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Hello partners for water quality!We have much news to share on progress by state, local, and sector partners to improve water quality by reducing nutrient and sediment pollution in Pennsylvania waterways that eventually flow to the Chesapeake Bay.
For more details on Pennsylvania’s Phase 3 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan (Phase 3 WIP) and Countywide Action Planning, visit the Phase 3 WIP website. For a broader educational look at nutrient and sediment pollution in local streams, rivers, and lakes in the watershed, including tips and success stories, visit Healthy Waters, Healthy Communities.
Please consider how you might join in or help support this work. Check out each county’s Phase 3 WIP Countywide Action Plan (CAP) and make connections with your county team. Also, please share this newsletter with your networks and encourage them to subscribe to receive the newsletter monthly!
— DEP Bureau of Watershed Restoration and Nonpoint Source Management
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DEP Bureau of Watershed Restoration and Nonpoint Source Management (BWRNSM)
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DEP’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed Restoration Division Publishes 2024 Annual Report
On September 30, BWRNSM’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed Restoration Division completed their 2024 Annual Report titled, “Pennsylvania’s Clean Water Progress.” The 2024 Annual Report includes highlights from successful projects and programs that have invested in clean water quality work throughout Pennsylvania’s portion of Chesapeake Bay watershed. The report provides an overview of the large monetary investment made throughout the Pennsylvania portion of the Bay watershed between 2020 and 2024 and shows how that investment translates to acres of conservation projects and thousands of trees planted. The report discusses Pennsylvania’s rapid delisting strategy, DEP’s Clean Water Progress Teams initiative, and what to expect moving beyond 2025 (a notable milestone year for the Phase 3 WIP). Additionally, the report features CAP-funded projects that improve water quality in various sectors: agricultural, natural, and urban. The 2024 Annual Report can be accessed on the Phase 3 WIP’s Annual Report webpage along with previous editions.
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Chesapeake Bay Watershed Restoration Division Holds Webinar Wednesday on CAP Agricultural Project Highlights
On October 1, BWRNSM’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed Restoration Division held a Webinar Wednesday session to highlight CAP-funded agricultural projects. This webinar featured presenters from Berks County Conservation District, Centre County Conservation District, and Lancaster County Conservation District. All three presentations showcased the importance of coordination among partners as projects combined various sources of funding for meaningful nutrient reduction results and improved local water quality. Projects employed multiple best management practices (BMP) to address a variety of concerns including manure storage, streambank protection and buffering, stream crossings, and barnyard stabilization. A recording of the webinar is available on DEP’s Pennsylvania Clean Water Academy: Course: Webinar Wednesday – CAP-Funded Agricultural Project Highlights from Berks, Centre, and Lancaster Counties.
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A graphic created by Berks County Conservation District and shared on the Webinar Wednesday session to show conditions prior to and after installation of a buffer on a small stream on a local farm.
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Programs and Projects by Local, State, and Federal Partners
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Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative Celebrates 10 Years Supporting Restoration Efforts
On September 15, the Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative (CMC) celebrated ten years of partnering with over 100 organizations, collecting water quality and macroinvertebrate samples at 2,490 monitoring stations throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay leads the CMC, and the other partner organizations include the Izaak Walton League of America, the Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM) at Dickinson College, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, and the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia. These organizations provide technical services to monitoring groups in the Chesapeake Bay region.
The CMC was formed in 2015 as a six-year cooperative agreement through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay Program to integrate community and volunteer monitoring data into the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership (CMC was then awarded a second six-year cooperative agreement in 2021). Throughout the region, there had been many sources of data collected by volunteers, local governments, and non-governmental organizations. The CMC stepped in to create a quality assurance structure that aligns with state and federal decision-making processes to use data across the region. To date, more than 1.1 million data points have been uploaded to and are publicly accessible on the CMC Data Explorer.
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USDA NRCS Provides Update of NRCS-Administered Programs for Federal Fiscal Year 2025
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provided an update of statewide funding, acreage, and contract totals for Pennsylvania for Federal Fiscal Year 2025 (see accompanying tables). NRCS reported that over $48 million has been obligated in more than 600 producer contracts on more than 123,000 acres. Additionally, NRCS reported 18 new easement contracts for over 1,000 acres.
