Environmental Protection Agency Awards $100,000 to Lilly Run/Susquehanna River Project in Havre de Grace

From the Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway (LSHG):

Dear Friends of the LSHG:

Many of you joined us at the Concord Point Lighthouse in Havre de Grace on March 13, 2012 where, at my invitation, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and the Chesapeake Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) announced the availability of 4 Million Dollars to local governments through its New Local Government Green Infrastructure Initiative. This initiative targets grant funding and technical assistance to local governments to clean up rivers and streams and make progress toward Chesapeake Bay water quality improvement. Our visitors received a hearty welcome from our heritage area as many civic, business, government and community leaders from both Harford and Cecil Counties attended the event along with media and other governments from our surrounding states. Our local support for the Chesapeake Bay was REWARDED with new project funds !

Last Monday I traveled to Virginia to witness and anxiously wait to hear EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson announce the communities that were selected to receive funding. I’m proud to share the news that the City of Havre de Grace was selected to be the recipient of a $100,000 grant to continue the design and engineering of the Lilly Run Improvement Plan. Mayor Wayne Dougherty and the City’s grant author and project manager, John Van Gilder, were also on-hand for the announcement. While the over-all goal of the project remains the restoration of Lilly Run to reduce sediment pollution to the Susquehanna River, key elements also include stream stabilization, flood control, environmental education “living classroom” for Havre de Grace High School and a pedestrian trail expansion of the Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway.

As many of you know, in addition to my duties as Exec Director for LSHG, I was appointed by Governor Martin O’Malley to the Chesapeake Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) in 2009 and served as Chairman from 2010 to the Spring of this year. LGAC is a body of officials appointed by the Governors of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the Mayor of the District of Columbia to improve the role local governments play in Bay restoration efforts by developing strategies to engage communities, advise the Governors, DC Mayor and EPA Administrator on Chesapeake Bay policy and funding matters. LGAC represents the interest of 1,800 units of local government in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and was the key driver of these local funds that have now been awarded to 37 communities throughout the Chesapeake Bay region since our March 13th event.

WBAL Article:
http://www.wbal.com/article/91862/2/template-story/Feds-Award-Money-To-Clean-Up-Local-Waterway

Your support makes this possible to help us and the Bay we all love!!!

Sincerely,
Mary Ann Lisanti