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Erie County

Warren County Conservation District, Crawford, Erie & Warren counties, $5000

Funded by: LWVPA-CEF WREN Project, Source Water Protection Project 2007-2008
Project Title: Conservation Education News Spots
Area to be protected: Lake Erie and Ohio River watersheds

Partners: Crawford County Conservation District and Erie County Conservation District

Focus: prepare and air the "Green Tip of the Week" television commercial campaign to educate citizens in Warren, Crawford, and Erie counties about the steps they can take to protect and improve the watersheds they live in thereby protecting the sources of their drinking water. 

Contact:  Jean Gomory 814-563-3117 jean.gomoroy@pa.nacdnet.net

Erie County Conservation District, Erie County, 5,000

Funded by: LWVPA-CEF WREN Project, Watershed Protection Project 2006-2007
Project Title:  Outdoor Model Watershed Nonpoint Pollution Display
Area to be protected:   Mill Creek watershed
Partners: Fourteen townships in Erie County

Focus:  build an outdoor “micro-watershed” demonstrating all the major causes of nonpoint source pollution such as agricultural operations and failing septic systems and how citizens and officials can work together to prevent pollution from entering Mill Creek. Publish a brochure.

Contact: Brian Zeppenfeld, bzeppenfeld@erieconservation.com

Union City Municipal Authority, Erie County; $4036

Funded by: LWVPA-CEF WREN Project, Drinking Water Source Water Protection Project 2006-2007
Project Title: Union City French Creek Water Protection Program
Area(s) to be protected: French Creek, Laurel Run Watershed
Partner:  The Gathering at French Creek
Focus:  use educational tools such as TAPWater Kit and EnviroScape Model to educate attendees at The Gathering at French Creek about protecting the drinking water supplies in the French Creek and Laurel Run watersheds. The project will also host a children’s poster contest and design and distribute an educational brochure to residents.

Contact:  Marsha Tomcho, water@surferie.net
 

French Creek Project (PA Environmental Council), Erie, Crawford, Mercer & Venango counties; $ 4,871

Funded by: LWVPA-CEF WREN Project, Watershed Protection Project 2005-2006
Project Title: Meadville Stormwater Best Management Practices Educational Project
Area(s) to be protected: French Creek Watershed
Partner: City of Meadville
Focus:  hold a Better Stormwater Management Through Site Design” Workshop  based on PA Dept of Environmental Protection’s Stormwater Manual. The workshop, aimed especially at municipal officials, will use a Stormwater BMP demonstration site developed by the partnership. Armed with resources to adequately review and critique proposed land development projects within the watershed, nonpoint source pollution from stormwater within the French Creek watershed can be reduced.

Contact: Mark Gorman, (814) 332-2946, mgorman@pecpa.org

Union City Municipal Authority.  Erie County; $ 2525

Funded by: LWVPA-CEF WREN Project, Drinking Water Source Water Protection Project 2005-2006
Project Title: Union City Source Water Protection Program
Areas to be protected: Bentley Run Reservoir, Bentley Creek, Laurel Run Reservoir
Partners:  PA Rural Water Association, PA Environmental Council's French Creek Project

Focus: design brochures, purchase models and establish an on-going water quality monitoring program in the area schools to persuade students and parents to adopt behaviors that will prevent contamination of the community's water supply.

Contact: Marsha Tomcho, 814- 438-3721, email: water@surferie.net

 

Borough of North East.  Erie County; $4,820

Funded by: LWVPA-CEF WREN Project, Watershed Protection Project 2004-2005
Project Title: Creation and Distribution of Laminated Educational Card
Area(s) to be protected: Baker Creek Watershed
Partners:  Township of Northeast, Northeast Area  Chamber of Commerce, Baker Creek Watershed Association and Northeast News-Journal

Focus:  produce and distribute laminated "Healthy Stream" cards designed to educate citizens of the Baker Creek Watershed about proper disposal of materials which contribute to nonpoint source pollution.

Contact: Diana Hatfield, 814-725-4262, email: info@nechamber.org

 

Lake Erie-Allegheny Earth Force, Erie County, $4,000

Funded by: LWVPA-CEF WREN Project, Watershed Protection Project 2003-2004
Project Title: Making the News-Project Clean Sweep
Area(s) to be protected: Lake Erie Watershed
Partner(s): City of Erie, Erie Times News, Jr. Pennsylvania Lake Erie Watershed Association, PA Lake Erie Watershed Association, and Erie Department of Planning
Focus: create and distribute newspaper insert about nonpoint source pollution issues using information collected from watershed assessments and the implementation of action plans devised by students
Contact: Pat Lupo, OSB, 814-899-2572, email: lea@earthforce.org

Washington Township Water Department, Erie County, $4,060

Funded by: LWVPA-CEF WREN Project, Drinking Water Source Protection Project 2003-2004
Project Title: Washington Township Wellhead Protection Program
Area(s) to be protected: Edinboro Lake northern tributaries
Partner(s): PA Rural Water Association and General McLane School District
Focus: post Water Supply Area signs, conduct treatment plant tours, and implement a school groundwater education program that will address source water protection
Contact: David Anthony, 814-734-3117, email: washing@velocity.net

Glinodo Earth Force, Erie County; $5,000

Project Title: Glinodo Earth Force Green Project
Area(s) to be protected: Lake Erie

Partner(s): Gannon University, PA Sea Grant, PA Resources Council, Conservation Consultants, Inc, Mercyhurst College, SONS of Lake Erie, PA DEP
Focus: Recruit and train at least fifteen local educators who will work with students to initiate water resources protection projects in their watershed with a focus on youth decision-making, civic action, watershed focus and community problem-solving. At the end of their projects, students will participate in the Earth Force Youth Summit designed to reinforce civic engagement.
Contact: Pat Lupo, 814.899.2572, email: glinodo@earthforce.org

 

Project PAH, Erie County
Funded by LWVPA-CEF WREN Project - Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Grants - 1997-1998

Coalition Partners: Strong Vincent High School, Erie, PA Dept. of Environmental Protection, Erie County Dept. of Health, Erie County Dept. of Planning
Contact: James Rutkowski, 814-871-6537 Grant: $ 2,700

Focus: To support a study by high school students of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Cascade Creek. The students' goal was to work with the Erie County Health department to evaluate possible sources and to develop a plan that may limit future introduction of PAHs into the creek.

Accomplishments: The project submitted a formal report to DEP and appropriate agencies with recommendations for reducing the introduction of pollutant into the waterway. Key points from the study include:

• Sediment and water samples were collected by students for the study, and by DEP and County Health Department staff for validation.
• Results of students' tests were validated by DEP/Health Department data.
• Two sources of PAHs were identified as a result of this study.

Dissemination of results from the project included:

• Adding information about PAHs to the Non-Point Pollution Learning Guide that is part of the Coastal Zone Management Grant.
• Student gave presentations and exhibited displays for: - The Great Lakes International Joint Commission - The Children's ExpERIEnce Museum - 1998 Earth Day Student Summit at the Erie Civic Center - Regional Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Sciences.
• Increased community and agency interest near project's end indicates potential for follow up activities to develop remediation plan.

Successes, Obstacles, and Unanticipated Outcomes: The accuracy of the students' test results and their involvement and follow through in various aspects of the project were greater than anticipated. The confidence shown by local officials by their request to the project to file a formal report.

Obstacles included- Delays caused by the need to rent some equipment resulted in having to rush the testing period, which may have decreased the study's accuracy. Involving large numbers of students led to some test results being discarded. Involving community members and appropriate agencies in developing a remediation plan has been slower to implement.