The programs listed in the report include the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP), the Agriculture Management Assistance Program (AMA), the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), and the Agriculture Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). Interested potential applicants can contact their local USDA NRCS Field Office to take advantage of NRCS technical assistance and expertise or to participate in conservation programs on their farm or land.
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Table showing over $48 million in obligated contracts for more than 123,000 acres for Federal Fiscal Year 2025 in Pennsylvania’s share of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
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Table showing 18 easements on more than 1,000 acres for Federal Fiscal Year 2025 in Pennsylvania’s share of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
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Leaders Tour Conservation Projects Showcasing Chesapeake Bay Program Implementation Efforts in Pennsylvania
On October 14, agency leaders from DEP, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, State Conservation Commission, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency joined local partners, including conservation districts and Penn State University, for a full-day tour of Chesapeake Bay Program implementation efforts in Pennsylvania.
The site visits, from a stream restoration along Conewago Creek in Adams County to on-farm conservation practices at Hess Farm in Lebanon County, emphasized how Pennsylvania has built strong partnerships and continues to develop those connections to coordinate funding and resources across agencies and partners for the most cost-effective use of dollars. The projects highlighted the power of partnerships — federal, state, and local — working together to improve water quality and support working lands and local economies.
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Conservation leaders tour various sites across Pennsylvania's portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
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DEP Improves Permitting Efficiency with Chapter 105 General Permits
On September 19, the Division of Wetlands Encroachment and Training (DWET) in DEP’s Bureau of Waterways Engineering and Wetlands announced that the updated General Permit 4 (Intake & Outfall Structures) Sample Drawings were published on DEP’s eLibrary. The drawings were updated to be cleaner and include form-fillable spaces for registrants to provide details. This update will enable registrants who are proposing structures as designed and shown in the drawings to utilize these drawings, complete the information on the drawing, and submit it with the GP-4 Registrations. DEP anticipates this update will provide efficiency for registrants and reviewers alike. Updating these drawings was a recommendation of the Chapter 105 Workgroup of the DEP Agriculture (Ag) Permitting Roundtable that DEP convened in 2024. DWET is actively working on updating the sample drawings for its other general permits as well, and they will be posted to each GP eLibrary folder when completed.
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DEP Releases New Training on Hydric Soils Indicators
The Hydric Soil Indicators Part 2 online training is the second part of a series discussing common hydric soil indicators in Pennsylvania. Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to describe and identify common hydric soil indicators seen in Pennsylvania using industry best practices. Participants will also learn procedures for determining and classifying organic matter. The Hydric Soil Indicators Exercise is a wrap-up for basic hydric soils, designed to reinforce and test the hydric soils knowledge acquired through previous trainings. Participants are presented with scenarios across four sites and use interactive content to learn and practice identifying hydric soil indicators. These trainings are intended for DEP staff, conservation districts, industry, higher education and other state and federal agencies.
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Pennsylvania Preserves More Farms Than Any Other State in the Nation
On October 15, Governor Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding visited Talview Dairy Farm in Lebanon County to celebrate a major milestone in Pennsylvania’s history — the preservation of more than 6,600 farms and 650,000 acres of farmland for agricultural use across the Commonwealth, the most farms of any state in the nation. The Farmland Preservation Program is a collaborative effort between state and local governments and nonprofit organizations, united in the goal of preserving prime farmland for future generations.
The Copenhaver family, who operate Talview Dairy, represent the sixth generation to farm their land. They are one of the thousands of families who have partnered with state and local governments to permanently protect Pennsylvania farmland from development — ensuring that productive agricultural land remains available for future generations. Since Governor Shapiro took office, Pennsylvania has invested more than $140 million to preserve 472 new farms and 39,273 acres of prime farmland across the Commonwealth. Pennsylvania leads the nation in preserved farms — with 6,621 farms and 658,681 acres protected across 58 counties since voters overwhelmingly approved the creation of the Commonwealth’s Farmland Preservation Program in 1988. To date, Pennsylvania has invested more than $1.78 billion in partnership with county and local governments to safeguard agricultural land from sprawl and development.
