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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Nov. 13, 2018) – The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) announced today the recipients of the 2019 Stream Partners Grants.
The West Virginia Stream Partners Program is a cooperative effort between the Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and the Soil Conservation Agency. The program has $100,000 annually appropriated to award to watershed associations interested in protecting and restoring state streams.
This year 23 organizations received funds up to $5,000.
The following list of 2019 grants were approved by the Stream Partners Program Executive Committee.
Buckhannon River Watershed Association – Buckhannon River $3,410
Buffalo Creek Watershed Improvement Association – Elk River $5,000
Coal River Group – Coal River $5,000
Coal River Mountain Watch – Coal River $5,000
Davis Creek Watershed Association – Kanawha River $4,895
Elkhorn Creek Watershed Association – Elkhorn Creek $3,000
Forks of the Coal – Coal River $2,500
Friends of the Blackwater – Blackwater River $5,000
Friends of Deckers Creek – Deckers Creek $5,000
Friends of Mill Creek – Mill Creek $5,000
Friends of the Cheat, Inc. – Cheat River $5,000
Friends of the Hughes River Watershed – Hughes River $5,000
Friends of the Lower Greenbrier River – Lower Greenbrier River $5,000
Greenbrier River Watershed Association – Greenbrier River $5,000
Meadow River Valley Association – Meadow River $2,550
Morris Creek Watershed Association – Morris Creek $5,000
Paint Creek Watershed Association – Paint Creek $5,000
Piney Creek Watershed Association – Piney Creek $5,000
Save the Tygart – Tygart River $5,000
Sleepy Creek Watershed Association – Berkeley Springs $2,900
The Friends of the Cacapon River – Cacapon River $5,000
Upper Monongahela River Association – Monongahela River $5,000
Warms Springs Watershed Association – Warm Springs Run $4,400
“These watershed groups do incredible work,” said WVDEP Cabinet Secretary Austin Caperton. “Their commitment to the environment is truly inspiring and we take great pride in assisting them in protecting our state’s water.”
“The program has helped West Virginia volunteers who dedicate their time to WV streams and rivers for 21 years,” said Stream Partners coordinator Jennifer Pauer. “While $5,000 is not a great amount of money, watershed associations continuously find innovative ways to use the funds to educate those in their communities about watershed protection, organize stream cleanups, develop larger scale water quality improvement projects, and ultimately make their local stream a place for recreation and community pride.”
The West Virginia Stream Partners Program began in 1996 with the creation of the West Virginia Stream Partners Program Act. The Legislature appropriated general revenue funds to support a grant program that encourages citizens to work in partnership with appropriate state agencies and local stakeholders. The goal is to supply seed grants and help organizations form partnerships for the completion of projects that will have long-term effects on the community and the watershed. Many watershed associations formed in 1996 are still active and successful today.
For more WVDEP news and information, go to www.dep.wv.gov. Also, connect with the agency on all social media platforms. Follow @DEPWV on Twitter, Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/depwv/, and find us on YouTube by searching “Environment Matters.”