Paul Takac

BELLEFONTE — A key regional agency committed to protecting and enhancing Centre County’s natural resources was awarded a grant totaling $510,000, state Rep. Paul Takac, D-Centre, announced recently.

The grant was awarded by the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission through the Conservation Excellence Grant Program.

The award to the Centre County Conservation District will be earmarked toward two projects within Centre County designed to mitigate runoff of nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment that impact the Chesapeake Bay.

The Smith Farm, near Julian, will build a waste storage facility, reducing nutrient runoff into Bald Eagle Creek. The Weaver Farm, near Port Matilda, will implement measures to control barnyard runoff, enhancing water quality in the Halfmoon Creek Watershed.

“Protecting the health of our environment and ensuring continued access to clean air and water for all Pennsylvanians will always remain of the upmost importance to me,” Takac said. “This award showcases the importance of collaboration between local, state and private entities for the benefit of Centre County and the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed.”

The Conservation Excellence Grant Program was created by Act 39 of 2019, with current funding coming in part through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Most Effective Basins-Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act Grant Fund. The grants are structured to provide financial and technical assistance for the implementation of best management practices on agricultural operations in areas designated as priority locations by the PA Department of Environmental Protection’s Chesapeake Bay Phase 3 Watershed Implementation Plan.