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Governor JoshShapiro (left) and Secretary Russell Redding (right) speak with an attendee at the event.
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Shapiro Administration Investments and Support Help Expand Pennsylvania’s Outdoor Recreation Industry, Creating Over 4,000 New Jobs and a New Outdoor Business Alliance of Pennsylvania
The Shapiro Administration has focused on growing the state’s $19 billion outdoor recreation industry, and it now supports more than 168,000 jobs statewide. In 2023, Governor Shapiro launched the Office of Outdoor Recreation to connect Pennsylvania’s public lands, businesses, and workers. When the office launched in 2023, Pennsylvania became the largest state in the nation with a dedicated office focused on the outdoor recreation industry.
In 2024, the Administration created the Outdoor Business Alliance of Pennsylvania (OBA PA) with $50,000 of Commonwealth funding and $200,000 in private seed funding from the Richard King Mellon Foundation. OBA PA is a statewide network implementing a business growth plan shaped by more than 1,000 Pennsylvania companies and industry leaders. A yearlong engagement process beginning in March led to four priorities, announced at a press event on September 10:
- Supporting Small Business Growth by providing resources, technical assistance, and trainings to support rural and urban outdoor startups.
- Spurring Workforce Development through job matching programs and regional convenings to connect employers and workers.
- Increasing Access to Capital by establishing the new Elevate Outdoor Business Grant Program and an outdoor funders network to help entrepreneurs grow in scale.
- Fostering Industry Collaboration with statewide and national events — including the first-ever Pennsylvania Outdoor Industry Expo — to connect businesses, investors, and industry leaders.
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Governor Josh Shapiro speaks with Mary Beth Laughton, President and CEO of REI, and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn.
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DEP Wastewater Technical Assistance Program Helps Wastewater Treatment Facility in Somerset County’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed Control Ammonia and Bacteria
Jenner Area Joint Sewer Authority (Jenner) operates a wastewater treatment facility located in Boswell, Somerset County, which is located within the Stonycreek River watershed that ultimately drains into the Chesapeake Bay. The treatment facility handles 700,000 gallons per day. During 2024, the facility had permit violations for effluent ammonia and bacteria. Ammonia contributes to nutrient pollution in streams and can harm aquatic life. It also promotes algal blooms that can reduce oxygen levels in the stream or create dead zones when the algae decompose. Jenner contacted DEP’s Wastewater Technical Assistance Program (WWTAP) requesting assistance for operators in regaining permit compliance and guidance on installing probes for monitoring aeration tanks.
DEP visited the plant in October 2024 and advised the operators to temporarily operate their aeration blowers at full capacity until ammonia was reduced. DEP WWTAP staff lent and installed a probe controller to help Jenner begin to monitor the treatment process until Jenner could purchase and install their own probes. Dissolved oxygen residual (DO) and oxidation/reduction potential (ORP) probes were used to monitor treatment.
Jenner contracted an instrument technician to install more probes for monitoring effluent quality. Jenner also connected bioreactor DO probes to a variable frequency drive (VFD) for a blower that was upgraded with a larger capacity motor to better monitor dissolved oxygen. By mid-summer 2025, all of Jenner’s probes were connected to a telemetry device for easier data management, and the VFD came into service shortly later. Effluent ammonia remained under control.
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Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Propagates Mussels to Restore Stream Health
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) has been stocking mussels along Dunkard Creek in Greene County to aid the stream in recovery from a 2009 pollution event along 30 miles of the stream. The discharge from a coal mine operation and wastewater from fracking operations in the area led to a die off more than 42,000 fish, 15,000 mussels, and 6,000 salamanders. For over a decade, mussels have been stocked in the stream, taken from other waterways within Pennsylvania. PFBC invested in the effort because of the important role mussels play in stream health due to an adult mussel’s ability to filter 10 gallons of water a day.
