Secretary McGinty talks with Sen. Raphael Musto and Luzerne County Conservation District Watershed Specialist Josh Longmore during a tour of the Hick’s Creek Watershed in Exeter.

On behalf of Governor Edward G. Rendell, Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen A. McGinty  announced more than $3.9 million in Growing Greener grants to support 64 conservation district watershed specialist positions throughout Pennsylvania.

“These watershed specialists do invaluable work restoring watersheds and promoting environmental protection at the local level,” Secretary McGinty said. “This partnership truly demonstrates how working together can amplify efforts to address pressing environmental issues while helping to revitalize local economies.”

McGinty, joined by State Senator Ray Musto, made the announcement during a July 14 tour of the Hick’s Creek Watershed in Exeter, Luzerne County. The Hick’s Creek Watershed Association is working with the conservation district watershed specialist to conduct a detailed assessment of the watershed funded by a $46,440 Growing Greener grant. The assessment will result in the development of a restoration plan that will guide the association’s future watershed efforts.

Senator Musto said that he was very pleased with the Secretary's visit to the county and appreciates all the Growing Greener money that has been awarded to Luzerne County. "The Hicks Creek project is exactly the kind of project that we had in mind when Growing Greener was enacted in 1999, said Musto. "We wanted to give local communities the ability to find solutions to environmental problems."

Senator Musto was instrumental in the passage of the "Environmental Stewardship and Watershed Protection Act" in 1999, otherwise known as Growing Greener. Since 1999, millions of dollars have been awarded to communities for open space protection, watershed restoration, abandoned mine land reclamation, and wetlands protection.