Mahanoy Creek Watershed gets $165k for acid mine drainage project
CONNERTON – The Mahanoy Creek Watershed is receiving a $165,000 grant from the commonwealth Department of Environmental Protection to further its efforts to restore the rust-orange creek to its natural state.
DEP announced today 149 grant awardees statewide, 22 in the northeast, through the Growing Greener program.
“Growing Greener awardees help keep Pennsylvania clean,” said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “It is imperative that communities in Pennsylvania receive the necessary funding to reduce pollutants in area waterways.”
Among the awardees was the Mahanoy Creek Watershed Association, receiving $165,434 for the design of the Packer 5 Acid Mine Drainage Treatment Project.
The Packer 5 outfall at Connerton is one of several acid mine drainage points along the Shenandoah Creek, which is a tributary to the Mahanoy, and is believed to be the discharge point for the former Shen Penn, Shenandoah City, and Knickerbocker collieries.
DEP says the Growing Greener project “has helped to slash the backlog of farmland-preservation projects statewide, protect open space, eliminate the maintenance backlog in state parks, clean up abandoned mines and restore watersheds, provide funds for recreational trails and local parks, help communities address land use, and provide new and upgraded water and sewer systems.”
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acid mine water still runs into the creek in big min run
That’s wonderful news. Thanks for reporting – didn’t see or hear about this anywhere else.