More recently, money from the pollution settlement helped to fund the Union City Aquatic Conservation Center in Erie County. Since its creation, this center has allowed PFBC to start stocking their own propagated mussels. They have since stocked 1,106 juvenile plain pocketbook mussels and 1,816 state endangered fatmucket mussels marked with gold glitter for easy identification in Dunkard Creek. While other fish species have begun to rebound in the area, the mussel populations have needed additional support. Recently, PFBC staff have found naturally reproducing mussels in Dunkard Creek — a sign that water quality is allowing for healthy aquatic communities to live once more in Dunkard Creek. Experience gained through this restoration and other efforts across the state could help bolster future mussel studies and recovery efforts in the Chesapeake Bay watershed as well.
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Anaerobic Digester Investment Still Benefitting Dairy Operation Nearly 20 Years Later
In 2006, Schrack Farms — a 2,500-acre dairy farm in Loganton, Clinton County — installed an anaerobic digester using assistance from USDA NRCS’ Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Since then, the anaerobic digester has continued to serve as a valuable tool in helping to process the manure from 1,400 dairy cattle on the operation.
The manure is run through the digester, which heats the waste and continues the process of breaking down the manure. The methane gas can be harvested for energy as a by-product, and the manure can be spread on fields to increase soil fertility. The Schrack farm operation uses the methane to power the farm and even to sell back electricity to the energy company. Additionally, they spread the liquid manure on their fields planted with cover crops, reducing other inputs that they would otherwise need to amend the soil.
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A view of the methane digester installed on the Schrack Farm.
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Penn State Extension Educators Present About Riparian Buffers on Floating Classroom
On September 9, Penn State Extension Educators Cat Pugh and Erin Trouba led a riparian buffer discussion during the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper’s 2025 Floating Classroom Series. About 50 people were onboard the Hiawatha Paddleboat to learn about riparian buffers and the plant species that make up those buffers. Educators also shared about edible plants and those used for weaving and other crafts that can be incorporated into buffer plantings. After docking, Pugh closed the session with a plant identification walk along part of the West Branch of the Susquehanna.
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Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance Receives Funding to Study Acid Mine Drainage Impacts to Shamokin Creek Watershed
On September 4, the Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance (SCRA) received $689,229 in funding from DEP, part of $5.2 million in funds awarded statewide, to study impacts of acid mine drainage (AMD) to the Shamokin Creek watershed. This was made possible by the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act, which has invested over $700 million into environmental restoration of abandoned mine lands since 2022. The Commonwealth has the largest amount of abandoned coal mines nationwide, with an estimated $5 billion required for stream restoration and reclamation statewide. Pennsylvania has successfully rehabilitated roughly 159,000 acres to date.
Shamokin Creek is one of the state’s most impacted watersheds, about 50 square miles of its headwaters are overlaid by the Western-Middle Anthracite Coalfield. At peak production in 1917, the watershed contributed roughly 6.2 million tons of coal annually. This industrial past has led to all 32.4 miles of its mainstream having elevated concentrations of acid and metals. SCRA plans to use the money to complete further studies and develop plans for up to three active treatment plants along the creek. After more research is conducted, SCRA plans to apply for two more grants, one for plant design and another for construction.
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Manure Injection Partnership Receives Funding to Support Manure Injection Efforts in the Chesapeake Bay Region
In 2024, Sustainable Chesapeake, leader of the Manure Injection Partnership, was awarded funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to support manure and nutrient management in the Chesapeake Bay region. Manure injection allows farmers to deliver nutrients to their cropland with less soil disturbance, which prevents soil erosion and excess nutrient runoff into local waterways and more efficiently uses nutrients, helping to reduce farmers’ input costs.
The partnership has worked together for over 10 years to raise awareness of nutrient management practices and to expand the adoption of manure injection and nutrient management practices in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Groups involved in the partnership include: Sustainable Chesapeake, the Pennsylvania 4R Alliance, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, The Nature Conservancy, Maola Local Dairies, Lancaster County Conservation District, Lebanon County Conservation District, Penn State, and Cornell University.
The partnership recently released two requests for proposals to directly fund manure injection and nutrient management. Nutrient management planners, manure applicators, and farmers that apply their own manure are eligible to participate. Email Natasha Rathlev at natasha@susches.org or Annika Rowland at arowland@allianceforthebay.org for more information on the partnership.
