State Rep. Jamie Barton | Pennsylvania 124th Legislative District
State Rep. Jamie Barton | Pennsylvania 124th Legislative District
Senator Dave Argall and Representative Jamie Barton have announced that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has allocated over $647,000 to Berks and Schuylkill counties. This funding aims to mitigate pollution and restore water bodies within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
The Berks County Conservation District is set to receive $200,000, while the Schuylkill Conservation District will benefit from more than $447,000 in grants.
“It’s easy to push the Chesapeake Bay off as Maryland’s problem,” said Barton. “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.”
Argall reflected on past conditions saying, “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. 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.”
These grants are part of DEP's 2025 Countywide Action Plan Implementation Grants initiative aimed at supporting county teams throughout Pennsylvania's portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
For further details, contact Jake Gillespie at 717-772-9834 or JGillespie@pahousegop.com.
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