Joint Municipal Authority, Conservation District Awarded PennVEST Grants
A pair of Armstrong County projects were awarded a combined $5.7 million in state grants late last week.
The Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) approved a $4.9 million grant for the Rayburn Township Joint Municipal Authority and a $761,400 grant for the Armstrong Conservation District, according to Senator Don White, a member of the PENNVEST Board.
PENNVEST is not supported by the state’s General Fund budget, which covers the daily operations and services of the Commonwealth. Financing is provided through the use of federal funding and prior bond issues by the state as well as proceeds from the Marcellus Shale Impact Fee legislation, Act 13 of 2012.
“A portion of the money raised by Act 13 is specifically dedicated to promote essential water and sewer system improvement projects across the state,” said Senator White. “This important funding for infrastructure improvement projects would be seriously imperiled if the state were to shift to the Governor’s proposed shale tax plan where the money would be dumped without constriction or restriction into the state’s General Fund budget.”
Rayburn Township will use its PENNVEST grant for the construction of approximately 47,000 feet of eight-inch water line, a 200,000 gallon water storage tank, pump station and related fire hydrants. The project will provide water service to residents of Rayburn Township along portions of Iron Bridge Road, McMillen Road, Cownanshannock Road, Hayes Hollow Road, Anderson Creek Road, Sloan Hill Road, Mechling Road and the Route 28/66 areas in the township.
“This work is basically the second phase of a major regional project,” said Senator White. “Last October, PENNVEST approved an $8.5 million low-interest loan for the Manor Township Joint Municipal Authority to construct a new 1.4 million gallon-per-day water plant to replace a plant that was built in 1957 and in very poor condition. The work is expected to begin early in 2016 and run through the year.
“The current round of PENNVEST funding will significantly improve water service to Rayburn Township, providing better access to public water around the Route 28 bypass,” added Senator White. “Some residents in Rayburn Township, especially those living in the project area have some concerns about the reliability of their water supplies, particularly during the summer when some have seen their wells run dry. This PENNVEST grant will ease the burden on ratepayers while allowing the authority to move forward with a much needed project that will provide these residents with a safe and reliable water supply.”
State Representatives Jeff Pyle and Donna Oberlander also were glad the two organizations were awarded the funding.
“The Department of Environmental Protection has previously noted that some of those areas have reported water shortages in the past,” said Representative Pyle. “More than half of these properties have a history of losing their water supply in the summer and about two-thirds have some type of contamination problems. This grant will give the township the resources to address those problems.”
The Armstrong Conservation District will use the grant to install infiltration trenches, vegetated swales, riparian buffer restoration, revegetation and reforestation. Other storm water improvements include replacing 1,100 feet of culverts, constructing 4,100 feet of infiltration trenches, 4,100 feet of vegetative-lined channels and stabilizing two sections of streambank along Redbank Creek.
Local News | KP NewsDesk January 25, 2016
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