers and streams in Pennsylvania, and it’s showing in the health of the bay. This funding will ensure we continue moving in the right direction.”

“When I was growing up in Tamaqua, I wasn’t allowed to retrieve a ball from the Little Schuylkill River because the water was often black or orange,” said Argall. “We’ve made significant progress since then, but much work remains ahead. I’m grateful this highly competitive funding will support clean rivers and streams in our area.”

DEP awarded the grants through the 2025 Countywide Action Plan (CAP) Implementation Grants to county teams across Pennsylvania’s share of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Rep. Jamie Barton
124th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Jake Gillespie
717.772.9834
JGillespie@pahousegop.com
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