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Manure injected into a farm field in Lancaster County.
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Penn State Extension Offers Webinar Explaining USGS Water Quality Data
On November 7, Penn State Extension will host a free webinar, “Water Quality Insights Series: U.S. Geological Survey Data.” This webinar will provide insight into the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Pennsylvania Water Science Center's water quality monitoring efforts in agricultural watersheds. This session will explore monitoring sites, the types of data collected, and the methods used to interpret that information. Participants will discover how these findings support informed land and water management decisions, offering a clearer understanding of the vital connections between science, agriculture, and natural resource stewardship. This presentation is part of the Penn State Extension’s Water Quality Insights Series, which examines what data reveal about the health of Pennsylvania streams and highlights research, field monitoring, and modeling efforts used to assess them.
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Penn State Extension Offers Webinar Addressing Community Forestry Through DCNR Direct Contracting Opportunities
On November 12, Penn State Extension will host a virtual webinar titled, “Community Forestry: Direct Contracting Grant Opportunity.” The webinar is free for participants unless a certificate of attendance is requested for self-reporting (cost is $10 for certificate option). During this session, presenters will discuss the work of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (DCNR) Urban and Community Forestry team. They will provide insight into statewide efforts to expand urban tree canopy, strengthen tree management, and provide direct support to municipalities through site visits, technical assistance, and education. The team will also outline funding opportunities available through DCNR Direct Contracting, offering guidance on how communities can apply for this support to achieve their local canopy goals.
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Penn State Extension Offers Webinar Addressing Watershed Nutrient Management
On December 5, Penn State Extension will offer a free virtual webinar, “Water Quality Insight Series: Watershed Nutrient Management.” This webinar is part of Penn State Extension’s Water Quality Insight Series and draws on decades of field-based research from the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service’s Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research Unit to examine nutrient movement through agricultural watersheds. Attendees will gain a science-based understanding of nutrient dynamics and explore emerging management strategies that both safeguard water resources and enhance on-farm fertilizer efficiency. By connecting real-world research, long-term monitoring, and advanced modeling, this session will provide insights into the health of Pennsylvania streams and the effectiveness of best management practices.
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DEP’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed Restoration Division Opens CAP Grant Application
DEP’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed Restoration Division opened their CAP Grant Program application period on October 1. The grant application period extended through October 31. During this time, counties within Pennsylvania’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed that have completed CAPs were able to apply for funding to support a CAP Coordinator position as well as CAP Implementation funds. This block grant program is a part of Pennsylvania’s overall Phase 3 Watershed Implementation Plan (Phase 3 WIP) effort to work with partners at the local level resulting in improved water quality both locally and within the Chesapeake Bay.
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Technical Assistance Grants Available Through the National Association of Conservation Districts
The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), in partnership with the USDA NRCS, has issued a request for proposals for Technical Assistance (TA) Grants. With an anticipated $27 million in funding, TA grants will support technical positions in high-need areas, strengthening conservation delivery across the U.S. and its territories.
The TA Grants program provides resources to conservation districts to address the growing demand for voluntary working lands conservation. The funding supports boots-on-the-ground assistance to help producers develop conservation plans, implement practices, and access programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). Applications are due by November 6, and must be submitted through the NACD Application Portal.
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Program Offers Cost-Share for Forest Management Practices and Plan Writing
The Pennsylvania Woodland Resilience Enhancement Network offers cost-share assistance for forest practice-plan writing and the implementation of management practices meant to improve the health, resilience, and value of forest land. It is administered jointly by the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry.
Some of the forest management practices included in this initiative include forest farming establishment, supplemental tree/shrub planting, and herbaceous weed control. Any non-industrial landowner with at least 10 acres of contiguous forest and no more than 2,500 total acres is eligible. Contact the county’s DCNR Service Forester for more information or review the factsheet.
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Bedford County Completes Stream Stabilization Project
On August 29, the Fort Bedford Chapter of Trout Unlimited (FTBU) completed the Buffalo Run - Warren Streambank Stabilization Project. The project improved approximately 1,155 linear feet of Buffalo Run, a warm-water fishery in Napier Township, Bedford County. Volunteers from FTBU and a contracted equipment operator with technical assistance from Bedford County Conservation District staff installed PFBC-approved habitat structures with the purpose of reducing erosion and sediment deposition in the stream while providing fish habitat enhancement. The structures installed include: five modified mudsills, three deflectors, and a log cross vane. After grading, the disturbed area was seeded with a riparian seed mix and mulched with straw. The total cost of the project was funded by CAP at $37,285.48.
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Before and after pictures of Buffalo Run (Provided by Bedford County).
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Cumberland County Completes Stream Stabilization Project
Cumberland County Conservation District recently completed a stream stabilization project along Mountain Creek in Mount Holly Springs. This project successfully stabilized 640 feet of stream bank with the use of a saw-tooth modified mudsill, log-framed cross vanes with rock throats, saw-tooth stone deflectors, and log-framed stone deflectors.
By installing these practices, the district and partners improved water flow and oxygen, reduced erosion, and created a better habitat for trout and aquatic life. Project partners included PFBC’s Habitat Management Division, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, the Mountain Creek Trout Club and Conservation Society, and Gleim Excavating. The project was funded with $50,337 from the Unconventional Gas Well Fund (Marcellus Shale).
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Mudsill installed on Mountain Creek (Provided by Cumberland County Conservation District).
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USDA NRCS Lancaster County Field Office Assists Lancaster County Farmer with Conservation Improvements
A dairy farmer in Lancaster County, reached out to the USDA-NRCS Lancaster County field office for assistance with multiple concerns including muddy barnyards, over-grazed pastures, and stormwater runoff. The farmer worked with NRCS to develop a whole-farm conservation plan to improve farm efficiency and improve the environment. With support from NRCS’ Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the farmer stabilized high-traffic livestock areas with new animal trails. He also seeded bare areas in the barnyard to prevent erosion and added concrete curbs to the barnyard lot to guide runoff to the manure storage area while newly connected downspouts keep clean rainwater separate.
The farmer also addressed his pastures with a rotational grazing plan, which has led to healthier vegetation on his fields. He also had a 35-foot riparian buffer installed along a stream on his property in partnership with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. Local NRCS field offices that can support planning and implementation of conservation practices on farms can be found here.
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Snyder County Holds Riparian Buffer Boot Camp
The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts (PACD) recently partnered with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay to offer a riparian buffer boot camp in Snyder County. Nine conservation district staff members attended the field day to learn how to complete new site visits, develop a planting plan, use flags to mark the site, and conduct maintenance. Participants planted and sheltered trees as part of the hands-on learning experience.
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Ryan Davis with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay led the session (Provided by PACD Program Manager Holly Miller).
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Susquehanna County Conservation District Raises Juvenile Eels to Release into the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna County Conservation District recently welcomed new “Eels in the Classroom” to their district tank. This is the district’s second year raising eels, and the growth of the juveniles this year outpaced the growth of their first year’s set of eels. Eels in the Classroom (EIC), offered by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, gives educators juvenile American eels to raise and release back into the Susquehanna River. The program partners with natural resource agencies, schools, and Conowingo Dam operators to help restore eels to their native waters. American eels help freshwater mussels reproduce by hosting mussel larvae and transporting them throughout the Susquehanna River and its tributaries. Adult mussels aid in improving local water quality as they filter gallons of water each day. Public educators interested in joining the EIC program can fill out the form here.
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“With today’s milestone, Pennsylvania has helped preserve more than 6,600 farms – more than any other state in the nation. That means our family farms can stay farms forever – preserving this way of life and creating more opportunity for multigenerational farmers like the Copenhavers, who are a central part of Pennsylvania’s economy. Agriculture plays an essential role in the economic future of our Commonwealth and by investing in preservation, innovation, and conservation – we’re making sure that this critical sector remains one of Pennsylvania’s strongest industries for generations to come."
- Josh Shapiro, Governor of Pennsylvania.
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Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101
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